Massive Oil Release

[weiln12]

Why don't we get all the cool stuff here?! The DEFA would work, but in less than 1 month I'll have a nice comfy garage so I won't need it at home. At work, we don't have plugs to keep it warm so it wouldn't be as helpful there. I'd REALLY like to get a Webasto, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen either.

I think for me, the best option may be the heater blanket that David.X5 has on his.

[weiln12]

@Rush - The heating blanket is BMW's solution to the issue and also for Range Rovers with the M62. It would also be very easy to install and doesn't require the removal of the CCV system to do this. There should be zero labor charge to install this if the CCV is already being replaced.

[Rush]

Thanks, Nathan!

It should get towed tomorrow. It seems that firing it up and just gunning it until I get it to the shop is a bad idea.

I'll see what he says and I'll order it.

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by Rockit

If you live in colder climates like me this is common on these junk E53's. Happens on both 6 and all V8. The kits are a joke and only work the first year. The white milky stuff freezes in your oil if you don't drive more than a half hour each day to work to burn it off, it gets stuck in the PCV valve and oil tubes. This happens around 18 degrees and lower. BMW well knows of the design flaw and ignores it.

The pressure in the engine sucks the engine oil in the cylinders and makes the engine smoke and or causes hydraulic lock and ruins the engine by bending the pistons rods or blows a head gaskets or both.

On my 4.4 it forced the oil out the valve cover fill cap and it never smoked. It did blow my valve covers and rear main seal $2K

The only way I found to help avoid this is 1. don't own a X5 2. Don't start the car under 18 degrees 3. definitely use Marvels Mystery Oil in your oil.

This only happens if you don't drive far each day and the temps get below 18 degrees....6cyl-8cyl, new CCV parts ,it doesn't matter, will happen.

This one issue was a significant enough of a concern that I decided to get rid of my E53 for an E70. To my knowledge the E70 is not afflicted by this particular issue.

[Rush]

Did I miss a cold weather SIB for the M62?

I looked at Keeping You Safe | Safercar | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to find any that apply, but didn't.

I thought someone mentioned one earlier, but I may be mistaken.

[weiln12]

@Rush - Try this. It appears to have the BMW pages attached here. SIB 110104 - http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...under-cpo.html

[Rush]

I got lost in the world of searches.

D'oh!

Thank you.

[Rush]

Taking another tack here, as I'm learning a lot about this issue, and I'm certain that the indy will know all about it, if we assume ALL of the CCV parts have to be replaced:

RealOEM.com - Online BMW Parts Catalog

that's $282.51. Lovely.

And assuming that the six-week-old valve cover gasket set, and the six-week old valve cover seal washers need to be replaced, does anyone have a ballpark idea on that cost, in Alexandria, VA? Not at the dealer, of course.

I'd like to take a picture, and I should have done it in the daylight, to see where the earl came from. For now, the red box shows the only place, underneath, that oil dripped from, near the front right wheel.

[jfoj]

Low mileage for the year.

Assume if you are the original owner, you do not drive very far to and from work?

I would monitor the engine temperature to see if the thermostat is soft AND make sure you "Manage" the yellow Mayo in the engine.

From the looks of your picture, your engine oil is in BAD shape. A cold running engine that is not driven long enough to properly warm up the oil can cause oil to be contaminated in as little as 1000-1500 miles in the Winter months.

Management is actually pretty easy. It involves a few times a week popping the hood in the morning and checking the underside of the oil fill cap and also pulling the dipstick and check the engine oil color. The engine oil should never be BLACK if the crankcase is getting warm enough. If there is yellow Mayo under the oil fill cap, make sure the engine is running at the problem temperature. Typically 96C-105C depending on the configuration of this engine. I do not know it as well as the N62 in the E70 which runs TOO hot in my opinion and it typically has an operating temperature of around 105-110C.

Management also means pulling the oil fill cap after coming home with a very warm engine and removing the oil fill cap and letting the crankcase vent openly overnight while the engine cools. The only trick is not forgetting to reinstall the oil fill cap. Sometimes I suggest putting the oil fill cap in a plastic sandwich bag, dropping the drivers window about 1/2" and then rolling the bag end up in the window with the bag on the outside so it is starting you in the face when you go to get into the car.

Good luck, hopefully the repair is not bad, hopefully no cracked valve cover(s) or other damage, but I would like to see what the oil looks like in the engine an what the upper valvetrain looks like if the valve covers need to be removed.

My guess is this is a big time Mayo motor?

[David.X5]

It's a PITA, messy job. When mine went (a 15F day), it was about $500. Mostly labor to clean everything. Intake has to come off. Only part the Indy replaced at that price was the actual CCV. I later replaced every other part of the system myself and then put the heated wrap gizmo.

I guess I should add that I did not loose anything that looked like coolant. Definitely worries me a little that one of your head gaskets let go.