My recently acquired 535i had an oil leak. I brought it in, lifted it up, and noticed several drips from the clutch inspection cover, but nowhere else. I thought "Hmmm, rear main seal is toast". Oh well, needs a clutch anyway, and I have a 265 just waiting to go in, as well as a new driveshaft, and a 3.73LSD.
I raise it up tonight, and yank the gearbox. What do I find? Missing 3 oil pan bolts off the rear of the pan, under the inspection cover! All 3 are stuck, and I mean STUCK in the inspection cover. 2 of them actually embedded themselves into the aluminum! I picked them out, cleaned them off, cleaned the holes, and put them back in. Yes, I should do the pan gasket, but I'm short on time, so it will wait, and I'll monitor the leak. After those ones went back in, I checked the rest of the pan bolts. More than half of them were loose! Like 3 or 4 turns to snug them up kinda loose.
Rear main was also leaking, as was the trans input seal. LOTS of oil inside the bellhousing spells a short lived clutch. Oh well, should be nicer now.
Al
Check those oil pan bolts, gentlemen....
T_C_D wrote:Do we need to remind people to check their oil too?
As a matter of fact, yes, yes we do. Thanks for the tip. You have no idea how many people walk into my shop, and have no idea they should be checking their oil between changes. And I'm not talking about people driving minivans and Hondas. E30's, E28's. E36's, etc.
Al