Please read this post it could save your engine.

Whateva · 08-21-2014, 09:02 AM

Warning being heeded. Thanks for the heads up.

fenixxishot · 08-23-2014, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bora1point8t

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenixxishot

I would like to begin by apologizing as this post is quite long however I will post a cliff notes version at the end and if you are so inclined you may read my adventure please review.

It begins with the seemingly uneventful; I was experiencing the common oil filter housing/ oil cooler housing leak. I was not tremendously concerned as it was more of a seeping than a true leak I believed so I let it persist as I was NOT going pay a dealer almost 1k for the repair I knew I could do especially when the part was only $15. Well waiting was a huge mistake.

I was informed of the oil leak by the dealer in August when I went in for a coolant flush, which was my ah hah moment as I realized why I was adding a quart once a month and why I occasionally smelled burning oil(very occasionally and no smoke, again why I wasnt concerned). So I decided this would be a good project to take on during Christmas break a 1 quart a month oil leak is not a big deal.

Well at the end of October my Serpentine belt shredded and I immediately did some research and it seemed as a few people had the issue of the sub frame hitting the P/S pulley and damaging the belt causing it to shred. This was not the cause of my accident I thoroughly examined the P/S pulley and it had absolutely no damage.

That belt shredding caused another issue that I did not realize until yesterday. When our belts get wrapped around the crank pulley they damage the crank seal and in a worst case scenario can be sucked up into your engine causing you to lose your engine. The belt shredding was my wake up call to address the oil leak. I did the oil filter housing gasket swap and put a new belt on however oil still leaked and I was shocked I couldnt believe it.
I had a buddy do the walnut blasting on my intake valves and asked him to change the gasket again as it appeared it was still leaking so he did and he cleaned the engine up very nicely so we could actually see if the oil leak had truly go away. Well after the car warmed up there was still a solid bit of oil dripping on the ground however it was not coming from anywhere near the oil filter housing. We realized that oil was leaking from the front crank seal/front main seal.

So we decide its best that I take it to a mechanic to have the seal replaced and I am absolutely freaking out because I have read about peoples belts damaging their crank seal and getting pulled into the engine requiring a completely new engine. As I am locating the parts (I recommend Phil at Revees he is a sponsor here I believe) I am told by Phil that a special glue and primer are required. He can get the glue but the primer Loctite 171000 is not available in the US he would have to have it shipped from Germany. Im like I need this issue addressed ASAP so I call Loctite and after I get bounced to 10 different people I finally get and compound analyst who tells me there is no direct conversion available anywhere however he recommends a possible alternative as they have similar activating structures which is Loctite 7649.

On Friday I take everything to the mechanic to have the seals swapped out which sounds like a straightforward process, however the mechanic ends up spending about 10 hours to do it because its nearly impossible to remove the seal after it has been damaged. And the whole time I am hoping there are not pieces of my belt in the engine which after looking at the damaged seal I see how it is completely possible. Finally I get some good news the mechanic fishes up a camera and we rotate the crank and I see nothing on the timing chain I am relieved to say the least. And after a couple hundred miles of driving no oil leaking!!

Cliff Notes:
I put off address my oil filter housing leaking and that compounded into an issue that could have caused me to lose my engine please learn from my mistake and take care of this ASAP it truly is an issue that needs to be addressed very quickly.
I will post of a DIY for the oil filter housing gasket for the 335i it is a bit different than a 328i next time I have a chance.

Going through this exact ordeal at the moment right now! How much did the "stealer" charge you to replace the crank seal out of curiousity?

I did it at a buddy's shop but would expect this would cost at least 1k just because of how much of a pain it was to get the freaking seal out.

fenixxishot · 08-23-2014, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWDBooSTIn90

I bought a new belt after reading a thread like this a few weeks ago. Now im wondering if i should change the tensioner also.

Has there been alot of belt tensioner failures on early n54's?

Mine still has good tension, belt never slips and everything looks ok...

This was never a belt tensioner failure not sure how the thread migrated to that.

alexwhittemore · 08-26-2014, 06:17 PM

I can't say I understand how a chewed up belt can make its way INTO the crank case. Can someone explain that?

thomas88162 · 08-26-2014, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexwhittemore

I can't say I understand how a chewed up belt can make its way INTO the crank case. Can someone explain that?

Apparently it slips behind the crank pulley(before it shreds), then breaches the main seal from the rotational force still on the belt... It sounds like a far stretch, and it could probably be prevented with regular belt/pulley inspection. There is no specific issue on the e9x platform, besides the whole FI cars contact the subframe thing. These issues pop up due to negligence; BMW is in no way responsible or at fault for this.

hardr85 · 07-28-2016, 09:55 AM

I have the seal removal tool and some of the BMW sealant left over, will sell both for $75.

I assume the sealant is still good, it has been a few months, I haven't checked.

08-21-2014, 09:02 AM	#23
Whateva Banned 27 Rep 228 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: La La Land iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 335i [10.00]	Warning being heeded. Thanks for the heads up.
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08-26-2014, 06:17 PM	#26
alexwhittemore Lieutenant Colonel 111 Rep 1,951 Posts Drives: 2009 Crimson 328i Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	I can't say I understand how a chewed up belt can make its way INTO the crank case. Can someone explain that? __________________
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07-28-2016, 09:55 AM	#28
hardr85 Private First Class 9 Rep 168 Posts Drives: 2006 330i e90 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Little Rock, Arkansas iTrader: (1)	I have the seal removal tool and some of the BMW sealant left over, will sell both for $75. I assume the sealant is still good, it has been a few months, I haven't checked.
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