Massive oil leak, please help

[emi]

I changed the oil on my girldfriend's E30 this weekend, I used 5W30... Last night the Engine Oil light came on, and she probably drove another 5 miles to get home. I just checked the oil filter and the drain plug and they seem tight.

It was about 2 quarts low. There are traces of oil under the car.. I topped it off, and turned the key to On. The engine oil light is still on (the idiot light, not the oil pressure light). I started the motor, runs a bit funny, and makes a slight crunching noise (it never ran perfectly, mind you, it's got a lot of miles on it). Another interesting thing is that the Oil Pressure light on the dash, which usually goes off for a second when you start the engine, no longer does that. It did go off like it's supposed to after I changed the oil, but today it doesn't.

So, it's loosing lots of oil (there's oil traces on the ground, and it was 2 qrts low). The car was driven about 5 miles with low oil, and the oil pressure light doesn't seem to work properly...

Please help. I probably need to start with the oil pressure sensor... What next? oil pump? How do i check that it is working? Probable damage to the motor? If the pump is at fault, how difficult is it to replace? I'm assuming it's located under the motor, inside the oil pan.. Is that right?

[euro3]

random guess

Any chance you accidently have two oil filter gaskets installed? Filter could still be tight, but it would never seal properly. Go check the old filter and make sure the old gasket is still on the old filter.

The oil pump shouldn't(?) be a cause for an external leak??

Wiper her down and try to determine what side the leak is coming from.

GOOD LUCK!

[DaN]

Look and see where its leaking, use a flashlight.
I wouldn't run 5w30 in a high mileage m20.

[emi]

Any chance you accidently have two oil filter gaskets installed? Filter could still be tight, but it would never seal properly. Go check the old filter and make sure the old gasket is still on the old filter.

The oil pump shouldn't(?) be a cause for an external leak??

Wiper her down and try to determine what side the leak is coming from.

GOOD LUCK!

I remember removing the old gasket, so I already did that.. I'll have to get underneath and do a more detailed check.. yeah..

[emi]

Look and see where its leaking, use a flashlight.
I wouldn't run 5w30 in a high mileage m20.

I see... what should I run? 10W30? tipically this car burns a quart/1-2 months, but nothing was worried about.

Thanks

[StereoInstaller1]

My oil pressure sensor was leaking after the first oil change I ever did to my e30. New sensor was about $15.00, took about 2 minuites to install.

Luke

[emi]

My oil pressure sensor was leaking after the first oil change I ever did to my e30. New sensor was about $15.00, took about 2 minuites to install.

Luke

awesome, i'm picking one up today. Any thoughts on the oil pump?

[BavarianBimmer]

your oil is too thin for our M20's ( if you have an M20)

the construction of the M20 block came from the 70's
so I would go with 15w40

I WAS also a fan of 0w60 and 5w30 but the engines start to burn/leak oil after a while

[emi]

your oil is too thin for our M20's ( if you have an M20)

the construction of the M20 block came from the 70's
so I would go with 15w40

I WAS also a fan of 0w60 and 5w30 but the engines start to burn/leak oil after a while

i see. Thanks a lot

[emi]

metal shaving got caught in the oil filter gasket... go figure

[RobertK]

If you found metal shavings in the oil filter you have more problems than just your oil pressure!

Are you talking about a metal shaving from the oil/engine or was this a metal shaving from your driveway/garage floor?

[h0lmes]

I changed the oil on my girldfriend's E30 this weekend, I used 5W30... Last night the Engine Oil light came on, and she probably drove another 5 miles to get home. I just checked the oil filter and the drain plug and they seem tight.

It was about 2 quarts low. There are traces of oil under the car.. I topped it off, and turned the key to On. The engine oil light is still on (the idiot light, not the oil pressure light). I started the motor, runs a bit funny, and makes a slight crunching noise (it never ran perfectly, mind you, it's got a lot of miles on it). Another interesting thing is that the Oil Pressure light on the dash, which usually goes off for a second when you start the engine, no longer does that. It did go off like it's supposed to after I changed the oil, but today it doesn't.

So, it's loosing lots of oil (there's oil traces on the ground, and it was 2 qrts low). The car was driven about 5 miles with low oil, and the oil pressure light doesn't seem to work properly...

Please help. I probably need to start with the oil pressure sensor... What next? oil pump? How do i check that it is working? Probable damage to the motor? If the pump is at fault, how difficult is it to replace? I'm assuming it's located under the motor, inside the oil pan.. Is that right?

Welcome to the world of BMW. What e30 doesn't leak?

[Brew]

Welcome to the world of BMW. What e30 doesn't leak?

Well maintained ones?

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

Well maintained ones?

yeah mine doesn't leak.

[wantshooe]

I think you should check the motor. 8-)
led flashlight