Kinda Pissed - United Bimmer Community

**Mercenary(FH)** · 11-02-2006, 06:37 PM

So remeember that oil leak i talked about coming from back of my engine.....well my mechanic replaced the valve cover gasket.....again, said thast was the problem. but it's still smoking, just barely.....I figured residue.....is like burning off.......cause he would've seen if it was a head gasket,
so should I wait a week and wash the engine,,like to get off residue, i mean there would be residue left over. but If I have to take it back to him ill be mad, good thing he warrenties his stuff

**defkon99** · 11-02-2006, 06:43 PM

hey ok now is this smoke comin from the engine? if so and if it is oil burniing off and not just a exhasut manifold leak , and its enough smoke take it to the car wash and hit it with a engine degreaser like Gunk Engine Bright( be sure to cover electronics intake etc and windows with plastic bags n such towels.

what color smoke ?

**jybute** · 11-02-2006, 06:51 PM

If its left over from the leaky valve cover gasket, it will burn of in a matter of minutes. If he says its not the head gasket, then the only other thing that would cause enough heat to create the smoke would be the tranny housing, and that means your rear seal is gone.

**xsperf** · 11-02-2006, 07:13 PM

actually, it depends on how much oil he spilled on the manifold, but heres how to tell, first off, if the oil is coming from the engine, just like defkon said, its probably just residue, if its coming from the exhaust(out the exhaust) then you have a problem, and the other way to tell is, does it smoke right when you start the engine, or always?

**B_w.** · 11-02-2006, 11:19 PM

could you not change the valve cover yourself? all you need to do is remove the sparkplugs and a few bolts. that way you know what the insides look like and can better determine the problem.

**Mercenary(FH)** · 11-03-2006, 10:22 AM

No it doesnt smoke when i start the engine, its after I drive it for a lil while. and I know theirs residue, because when i jacked it up there was a big spot. right now my cars getting painted for my b-day (cant wait to get it back)
and the smoke was a greyish color. and he would've known if it was the head gasket. but I could always smell it through my heast/ac and it smelled like burning oil. so..........btw it was coming from the back left side of the engine (if u were facing it from the front). so Im hoping it's just residue (cause I know he didnt take the time to clean it off). I just hope i dont have to take it back to him agauin to get it replaced again. AND BTW def not coming from exhaust, just from the engine lol

**Mercenary(FH)** · 11-03-2006, 10:24 AM

btw I mean it's done this for a couple of days after I had it, but I only drove it like a total of 2 times. so I guess it just needs to be burnt off cause I mean there was a big spot before where it had been leaking out of. i was worried the first time cause I thought it was a head gasket. but he said it wasnt
how would U know if a headgasket was leaking oil anyways
BTW i check my oil level everyday and it's never changed.

**B_w.** · 11-03-2006, 12:20 PM

one sympton of a leaky headgasket is oil residue in the coolant.

if you say it is leaking from the back it could be the two half moons at the back of the gasket. the bentley suggests using high temp sealant there to prevent leaks. maybe he forgot to use any sealant

seriously man it is so easy to do. jacking your car up takes more time. just take a look for yourself.

**xsperf** · 11-03-2006, 08:09 PM

no no, its not leaking from the back.. right?

**Mercenary(FH)** · 11-03-2006, 11:10 PM

well i've gotten my oil changed countless times and I checked under the cap, no milky substance cause i've looked at what they drain out, and it's not milky, and im not losing coolant.

and yes it's leaking from the back of the engine, and to the left.
so can I rule out headgasket PLZ? thats my main question, so I can feel better. remember not losing coolant no milky stuff, just slight oil burn. but my oil level is the same

and he did use sealant (I think)
but it looked like he did a shitty job. Im sure I'll just wash it out and find it to be residue

just plz calm my nerves about the headgasket leaking oil.plz, cause it doesnt seem like it'd be that, especially for me not to lose oil. or coolant or coolant in oil and vice versa!

witeshark · 11-03-2006, 11:25 PM

Any sign it may be a power steering fluid leak?

**Mercenary(FH)** · 11-04-2006, 10:54 AM

I havent really checked, but he said it was the alve cover gasket, but power steering fluid wouldnt be leaking in back left of the engine would it?

just someone plz calm my nerves that it couldnt be a head gasket, but dont they only rarely leak oil? and i havent had any coolant loss or milky oil or anything.

cause I just dont want it to be a headgasket thats all, but he didnt say it did. so.....i just want to make sure since yall know what a head gasket leak would incur

**xsperf** · 11-04-2006, 09:21 PM

when i said back, i meant exhaust, like leaking from the exhaust, and no, if your not losing any oil its not your head gasket.. no coolant in ur oil either, not a head gasket

**Mercenary(FH)** · 11-05-2006, 08:22 AM

im guessing ur quite sure about this since if it was a head gasket. i'd be seeing drips on the ground, and coolant in oil vice versa.

just wanted to ease my nerves thats all

**Mercenary(FH)** · 11-05-2006, 11:11 AM

well thats a relief, and......it wouldnt really make sense for a headgasket to leak........at the very top on my exhaust.....plus isnt it rare for head gaskets to leak oil anyways, my cars never overheated.......but once I get my car back from the paint shop ill just have to take it back in i suppose. if it keeps doing it

but yea...my oil level has actually never gone down i never have to put in any extra. which is kinda cool considering the car is 13 years old almost 14