[PushingRedline]

So I posted this before but my car has an oil leak issue right now. I have noticed oil droplets in the engine bay on the engine cover, on the intake and a couple hoses. I don't know what it is coming from. It's not alot but I just did an oil level check and it's half way between max and min (still green though). When I first noticed the issue a couple weeks ago it was still at max.

I made and appointment with BMW for Friday to get this resolved. I currently have a catless DP and JB4 installed (charge pipe is still being shipped). I am going to remove the jb4 before the appointment but obviously not the DP. I know the DP would not have caused this issue so do you think I am going to get any trouble from the service dept? If it did cause the problem I would not fight it as I was the one modding the car but I don't see how they could be related. Any thoughts? Also, anyone else ever have this oil issue?

[casualDIYer]

Originally Posted by PushingRedline

So I posted this before but my car has an oil leak issue right now. I have noticed oil droplets in the engine bay on the engine cover, on the intake and a couple hoses. I don't know what it is coming from. It's not alot but I just did an oil level check and it's half way between max and min (still green though). When I first noticed the issue a couple weeks ago it was still at max.

I made and appointment with BMW for Friday to get this resolved. I currently have a catless DP and JB4 installed (charge pipe is still being shipped). I am going to remove the jb4 before the appointment but obviously not the DP. I know the DP would not have caused this issue so do you think I am going to get any trouble from the service dept? If it did cause the problem I would not fight it as I was the one modding the car but I don't see how they could be related. Any thoughts? Also, anyone else ever have this oil issue?

You do get dealers who are open minded about mods and will realistically take a fair look at your car to see where the problem is but a lot of them don't. Dealers like to be over, rather than under-worked. Techs are often busy from the moment they get in the shop until they leave. The minute they see a mod it's like 'Get out of jail for free'. What's worse is it tends to taint their view of anything that goes wrong and you could spend valuable time arguing over silly items.

If you have leaking oil somewhere that could a minor or major problem. As much of pain as it is, I'd say remove the downpipe and clean up the engine bay. If they see finger prints all over the place, they tend to have a suspicion you did something to the car. If it's clean, well, you're just OCD about a clean car. I generally give it an outside and inside clean too.

Remember, you get Easy Ed or Laidback Larry, everything is fine. Get Anal Al, and you'll end up spending more time arguing than it would have taken to replace the downpipe and clean up the car.

Good luck.

[PushingRedline]

Thanks for input. I will also update this thread when they let me know what the issue was.

[RPM90]

I agree that you should remove any engine bay mods before taking it in.

Even though there is the Magnusson Moss warranty act, that act does not protect modifications to engine as delivered by the manufacturer and it's warranty.
BMW's warranty expressly states that engine modifications can and will void the warranty.
Mag-Moss does NOT protect owners who modify the engine, nor does it nullify BMW's expressed and written warranty.
There is much misunderstanding as to what Mag-Moss actually protects.
Many people believe that the manufacturer have to 'prove' that the mods caused the problem. No, they do not have to prove anything. If the owner modifies the engine as it was built and delivered, the manufacturer can legally deny warranty claims, and the whole warranty for the modified area for there on.

Mag-Moss only protects owners from being denied warranty if they do their own maintenance or repair work and use non brand specific parts. Mag-Moss protects owners in that way as it states that owners do not have to use BMW branded specific oil, filters, plugs, etc... A manufacturer can not deny warranty if the owner uses different branded parts for maintenance, UNLESS the manufacturer provides those items free of charge.

Interestingly, BMW does indeed provide maintenance at no additional cost to the owner. Technically, BMW could even deny warranty if an owner did their own oil changes and didn't use BMW branded or required oil and filters, during the warranty and free maintenance period.
Of course I've never heard of BMW denying warranty to anyone who did their own oil changes using whatever brand oil and filter during the warranty.
However, technically under the law they could.

Engine modifications, not maintenance, are a very tough call as they do violate the warranty, and there is no legal protection to owners who violate the written terms of the warranty. If it were me I would remove the mods and then take it in.

[PushingRedline]

Thanks again for the advice. The problem i have is I paid someone to install the DP because I have Xdrive and I couldn't get to the top of the DP. I am going to try to do some more research on my end as to what the problem might be before Friday. Does anyone have any thoughts on my issue?

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by PushingRedline

Thanks again for the advice. The problem i have is I paid someone to install the DP because I have Xdrive and I couldn't get to the top of the DP. I am going to try to do some more research on my end as to what the problem might be before Friday. Does anyone have any thoughts on my issue?

Great idea.
Have the mechanic who did the DP work take a look.

Do you have oil dripping to the ground?
Does oil spray on top of the engine?
How long did it take for that 1/2 quart to drop out.

[s2k750]

They'll probably fix the issue and say nothing; just an oil leak like you said. The part you won't like is they'll probably take pictures and notate your file so when something major does go.. Engine, trans, anything $$$$ they're going to say... Hey remember that one time you brought in your car modded? Where would you like to get raped? Anal, oral, maybe a tag team....

[PushingRedline]

Originally Posted by RPM90

Great idea.
Have the mechanic who did the DP work take a look.

Do you have oil dripping to the ground?
Does oil spray on top of the engine?
How long did it take for that 1/2 quart to drop out.

Yes there have been a couple spots on the ground. Took about 2 weeks for the oil level to start dropping. I will take a pic when I look at it again today.

[PushingRedline]

Originally Posted by s2k750

They'll probably fix the issue and say nothing; just an oil leak like you said. The part you won't like is they'll probably take pictures and notate your file so when something major does go.. Engine, trans, anything $$$$ they're going to say... Hey remember that one time you brought in your car modded? Where would you like to get raped? Anal, oral, maybe a tag team....

Haha yeah that's what I was thinking.

[PushingRedline]

I took another look at the issue with a friend. Looks like it could be coming from the oil filter. Here are some pics of the oil in the engine bay:

[Buckeyes]

Maybe they forgot one of the oil filter gaskets? Crazier things have happened. dealership didn't screw in the oil drain plug all the way on my ln laws 328i, long story short, oil all over garage floor.

[G30 B58]

who was the last one to touch that oil filter?

[PushingRedline]

Originally Posted by F32 N55

who was the last one to touch that oil filter?

The dealer a couple months ago.

[G30 B58]

Originally Posted by PushingRedline

The dealer a couple months ago.

....and that's when the oil leak started? FUDGE!! Having the independent shop fix the dealers leak will still be cheaper than the R&R of the DP.

[BMWrules7]

Originally Posted by PushingRedline

The dealer a couple months ago.

Are you sure no mechanics had to R/R the oil filter to work on any of your engine mods?

[PushingRedline]

Originally Posted by BMWrules7

Are you sure no mechanics had to R/R the oil filter to work on any of your engine mods?

I am sure. The only mods I have is a JB4 and DP. I had a shop do the DP and I did the JB4 myself. No one touched the Oil Filter. This issue also started about a month after I had already had the DP (not right after the install).

[mike@x-ph.com]

unless your issue was caused be the DP, dealer should not give you a problem.
I would give them a call and double check before taking the car for service.

[bahasad]

How friendly are you with the service techs?
Have you taken your car in for work with mods before?

Knock on wood, my local dealer has taken my car in with all my mods. An issue with a malfunction code (driver restraint malfunction) happened. They didn't write up my mods or anything, they just told me to bring it back without the BMS tune I have.

[PushingRedline]

My friend who was helping me with this issue has taken his last car (135i) in for service and warranty work (brakes) a while back with his DP installed and he said they didn't give him any issues. This Dealer is also Dinan certified, not that it really means anything.

I don't have too much of a relationship with the service department as I have only had a BMW for about a year. I will be removing the JB4 the day before then take it in.

This is such a weird issue to me. My buddy stated that maybe they forgot to replace the oil filter gasket when they did the oil change. I guess crazy things have happened before.

[PushingRedline]

So they believe they solved the issue today... But they want to keep the car till Monday just to make sure and do the fuel pump recall. Issue was the O ring for oil filter was missing. They don't know what happen when it was put in. Makes sense. Man do I miss my car though, but it is getting fixed under warranty.

[obriennathaniel]

I bring my car in fully modified and they never expressed any issue with doing normal maintenance on it, unfortunately it all depends on the dealer

[PushingRedline]

Well got the car back today... They did the fuel pump recall so I don't have to come back. Got a great compliment from the worker that brought my car around. Said the exhaust sound awesome.