N55 Valve Cover Leaking? Or Turbo?

[Yeineken]

I was replacing the water pump and thermostat this weekend and everything on the passenger side of the car has a nice nasty oily coat. Taken a few pictures. One dripping spot on what I believe is the turbo actuator.

Pretty messy up top near the oil fill as well.

Car runs fine. Seems to be a pinhole leak somewhere that's just making a mess. Turbos feel fine as well.

Thanks,

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Yeineken

I was replacing the water pump and thermostat this weekend and everything on the passenger side of the car has a nice nasty oily coat. Taken a few pictures. One dripping spot on what I believe is the turbo actuator.

Pretty messy up top near the oil fill as well.

I would use a good degreaser and clean off that grudge. Then see what comes back. Kind of looks normal to me. Might be a valve cover leak. ?

Where is that 2nd to last picture taken ? VC on top or under the car ? I can't tell.

Your e46 M oil cap could also be the cause of the leak under boost?

Car runs fine. Seems to be a pinhole leak somewhere that's just making a mess. Turbos feel fine as well.

Thanks,

Turbo. You only have one.

[Yeineken]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I would use a good degreaser and clean off that grudge. Then see what comes back. Kind of looks normal to me. Might be a valve cover leak. ?

Where is that 2nd to last picture taken ? VC on top or under the car ? I can't tell.

Your e46 M oil cap could also be the cause of the leak under boost?

Turbo. You only have one.

Good points. Hadn't thought about the E46 cap. Just took it off and cleaned it. It did have gunk under it. Possibly wasn't sealing correct. May put the stock back on and see what happens.
(After thought: I remember wiping the oil drip off the actuator and showing back up the next day with out the car running)

The second to last is passenger side looking down. Valve cover is in this picture.

[Delisic]

Yeineken, I like to know what happened to your leak? I think I am having the same issue as you did. thank you.

[Yeineken]

Originally Posted by Delisic

Yeineken, I like to know what happened to your leak? I think I am having the same issue as you did. thank you.

Sorry completely forgot about this.

It was as Dackelone suggested. The rubber seal in the M oil cap had started to decay and wasn't creating a proper seal. I cleaned the entire engine and put a new OE cap on and solved all my issues.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Yeineken

Sorry completely forgot about this.

It was as Dackelone suggested. The rubber seal in the M oil cap had started to decay and wasn't creating a proper seal. I cleaned the entire engine and put a new OE cap on and solved all my issues.

New oil caps and gas caps have fixed a lot of cars.

I'm glad it was something so simple as the oil cap. Its good that some shop didn't try to bamboozle you on a huge repair.

Dackel