Other Oil leaks - Oil Pan gasket? - NOT Cam plate, valve cover, or Cam cover

[exE36M3]

UPDATED 11/3/2017

Ok, so after a few hours with a flashlight and dentist mirror (and 3 trips to the dealer of the course of this year), I *think* I've found THE LAST oil leak... and this one sucks. Head Gasket.

Here's a link to the photos. This one is REALLY hard to spot as it's under the intake plenum.
Signs are:
1. If you look hard enough you can see the dirt and grime around the electrical connectors as well as a shine on the electric lines.
2. Oily dirt and grime
3. Oil smell but NO under engine leaks

The photo of the red intake cover will help orient you. The leak comes from where the heads meet the cylinder block. The oil squirts up under pressure and then polls/runs down the back of the block onto the cats (you'll get a burning oil smell) or sprays.

To test this theory, I put a paper towel in the space and drove to work. Notice the oil spots? That from ONLY 2.5 miles of driving!

I am making the educated guess of head gasket as the oil seems to meet right at the seam. And you can physically see the head gasket (metal) sticking out.

OK time to chat with Subaru... again.

PHOTOS on GOOGLE PHOTOS

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KVVRlENs8wQ26a2r2



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Hey guys - so I got my 2013 BRZ back from dealer warranty repairs. They replaced the valve cover and cam cover gaskets (re-sealed).

They pulled the motor to do the repair and it looks like the repairs took as I can scan it all with a dentist mirror and see all the seams are dry.

The only hitch is... I still smell burning oil... especially after a few redline runs.

There's no oil that can be seen topside (even with a dentist mirror scan) or on the splash cover - so the easy stuff is covered.

My best guess, before I go under the car and pull covers off... oil pan gasket?
Theory is under pressure, oil seeps out and runs onto the catalytic convertor. Which explains the oil smell and lack of oil on the ground.

So, any of you guys get a leaky oil pan gasket with oil that burned off on the cat?

[humfrz]

Well, a leaking oil pan gasket seems to be rare on these cars.

I reckon I'd give the car a good long, hot run, to make sure the smell just isn't residual from the old leak(s).


humfrz

[exE36M3]

humfrz - thanks. Well the downer is... they've cleaned the engine bay twice.

I ran a paper towel between the motor/oil pan edge and cat last night. I got a little bit of oil. I know it's uncommon to get oil leaks but man, this oil smell is killing me now that fall is kicking in and you can't run the heater in re-circulate mode. And that's about the last common area where oil leaks on these motors.

[Bonburner]

leave a camera in there with a light source over night and watch fast forward ~ hahaha

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by exE36M3

humfrz - thanks. Well the downer is... they've cleaned the engine bay twice.

I ran a paper towel between the motor/oil pan edge and cat last night. I got a little bit of oil. I know it's uncommon to get oil leaks but man, this oil smell is killing me now that fall is kicking in and you can't run the heater in re-circulate mode. And that's about the last common area where oil leaks on these motors.

hmmm......have you taken off the under pans to get a better look .. ??

Have you tried to tighten up the oil pan bolts .. ??


humfrz

[Clipdat]

Shouldn't he be able to trust the dealership to perform the repair adequately? Clearly the problem that he took the car in for has not been fully resolved.

He should not have to get under the car and start wrenching on it himself just because the dealership service department is grossly incompetent.

Originally Posted by humfrz

hmmm......have you taken off the under pans to get a better look .. ??

Have you tried to tighten up the oil pan bolts .. ??


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

Shouldn't he be able to trust the dealership to perform the repair adequately? Clearly the problem that he took the car in for has not been fully resolved.

He should not have to get under the car and start wrenching on it himself just because the dealership service department is grossly incompetent.

Well, that be true.

However, I have found that sometimes it's just more efficient to do a little wrenching myself, rather than keep taking the car back to the dealership......


humfrz

[Clipdat]

We can't assume that the OP is physically/mentally able/willing to wrench on his own.

I'm not saying this is the case for the OP, but a lot of twin owners are not mechanically inclined, in which case they should be able to rely on the dealership to service the vehicle adequately.

Originally Posted by humfrz

Well, that be true.

However, I have found that sometimes it's just more efficient to do a little wrenching myself, rather than keep taking the car back to the dealership......


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

We can't assume that the OP is physically/mentally able/willing to wrench on his own.

I'm not saying this is the case for the OP, but a lot of twin owners are not mechanically inclined, in which case they should be able to rely on the dealership to service the vehicle adequately.

Well, now, Clipdat ....... I agree that if the OP is not handy with tools, he shouldn't be messing with his car's engine.

Especially oil pan bolts, those little buggers snap off easy.

OK, OP, I will change my recommendation to ....... take it back to the dealer.

OP, you can crawl out from under there ...... you're off the DIY hook ......



humfrz

[exE36M3]

Appreciate the help guys.

I've got high school auto-shop,engine swaps under my belt, and a Craftsman 5 foot high tool chest in the garage so I *might* be able to turn a wrench . TBH though, my biggest foe isn't lack of tools or talent... it's time. Full-time job and 2 kids and weekends either not doing work or doing some sort of fix-the house/yard.

I'd rather not crawl under the car to hunt down oil leaks but it's looking like I am short on choices given the dealer isn't providing much in the line of warranty service. But given the run-around when it comes to fixing this oil leak, it's like you have to go in with concrete proof "HEY my car is leaking, here's photos and oil soaked paper towels."

So, I was fishing for experiences as the last oil leak spot is looking like the oil pan. Given it sits within 3/4" of the cat, that thing get's cooked, so the gasket or sealant can't last too long. And thus, seeing if anyone else has run into a leaky gasket issue.

Not to whine but... there are days where I miss the BMW E36 community and network of shops. Break something and there's 20 years of info to help you fix it.

[Doubletap]

Just give it time. I had a leak repaired as well and it took a while for the smell to go away. A couple of weeks maybe. I was told this when I picked up the car. If it persists beyond a month then yeah take it back and let them look for the leak.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Clipdat

We can't assume that the OP is physically/mentally able/willing to wrench on his own.

I'm not saying this is the case for the OP, but a lot of twin owners are not mechanically inclined, in which case they should be able to rely on the dealership to service the vehicle adequately.

....... see there, @Clipdat ........ you were wrong ........ AGAIN! ....... (see the OPs last post)



humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by exE36M3

Appreciate the help guys.

I've got high school auto-shop,engine swaps under my belt, and a Craftsman 5 foot high tool chest in the garage so I *might* be able to turn a wrench . TBH though, my biggest foe isn't lack of tools or talent... it's time. Full-time job and 2 kids and weekends either not doing work or doing some sort of fix-the house/yard.

I'd rather not crawl under the car to hunt down oil leaks but it's looking like I am short on choices given the dealer isn't providing much in the line of warranty service. But given the run-around when it comes to fixing this oil leak, it's like you have to go in with concrete proof "HEY my car is leaking, here's photos and oil soaked paper towels."

So, I was fishing for experiences as the last oil leak spot is looking like the oil pan. Given it sits within 3/4" of the cat, that thing get's cooked, so the gasket or sealant can't last too long. And thus, seeing if anyone else has run into a leaky gasket issue.

Not to whine but... there are days where I miss the BMW E36 community and network of shops. Break something and there's 20 years of info to help you fix it.

Well, I can surely appreciate your being too busy with having a life, to get all involved with messing with a car........

I doubt that the cat is cooking the oil pan seal ........on only your car.

Welp, I have a similar situation. I have the tools to work on my own car, I have a place to do it, I have the basic automotive knowledge ......... the difference is ........that .........I'm just too damn lazy to do it .......

OK, trying to be as helpful as the BMW community, it appears that you have a couple remaining options (having ruled out the dealer and DIY).

1. go with the @Doubletap approach and wait to see if it "burns off" in time.

2. find a local automotive shop that has an old time mechanic, and ask them to diagnose the situation.

Over the past 74 years I have lived in several places in the US, and no matter where I have lived, I have sought out and became familiar with a local auto shop for advice and access to specialized tools.

So, what's the plan .....?? Please keep us posted.


humfrz

[exE36M3]

Thanks humfrz - so I switched tactics a bit. The underside of the car looks to be reasonably oil free. So I started looking along the top of the car... and...

where the cylinder head meets the cylinders... there's fresh oil. And it's pattern looks like it's spraying. The injectors on the passenger side are covered in oil and dirt. Looks like the head gasket as I can see where the head and cylinders meet and the metal gasket that sits between them.

I can't see how the dealer techs missed this but it is under the black of the intake manifold.

Sigh. I have a feeling the BRZ is going back in the shop again.