[iqraceworks]

I’ve had a small leak coming from my N54 right where the transmission meets the engine block ever since I got my car a while ago. I’m trying to figure out if it’s coming from the valve cover, the oil pan, or possibly the rear main seal.

I’ve had my car up on the lift for the last 2 weeks…….and even without starting the car up, it seems like the leak comes back every couple of days after I wipe it up. Does the oil level in the oil pan go above the gasket when the engine is not running? Does oil pool in the valve cover, and continues to leak even when the motor is off? Does the rear crank seal sit below the oil level when the motor is off?

I’m just trying to figure out where the oil is coming for before I start throwing parts at it.

Thanks!

[relative4]

The crank seals are not below the oil level. OPG is the culprit.

[iqraceworks]

Originally Posted by relative4

The crank seals are not below the oil level. OPG is the culprit.

Ok, thanks for the info!!

[Bmrbrds]

Originally Posted by iqraceworks

Ok, thanks for the info!!

I know this is a old post but just wondering if you fixed your leak. I have the same situation already done valve cover and turbo oil return seals. Leak has gotten better but does seem worse when sitting then when being driven.

Thanks

[Bimmer_Bro]

Originally Posted by Bmrbrds

I know this is a old post but just wondering if you fixed your leak. I have the same situation already done valve cover and turbo oil return seals. Leak has gotten better but does seem worse when sitting then when being driven.

Thanks

Oil pan gasket leak is very common on these cars. I have this also and it does maybe 1 drip a week sitting in my garage. I assume it will slowly get worse.
Most wait until you need to do turbos as the labour is pretty much the same.
I have an xi so the subframe needs to be dropped in order to access. The few quotes I received were around 2k... things are little more expensive in Canada lol.
I am going to wait till I need to do turbos & motor mounts.

[Bmrbrds]

Originally Posted by Bimmer_Bro

Oil pan gasket leak is very common on these cars. I have this also and it does maybe 1 drip a week sitting in my garage. I assume it will slowly get worse.
Most wait until you need to do turbos as the labour is pretty much the same.
I have an xi so the subframe needs to be dropped in order to access. The few quotes I received were around 2k... things are little more expensive in Canada lol.
I am going to wait till I need to do turbos & motor mounts.

Already got upgraded turbos. Pan gasket was done a couple years ago. The cars only gets about 10k put on it a year these days. I do have to replace my turbo outlets as a blew a hole in the Vargas silicone ones at the track a cuple weeks ago so I was thinking to make life easier just drop the subframe and do the pan gasket and a few other things while in there. Is there a better gasket that can be used if not I will use oem.

[iqraceworks]

Originally Posted by Bmrbrds

I know this is a old post but just wondering if you fixed your leak. I have the same situation already done valve cover and turbo oil return seals. Leak has gotten better but does seem worse when sitting then when being driven.

Thanks

Yep...it was the oil pan gasket. She's dry as a bone now....no more leaks!!

[Mustafa.e92]

Originally Posted by Bimmer_Bro

Oil pan gasket leak is very common on these cars. I have this also and it does maybe 1 drip a week sitting in my garage. I assume it will slowly get worse.
Most wait until you need to do turbos as the labour is pretty much the same.
I have an xi so the subframe needs to be dropped in order to access. The few quotes I received were around 2k... things are little more expensive in Canada lol.
I am going to wait till I need to do turbos & motor mounts.

Where in Canada are you?

[Bimmer_Bro]

Originally Posted by Mustafa.e92

Where in Canada are you?

Calgary

[spacey_n54]

Just piggybacking onto this thread, I had a strange issue similar to this for awhile. I replaced my OPG and that did dry things up, but I still had a strange problem where I would jack the front of my car up and oil would leak near the transmission / engine block in the rear. It ended up being the oil filter housing gasket - the leak was traveling down the block, running along where the oil pan gasket protrudes on the driver's side (LHD car) and getting into the crack where the bell housing meets the engine block. Fun times 😂

[Bmrbrds]

Originally Posted by spacey_n54

Just piggybacking onto this thread, I had a strange issue similar to this for awhile. I replaced my OPG and that did dry things up, but I still had a strange problem where I would jack the front of my car up and oil would leak near the transmission / engine block in the rear. It ended up being the oil filter housing gasket - the leak was traveling down the block, running along where the oil pan gasket protrudes on the driver's side (LHD car) and getting into the crack where the bell housing meets the engine block. Fun times 😂

Thanks for your input. I will definitely have a loom at it. It was changed a cuple years ago aswell

[Caz]

Originally Posted by Bimmer_Bro

Oil pan gasket leak is very common on these cars. I have this also and it does maybe 1 drip a week sitting in my garage. I assume it will slowly get worse.
Most wait until you need to do turbos as the labour is pretty much the same.
I have an xi so the subframe needs to be dropped in order to access. The few quotes I received were around 2k... things are little more expensive in Canada lol.
I am going to wait till I need to do turbos & motor mounts.

Replaced every leaking seal but the OPG, brought it back to the shop quoted me 6500 for Vargas stage 2 and OPG. going to wait until the spring at this point and do it myself, my turbos are alright but motor mounts are sagging a little bit. the car just hit 75,000

[Bimmer_Bro]

Originally Posted by Caz

Replaced every leaking seal but the OPG, brought it back to the shop quoted me 6500 for Vargas stage 2 and OPG. going to wait until the spring at this point and do it myself, my turbos are alright but motor mounts are sagging a little bit.

I would also avoid Vargas turbos. They do not have a good reputation.
RB turbos will cost you less and be far more reliable.

[Caz]

Originally Posted by Bimmer_Bro

I would also avoid Vargas turbos. They do not have a good reputation.
RB turbos will cost you less and be far more reliable.

Not a huge fan of Vargas, just started posting on the forums today, but from everything I've read RB or Pure are the way to go. I was really looking into the RB two+ or pure stage 2.

My power goals might be a little too much for my car to handle though. I'm aiming for around 600awhp. My friend with every GTR is convincing me that running full e85 with upgraded turbos, dual 525s, port injection, backend flash, and some other supporting mods it can be achieved, but I'm beginning to question the capabilities of the automatic transmission and transfer case.

been spending the past 2 months I've owned the car replacing everything to prepare it for more power. BMWs get a bad wrap, the previous owner took very good care of the car, all big-ticket items have been replaced. it drives great, I haven't seen many people running that type of power on the auto with x drive. It's FBO and then some right now. I was going to run meth but he's convincing me to go with e85, the stuff is impossible to get around here but he has a shop with drums of it because all his cars run on e85.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by Caz

Replaced every leaking seal but the OPG, brought it back to the shop quoted me 6500 for Vargas stage 2 and OPG. going to wait until the spring at this point and do it myself, my turbos are alright but motor mounts are sagging a little bit. the car just hit 75,000

$6500 for turbo's & OPG? Holy crap

I'd get Rob Beck or Pure. Pure are more $$$ than RB's, but RB's are just as good if not better.

[Bimmer_Bro]

Originally Posted by Caz

Not a huge fan of Vargas, just started posting on the forums today, but from everything I've read RB or Pure are the way to go. I was really looking into the RB two+ or pure stage 2.

My power goals might be a little too much for my car to handle though. I'm aiming for around 600awhp. My friend with every GTR is convincing me that running full e85 with upgraded turbos, dual 525s, port injection, backend flash, and some other supporting mods it can be achieved, but I'm beginning to question the capabilities of the automatic transmission and transfer case.

been spending the past 2 months I've owned the car replacing everything to prepare it for more power. BMWs get a bad wrap, the previous owner took very good care of the car, all big-ticket items have been replaced. it drives great, I haven't seen many people running that type of power on the auto with x drive. It's FBO and then some right now. I was going to run meth but he's convincing me to go with e85, the stuff is impossible to get around here but he has a shop with drums of it because all his cars run on e85.

That is the very absolutely limit of what the auto trans can handle if not it may be too much for it. I believe after 550hp the auto trans may start to slip. Most very high hp N54 are manual with upgraded clutches.
Making but power like that too will no longer make it a daily driver if that's important to you. If this is a track or weekend car, I get it. High hp cars are not easy to drive around town or comfortable....all depends on your goals. It's just a common miss conception that a 600 hp 335 is going to drive just like a 300hp 335 but faster. Not the case.

[Caz]

I have a few other beater cars so I only drive the 335xi when I feel like it, I'm just the type of person that when I build a car I don't believe in doing things twice, I want to build the car to be able to handle as much power as possible even if I'm not going to use it, I like having a decent amount of headroom. It's a weekend car right now but we will see after the winter, the all-wheel-drive would definitely be nice to drive in the snow. Currently, I only ride around in JB4 map 1 for the most part, switching to map 2 when needed. I aim to build for 600awhp and probably only run 500awhp. I've spent my life fixing slow cars so I guess I'm getting a little carried away with this haha.

[Bimmer_Bro]

Originally Posted by Caz

I have a few other beater cars so I only drive the 335xi when I feel like it, I'm just the type of person that when I build a car I don't believe in doing things twice, I want to build the car to be able to handle as much power as possible even if I'm not going to use it, I like having a decent amount of headroom. It's a weekend car right now but we will see after the winter, the all-wheel-drive would definitely be nice to drive in the snow. Currently, I only ride around in JB4 map 1 for the most part, switching to map 2 when needed. I aim to build for 600awhp and probably only run 500awhp. I've spent my life fixing slow cars so I guess I'm getting a little carried away with this haha.

I have a xi auto as well.
Id you do not have XHP yet I would 100% get that. It will completely transform the auto trans. Stage 3 is the best.
Also made by the same company is Xdelete. You can basically make you car Rwd drive with a quick flash. Or keep the xdrive engaged but it can be much more rear wheel bias with slider options on the app.

I would stick with you stock turbos until they are die or waste gate rattle gets too bad.
A custom tune with some Ethanol can provide a lot more power that the OTS maps. Fuel is everything tho. High hp is not possible without ethanol.
I have no ethanol here. Just 94 oct is the best I get.