Multiple Gasket Leaks

[Ryan]

Sooooo. Upon trying to fit in a quick oil change during my lunch hour as my car is SORN for winter, i noticed some potential project work that will/may need addressing, but i want to confirm my hunch first.
Attached is 2 pictures of the oil pan, i think i have a leak, but is the Oil Pan Gasket an easy one to tackle?
I also think i have similar oil leaks further up the engine from the top gasket and the oil filter gasket which concern me too.

 

[jonco]

First step should be to clean oily areas off - and then monitor and see what re-appears. A leak from top side can be distributed such that it appears sump is leaking.
I've never done sump re-joint but others are straightforward, a bit fiddly and time consuming.

 

[Ryan]

I've found some oil underneath the front left nut for the top gasket and a bit hanging round the alternator, i assume its the top gasket and the oil filter gasket too in that case?

 

[Mazza]

I was going to say that it is a pig to do after having mine done due to a cracked sump....but then realised that you have the 2.2 engine and mine is the 1.9 so may be completly different

 

[t-tony]

If you have mulitiple oil leaks wash the engine down. Then start repairing from.the top. Oil only goes one way.

Tony.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

As said above, give it a damn good cleaning first and then keep an eye on it. Any leak you may see now could have been going on for years and not really worth bothering too much about. Having said which, the cam-cover gasket has probably turned way too hard to seal anymore, BMW made a bit of a mistake with their rubber specifications back then. And if you wind up changing the cam-cover gasket you might just as well do the Vanos seals while you're there, similar problem with the rubber they were made of.
None of these are too hard to do, plenty of info here and on youtube.

Just a quick edit. There are kits available for the vanos which contain everything you'll need for the top end.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOR-BMW-...h=item33ad0797dc:g:~BUAAOSw2sZbNLYT:rk:2:pf:0

Nothing to do with me, just a happy customer.

 

[jonco]

................... Oil only goes one way.

Not if it hits the fan Tony - then like **** it goes everywhere

 

[jonco]

I've found some oil underneath the front left nut for the top gasket and a bit hanging round the alternator, i assume its the top gasket and the oil filter gasket too in that case?

Not sure of layout on your engine but on my M44 - I stuffed some absorbent tissue under the oil filter and ran it for a while - it's cool in that area so not a fire risk. Tissue filled with oil -sump stayed dry - obvious conclusion.

 

[Ryan]

@jonco when you changed yours did you use a gasket sealer along with the new rubber? You hear it mentioned on Wheeler Dealers, just don't know if it's need?

 

[Nodzed]

Agree, clean off and monitor, and DONT PANIC. a very small amount of oil goes a very long way, especially over a long time period. It will without doubt look a lot worse than it actually is.

 

[jonco]

@jonco when you changed yours did you use a gasket sealer along with the new rubber? You hear it mentioned on Wheeler Dealers, just don't know if it's need?

Yes on the top cover but not filter gasket - the BMW official sealer is DrieBond 1209 but you can get one from Halfords etc.
This link is to a TIS but may not be for your exact model - you may have to research.
On the M44 it's a bit of a bu**er to land the back cut-out edges so a bit more sealant helps to hold it in place.
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/...1-engine/11-12-cylinder-head-with-lid/AHf0reP

HTH -good luck

 

[Ryan]

Yes on the top cover but not filter gasket - the BMW official sealer is DrieBond 1209 but you can get one from Halfords etc.
This link is to a TIS but may not be for your exact model - you may have to research.
On the M44 it's a bit of a bu**er to land the back cut-out edges so a bit more sealant helps to hold it in place.
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/...1-engine/11-12-cylinder-head-with-lid/AHf0reP

HTH -good luck

Thanks for the feedback and the link, never knew that website, great little source!

 

[jonco]

Thanks for the feedback and the link, never knew that website, great little source!

I used my INPA package TIS but another member posted this other link recently but I cannot remember who - the credit belongs to him.