Main Reasons for Engine Oil Leaks in BMW And How To Get It Fixed

Apr 26, 2019 | Auto Maintenance

Main Reasons for Engine Oil Leaks in BMW And How To Get It Fixed

Have you ever pulled your BMW out of your driveway or garage and seen a dark puddle that has formed under your car overnight? Or can smell burning oil from your engine? Or can see blue smoke coming from your tailpipe?

 Oil leaks in your BMW is not something you cannot afford to ignore. It doesn’t always take a trained mechanic to figure out what causes’ engine oil leaks. A little hunting can reveal a lot, just don’t put it off or it can cause serious damage to your engine.

 So, what causes oil leaks? Well we are glad you asked that! The main reasons that cause oil leaks is mainly parts of your engine that are degrading. The main areas that are best known for leaking are:

  • Valve Cover Gasket – The valve cover gasket often wears out and needs to be replaced.
  • Crankshaft Seal – Many times you will see oil leaks come from the crankshaft area.  There are seals on both ends of the crankshaft.  These wear out over time and need to be replaced.
  • Timing Chain Cover -Timing chains have a cover over them to keep the oil inside of the engine area.  This gasket can also wear out and is a possible source of an oil leak that needs to be checked.
  • Oil Pan Damage -The underside of the oil pan should be checked for damaged that can be caused by running over debris in the road. This can cause damage to the oil pan and become a source of an oil leak.
  • Oil Filler Cap – If the filler cap is loose, broken or missing the oil will leak out while the vehicle is running.

If you wanted to try to repair the leaks at home first thing you should do is grab a torque wrench and start cranking down on the bolts around your oil pan. Bolts loosen over time and sometimes they need to get a snugged down tighter. Check your owner’s manual before you start wrenching it is good to know what the tightening pattern is before you start cranking. If the leak isn’t from the oil pan check the connection hoses and change out the gasket.

 If you wanted to bring your BMW into our trained technicians at BMW Repair San Diego can help you. These are just a few of the areas we check.  There are other possible locations of oil leaks as well.  Your BMW will be in good hands at BMW Repair San Diego!