[wren57]

I know, I know, not the most elegant solution, but who really has an entire day to spend on a maintenance issue if it can be solved in about 15 minutes? Just curious, has anyone tries a method to stop the pan leak other than gasket replacement? I'm considering trying something like this:



Just get under there, clean it all super well with shop towels and brake cleaner, then apply a generous coating of this in the "crack" where the two surfaces meet. In theory this wouldn't really be a gasket between two metal surfaces, but would act as like a shell keeping everything, including the oil, inside. Since the pressures of the seepage/leak are rather low, I think this may work. Obviously wouldn't for a fully blown out and large leak.

Thoughts?

[9krpmrx8]

It would all depend on how well you clean the application site. But it can work fine as a gasket, My RX-8 uses a RTV gasket, and I prefer copper RTV.

[hoopvillian]

Ghetto but it would work

[maddmatth]

Would be crap to deal with if you do want to replace it properly later...

[sp1tfire]

Don't think you will save time...
Did it on jack stand...wasn't best job, but would do it it with no problem second time.

[NGEE]

When you get to the point where you're caulking your car, I think you've crossed a line somewhere.

[Efthreeoh]

I've done the pan gasket. The problem with this idea is you can't get to the rear of the pan because it protrudes into the bell housing behind the flywheel. So in order to completely "caulk" around the pan/block gap, you'd have to remove the transmission, remove the flywheel, and then apply the caulk. I might be just easier to do the pan gasket the correct way with the subframe drop method.

Just sayin'

[xxxjecxxx2]

I've tried using this on my oil pan. Just made it more difficult when I had to replace the gasket since it leaked anyways.

Don't recommend it.

[lichtgelb]

Won't work. The gasket leaks at the interface with the bell housing. You can't get to it unless the pan is off. A little bit of this helps hold the new gasket in place where you need four hands at the same time.

[Boland01]

Agree with the above posts. Mine was leaking at the bell housing. I ended up dropping the subframe and doing it "right". It was a pain to do but ZERO leaks or oil weeping since I replaced the old gasket and pan bolts.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

It's not going to turn out well unless you can thoroughly clean the leaking spot, which is difficult to do in such tight quarters.

[BeastMode335i]

For those of you who have done it the legit way, did you just drop the subframe and rest it on steering rack or remove it completely..?? I'm doing my turbos, and noticed my pan is leaking, but i only dropped my subframe didn't remove it and wasn't sure if I'd have enough room to squeeze the pan out with the subframe only dropped a few inches..

Thanks in advance..

[lichtgelb]

Originally Posted by BeastMode335i

For those of you who have done it the legit way, did you just drop the subframe and rest it on steering rack or remove it completely..?? I'm doing my turbos, and noticed my pan is leaking, but i only dropped my subframe didn't remove it and wasn't sure if I'd have enough room to squeeze the pan out with the subframe only dropped a few inches..

Thanks in advance..

I completely removed my subframe with the steering rack and struts as an assembly. This required disconnecting the power steering lines and disconnecting the steering wheel shaft. I used a floor jack with a 2x4 and lowered the whole thing out and put it back in the same way. It's really not too bad once you get everything disconnected and out of the way.

[BeastMode335i]

Originally Posted by lichtgelb

I completely removed my subframe with the steering rack and struts as an assembly. This required disconnecting the power steering lines and disconnecting the steering wheel shaft. I used a floor jack with a 2x4 and lowered the whole thing out and put it back in the same way. It's really not too bad once you get everything disconnected and out of the way.

Damn you weren't playin no games lol.. I swapped the turbos with plenty of room by just dropping it, and it seems like I could drop the pan about 5-6" but I wasn't sure if that'd be enough to wiggle it out so I could clean it and stuff..

[sy2639]

Originally Posted by BeastMode335i

Damn you weren't playin no games lol.. I swapped the turbos with plenty of room by just dropping it, and it seems like I could drop the pan about 5-6" but I wasn't sure if that'd be enough to wiggle it out so I could clean it and stuff..

I replaced mine while installing my RB EVOs. I just dropped the frame enough to get clearance to remove the pan. I didn't disconnect the steering shaft and had no issues.

[lichtgelb]

Originally Posted by BeastMode335i

Damn you weren't playin no games lol.. I swapped the turbos with plenty of room by just dropping it, and it seems like I could drop the pan about 5-6" but I wasn't sure if that'd be enough to wiggle it out so I could clean it and stuff..

I think you could get it out of there, and I've read posts on here where people did, with the subframe just lowered. It wouldn't be easy but it could be done. You have to get enough room to clear the oil pickup tube and it sits down in the sump. Also removing the return line from the CCV is a real PITA. Not sure if that oil return line is the same on an N54 as I did mine on an N52 but I think it is. I removed mine completely because I was already in a big state of dis-assembly since I was rebuilding a wrecked car. I didn't have much further to go to just pull the entire thing out lol.

[BeastMode335i]

Originally Posted by sy2639

I replaced mine while installing my RB EVOs. I just dropped the frame enough to get clearance to remove the pan. I didn't disconnect the steering shaft and had no issues.

Thanks for that, I appreciate it..

Originally Posted by lichtgelb

I think you could get it out of there, and I've read posts on here where people did, with the subframe just lowered. It wouldn't be easy but it could be done. You have to get enough room to clear the oil pickup tube and it sits down in the sump. Also removing the return line from the CCV is a real PITA. Not sure if that oil return line is the same on an N54 as I did mine on an N52 but I think it is. I removed mine completely because I was already in a big state of dis-assembly since I was rebuilding a wrecked car. I didn't have much further to go to just pull the entire thing out lol.

It looks like just the oil level sensor and these two black hoses are the only things mounted to the actual pan, I'll take a better look this weekend when I get under there but hope it's not too much of a pain.. It's leaking so it needs to be replaced and I already got the parts, so I figured might as well just knock it out..

[lichtgelb]

Originally Posted by BeastMode335i

Thanks for that, I appreciate it..



It looks like just the oil level sensor and these two black hoses are the only things mounted to the actual pan, I'll take a better look this weekend when I get under there but hope it's not too much of a pain.. It's leaking so it needs to be replaced and I already got the parts, so I figured might as well just knock it out..

Oil return tube is on top and crammed in there next to the driver side motor mount. You can't see it and I didn't even know it was there until the pan wouldn't come out. I had to break mine to get it out but I didn't care at the time because I knew I was replacing the entire CCV system anyway. It's where a dipstick would go if BMW were so inclined to use one. On the E46 the CCV return line and dipstick shared a tube running into the sump.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by wren57

I know, I know, not the most elegant solution, but who really has an entire day to spend on a maintenance issue if it can be solved in about 15 minutes? Just curious, has anyone tries a method to stop the pan leak other than gasket replacement? I'm considering trying something like this:



Just get under there, clean it all super well with shop towels and brake cleaner, then apply a generous coating of this in the "crack" where the two surfaces meet. In theory this wouldn't really be a gasket between two metal surfaces, but would act as like a shell keeping everything, including the oil, inside. Since the pressures of the seepage/leak are rather low, I think this may work. Obviously wouldn't for a fully blown out and large leak.

Thoughts?

How long did the original OEM gasket last?

Most BMW's go well over 100k before the oil pan gasket leaks.

If so, logic would suggest a new OEM gasket will last another 100k.

[BeastMode335i]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

How long did the original OEM gasket last?

Most BMW's go well over 100k before the oil pan gasket leaks.

If so, logic would suggest a new OEM gasket will last another 100k.

I had several spots on my pan gasket leaking at 65k miles and stock, so to get 100k some of yall are very lucky..! I live in South Florida though, and it gets.. HOT..!

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by BeastMode335i

I had several spots on my pan gasket leaking at 65k miles and stock, so to get 100k some of yall are very lucky..! I live in South Florida though, and it gets.. HOT..!

Yes, heat and humidity will wreak havoc on rubber parts associated with a car. No question.

100k is probably a number for most of who have 4 seasons.