07-12-2019, 07:24 AM | #1 |
New Member
18
Rep 9
Posts |
M235i Oil Leaking Head Gasket
Hello All,
I have a 2014 M235i with 130,xxx miles and I've started to notice small pools of oil on the drivers side car on a few of the ledges of the motor so for the past few days I have been cleaning them up as best as I could with out taking much apart trying to find out where the oil is coming from. Last night I believe I figured out where the oil is coming from. After cleaning up more and letting the car idle and with a few revs I noticed some oil seeping out between the head and the block. I attached two pictures where I cleaned the area then you can see some fresh oil and a small air bubble coming from the head gasket in a before and after. It is coming out between the first and second intake runner next to the oil filter housing. The oil filter housing gasket looks to not be leaking at all. The location it is leaking from then leads right to the 3 spots where small pools of oil build up. Has anyone ever had this happen on their M235i/N55 and if so how much were you looking at to have the gasket replaced? |
07-12-2019, 10:14 AM | #2 |
Major
986
Rep 1,241
Posts |
First, thanks for sharing. It seems you have one of the highest mileage 2-series cars I've come across on these forums. In one sense, that is awesome to see, but in another, it is likely disheartening to those M235i owners who have yet to cross that mileage threshold. I don't know what it would cost to fix, but here's to hoping you can get it done at a reasonable cost so you can quickly get back out there for another 130k miles! Best of luck, and do keep us posted on the details of the repair, possible causes, etc.
Cheers!
__________________
CP911
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-12-2019, 10:49 AM | #3 |
Major General
5538
Rep 5,364
Posts |
Any way you can zoom out a bit so we can get a better sense of the location of the leak?
__________________
The forest was shrinking, but the Trees kept voting for the Axe, for the Axe was clever and convinced the Trees that because his handle was made of wood, he was one of them.
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-12-2019, 01:18 PM | #4 |
Captain
582
Rep 830
Posts |
The last three BMW I owned all started leaking from the head gasket anywhere between 60-80k miles. So, 130k is not bad at all. But costly.
__________________
Hoc Lapidem Non Vi Sed Saepe Cadendo!
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-12-2019, 01:27 PM | #5 |
Private First Class
45
Rep 109
Posts |
Just to clarify, is it leaking from the head gasket or leaking from the valve cover gasket? Head gasket would most likely leak coolant, not oil.
That being said, leaking from the valve cover gasket is significantly easier/cheaper to fix. |
Appreciate
0
|
07-12-2019, 01:30 PM | #6 | |
Lieutenant
174
Rep 400
Posts |
Quote:
If it is head gasket, it's coolant leak. Valve cover gasket leak is not bad to fix. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-12-2019, 01:31 PM | #7 |
Major
484
Rep 1,188
Posts
Drives: 2008 e92 335xi
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Minneapolis
|
Are you sure it's the head gasket? BMWs are know for oil filter housing gaskets going bad over time.
__________________
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-12-2019, 10:13 PM | #8 | |||
New Member
18
Rep 9
Posts |
Quote:
I went to 3 different places to get some quotes today and its a full engine out service with the head gasket being replaced along with all the seals for the front of the motor and a few other small bits. Get's billed at 26 hours for a total of $6000 from all 3 places I went to. One shop wants to basically rebuild the head in that $6000 quote. So this is really going to suck. it's a good thing that I really do like the car and don't know what else I would go to. Quote:
Quote:
Going to head to a couple more shops tomorrow to get estimates on what they might think it would cost to repair. I really want it to done right so I can go another 130k with no issues. |
|||
Appreciate
0
|
07-13-2019, 11:16 AM | #9 | |
Major
986
Rep 1,241
Posts |
Quote:
Not saying it's a wise move if your car is already paid off, but if it isn't, it might be a better move for you. At 130k miles, most people would say you've gotten the best out of your car anyway and it might be time to move on...
__________________
CP911
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-13-2019, 11:21 AM | #10 |
Major
583
Rep 1,117
Posts
Drives: 2015 BMW M235i
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: ontario
|
looking at your last pic, it still looks like valve cover gasket but I am definitely no expert. I mean, if you really like car and its paid or close to then I would just have the work done. 6k after 130k miles is not that bad all things considered.
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-13-2019, 02:22 PM | #11 |
Captain
180
Rep 772
Posts
Drives: 2015 435i grand coupe xdrive
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Philadelphia, PA
|
First of all get some degreaser and clean everything up.
Next use a oil UV kit and a black light. Oil coming out of the head gasket is unheard of the engine designs have not changed much and that is highly unlikely. I would change the valve cover first. Also that is close to the oil filter housing gasket. I'd look at that also. Pressurized oil could shoot out.
__________________
2015 435i grand coupe xdrvie (current)
2006 F250 powerstoke CCSB (current) 2014 M235i Black on Red (SOLD) / 08 e90 335i MT Pure Stage 2 High flow (SOLD) 08 128i 6MT (SOLD) / 08 335i 6MT Pure stage 1 (SOLD) |
Appreciate
0
|
07-13-2019, 05:21 PM | #12 |
Ring Leader of G8X Haters
25064
Rep 8,761
Posts |
This thread is giving me PTSD from my experience with my high milage E46 :
Best of luck OP, I hope it isn't a head gasket leak as that would really suck and be an expensive and labor intensive repair. Hopefully this will be your only large issue, but sometimes its worth it to put in the money for these types of repairs especially if its a car you really love.
__________________
Current Garage: 2022 Mercedes-Benz S 580 / 2023 Genesis GV70 2.5T / 2007 Mercedes-Benz E 350 / 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Retired: '95 E36 325i 5MT / '04 E46 330i 6MT / '05 E83 X3 3.0i / '11 E90 335xi / '17 G30 540i / '19 F87 M2C 6MT / '19 MB CLS 53 / '20 MB GLC 300 |
Appreciate
0
|
07-14-2019, 05:37 AM | #13 |
Bright Sky
1164
Rep 922
Posts
Drives: BMW M235i (8AT)
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Breda, NL
|
I'm by no means an expert, but I am tempted to agree with some of the others that say it looks like a VCG failure, which should cost far less than 6k to fix.
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-18-2019, 02:40 PM | #15 |
Private First Class
45
Rep 109
Posts |
Man, I would be very surprised if this was caused by a head gasket. If I were you, I would pull the intake manifold and really get a good look in there. Maybe even replace the VCG and/or OFHG just as an experiment to see if that fixes it. If you did it yourself it would be cheap and only really cost you time and might end up saving you 6k.
I just cant believe a head gasket failure at just 130k miles and the only symptom is it leaks oil.... |
Appreciate
0
|
07-18-2019, 02:53 PM | #16 |
Lieutenant
174
Rep 400
Posts |
Again, If it is the head gasket, it should leak coolant rather than oil.
It can leak oil but it will be mixed into coolant first, then leak out. (It's a open deck block) Make sure to check it leaks oil or coolant. If it is oil, 99% it's valve cover gasket. |
Appreciate
0
|
07-18-2019, 08:33 PM | #17 |
Second Lieutenant
119
Rep 213
Posts |
Since 1983 I've owned 11 BMWs, several past 130k miles- I've never had to replace a head gasket.
__________________
2014 M235i
2015 X1 xDrive28i M Sport 2009 Cooper Clubman 1999 Wrangler Sahara 1995 318ti Club Sport |
Appreciate
0
|
07-19-2019, 04:42 PM | #18 |
E4 Mafia
322
Rep 412
Posts
Drives: E30, E36/5, E46, F22, F30
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: MD
iTrader: (0)
Garage List 1990 BMW 325i [0.00]
1998 BMW 318ti [0.00] 2003 BMW 325i [0.00] 2015 BMW 335i [0.00] 2015 BMW M235i [0.00] |
yep, similar story here, but all needed valve cover gasket at some point.
__________________
Squad - '90 E30 325i MT (225k) | '98 E36/5 318ti MT (153k) | '03 E46 325i MT (152k)| '15 F22 M235i MT (60k) | '15 F30 335i MT (80k)
KIA - '91 E30 325i AT (146k) | '02 E46 325i MT (212k) Bring back the purple M stripe |
Appreciate
0
|
07-19-2019, 06:36 PM | #19 |
Lieutenant
230
Rep 555
Posts |
Its VCG most likely, tends to happen on n55s around 70-100k miles. It shouldn't be too bad of a fix, unless the Valve cover cracks... which is a possibility.
__________________
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-19-2019, 07:09 PM | #20 | |
Brigadier General
4346
Rep 3,490
Posts |
Quote:
If it's your diagnosis, I'd suggest having a qualified shop evaluate the leak and fully explain their findings before you commit to a major expense like this.
__________________
2017 M240i: 23.8K, 28.9 mpg, MT, Sunroof Delete, 3,432#, EB, Leather, Driving Assistance Package, Heated Front Seats | Sold: E12 530i, E24 M635CSi, E39 520i, E30 325is, E36 M3 (2)
TC Kline Coilovers; H&R Front Bar; Wavetrac; Al Subframe Bushings; 18X9/9½ ARC-8s; 255/35-18 PS4S (4); Dinan Elite V2 & CAI; MPerf Orange BBK; Schroth Quick Fit Pro; GTechniq Crystal Serum Ultra Ceramic; Suntek PPF |
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-19-2019, 08:45 PM | #21 |
Second Lieutenant
119
Rep 213
Posts |
Agreed.
__________________
2014 M235i
2015 X1 xDrive28i M Sport 2009 Cooper Clubman 1999 Wrangler Sahara 1995 318ti Club Sport |
Appreciate
0
|
07-20-2019, 06:40 AM | #22 |
Second Lieutenant
187
Rep 255
Posts |
++
Have a reputable garage scope this out. I suspect if you truly had a blown head gasket, you would also see sweet smelling lovely white smoke coming out of your tailpipe(s) and your coolant level would be slowly dropping. This would be highly irregular on the N55 and a BMW in general. Good Luck.
__________________
Current Fleet, 16 F22 M235i xDrive, 15 Audi Q5 3.0 TDI (my Wife's), 07 E85 Z4M Roadster, 01 Toyota Tundra 2wd Long Bed
Retired (a few of them...), 08 E60 550i 6M, 01 Audi S4, 70 Fiat 124, 88 E28 M5, 72 Datsun 510 2Dr, 73 TR6 |
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
Tags |
head gasket, n55 oil leak |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|