BMW injecting oil? Please help.

[kirichs]

(This exact post can be found on dtmpower.net forums, but I wanted to spread it in hope of help!)


Hey guys. I am new to forums, been driving my 1986 325e for about half a year now, and ofcourse I love it. I live in Greensboro NC, and I don't quite know forum rules but stick with me please .

I am an amateur mechanic, and I have a problem. I dont know if I'm posting this thread in the right place but I am asking for help and for a few minutes of your time if possible.

I am leaking crazy amounts of oil. Not outside my engine. No. Somehow, oil is getting into all 6 of my cylinders and killing my plugs. I do not know how it gets there, or how much gets there, but when I use fresh plugs (killing them instantly after a few hours) I burn oil, and there are oil deposits on the destroyed plugs after removal.
Here's how I have tried to solve it so far:
1. Tried running seafoam.--I hypothesize this actually helps temporarily, but I have no proof.
2. Replaced spark plugs. atleast 4 times (1 time per try of new strategy to fix car)
3. Replaced valve cover gasket and rocker bushing thingys (for the heck of it)
4. Spent 7 grueling hours (ran into a few funny snags) changing my head gasket. Cleaned cylinders out. Much oil deposit on pistons.
5. Screamed at it.
6. Threatened to trade it in for a e36.
7. Apologized.

I think it could be coming from my manifold. How the oil gets into my manifold I dont know, but I think this because it gets injected into all 6 cylinders, which pretty much rules out all 18 piston rings breaking, and all the valve seals dying.

I actually spoke to a mechanic, and I disagree with him. He could be right. No offence to him, he is a very skilled mechanic, especially on E30 models, but I think he doesnt understand the problem. Then he would overcharge me for something I could do my self.

Can you help please? I'd be glad to give more info on the situation if needed. its an M20 eta engine btw. stock everything. (Xept Idle control unit.)


Oh also, my stock bmw tape player wont take my security code. It beeps at me. And it's the right code. And I tried the waiting 1 hour thing then typing it in again with keys in ignition.


If you read all this, I honestly and humbly appreciate the time taken out of your day and all the advice you can give me to get my Bimmer daily driver up and running.

[Ball325]

bad rings probably. or maybe its leaking in from the head some how. I would think oil could get in from around the valves but i dont know what would have to go wrong for that to happen. But if your rings are bad then yeah oil will find its way in. Do a leak down test and a compression check. During teh leak down if you hear it going into the block you got problems

[kirichs]

No..not compression...already did the compression/leak test when we took the head off. everything on that end is fine. And I mean...I honestly dont think it could be all of the rings...but..I dont know.

[Ball325]

hey i didnt think my brand new rebuild s14 could be bad but it threw rod bearings had bad rings and bent valves on the dyno. So dont assume its ok

[PeaveyBassist]

On the underside of the valve cover on the inside, there should be a big splash guard. Its a long shot, but there is the hose that goes from the valve cover to the intake manifold. See how much oil that hose has in it. I doubt that is a problem but you could check. Other than that, I would bet its the rings. How many miles are on the engine?

Will

[kirichs]

I will be sure to check that tomorrow! At 145000 or so miles, its still a baby! I did a "pour liquid in the cylinders and let it sit there" test. It sat there. I just refuse to believe its my rings. All 18 cant be damaged. They "could" but I don't know : (. I guess it could be.

No one has touched this engine before I have...And I mean..what "could" cause that much mass damage to rings? honest question..I really dont know. I'm still an amateur.

[Ball325]

well over time the engine will bore it self out and and loose compression, and possibly have oil seap in past the rings.

We had to sleeve my S14 down because it had so many miles on it that it was at about .060 over and with a .04x piston your loosing alot of compression. The rings are designed to help make up for that but they can only do so much.

Lucky rings arent expensive, i dont know what motor you have but i have a set of good "is" pistons and rods. they have good rings. they might be for sale i will have to see.

also what were the numbers on the compression check and leak down?

Also were the cylinders just black, or could you smell oil in it? Or did you see oil in it? did you clean the top of the pistons with a stiff bristle brush? Also when you did a leak down test did you open the throttle body and check the exhuast. you want the valves to both be closed during the test im sure you knew that.

[kirichs]

Okay. I don't know the numbers, and I frankly dont believe my self that I did it. But it happened.

I took off my intake again, and my throttle, and I have way too much oil in my manifold. Where could this oil be coming from?

[Ball325]

what do you call too much? there will always be little bit in there. I mean if its creating puddles then maybe there is aproblem. Did you over fill it with oil and the oil is going into the manifold through the breather/vacuum hose in the valce cover?

[kirichs]

There was actually a pool of oil, enough to drip down, I can't give mililitre measurements or anything, but in my intake boot thing, there was quite a deposit. Plus along most sides of my manifold there are fresh deposits. It "could" be. I mean..I will check once I try some other stuff to, because in order to check, i gotta waste another 20 or so bucks on spark plugs. I hope thats it. I am not sure! Where else could the vacuum be broken.

And I didn't add any oil, the oil is the right amount, and the problem did not occur anywhere near an oil change.

Thanks for your time and input.

[Ball325]

do another leakdown test and post the numbers. also post compression check. if you have 1 bad ring you could be pressurizing the crank case and blowing oil out the breather. also bad valve seals. I really think its probably a ring or valve seals

[Brew]

I'd would guess that you have a crankcase ventilation issue.

You can pull the oil cap off the engine while its running and put your hand over the hole in the valve cover for a quick check. You should not feel any pressure- a slight vacuum is OK, though.

[kirichs]

Thanks for the help guys...I've made a choice though. I don't want to test my block anymore, nor do I have the patience. Soooo I'm gonna do a yank and switch engine swap. Hopefully a painless one. Hopefully one that works!!!! Thanks for all the help, I appreciate it, you guys rock.

[kirichs]

My reason for doing this :
I finally found someone I really trust that just changed my entire opinion of the situation. It goes along with what all of you said, I was just really stubborn.

A big time e30 enthusiast friend of mine explained how the problem could be two fold. Honestly, I don't want to spend the time replacing my seals and adjusting guides if thats the case, and I REALLY don't want to take apart my block and change piston rings. So Im'a buy my self a used block and a used head, stick em together, and I'll be set.

Anything I should know before doing this? This will be my first engine swap.

Once again, thanks a bunch for your time!