Mystery leak on my 535i
As the title suggests, I've got a leak. Before everyone goes off the handle on oil filter housing and valve cover gaskets, they're in perfect shape and done recently.
Here's the deal: My new to me 2010 535i xdrive is leaking a little bit, and I cannot for the life of me figure out where it's coming from. It's on the passenger side, and it drips off of the lower control arm where it connects to the frame. Appears to be oil, or at least similar. Car had an oil change less than 500 miles ago before I got it. I took off that wheel and removed the bottom parts of the wheel well liner, it looks as though something is dripping on the front axle boot and being flung around while I drive. There's fluid on the boot, on the bottom of the fender heat shield, and along the frame directly below the axle. No obvious leak, but I can't get the car high enough to crawl underneath to get a better look right now. Any ideas what might leak low on the passenger side? My best guess is that it's oil, definitely not coolant. Only about a fifty cent piece sized drop after parking the car. No evidence of oil anywhere above the engine mount, just below and away from the engine. |
Upper oil pan gasket? I would put some dye in the oil and see what you get.
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Originally Posted by seanjordan20
(Post 1610643)
Upper oil pan gasket? I would put some dye in the oil and see what you get.
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Power steering oil/fluid?
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Originally Posted by FormerE30Owner
(Post 1610645)
Power steering oil/fluid?
Went and took a few samples of fluid, big patch is from the leak. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/5series...a7c336d973.jpg Samples, oil is dark on the left, center large drop is the leaking fluid, and the very clear fluid on the right is from the power steering. Any ideas? |
The tricky thing about tracking leaks, is they can traverse from one side to the other. A telescoping mirror and flashlight can be your best tools.
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I think dye is your best bet. You should find it quick
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Originally Posted by donpb
(Post 1610647)
The tricky thing about tracking leaks, is they can traverse from one side to the other. A telescoping mirror and flashlight can be your best tools.
Originally Posted by seanjordan20
(Post 1610648)
I think dye is your best bet. You should find it quick
As far as the dye, I'm going to put it in, but it doesn't look or smell like oil, so I'm not sure how helpful it'll be. This isn't my first BMW I6, and I've checked all the usual places near the VCG and OFHG, no residue from the drivers side or front of the engine, it's isolated to the CV and surrounding area. I'm thinking it may be a turbo oil line leak, but I can't get a mirror far enough down there from above. I'll have it up on the lift later today and hopefully it'll be a little more obvious from directly underneath. |
Originally Posted by Hwiens
(Post 1610646)
Could be, but it's pretty dark fluid and on the passenger side. Do any of the power steering lines run on that side? (this is a US model, left hand drive.)
Went and took a few samples of fluid, big patch is from the leak. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/5series...a7c336d973.jpg Samples, oil is dark on the left, center large drop is the leaking fluid, and the very clear fluid on the right is from the power steering. Any ideas? |
Originally Posted by FormerE30Owner
(Post 1610650)
Middle spot looks like dirty power steering fluid (small drop sample on the right). The PS reservoir is on the passenger side, isn't it? Could be leaking down from there.
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