Oil can't come from between the head and the IM, can it?

Bbox · 09-12-2014, 07:58 PM

I have an oil leak on the intake side of the head. It's not from the VC gasket, and it's not from the oil filter housing.

If I look between the intake runners, one of the bolts that connects the IM to the head has oil dripping from it. But there are no oil passages there, right?

Could the oil be coming from a loose head bolt, and somehow making its way over to that bolt? Seems unlikely, given that the head bolts are a bit lower than this.

Efthreeoh · 09-13-2014, 05:36 AM

There is an crank case ventilation system built into the engine. It uses an oil separation valve system that feeds small amount of crank case vapors back into the combustion chamber. Over time the oil can build up in the intake manifold.

Bbox · 09-13-2014, 04:38 PM

Right, but I don't think that would be enough oil to coat the entire right side of the engine block.

Denny347 · 09-13-2014, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bbox

I have an oil leak on the intake side of the head. It's not from the VC gasket, and it's not from the oil filter housing.

If I look between the intake runners, one of the bolts that connects the IM to the head has oil dripping from it. But there are no oil passages there, right?

Could the oil be coming from a loose head bolt, and somehow making its way over to that bolt? Seems unlikely, given that the head bolts are a bit lower than this.

Is it like this? I took this pic standing on the driver side of the car and you see the oil cap on the left of the pic and the first intake runner on the right. I had this problem. It is not a head bolt but rather one of the time chain cover bolts. There are 3 or 4 more under the valve cover. I had the bolt pictured fixed and when they removed the valve cover, they found 2 more broken bolts.

http://www.iatn.net/forums/13/50770/...gine-oil-leaks

Bbox · 09-13-2014, 06:49 PM

Can't see what you mean there, can you draw an arrow?

I'm talking about the bolt between the first and second runners. You can see it a mile away, because it's a silver bolt on a black manifold. There's oil dripping from it.

Bbox · 09-15-2014, 06:58 PM

Turns out the oil is only coming from the first head bolt (it broke and will be replaced).

09-12-2014, 07:58 PM	#1
Bbox Enlisted Member 4 Rep 48 Posts Drives: 06 330i sedan Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	Oil can't come from between the head and the IM, can it? I have an oil leak on the intake side of the head. It's not from the VC gasket, and it's not from the oil filter housing. If I look between the intake runners, one of the bolts that connects the IM to the head has oil dripping from it. But there are no oil passages there, right? Could the oil be coming from a loose head bolt, and somehow making its way over to that bolt? Seems unlikely, given that the head bolts are a bit lower than this.
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09-13-2014, 05:36 AM	#2
Efthreeoh General 17139 Rep 18,670 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	There is an crank case ventilation system built into the engine. It uses an oil separation valve system that feeds small amount of crank case vapors back into the combustion chamber. Over time the oil can build up in the intake manifold.
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09-13-2014, 04:38 PM	#3
Bbox Enlisted Member 4 Rep 48 Posts Drives: 06 330i sedan Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	Right, but I don't think that would be enough oil to coat the entire right side of the engine block. Last edited by Bbox; 09-15-2014 at 06:58 PM..
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09-13-2014, 06:49 PM	#5
Bbox Enlisted Member 4 Rep 48 Posts Drives: 06 330i sedan Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	Can't see what you mean there, can you draw an arrow? I'm talking about the bolt between the first and second runners. You can see it a mile away, because it's a silver bolt on a black manifold. There's oil dripping from it.
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09-15-2014, 06:58 PM	#6
Bbox Enlisted Member 4 Rep 48 Posts Drives: 06 330i sedan Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	Turns out the oil is only coming from the first head bolt (it broke and will be replaced). Last edited by Bbox; 09-15-2014 at 07:12 PM..
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