Smoking badly...2001 3.0i

[primetime]

So I'm driving to work this morning on the freeway in 8 degree weather and I get pulled over..Long story short, I guess all kinds of smoke was just flying out of my car thru the exhaust...I had no idea...No warning lights were on and my temp gauge did not indicate a higher then normal temp as I check my temp gauge often...I had no idea my car was even doing that until I stopped then I saw clouds of smoke just shooting out the back of my car..Popped the hood and saw oil everywhere that was steaming. I was pissed...I had it towed to the dealership (Baron BMW) paid $140 to the tow guy. The Dealer said i have a valve casket leak that was spraying oil into the engine bay..Cost is $529 . I get to go pick it up later this afternoon at least. They put me in ahead of everyone else who had scheduled appts since my case was an emergency..But now the inside of my car smells of burnt oil..I'm not sure how I'm going to remedy that. The dealer said that it will dissipate over time.. What do you guys think? ? Thanks...

[motordavid]

Valve Covers may be the fix, but could also be
crankcase vent system plugged/frozen, or valve cover is
symptom or connected to vent sys. clog:
http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...ight=vent+tube

http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...kcase+breather

Valve cover:
http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...+cover+leaking

pages of threads on both issuses, here.
GL,mD

[primetime]

Thanks, Motordavid...that helps....although I'm worried that this will happen again...sort of like a ticking timebomb..If I had driven any further my engine might have been hydrolocked...Still not happy about the smell....

[motordavid]

Prime,
de nada...hope the VC fix works and sustains.

I recall valve covers and other "sealed" parts blowing
out when the vent crank pressure had built up to the
point of "something has to give".

If they didn't address or attend to the crank vent achilles
they you may get a repeat on the next very cold day.

A Looonnngggg drive may help blow out/dissolve the
crank vent condensate, if that was/is the orig. catalyst...
GL,mD

[primetime]

David, I hope to god it doesn't happen again...the weather around here has been extremely cold lately..My service rep at the dealer said it shouldn't happen again..but I'm sure he says that all the time...

[NOVAX5]

fix it and sell it. there is no more love if you are paying too much for repairs like this. i would sell my x in a heart beat if it gives me one more big repair bill. my wife doesn't know anything about repairs i have done to the x and she is driving it. it died on her once on I-495 because alternator just decided to stop working on freeway without warnings. next suv for her will be something a lot more reliable than the x that is either lexus or acura. i owned the 03 4runner, and never had to take it in for repair for 4 years until i sold it. the x has 82K miles on the clock right now, as soon as it hit 100K miles or 1.5 more years (when extended warranty expires) it is gone.

[primetime]

Originally Posted by NOVAX5

fix it and sell it. there is no more love if you are paying too much for repairs like this. i would sell my x in a heart beat if it gives me one more big repair bill. my wife doesn't know anything about repairs i have done to the x and she is driving it. it died on her once on I-495 because alternator just decided to stop working on freeway without warnings. next suv for her will be something a lot more reliable than the x that is either lexus or acura. i owned the 03 4runner, and never had to take it in for repair for 4 years until i sold it. the x has 82K miles on the clock right now, as soon as it hit 100K miles or 1.5 more years (when extended warranty expires) it is gone.

You bring up an interesting point..It would be hard for me to sell it because I love my X, but the thought is slowly creeping in to my mind more often....

[motordavid]

I really, really like our '01 X5 3.0...but, when the ext warr., (from
Warr Direct), expires this summer, I will be thinking about tossing it,
if WD won't let me "re-up" for some reasonable price.

I know UCrew and a few others here have had amazing time/mileage
good service and reliability, but I will not drive this long without some
kind of reasonably priced safety net.

But, I have time to think about it, time to drive it and we shall see...
otoh, I need to plunk $40Gs+, with my X as a trade-in, on a new ride,
like I need a case of herpes, lol!

[Boston X5 4.4]

Originally Posted by NOVAX5

as it hit 100K miles or 1.5 more years (when extended warranty expires) it is gone.

I agree. As soon as CPO is up mine is gone - potential for too much expensive electrickery to go belly up in these beasts.

[primetime]

Originally Posted by Boston X5 4.4

I agree. As soon as CPO is up mine is gone - potential for too much expensive electrickery to go belly up in these beasts.

Does everyone else feel the same way? I got 90k on mine..Perhaps its time to cut my losses?