M10 E30 in big trouble

[tire 10]

I just went for a drive in my 1986 e30 318i and on return I get out and smell oil, I open the bonnet to fine the engine smoking and a heavy smell of oil.

Heres what happened beforehand. I disconnected the battery, then the spark plugs. Then I took off the rocker cover and proceeded to check all the valve eccentrics. They were all tight so I put everything back together. I did this because the engine was ticking.

I'm fairly sure I didn't drop anything somehwre crucial... no bolts were lost in the process.

I then started it up and idled it for about a minute. It seemed reasonably normal although it was idling exceedingly low, like 1 or 2 mm above the 500rpm line. I did the injector stethoscope test and they were ticking hard out so I thought ah thats the problem.

I then left it and came back in 10mins and went for a drive. When I got to the bottom of the driveway on the flat just coasting along it felt as though I was going over a lumpy road even though I wasnt. I drove off and up a little hill and it was fine. Then I stopped on the flat and got out for a look around the car for no real reason. The exhaust was emitting white smoke/steam... not excessively, sort of like a car first starting on a cold morning. Except the temp gauge was at half (already).

Back down the hill, when I put it in 3rd and coasted it was doing the lumpy thing again only much much more. Big lumps. Back to 2nd and it went normal again. Back home I checked it and like I said above it was sick. The entire journey was no more than 10mins. Probably only 5 mins of actual driving.

I looked under and in and oil is coming down the exhaust downpipe. I cant see its source. The rocker cover is definitely not leaking.

I cycle off on my trail and there are drips on the away trail. On the return trail there are lines and even splashes of oil. I know its oil cause it smells like oil.

Inspection of the dipstick reveals white cloudy stuff in the oil.

I take it this means I have blown a HG??

Does the largish oil leak indicate I have cracked the block or do all HGs leak oil like that when blown?

What do I do? Arghhh I'm so ticked off!

Is there anyway this could just be a minor fix and im totally overreacting?

Edited September 3, 2008 by tastic

[Five Star 0]

Sort of like a mayonaise substance? Anti-freeze and oil. Not good.

[tire 10]

Sort of like a mayonaise substance? Anti-freeze and oil. Not good.

Less thick. More like milk I guess. Very white it was.

The rad fluid looks pure green..

Edited September 3, 2008 by tastic

[E30stz 0]

fyi im no professional but my guess is a headgasket caused by some funky engine breakage.

[elmarco 56]

Oh bugger. I guess the sludge may also explain the laboured idle. The oil on the road sounds like $$$$ too - I take it the exhaust has oil in the pipe?

[CamB 48]

Is it still full of oil? Did you remember to put the breather pipe back on? Did you tighten the valve clearances, or just check the nuts?

It does sound more like a HG though - its hard to imagine what you could have done that caused the problem though...

[tire 10]

Im not sure if theres oil in the pipe, its certainly coming down the pipe though.

With my last look for the night I think its coming from cyl 4. Cant see much cause the spark plug heatshield is in the way.

Is it possible that I didnt put spark plug 4 back in properly and that caused something to happen which caused something to happen?

Also, I did an oil change about 10 days ago during which I forgot to put the dipstick back in on first startup. And only realised after say... 2 mins of idling and driving down and back up the driveway. Could that have broken stuff? It was real down on power with out that dippy but back in it was sweet.

It wasn't driven any real distance between then and now.

wish me luck!

Thanks for the sympathy

Edited September 3, 2008 by tastic

[E30stz 0]

overfilled oil?

[ducatiss 1]

I would go back over your work again. By this I mean remove your tappet cover and check that you haven't broken or pinched the gasket. This would cause an oil leak especially if damaged on the exhaust side of the engine. It "may" also cause a vacuum leak sufficient enough to cause your engine to idle low and stumble as you are describing. Also check that you haven't dislodged one of the rubber plugs on the back of the head. I know you said that the oil isn't coming out the cover but its worth double checking by doing as I have suggested.

Neither the missing dipstick nor a loose spark plug would cause your problem.

Not sure if the M10 has a breather hose such as the one in the image (M20) but I remove this one from the cover. It has a joiner under the inlet manifold that can come apart - another avenue to check I guess.

However, the white cloudy nature of your oil usually means coolant is mixing with the oil which means a blown gasket or cracked head.

Edited September 3, 2008 by ducatiss

[williams 0]

check firing order-it runs when 2 cylinders are the wrong sequence(a bit lumpy)

[*Glenn* 854]

If your not sure what is causing it.....get it checked by a professional

Does sound terminal though...from your explanation

Does it look like this ???

Edited September 3, 2008 by botanymotorworx

[tire 10]

Is it still full of oil? Did you remember to put the breather pipe back on? Did you tighten the valve clearances, or just check the nuts?

It does sound more like a HG though - its hard to imagine what you could have done that caused the problem though...

There is still a fair amount of oil I think. Yes I put the breather back on. I checked all the valve clearances with a 0.008 feeler gauge and they were all tight. I only adjusted one (on cyl #1)

Its so likely that I did something wrong when I was looking at the tappets but I just cant think what.

I would go back over your work again. By this I mean remove your tappet cover and check that you haven't broken or pinched the gasket. This would cause an oil leak especially if damaged on the exhaust side of the engine. It "may" also cause a vacuum leak sufficient enough to cause your engine to idle low and stumble as you are describing. Also check that you haven't dislodged one of the rubber plugs on the back of the head. I know you said that the oil isn't coming out the cover but its worth double checking by doing as I have suggested.

Neither the missing dipstick nor a loose spark plug would cause your problem.

Not sure if the M10 has a breather hose such as the one in the image (M20) but I remove this one from the cover. It has a joiner under the inlet manifold that can come apart - another avenue to check I guess.

However, the white cloudy nature of your oil usually means coolant is mixing with the oil which means a blown gasket or cracked head.

What rubber plugs on the back of the head?

I think the oil is coming from cyl 4 as I can just see it on the corner of the exhaust mainfold.

If your not sure what is causing it.....get it checked by a professional

Does sound terminal though...from your explanation

Does it look like this ???

No it doesn't look like that. I took the rocker cover off this morning and its normal under there. I also checked the dippy again 3 times and its not pulling up any milk

A mate is coming round later to day to have a look with me so thats cool. Is it a really bad idea to start the car now?

[kiwi535 538]

A mate is coming round later to day to have a look with me so thats cool. Is it a really bad idea to start the car now?

yes...try to find out what is wrong first....

[tire 10]

The strap that goes from the battery tray and connects to the rocker cover mounting stud on exhaust side of cyl 4.... what does it do?

When I replaced the cover I forgot to put it back on the stud. It was just sitting on the gasket next to the stud.

I guess this is what started the issue and is the cause of the oil leak.

Now I just need to find what has caused the milk on the dippy. Hell maybe it was just dye from the white rag I used to wipe it.

Someone please tell me what that strap does?

[*Glenn* 854]

The strap that goes from the battery tray and connects to the rocker cover mounting stud on exhaust side of cyl 4.... what does it do?

When I replaced the cover I forgot to put it back on the stud. It was just sitting on the gasket next to the stud.

I guess this is what started the issue and is the cause of the oil leak.

Now I just need to find what has caused the milk on the dippy. Hell maybe it was just dye from the white rag I used to wipe it.

Someone please tell me what that strap does?

Its an earth. You put it on the stud after you fit the rocker cover, under the nut

[QuickSilver 0]

How long was your car sitting cold for before you started it again? A few days? Or just s few hours? Did you set the piston to TDC before you adjust the eccentric?

Edited September 4, 2008 by QuickSilver

[tire 10]

How long was your car sitting cold for before you started it again? A few days? Or just s few hours? Did you set the piston to TDC before you adjust the eccentric?

It hadn't been started for days.

I adjusted the camshaft lobe to opposite the rocker arm for every one I checked, including the one I adjusted. I basically followed this[guide] using the roll forward in 4th method to turn the cam.

I think I have found the issue though. Will confirm. Good news is the dippy isn't pulling up any white sh*t anymore and under the rocker cover is perfectly normal. No banana milkshake like in Glenns vw!

[tire 10]

I installed a new rocker cover gasket... the old one was pinched by a ground strap which I sandwiched between the head and the gasket rather than between a nut and the cover which is how it should have been. This is where the (/ most of) the oil leak was coming from. It was leaking down the exhaust manifold down the downpipe and dripping off at the elbow.

It seemed to run OK after this (definitely a lot better than before) when it took it round the block but im not fully convinced. I'm going to pick my sack up and take it to a garage.

Below is a pick of the old gasket where it was pinched, and one of my car. I don't think I've ever put any up. Its seriously dirty but todays a bit sunny and windy for a good groom.

[Guest Simon*]

Dude I hate to break it to you but your car is a Dud

[kiwi535 538]

a big leak(read air) in the rocker cover gasket will upset the idle..

[tire 10]

Dude I hate to break it to you but your car is a Dud

Yes that is a bit of a joke amongst the family.

Also... whats the (p) light? It wouldn't go off.

sh*t there was something else I was gonna ask but I've forgotten

edit... thats right. I forgot to mention there is no oil and water interloving going on (hand firmly grasping wood)! I think what caused the white sh*t on the dippy was dye from the rag (lol tastic you..... muppet.)

Edited October 1, 2008 by tastic

[Guest Simon*]

(tastic you..... muppet.)

+1