[Len_Beach]

I have a 2009 330d with the N57. I had the arch lines off today and noticed oil residue around around one of the intercooler pipes.

There's not a huge amount but it's not dry. Is it a major issue and how should I address this?

It's leaking between No. 3 in this image.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...60&hg=11&fg=40

[old grey steve]

Len on the olden days (M57N2) you'd of seen this gone for a breather valve change No11 this is usually the culprit re the saturation issues your describing.

A question however 1/ how many miles does the car cover 2/ last ol change 3/ type of driving in terms of duration of time you ussually do.

http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E9...er_head_cover/

Now we the later spec engine which you have a diffferent situation arises where essentually the breathers within the rocker cover itself like the Copper S's for instance (which suffer badly from this isue)

http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E9...er_head_cover/

We've seen a few come our way that have ben main dealer attended too but a lot of the customers have after advice from us returned to dealerships where their cars were serviced to ask why it wasn't pointed outtherefore on these cars we haven't really carried out remedial work but the option of doing rectification work on these newer engines has to an extent been removed due to no breather option, which is crazy.

But it is a concern when you look, you'll get a certain amount of sweating on these pipes you have to if its managable then it can be monitored, but regualr thin oil will "to a degree assist" in jkeeping things on the right side of being an issue but oil that's contaminated with condensation / thick and tied / has been on the car for a while (say 2 years 15000 miles for instance) will cause these sort of issues, as will on a diesel stop start driving and short journeys they all play a part and accelerate the issues you're describing IMO.

Why they've chosen to remove the breather valve change option on these never diesels is beyond me when changed a new breather can be effective and it works(but the main dealers usually failed to repalce them-even though they sold the bloody things)as we've seen when they come to us

If money were no object I'd swap out the rocker cover, but its expense and time that perhaps if its only sweating lightly can be put to one side, the oils being pushed by under pressure at this stage at a guess, but I'd keep a regualr eye on the situation Len as to a degree expect these engine to all show the signs of sweating on the pipes you're describing. If it was swimming in oil then I'd be asking questions.

[Len_Beach]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for this.

It's certainly not pouring; you can tell that some has been there for a while as it's got ingrained dirt whereas around the join is a fresher slightly thicker film.

There are no drips etc so sounds like it's not a huge issue.

The car is on 61k and gets driven hard. Aside from the odd Supermarket trip; the shortest journey is around 8 miles to Leeds with my longest around 35 on average.

[old grey steve]

Originally Posted by Len_Beach

Hi Steve,

Thanks for this.

It's certainly not pouring; you can tell that some has been there for a while as it's got ingrained dirt whereas around the join is a fresher slightly thicker film.

There are no drips etc so sounds like it's not a huge issue.

The car is on 61k and gets driven hard. Aside from the odd Supermarket trip; the shortest journey is around 8 miles to Leeds with my longest around 35 on average.

All you can do is keep an eye on it I guess, we've got one of the latest Mini's in at the moment for walnut blasting, though its a petrol the cars forcing oil through the turbo, the pipes are coated and its done 48.500 miles, the situation re these is like yours the rocker cover requires replacing as its integral which costs money.

I think as time goes by we will start to seea fair few more of these later cars where the breathers and the simplicy of changing them of old will disappear. Crazy