Smoking/oil smell from rear of motor

bigmillz · 11-05-2018, 01:43 PM

Figured the oil smell was from my OFHG...replaced that this weekend, cleaned the front of the motor up, replaced the pulleys and the belt (all drenched in oil).

I don't think I got any oil on the rear, but it is possible. If I did, it'd be from adding some oil to the oil filter before starting it back up. Upon warming the car up, noticed some oil smoke from the back of the motor.

I've been reading up on rear main seals or VCG. Any tips on pinpointing the cause?

FWIW there's oil along the oil pan gasket as well, but not sure if it's the gasket or has dripped down from somewhere else.

Car isn't using any notable amount of oil - I'm at about 2k since my last change and the bar is still reading full.

Thanks!

homewrecker07 · 11-05-2018, 02:04 PM

Probably Valve Cover / Gasket that's dripping on the turbo. The cover is plastic and prone to cracking. Better to replace the entire cover as the PCV is integrated and non replaceable as well.

Look on the passenger side of the motor for oil reside.

amg6975 · 11-05-2018, 06:37 PM

Sounds like the valve cover gasket. Mine did the exact same thing, just a drip on the down pipe every now and then.

bigmillz · 11-06-2018, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homewrecker07

Probably Valve Cover / Gasket that's dripping on the turbo. The cover is plastic and prone to cracking. Better to replace the entire cover as the PCV is integrated and non replaceable as well.

Look on the passenger side of the motor for oil reside.

There's some oil on the belly pan, but it's pretty spread out and hard to tell where from.

Is there any rush to replace this (like the OFHG)?

bigmillz · 11-06-2018, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amg6975

Sounds like the valve cover gasket. Mine did the exact same thing, just a drip on the down pipe every now and then.

When did you end up replacing it?

You live in Western NY? I used to!

amg6975 · 11-06-2018, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmillz

When did you end up replacing it?

You live in Western NY? I used to!

I think it was around 108,000 miles. Right when I got the car. It was a pain but really not all that bad if you just take your time and pay attention.

Yep, Rochester here.

bigmillz · 11-06-2018, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amg6975

I think it was around 108,000 miles. Right when I got the car. It was a pain but really not all that bad if you just take your time and pay attention.

Yep, Rochester here.

Nice. I went to school at RIT, and have a bunch of friends in East Rochester. Thanks man, gonna order parts soon and tackle this next.

amg6975 · 11-08-2018, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmillz

Nice. I went to school at RIT.

Me too. Good luck with the repair.

zx10guy · 11-08-2018, 12:51 PM

Gotta love it...BMW....making mechanics out of drivers every day.

homewrecker07 · 11-19-2018, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmillz

There's some oil on the belly pan, but it's pretty spread out and hard to tell where from.

Is there any rush to replace this (like the OFHG)?

I got my car May of 2017 and a mechanic noticed the oil residue and told me to get it eventually done. I've never seen drips in my driveway so I put it off for a year and a half. My wife finally complained enough about the smell and we got it done at a shop. They were able to get the valve cover for 30% less than what I could've gotten it for so it was a no brainer to just let them do it. Would have taken me 12hrs for me to do it myself. Had them replace spark plugs while they were at it.

Elderado82 · 12-17-2018, 12:51 PM

Are you sure it's not your oil pan gasket leaking? Is oil just seeping out from around the oil pan and not anywhere above? Mine was doing the exact same thing. Cleaned up the oil pan all around the gasket and aluminum bolts sat under the car for about 15 minutes or so to see if anything started to seep, nothing. So took it for a drive for about 20 min got it back up on jack stands and by that time sure enough oil seeping from the passenger side. Oil looked like it sprayed up on the exhaust too causing oil to burn and smell up the passenger side. The amount of oil that ran down the belly skirts towards rear of the car was pretty significant like yours. Hope this helps.

11-05-2018, 01:43 PM	#1
bigmillz New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 2012 135i Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: NYC iTrader: (0)	Smoking/oil smell from rear of motor Figured the oil smell was from my OFHG...replaced that this weekend, cleaned the front of the motor up, replaced the pulleys and the belt (all drenched in oil). I don't think I got any oil on the rear, but it is possible. If I did, it'd be from adding some oil to the oil filter before starting it back up. Upon warming the car up, noticed some oil smoke from the back of the motor. I've been reading up on rear main seals or VCG. Any tips on pinpointing the cause? FWIW there's oil along the oil pan gasket as well, but not sure if it's the gasket or has dripped down from somewhere else. Car isn't using any notable amount of oil - I'm at about 2k since my last change and the bar is still reading full. Thanks!
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11-05-2018, 02:04 PM	#2
homewrecker07 Private 39 Rep 64 Posts Drives: 2012 E88 Join Date: May 2017 Location: South Jersey iTrader: (0)	Probably Valve Cover / Gasket that's dripping on the turbo. The cover is plastic and prone to cracking. Better to replace the entire cover as the PCV is integrated and non replaceable as well. Look on the passenger side of the motor for oil reside.
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11-05-2018, 06:37 PM	#3
amg6975 Captain 500 Rep 644 Posts Drives: '12 M1.5, '05 ZHP, '98 M3/4/5 Join Date: May 2017 Location: Rochester NY iTrader: (0)	Sounds like the valve cover gasket. Mine did the exact same thing, just a drip on the down pipe every now and then.
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12-17-2018, 12:51 PM	#11
Elderado82 Private 41 Rep 71 Posts Drives: 2021 M340i XDrive Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Lincoln, NE iTrader: (0)	Are you sure it's not your oil pan gasket leaking? Is oil just seeping out from around the oil pan and not anywhere above? Mine was doing the exact same thing. Cleaned up the oil pan all around the gasket and aluminum bolts sat under the car for about 15 minutes or so to see if anything started to seep, nothing. So took it for a drive for about 20 min got it back up on jack stands and by that time sure enough oil seeping from the passenger side. Oil looked like it sprayed up on the exhaust too causing oil to burn and smell up the passenger side. The amount of oil that ran down the belly skirts towards rear of the car was pretty significant like yours. Hope this helps.
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