'Tis the season to break down. HUGE oil leak, ~1L of oil on driveway.

[TheGodfather]

Today I took some time to remove some parts to try and get a look at the CCV and area.

I have not removed the CCV but rather the filter box, fan cover, plastic under guard, DISA valve, and MAF hose so that I could get a closer look. I need daylight and more time/tools to get at the ccv. The fricken hose clamps connected to the y boot thingy (that connects to the throttle body, and the MAF hose) are facing downwards and away from me. Even with a flexible hose driver how the hell am I suppose to manage that?

Anyhow, it seems dry as a bone around the CCV and throttle body area. Using a flash light I could just see the side/front of the the CCV and it looks dry. In fact that area seems to be the cleanest of all.

There was quite a bit of grease and oil around the p/s reservoir. And basically on all the lines related to the cooling system.

So now the question is, could this be a p/s atf leak?

The fluid does not smell like oil, it is pretty odourless. It sure looks like engine oil. It does not smell pungent and is not as red as the p/s oil I compared it to from the reservoir.

Are there any tell tale signs to figure out whether this fluid is engine oil or ATF? I will work on cleaning up the area, and perhaps connecting everything up and firing up the engine (with 5w30 on hand) to see if I can find any leaks in real time. The leak is fast, so I should be able to see where it's coming from. I am just worried I might be doing damage running the engine with such a fast leak.

Does anyone have any ideas of how I can ID this leak better, or how I can do so without doing something stupid and wrecking things further?


JUST GOT AN IDEA:
EDIT 2: How to test the BMW E39 pressure-controlled crankcase ventilation system (CCV)? - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums I might try these tests.

What if I pour engine oil into vent pipe, and see if it leaks out?

The logic is that the oil was leaking so fast that there must be a gaping hole somewhere. This somewhere is possibly the CCV it self. My understanding of the diagram is that there are only two hoses which oil flows through from the system. When I pour oil into the vent pipe, if the CCV does have some sort of crack or loose hose, I should see the added oil flowing out shouldn't I? Or does the engine have to be running to create a vacuum or something?

[RickM5X3]

Originally Posted by SlickGT1

So what do you guys recommend as preventative maintenance for this. Thanks.

Only parking it overnight in a temperature controlled garage during winter is likely the best insurance!

[TwinsPoppa]

What's so hard about checking if you're low on oil with the dipstick?

Check your PS pump for fluid level too, right? Am I missing something?

Let me go look at your videos again.

[TheGodfather]

Originally Posted by TwinsPoppa

What's so hard about checking if you're low on oil with the dipstick?

Check your PS pump for fluid level too, right? Am I missing something?

I did on both accounts, but I will be more thorough tomorrow in daylight.
P/S seemed normal, engine oil was low, but not substantially more so than when I checked recently prior to this whole event.

[TwinsPoppa]

Ok I loooked at your video again and in my 4.8 thats right where the PS pump is.

Another thing you might want to check - where is your oil filter located in your engine? Maybe you have a very bad leak at the oil filter housing like others have been experiencing recently?

[TheGodfather]

Originally Posted by TwinsPoppa

Ok I loooked at your video again and in my 4.8 thats right where the PS pump is.

Another thing you might want to check - where is your oil filter located in your engine? Maybe you have a very bad leak at the oil filter housing like others have been experiencing recently?

Good suggestion, I pondered this as well, though upon initial inspection the filter area seemed drier than that of the p/s tank area.

The oil filter housing is directly next to the p/s tank. When I removed the plastic cover under the car which conceals the radiator and front of engine, I noticed oil around the hoses under the radiator, and on the belts and pulleys. There is splatters and pooling droplets of oil on the fan area, cooling hoses, pulleys, belts and lines at the bottom. Some looks old and caked on, while some is fresh.

I cannot rule out that the p/s fluid has had a slow leak for a while, and that I am only noticing it now due to the circumstances.

Tomorrow, I am going to use some common sense, and hopefully report back with something more definitive.

[TwinsPoppa]

Sorry but one more suggestion. I'm not familiar where the transmission cooler is but most designs have them right in that area you were leaking. Maybe its not engine oil. Check the cooler lines.

I can't remember if there's a dipstick for the tranny or some kind of inspection plug on the tranny to check the fluid level.

Just a thought. There's only so many fluids and I think we just about covered them all! LOL! Good luck!

[TheGodfather]

Originally Posted by TwinsPoppa

Sorry but one more suggestion. I'm not familiar where the transmission cooler is but most designs have them right in that area you were leaking. Maybe its not engine oil. Check the cooler lines.

I can't remember if there's a dipstick for the tranny or some kind of inspection plug on the tranny to check the fluid level.

Just a thought. There's only so many fluids and I think we just about covered them all! LOL! Good luck!

Good thought, there is oil on those lines. There is damn oil everywhere under my hood. Hard to know where anything has originated.

Unfortunately bad weather, and the fast approaching uni exam crunch time has arrived.

It is best that I get this over with and take it to a shop for a more certain diagnosis, and possibly have them do the labour as-well. Now I am kicking myself for not getting the "pro" peace of mind diagnosis at the shop (as I usually do) right from the beginning, so that I could have ordered the correct parts promptly.

It's this damn forum I tell you! Makes me overly confident that I can do everything myself.

It's too bad, TBH I was excited about working on this and reaping the DIY satisfaction feeling. But circumstances are making it unrealistic and time costly to do so.

I will report back when I have some information that will help others on the forum. I do a lot of asking, and not a lot of helping around here.

[TwinsPoppa]

Originally Posted by TheGodfather

Good thought, there is oil on those lines. There is damn oil everywhere under my hood. Hard to know where anything has originated.

Unfortunately bad weather, and the fast approaching uni exam crunch time has arrived.

It is best that I get this over with and take it to a shop for a more certain diagnosis, and possibly have them do the labour as-well. Now I am kicking myself for not getting the "pro" peace of mind diagnosis at the shop (as I usually do) right from the beginning, so that I could have ordered the correct parts promptly.

It's this damn forum I tell you! Makes me overly confident that I can do everything myself.

It's too bad, TBH I was excited about working on this and reaping the DIY satisfaction feeling. But circumstances are making it unrealistic and time costly to do so.

I will report back when I have some information that will help others on the forum. I do a lot of asking, and not a lot of helping around here.

Its all good. Situations change and life is unpredictable.

Hopefully you have something like a AAA Premier membership. Highly recommend it.

That thing has paid off many times over. I've sent my mustang on a flatbed back and forth for "free" several times to get it from place to place. Unlimited towing within 100 miles, tow once up to 200 miles, get you back in even if you lock yourself out of your house, etc.

Let us know more later when you have a chance.

[SlickGT1]

Yea good luck. Let us know what the shop tells you.

And AAA Premier is worth every penny. My entire family is on it. So I have extra tows if it comes down to it.