Oil Leak - Picture of oil stained drive enclosed

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GavinJ
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Post Wed Mar 02, 2005 11:58 pm

I posted a while ago about how my 320 has developed a rather bad oil leak, its a 320i and if its parked on the flat it hardly drops anything, however if i park up front end first up a slope, i.e. on my nans drive this happens :mad:
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it was only parked up for about an hour...obviously my nan was pleased :roll: so now everytime i go i have to reverse up the slope and it drops no oil....

Where the hell is it coming from? any ideas?
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GavinJ
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Post Wed Mar 02, 2005 11:59 pm

I will take some engine bay shots tomorrow, i took it to my local garage who said it was the headgasket, however i have no mayo in my oil and no overheating issues...

I didn't think a knackered headgasket would piss that much oil out? when its not running
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johnono
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Post Thu Mar 03, 2005 12:09 am

have u banged it underneath?
E30Adam
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Post Thu Mar 03, 2005 12:10 am

It definately won't be the headgasket because there's no oil at that level then the car's not running.

It sounds to me like it's your rear crank seal. This would explain why it only drops oil with your car parked with the nose up the hill. It's about the right level for an oil leak too. Can't think of anything else it could possibly be.
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GavinJ
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Post Thu Mar 03, 2005 12:14 am

Sounds like it could be that then Adam, it just amazed me how much oil i left behind after such little time.
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E30Mark
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Post Thu Mar 03, 2005 7:28 am

Could be the sump gasket. Had exactly the same issue with my 323i. Never leaked oil when on the flat or driving, but dumped a huge amount of oil all over my companies brand new tarmac carpark one day when i had to park on a slopey bit. Spent bloody ages trying to scrub up the mess!. And then spent even longer changing the sump gasket with practicially no tools or even a jack!
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Brianmoooore
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Post Thu Mar 03, 2005 11:14 pm

If the engine undertray is in place, oil from a leaking headgasket collects on it, and runs off when you park nose uphill.Quick solution is to take the undertray off, so that it drips straight onto the griund as you drive.
Headgasket leak is from the oilway feeding the cam / rockers to the outside, and will not cause oil in water, water in oil, or affect engine performance.