335i E90 Oil leak due to dodgey service

[oriphinz 11]

EDIT:

I missed the top o-ring! it had become super brittle/hard, basically plastic. Talking with a couple of members it is possible that the bottom o-ring perished / split, in which case it should have been caught by the filter, hopefully this is the case.

Also recommended bit of rubber grease when installing will ease them into place and prolong their life expectancy

Many apologies for my rant, i was a bit hot headed from getting a oil leak in my new (to me) shiny motor

Hey guys,

Found quite a big oil leak on my bmw a couple of days ago, i was cleaning the engine bay and saw a small drop of oil next to the oil filter cap, on further inspection i found a heap all down the side of the motor and all over the splash guard.

I wiped it all clean around the housing, started the car for ~15 seconds and found oil pouring out of the oil filter cap.

Immediately grounded the car until i could get the oil filter cup to open it up, glad i did! The idiots who service it last neglected to put either of the o-ring seals on the housing when they change the filter. As you probably all know these come with every filter you buy for the n54, so pure negligence.

The service was done by a Euro specialist before i bought the car, im not sure if you guys support naming and shaming on this forum if you do let me know, im happy to out these guys! They could have cost me turbos, or a motor!! The n54 runs super hot so good oil and oil pressure are critical.

Tl;dr: car was serviced by a Euro specialist, they didnt use oil filter o-ring, major oil leak!

Pics:

Edited November 1, 2015 by oriphinz

[M3AN 4015]

You should name them if you're confident your story is accurate. However if they're sponsors then I'd PM them first, negotiate a resolution and then report the good story back here.

[oriphinz 11]

You should name them if you're confident your story is accurate. However if they're sponsors then I'd PM them first, negotiate a resolution and then report the good story back here.

They are not sponsors of the forum, i am going to give them a call, hopefully they can put better controls in place to make sure it doesnt happen again (such a simple thing though!)

[hybrid 1039]

oils quite black for a service... did they drain the oil cooler properly of old oil and re-prime before putting the new stuff in?

[Kepes 231]

oils quite black for a service... did they drain the oil cooler properly of old oil and re-prime before putting the new stuff in?

+1 there's no way that's fresh oil. How long ago did they supposedly service it

[*Glenn* 854]

That looks like it was leaking for some time. It should have been picked up in the PPI. Are you sure it was the "Euro Specialist" that last did the service or the previous owner ? Some of my customers have in the past changed their own oil and filters and then got us to do the balance of the service. You need to be very sure before you point the finger and talk to them first. Do you have the receipts for the last service ?

Edited October 22, 2015 by *Glenn*

[jin108 25]

 oils quite black for a service... did they drain the oil cooler properly of old oil and re-prime before putting the new stuff in? 

Curious how you drain the oil cooler? Can't be much oil in there anyhow.

[*Glenn* 854]

Curious how you drain the oil cooler? Can't be much oil in there anyhow.

There is no drain on the oil cooler and you wouldn't do it as part of a standard service

Edited October 22, 2015 by *Glenn*

[hybrid 1039]

Curious how you drain the oil cooler? Can't be much oil in there anyhow.

To do an oil change properly with a vehicle with a remote oil cooler, you disconnect the oil lines and hang them below the oil cooler. Gravity will allow most of it to come out .. the rest you use compressed air gently in one pipe and jar to capture the spray out the other.

After this you need to prime the oil lines with oil again to remove any airlock. I personally disconnect my ignition and run the starter motor to help flow oil and create the full loop prime through out all of the channels.

Going above this you can buy cheap oil first .. do all this to flush the old stuff out for a small drive and repeat the whole thing with your good oil. This is if your really after that nice goldern oil through out the car.

[oriphinz 11]

oils quite black for a service... did they drain the oil cooler properly of old oil and re-prime before putting the new stuff in?

It was done ~8 months ago (2 weeks before i bought the car) thats why the oils so black! Servicing it myself this weekend ill post a pic of all the goodies going in

It also means it did take awhile to leak, i clean the engine bay every 2 months so it may have been leaking for the last 2 months. I imagine that if the top cap for the filter housing is tight it would not leak even without the o-ring but over time as the metal expands and contracts it must have loosened slightly allowing the plastic to metal seal to break.

That looks like it was leaking for some time. It should have been picked up in the PPI. Are you sure it was the "Euro Specialist" that last did the service or the previous owner ? Some of my customers have in the past changed their own oil and filters and then got us to do the balance of the service. You need to be very sure before you point the finger and talk to them first. Do you have the receipts for the last service ?

I have a JB4 in the car but have not seen any codes thrown on it, i'm certain it was a euro specialist, i don't have the receipt but have the service book, i havn't had a chance to call them but will report back when i do. I am sure it was not done on purpose but such a simple oversight can have such a big effect on these motors.

I dont want to publicly name them without speaking to the first.

[oriphinz 11]

And here is what i picked up for the long weekend

Fresh oil

New plugs

Another fresh filter (i figure its better to be safe)

Rear pads, disks and sensor

[Andre3000 55]

Are you mentally challenged? I can see the filter housing o-ring in this photo clearly. It has been flattened due to its age "~8 months"... It is fairly common for those smaller o-rings to go hard and break off when removing, check the bottom of your housing. I don't see you're point in naming/shaming anyone when it is clear than your car is just due for a service, something that a new car owner would normally do within a month of ownership regardless of history.

[*Glenn* 854]

Are you mentally challenged? I can see the filter housing o-ring in this photo clearly. It has been flattened due to its age "~8 months"... It is fairly common for those smaller o-rings to go hard and break off when removing, check the bottom of your housing. I don't see you're point in naming/shaming anyone when it is clear than your car is just due for a service, something that a new car owner would normally do within a month of ownership regardless of history.

+1

[jin108 25]

-1.

Perhaps im mentally challenged but I cant see o-rings where they should be. There are supposed to be 2 - one large one on the lip of the cap and another small one at the top nipple.

[mynbmr 225]

-1.

Perhaps im mentally challenged but I cant see o-rings where they should be. There are supposed to be 2 - one large one on the lip of the cap and another small one at the top nipple.

+1 you are, the big one is there.

put mouse on photo and click

Edited October 23, 2015 by bmrmad

[M3AN 4015]

Not sure everyone is on the same page...

How many o-rings are visible? (1?)

How many o-rings should there be? (2?)

Something doesn't add up. Rather than just saying 'you're wrong' how about you all elaborate for the benefit of the rest of us? One way or the other.

[jin108 25]

Enlarged the pic but i still cant tell for sure if thats an o-ring flattened out on the bottom rung. If it is then it not likely to be only 8 months old.

[Andre3000 55]

-1.

Perhaps im mentally challenged but I cant see o-rings where they should be. There are supposed to be 2 - one large one on the lip of the cap and another small one at the top nipple.

The o-ring is where it should be just not where you perceive it to be... A quick search found this image where you can clearly see where the ring is supposed to go, i hope. I urge you to put the replacement ring on the lip of the cap and enjoy how well it seats and seals the oil. Then go buy another oil filter and do it correctly. I don't take kindly to uninformed people passing blame onto experienced techs pretending they know everything. Do some research before you fire shots, or just don't.

[Andre3000 55]

Something doesn't add up. Rather than just saying 'you're wrong' how about you all elaborate for the benefit of the rest of us? One way or the other.

I didn't say he was wrong i asked if he was mentally challenged as i can clearly see for the pictures he provided that his statements were incorrect. I'd be happy to help guide him in the correct direction but not if he, or anyone, has a tanty and starts calling qualified techs abilities into question.

Enlarged the pic but i still cant tell for sure if thats an o-ring flattened out on the bottom rung. If it is then it not likely to be only 8 months old.

If the ring was not there you'd be able to see the recess it sits in? Dated time is a poor reference of how the engine has been operated. It is fairly common, at least 50/50 for me to encounter a flattened seal when changing cartridge filters, although they rarely leak before required service intervals I do see it every now and then.

[jin108 25]

This is what the 0-rings should be. Cant tell from the pic if OPs filter has it or not. Imo it should be clearly visibly protruding and not flattened out even after 8 months. The pic posted above is not helpful as the o-ring doesnt even look like its on.

[M3AN 4015]

I didn't say he was wrong i asked if he was mentally challenged...

WTF? :-/

[Andre3000 55]

WTF? :-/

I don't think I'm the only one on this forum that would stand idly by and let someone unjustifiably bag the name of a professional workshop be it mine or anyone elses. To be sure if the o-ring wasn't there, it would be somewhat justified, but it is and hes not. I'm gonna leave it there.

[M3AN 4015]

I don't think I'm the only one on this forum that would stand idly by and let someone unjustifiably bag the name of a professional workshop be it mine or anyone elses. To be sure if the o-ring wasn't there, it would be somewhat justified, but it is and hes not. I'm gonna leave it there.

Dude!?

He hasn't called anyone out yet, he's just asked the question.

And you've flipped out and called him 'mentally challenged'.

You seriously need to think about the words you type.

[Andre3000 55]

Dude!?

He hasn't called anyone out yet, he's just asked the question.

And you've flipped out and called him 'mentally challenged'.

You seriously need to think about the words you type.

You should direct your comments to op not me mate, he calls them idiots then goes on to say "I'm not sure if you guys support naming and shaming on this forum if you do let me know, im happy to out these guys!"

I effectively told him that I do not support that kind of crap. Got a problem talk to the guys face, but don't threaten to defame someone or talk sh*t behind their back especially when you have no idea what you're talking about.

I'm honestly just standing up for my beliefs and have certainly not "flipped". I probably shouldn't have questioned his mental stability, it just seemed probable considering the conclusion he came to. I just seriously thought hard about what I just said, hope that's ok?

[M3AN 4015]

You should direct your comments to op not me mate, he calls them idiots then goes on to say "I'm not sure if you guys support naming and shaming on this forum if you do let me know, im happy to out these guys!"

I effectively told him that I do not support that kind of crap. Got a problem talk to the guys face, but don't threaten to defame someone or talk sh*t behind their back especially when you have no idea what you're talking about.

I'm honestly just standing up for my beliefs and have certainly not "flipped". I probably shouldn't have questioned his mental stability, it just seemed probable considering the conclusion he came to. I just seriously thought hard about what I just said, hope that's ok?

...