Leaks...

[AnimalE30]

I ruined my parents driveway with my e30.

Engine oil spots, transmission oil spots, rust spots and the best was when my steering rack took a dump. Looked like I murdered an animal and let the blood run down the driveway.

[E30_fiend]

Is that what that smell is?? I thought it was just m20

lol

[acolella76]

See OP^^^

Even the BRAND NEW stuff leaks. Dont worry about it

Oh i'm not worrying :) Just makes a funny smell when it drips onto the headers rofl

[E30_fiend]

See OP^^^

Even the BRAND NEW stuff leaks. Dont worry about it

[acolella76]

I've had three e30s and all of them have had a leak of some sort in that area. I dont think its anything to be worried about.


Taylor

+1, the exhaust side of the engine is where the oil drains from the head into the block. So the oil is leaking from those drains. No big deal, mine is doing the same thing, although i'm not sure why since everything is new :|

[E30_fiend]

I believe mine does this on the passenger rear of the engine. Is this just a BMW quirk for this build, or is this indicative of some massive HG failure coming my way?

I've had three e30s and all of them have had a leak of some sort in that area. I dont think its anything to be worried about.


Taylor

[SocalianSD]

leak free M20 ftw.

It does leak from the ps lines going into the pump... i have to replace the washers.

[blocke]

Yahtzee. Mine leaks in the front. Such a pita.

I believe mine does this on the passenger rear of the engine. Is this just a BMW quirk for this build, or is this indicative of some massive HG failure coming my way?

[Mlarsen]

M20s leak. Most common place is in the front and back corners of the head gasket on the exhaust side where the head and block come together. Your leak could be there and running down the block and onto rhw ground.

Yahtzee. Mine leaks in the front. Such a pita.

[spiDmang]

another common place is the oil filter housing gasket on late model e30s

[E30_fiend]

M20s leak. Most common place is in the front and back corners of the head gasket on the exhaust side where the head and block come together. Your leak could be there and running down the block and onto rhw ground.

[N2MYE30]

Ive had 3 e30s, all with M20s, although they sometimes leaked on themselves, never on my driveway. Now a dif, rack, and tranny leak is a different story.

[slammin.e28]

It's an M20. It will leak. (For that matter, it's a BMW engine....)

I just manage and roll on. Having a gravel driveway means I don't need to worry about seeing drips so, out of sight, out of mind.

[acolella76]

Right now my head gasket is seeping on the exhaust side towards the back, my oil filler cap leaks like a BITCH, pretty sure my oil pan is leaking a little bit but I don't care cause it's not a lot.

My steering rack leaks a little bit because i didn't replace the washers that go on the banjo bolts when i swapped the rack. I didn't know they were THAT important. Power steering fluid also shoots out of the reservoir, and I have no idea why. Covers my intake boot and fuse box. Real nice.

My coolant reservoir cap doesn't seal so coolant boils out and gets shit all over my engine bay and hoses and looks disgusting but it still doesn't overheat. I just have an annoying coolant warning light.

All in all, my fucking motor PULLS and will chirp 3rd gear.

[Sagaris]

I find it hard to believe that many people here have a leak-free 20+ year old car. After replacing an oil pan gasket, and various shit..I've got my leaks down to a minimum. My car will drip a small spot maybe the size of a quarter when parked after getting up to operating temp. Likely coming from a spot in the oil pan gasket that didn't seat well...but I'm not doing that job over again soon.

Should I be concerned with this, or am I just tripping balls?

Use Valvoline Max Life. The stop-leak additives that swell the seals actually work decently well. Doesn't fix all leaks obviously but my car drips oil unless I use Max Life and that has been the case on a couple other cars as well.