[die$el<3]

So I was changing my oil filter today and checking around my engine when I noticed under the cover it looked wet. On the right side of the engine by the oil filter there is oil and close the the front of the engine. I've attached a pic, anyone else experience this ?

[FL335]

I have never changed my own oil in this car but I am guessing it's one of the many oil leaks "known" to the n54: VCG, OFHG, etc...GL...

[Yozh]

Can't picture where is this. Do you have a wider picture?

[die$el<3]

This is inside the top of the engine where the circular open hole is. I stuck my phone in there and took a picture

[BB_cuda]

The gray thing in in upper left corner looks like the actuator of the throttle body. Boost leak oil mist? or the oil filter base's gasket. First, get us a wider angle shot please. I thought I had the oil filter base thing leaking but new intake manifold gasket (where EGR bolts on) solved my problem.

[die$el<3]

Ok I will get wider angle photo one second.

[Yozh]

Yeah, it does look like a throttle plate actuator, before the EGR. So many places there that oil mist can come out of. If so, then OP is having boost leak issues. OP, you will need to take your engine cover off to see the root of the problem.

[die$el<3]

here is a better picture of where it is . the circled area is where i put my phone in and took the first photo. also the smaller circled area i noticed it looks wet on the small black lines there as well.

[Yozh]

Looks like you charge pipe to TB gasket, or TB to EGR gasket, or EGR to intake manifold gasket. Pull your engine cover and you will be able to narrow it down. You are likely to have a boost leak as well.

[Nadir Point]

No doubt blowby-laden boost spraying. May get lucky and fix it by just tightening some bolts holding the EGR-Throttle-intake parts together.

[BB_cuda]

I took my throttle body and EGR off the intake about 3 different times and was reusing the seals. When I swapped the intake for a cleaned one, I put a new seal between EGR and intake and this fixed it. I have new seal for the throttle/EGR interface that I need to install. I was going to wait until I got the Allard part to swap out the hogged out EGR that I'm running.

[die$el<3]

finally got around to taking the engine cover off. think i found the culprit of the leak.

[WreckerX5d]

Broken seal on the hose. It's an easy fix. I had it happen to me as well.

11617790547 is the PN.

GetBMWParts has them for $6 or so.

[die$el<3]

the circled area is where i see some oil on ... so i would assume above it somewhere is the leak and its misting out onto other areas. Is it just me or are the hoses that were once red now brown? what are the purpose of these hoses and should i change them? they look brittle and dry.

[WreckerX5d]

Mine look the same way as well, I don't know the life expectancy of those brittle tiny hoses.

I'm 99% certain it's your air intake hose that's leaking boost. It's the same oily cake stuff surrounding the area that's a sign of boost leaks in the horribly designed hose connections.

[Yozh]

Your first photo from today's post shows your boost hose clip unclipped. That the black one that comes up from the intercooler and goes in your throttle body. But I would remove EGR, TB and clean them all and put together retorquing properly.

[Yozh]

Got your PM. This should help. Push the black plastic pipe onto the throttle body and clip that clip down. It should just push on. You should feel more power and better mileage after. But I would still suggest take it all apart, clean it all, check you got all the seals, replace them if needed (or do it anyway, they are cheap).

[BB_cuda]

Yozh beat me to it. I agree on that clip being not down properly.

Wrecker, I think the next seal toward intake should be looked at too (between throttle body and EGR).
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_4263
item #6, p/n 13-54-7-792-098

Diesel<3, not sure if you have ever had this area apart or not. If not, the throttle body and EGR probably need to be cleaned. Carburetor cleaner and tooth brush are your friends. Get several cans. I suspect the connection between EGR cooler and EGR valve has some soot mess coming out. You will have all of this apart anyway when cleaning.

There is one more seal to consider. It is between the EGR and intake manifold.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_3876
item #4, p/n 11-61-2-245-439

This last one is one I changed (mentioned above) and my boost oil mist stopped.

Be super careful if you tackle the throttle body and EGR removal (for cleaning and seal change) in regards to the screws. They are 5 mm hex and its easy to drop the screws down below. Put shop towels or something under to aid in catching dropped screws. I found the need for a long "T" handle 5 mm as well as standard "L" shaped 5 mm hex wrench. The 5 mm T handle always is used to pull the engine cover off too so its worth the purchase. Good luck

[die$el<3]

Thanks Yozh I clipped it down for now until my next day off. How much work is it to take off the egr and throttle body (time wise) ? Debating to tackle that next.

[die$el<3]

Originally Posted by Wrecker335d

Mine look the same way as well, I don't know the life expectancy of those brittle tiny hoses.

I'm 99% certain it's your air intake hose that's leaking boost. It's the same oily cake stuff surrounding the area that's a sign of boost leaks in the horribly designed hose connections.

Can you circle or point me towards which hose in looking at wrecker ? Thanks! You guys rock!

[WreckerX5d]

Originally Posted by die$el&lt

Can you circle or point me towards which hose in looking at wrecker ? Thanks! You guys rock!

It's the same hose that you clipped down. Inside that hose is a green seal that has a minor tenancy to break.

[Hoooper]

Originally Posted by die$el<3

Thanks Yozh I clipped it down for now until my next day off. How much work is it to take off the egr and throttle body (time wise) ? Debating to tackle that next.

Completely dependent on your mechanical skill level and tool set. If you have the right tools it will take you less than a half hour to get all that stuff apart your first time. Most valuable tool for this to me is a magnetic bit holder with a strong magnet. Some of the allen head bolts are a little tough to get too and if you drop the bit its gone for good, so a magnet that will hold the bit in the tool is priceless.