Intermittent Oil Leak

hartwa · 06-14-2023, 09:48 AM

Hey....

I have always had a bit of an oil leak on my 2013 X5 35d. I just did some work on the underside and had to remove the shields. I decided to clean up the engine and leave the shields off as I diagnose the oil leak situation.

What I have noticed is that the oil leak is intermittent...I can go days with nothing and all at once I will have about 6" diameter after sitting for just a few hours. Does anyone have an idea why this would be intermittent? Again the lower shields are off so it is not sitting the building up then dripping down.

The spot on the ground is pretty centered under the engine.

Most of the oil seems to be on the front driver side when looking at the engine from the top. I have removed my swirl flaps and blanked these thinking that those seals were leaking.

I appreciate any help...thanks

jbash87 · 06-14-2023, 11:05 AM

I hope you're still running the reinforcement plate!

hartwa · 06-14-2023, 12:13 PM

yep...just the plastic ones are removed.

wcs531 · 06-14-2023, 01:57 PM

Only reason I can think of would be parking on an incline in a different orientation, even if its a slight incline. Oil could be pooling on reinforcement plate or something.

hartwa · 06-14-2023, 01:58 PM

yep...just the plastic ones are removed.

hartwa · 06-14-2023, 02:00 PM

slope is always the same...my garage. I been checking every morning. Sometimes there is a good size pile there sometimes not a drop.

RL18 · 06-15-2023, 02:52 PM

Is it your valve cover gasket leaking?

hartwa · 06-15-2023, 06:04 PM

Dont think so ...looked from underneath. Most of the oily spots are near the upper driver side. Then they blow back i assume. Ordered a new seal for charge intake. How does oil get in the intake anyway?

Daytonawim · 06-16-2023, 09:24 AM

My 2 cents, if I have a leak that I can’t find, clean the Engine, Engine bay and cuffer plates good. Go for a drive, park the car and check where the Engine, Engine bay or plates get dirty of oil.
It could take a couple of day’s en drives to find where you will find the first oil spills.

Oilfilterhouse, valve cover, oil lines from the turbo, oil cooler, Engine vapor system, and seals from the crankshaft are the most at risk.

Also check the oilfiller cap, clean the aera, ask someone to start the Engine with you hand in Place of the cap, check for overpresure.

hartwa · 06-22-2023, 09:56 AM

thanks for the suggestions.... I found that the breather valve was stuck down. This is the newer style...but still can fail. I popped it off and clean it so it moves up and down now. Got a new one on order but driving it for now.

If it was intermittently sticking it would explain why sometimes I was getting large oil spots.

Daytonawim · 06-22-2023, 04:00 PM

Thanks for posting you solution!

robinasu · 06-25-2023, 04:26 PM

Hi. Can you post the p/n?

06-14-2023, 09:48 AM	#1
hartwa Private 7 Rep 86 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Wisconsin iTrader: (0)	Intermittent Oil Leak Hey.... I have always had a bit of an oil leak on my 2013 X5 35d. I just did some work on the underside and had to remove the shields. I decided to clean up the engine and leave the shields off as I diagnose the oil leak situation. What I have noticed is that the oil leak is intermittent...I can go days with nothing and all at once I will have about 6" diameter after sitting for just a few hours. Does anyone have an idea why this would be intermittent? Again the lower shields are off so it is not sitting the building up then dripping down. The spot on the ground is pretty centered under the engine. Most of the oil seems to be on the front driver side when looking at the engine from the top. I have removed my swirl flaps and blanked these thinking that those seals were leaking. I appreciate any help...thanks
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06-14-2023, 11:05 AM	#2
jbash87 First Lieutenant 250 Rep 391 Posts Drives: 2006 M5, 2012 X5d, 2008 E91 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Seattle iTrader: (0) Garage List 2012 BMW X5 35d [10.00] 2006 BMW M5 [10.00]	I hope you're still running the reinforcement plate!
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06-14-2023, 12:13 PM	#3
hartwa Private 7 Rep 86 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Wisconsin iTrader: (0)	yep...just the plastic ones are removed.
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06-14-2023, 01:57 PM	#4
wcs531 Second Lieutenant 97 Rep 282 Posts Drives: E90 335xi / E70 X5d Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Philadelphia iTrader: (1)	Only reason I can think of would be parking on an incline in a different orientation, even if its a slight incline. Oil could be pooling on reinforcement plate or something.
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06-14-2023, 01:58 PM	#5
hartwa Private 7 Rep 86 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Wisconsin iTrader: (0)	yep...just the plastic ones are removed.
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06-14-2023, 02:00 PM	#6
hartwa Private 7 Rep 86 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Wisconsin iTrader: (0)	slope is always the same...my garage. I been checking every morning. Sometimes there is a good size pile there sometimes not a drop.
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06-15-2023, 02:52 PM	#7
RL18 Major 274 Rep 1,054 Posts Drives: 2011 335d sport Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Maine iTrader: (0)	Is it your valve cover gasket leaking? __________________ 2011 335d tuned by B.R.R. 2011 X5 35d tuned by B.R.R.
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06-15-2023, 06:04 PM	#8
hartwa Private 7 Rep 86 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Wisconsin iTrader: (0)	Dont think so ...looked from underneath. Most of the oily spots are near the upper driver side. Then they blow back i assume. Ordered a new seal for charge intake. How does oil get in the intake anyway?
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06-16-2023, 09:24 AM	#9
Daytonawim Private First Class 78 Rep 139 Posts Drives: X5 E70 LCI 3.5i 2012 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Netherlands iTrader: (0)	My 2 cents, if I have a leak that I can’t find, clean the Engine, Engine bay and cuffer plates good. Go for a drive, park the car and check where the Engine, Engine bay or plates get dirty of oil. It could take a couple of day’s en drives to find where you will find the first oil spills. Oilfilterhouse, valve cover, oil lines from the turbo, oil cooler, Engine vapor system, and seals from the crankshaft are the most at risk. Also check the oilfiller cap, clean the aera, ask someone to start the Engine with you hand in Place of the cap, check for overpresure.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-22-2023, 09:56 AM	#10
hartwa Private 7 Rep 86 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Wisconsin iTrader: (0)	thanks for the suggestions.... I found that the breather valve was stuck down. This is the newer style...but still can fail. I popped it off and clean it so it moves up and down now. Got a new one on order but driving it for now. If it was intermittently sticking it would explain why sometimes I was getting large oil spots.
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06-22-2023, 04:00 PM	#11
Daytonawim Private First Class 78 Rep 139 Posts Drives: X5 E70 LCI 3.5i 2012 Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Netherlands iTrader: (0)	Thanks for posting you solution!
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06-25-2023, 04:26 PM	#12
robinasu Private First Class 14 Rep 132 Posts Drives: 2012 E70 BMW X5d Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Man Jose, CA iTrader: (0)	Part Hi. Can you post the p/n?
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