Wow. Look under a 16 year old E30...

[rumatt]

.. and you'll find all sorts of crazy shit. Sigh.

Exhibit A: This motor mount can't be right: :speechle:

http://forums.carmudgeons.com/files/small_035_122.jpg


Exhibit B: This wire is seriously frayed (pic sucks). It connects the car body to the oil pan. :?

http://forums.carmudgeons.com/files/small_032_198.jpg


Oil leak pictures to come soon. Lots of old, dried oil under the engine and transmission, but I don't see where the fook it's coming from.

[rumatt]

Now for the oil leaks. :cry:


Front of oil pan. Not dripping, just ugly.

[rumatt]

Underside of transmission. You can see a small drip forming in the bottom right of the second picture.

In both pics, you can see that the grime is only on the underside of the tranny. Doesn't go up to the top. :?

I tried the strategy of "look from the top down" and was baffled. If I drive the car for a few hours, then park it in the garage and leave it, there's a small pool of drips, about the size of a quarter, once as big as a half dollar.

What say you??? Just keep topping 'er off or what? :eeps:

[ff]

Seems like older engines always have those dried oil stains on the bottom. Probably from many, many sloppy oil changes, where oil was spilled all over the block, and dripped down. Obviously, could also be from previous leaks that were fixed. I would think that if it ain't leakin' anymore, it's probably nothing to be concerned about.

Yeah, that engine mount looks like it could use a small readjustment.

[rumatt]

I would think that if it ain't leakin' anymore, it's probably nothing to be concerned about.

If I drive the car for a few hours, then park it in the garage and leave it, there's a small pool of drips, about the size of a quarter, once as big as a half dollar.

:eeps:

[bren]

You have to get in there and clean everything up really well so you can find the leaks.

[rumatt]

You have to get in there and clean everything up really well so you can find the leaks.

Don't you love it when someone knows the answer before they ask the question, but they ask anyway? :mad:

[blee]

The motor mount could use a little help, yep. But it isn't going to disintegrate any time soon.

The wire from the oilpan to the body is most likely a grounding device. I remember seeing it on my car and wondering WTF its purpose was. The only other possibility is a lead for an oil temp gauge, but I didn't think the non-M E30s had those. :dunno:

[FC]

The motor mount could use a little help, yep. But it isn't going to disintegrate any time soon.

The wire from the oilpan to the body is most likely a grounding device. I remember seeing it on my car and wondering WTF its purpose was. The only other possibility is a lead for an oil temp gauge, but I didn't think the non-M E30s had those. :dunno:

That is definitely chassis ground.

[lip277]

Absolutely -
Fix the motor mount and ground.

Oil leaks... gets more 'interesting' depending on your feelings about a couple of things. (Presuming it is going to be at least a somewhat 'major' deal to fix the oil leak)

Is the oil leak leaving a mess on the ground? If it is and it bugs you (a lot)then that answers that question - Get it fixed.

If the leak makes a mess of the bottom of the trans and/or engine but is not leaving any signs in your usual parking spot - then the question is more regarding do you 'want' to fix it or not.

I say this as I had an oil leak on the 2002 that made a mess of the underside of the trans but (I swear) hardly left a drop on the floor in my garage.

Just some thoughts - YMMV of course.

[rumatt]

Thanks for the replys guys..

> That is definitely chassis ground.

Yep, it's just plainly bolted to both sides.

> Fix the motor mount and ground.

I'm thinking urethane. Alex says there's too much NHV, but he's a puss.

> You have to get in there and clean everything up really well so you can find the leaks.

Yep, plan to do some "spring cleaning" under there either tomorrow night, or this weekend.

> Is the oil leak leaving a mess on the ground?

Yes, leaves a small mark after parking... But this doesn't bug me by itself. The car is parked outside, so WGAS; if it boils down to budgeting an extra $0.50 / month in oil and topping off regularly, I'm cool with that.

What I can't stand is the idea that I've got a dam that ready to break. If it's just a matter of time, then I will end up avoiding driving the car to put off the problem. I'll want to fix it (or sell the car :eeps: )

[Roadstergal]

Replace the oil pan gasket. It's annoying, but not major surgery. Replace it with the paper kind, not the cork; Eurasian sells only the former. There's an oil pressure sender (a la Replace Engine Light) on the passenger's side of the engine, down low; replace the washer on the back of that. Clean up the engine with biodegradable degreaser. Look for any reappearance of oil.

I don't buy the "it's an old car, it'll leak oil" line. They don't have to.

[rumatt]

Holy bump batman.

I cleaned underneath the car about a month ago so I could see where it was coming from, but I haven't looked under there since. :lol: I should take a look soon.

Why did you suggest the oil pan gasket? Because it's a likely candidate in general, or from what you saw in the pictures?

[Roadstergal]

Both... there are other things that could be causing what I see in the pics, but it's a reasonable guess and the easiest of the usual suspects to cover.

[rumatt]

The motor mount could use a little help, yep. But it isn't going to disintegrate any time soon.

:yikes: Wrong!



:banghead:

[Nick M3]

OWN3D

[rumatt]

OWN3D
And I let the inspection expire on the 330i as well, so I currently have no street legal vehicles to drive.

OWN3D x 2 :lol:

[blee]

:yikes: Wrong!



:banghead:
Hey, that was a long time ago.

[lip277]

Some of you would have been properly shocked by the condition of the bushings on my 2002 that I replaced a couple of years back. After I saw what they looked like - I was shocked at how well the car drove beforehand. Seriously - I was surprised I could keep it in one lane on the freeway... but it actually drove very nicely. Now it handles REALLY nicely.

I still gotta do the rear subframe mounts and diff bushings.:)
I remember Doug was surprised how I well I kept up with the group a couple of years back when we went to Port Townsend for a 'pre-drive' of an event he was planning. :thumbup:

[Roadstergal]

:yikes: Wrong!



:banghead:

Well, they're really quick to do. Loosen the bolt, either lift the engine with a winch or jack it gently with a chunk of wood on the oil pan enough to release the pressure on the bushing, undo both, swap them out, make sure you get the heat shield on the right way (for the passenger's side), drop it and tighten. Best done with two people, one to position the bushing (this person should not have strong feelings about crushed fingers) and one to control the engine's descent.

[rumatt]

Best done with two people, one to position the bushing (this person should not have strong feelings about crushed fingers) and one to control the engine's descent.

Any mudgoens visiting the NY area any time soon? :eeps:

[blee]

It's also pretty easy to do just with a jack to hold up the engine. At least, that's how I did mine (car on jackstands already, ramps might work too).