Oil Pan and name that part leak?

Ocean6 · 02-07-2021, 05:00 PM

Hello fellow E9x owners.

Have a new to me weekend toy of 2009 E92 328i manual in beautiful Montego blue with 100k miles. Bought almost a year ago with 95k. I noticed an oil pan leak over the summer, was just about to drop the subframe when I realized the gasket seemed new (fresh rubber) not brittle and a bunch of the bolts were loose. I tightened them and figured maybe it was replaced before I got it and I’d monitor instead of replacing the gasket and cleaned up the mess of the oil slinging from the leak.

Fast forward one month and 500 miles to today; looks like I’ve got a slower than before oil pan leak. Anyone know why this would continue to leak even after tightened? Frustrated.. I also noticed oil on a part slightly above the oil pan, pretty much directly below the alternator and oil filter housing but I don’t know what it is....could someone tell me what the part is circled in red? It’s covered in oil and wondering if that could be an additional source of a leak. I did spill some oil when replacing the oil filter when I did an oil change a month ago but I don’t think it was that much...

Appreciate all inputs

e91Owner · 02-07-2021, 09:42 PM

The oil beneath the power steering pump may just be power steering fluid. It tends to ooze out of the connection points no matter what you do. The oil filter housing gasket will generally pool some oil at the base and it easy to tell if it's leaking where it meets the block. The oil pan gasket always seems nice and new from the outside, but is probably original. If the leak isn't bad, you can either replace it which is a huge pain in the butt or just deal with a slow leak. I chose the latter.

Ocean6 · 02-08-2021, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e91Owner

The oil beneath the power steering pump may just be power steering fluid. It tends to ooze out of the connection points no matter what you do. The oil filter housing gasket will generally pool some oil at the base and it easy to tell if it's leaking where it meets the block. The oil pan gasket always seems nice and new from the outside, but is probably original. If the leak isn't bad, you can either replace it which is a huge pain in the butt or just deal with a slow leak. I chose the latter.

Appreciate it! Thank you!

e91Owner · 02-08-2021, 08:11 PM

Strange how the MT e90 has a steel pan. AT's have an aluminum pan.

You could probably get a sense if the pan has ever been replaced by corrosion on the oil quantity sensor mount.

02-07-2021, 05:00 PM	#1
Ocean6 Registered 2 Rep 4 Posts Drives: E92 328i Manual Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Hartford CT iTrader: (0)	Oil Pan and name that part leak? Hello fellow E9x owners. Have a new to me weekend toy of 2009 E92 328i manual in beautiful Montego blue with 100k miles. Bought almost a year ago with 95k. I noticed an oil pan leak over the summer, was just about to drop the subframe when I realized the gasket seemed new (fresh rubber) not brittle and a bunch of the bolts were loose. I tightened them and figured maybe it was replaced before I got it and I’d monitor instead of replacing the gasket and cleaned up the mess of the oil slinging from the leak. Fast forward one month and 500 miles to today; looks like I’ve got a slower than before oil pan leak. Anyone know why this would continue to leak even after tightened? Frustrated.. I also noticed oil on a part slightly above the oil pan, pretty much directly below the alternator and oil filter housing but I don’t know what it is....could someone tell me what the part is circled in red? It’s covered in oil and wondering if that could be an additional source of a leak. I did spill some oil when replacing the oil filter when I did an oil change a month ago but I don’t think it was that much... Appreciate all inputs Attached Images
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02-07-2021, 09:42 PM	#2
e91Owner e91Owner 425 Rep 1,129 Posts Drives: 2011 e91 & 2010 e60 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Out of the Office iTrader: (0)	The oil beneath the power steering pump may just be power steering fluid. It tends to ooze out of the connection points no matter what you do. The oil filter housing gasket will generally pool some oil at the base and it easy to tell if it's leaking where it meets the block. The oil pan gasket always seems nice and new from the outside, but is probably original. If the leak isn't bad, you can either replace it which is a huge pain in the butt or just deal with a slow leak. I chose the latter.
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02-08-2021, 08:11 PM	#4
e91Owner e91Owner 425 Rep 1,129 Posts Drives: 2011 e91 & 2010 e60 Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Out of the Office iTrader: (0)	Strange how the MT e90 has a steel pan. AT's have an aluminum pan. You could probably get a sense if the pan has ever been replaced by corrosion on the oil quantity sensor mount.
	Appreciate 0 Quote