2004 545i with 103,000 miles

Recently experienced small drips of oil under my left front side of engine. Could not find the source from above or with a flashlight. Took it to my mechanic and he diagnosed it as a leaky oil pain and some gasket on the alternator. After 5 or so hours of labor later I received my car back.

Days later notice an oil leak in the same spot but seems worse. Took it back and he now diagnosed at a leak in e timing cover gasket? A 34 hour job. Somewhere around 5000+ to fix.

Anyone heard of this as a common problem? Should I jus sell my car and cut my losses or get a second opinion. By the way, there wasn't any change in performance or rough idling or anything. Car runs great.

 

Hmmm...oil pan, alternator, timing cover? Your mechanic may be guessing. $5K will buy lots of oil. Drive it and throw some carboard under it at night.

 

i'd get a second opinion. maybe its something simple as the timing cover bolts being loose, or a worn crankshaft seal on the timing cover.

 

My mileage just around 93k and I found oil leaking also but it was my valve cover gasket. I had them replaced and no more oil leak. Good luck with your repair but its about that time for the valve cover gasket to be replaced if you have not done the replacement yet.

 

look at valve cover gaskets first...they usually leak right at the corner, and will make it look like there is a gasket behind the alternator leaking. There also may be oil "dripping" from the control arms. Mine are leaking with 71k miles.

*If* the timing covers are leaking, and its the two upper ones, then it is an easy fix. The lower one is a bit more time consuming. It seems like he is changing his diagnosis quite a bit. I would get a second opinion, or get a flashlight and trace the oil as high as it will go. The lower oil pan is more prone to leak (steel), but not the aluminum one.

 

How long do new valve cover gaskets last before needing to be replaced again? I changed mine at about 60k miles.

 

Not sure on the 6 cylinders, but it seems the 8 cylinders are lasting anywhere from 50-90k miles.

 

Well, I bought my car mainly because BMW had been making pretty much the same I6 for 30+ years and they have been pretty bullet proof, not to mention efficient. Not sure about the newer version (N52) I6, I have the older M54 version.

 

I'm. Hoping it is just the valve covers. I'm taking the car to BMW later today to see what they say. Already $1000 down the drain.

 

FWIW, dealer quoted me 1600$ to do both valve cover gaskets. I'll be doing them myself, and plan on doing a DIY with pictures for everyone here.