Author Topic: Oil leaking from cap, oil level isnt over filled, crankcase ventilator is new- 95 M42 (Read 9488 times)

JoeDellio · « **on:** June 18, 2009, 01:37:58 AM »

Had this problem along with some 1222 and 1226 codes. I replaced the crankcase ventilator (it was shot making a horrible whistle sound) and the codes dissapeared and the oil quit leaking out. Now 1500 miles later its doing it again.

I took off the CCV again tonight and made sure it was still intact, it looked fine and when I blew into it air came out of the holes in the TB plate like it is suppose to. I thought air was suppose to leak out of the top of it though outta the vent on it when the car was running though, It isnt seeming to do that anymore, its just forcing it through the cap.

What can cause oil to come out of the cap? I know too much pressure, but what would cause excessive crankcase pressure?

quinn11m20 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2009, 06:40:08 PM »

I am gonna say you might have a clogged oil line. Follow? I have read your past entries about your codes and I am very interested in helping. You could also have a clogged vacuum line. Check your hoses.

If i remove my oil filler cap while the engine is running, my car stalls and shuts down. Does yours do that?
Also do you have oil in the spark plug wells?

JoeDellio · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2009, 09:01:52 PM »

Quote from: quinn11m20;73863

I am gonna say you might have a clogged oil line. Follow? I have read your past entries about your codes and I am very interested in helping. You could also have a clogged vacuum line. Check your hoses.

If i remove my oil filler cap while the engine is running, my car stalls and shuts down. Does yours do that?
Also do you have oil in the spark plug wells?

No oil in the spark plug wells that I know of.

When I pull my dipstick or oil cap the car still runs the same, whats does that say?

Ive replaced all the vacuum lines recently, but a clogged oil line doesnt seem far off, but I wasnt aware of any actual oil lines on the engine. Ive noticed lately on start up my valvetrain ticks for a second and then smooths out and its never done that before.

Could too much blowby from worn rings do this? I dont have any smoke out the exhaust so I dont know how bad it could be.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #3 on:** June 18, 2009, 10:56:01 PM »

Let's hope it's just be a bad cap. Any cracks in the rubber gasket? I'd hope that the hot oil was just oozing out a little. I'd smear a little RTV on that and see if it helps.

Your car should at least change idle when you pull that cap off though...it's a huge vacuum leak. I'm not familiar with the pressure CCV, but I'd assume it's pulling air into the manifold...not pushing.

Hmmm...maybe this has something to do with it:
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Content/Site302/SpecialIssue/02_01_2008/3555Import1pdf_00000005695.pdf

Others are in the same boat (dealer quotes like $1000, WTF?):
http://www.bimmerwerkz.com/forum/5-series-e12-e28-e34-e39/crankcase-vent-valve-oil-separator-61221.html

Maybe the CCV might be compensating for the leak? I'm going to guess that this little device emulates a FPR...I'll bet it's a diaphragm valve and it's just dirty. It doesn't look like it, but can it be taken apart? If it's unhappy might you see a pressure buildup? I'm also told that it incorporates an oil trap. Maybe it's plugged and drawing air through the check valve?

I'd figure that conventional motor oil would gunk that up pretty quickly if you have any vacuum leaks at all. Check out the threads on cleaning the lower manifold here, yuck!

JoeDellio · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2009, 11:53:41 PM »

Quote from: DesktopDave;73878

Let's hope it's just be a bad cap. Any cracks in the rubber gasket? I'd hope that the hot oil was just oozing out a little. I'd smear a little RTV on that and see if it helps.

Your car should at least change idle when you pull that cap off though...it's a huge vacuum leak. I'm not familiar with the pressure CCV, but I'd assume it's pulling air into the manifold...not pushing.

Hmmm...maybe this has something to do with it:
http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Content/Site302/SpecialIssue/02_01_2008/3555Import1pdf_00000005695.pdf

Others are in the same boat (dealer quotes like $1000, WTF?):
http://www.bimmerwerkz.com/forum/5-series-e12-e28-e34-e39/crankcase-vent-valve-oil-separator-61221.html

Maybe the CCV might be compensating for the leak? I'm going to guess that this little device emulates a FPR...I'll bet it's a diaphragm valve and it's just dirty. It doesn't look like it, but can it be taken apart? If it's unhappy might you see a pressure buildup? I'm also told that it incorporates an oil trap. Maybe it's plugged and drawing air through the check valve?

I'd figure that conventional motor oil would gunk that up pretty quickly if you have any vacuum leaks at all. Check out the threads on cleaning the lower manifold here, yuck!

The cap is new. I had this same problem 1200 miles ago and it was the CCV. It was the problem for my codes also.

I dont see why my car wouldnt die from pulling the oil cap or the dipstick while its running. When you pull mine it doesnt skip a beat at all. What could be the cause of that? Ill try taking the CCV apart and seeing if I can find where the oil trap is.

Also, at idle the pressure coming from the valve cover port isnt that strong at all.

JoeDellio · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2009, 11:57:17 PM »

I just took my valve cover off and took off the plate on the inside of the cover to see if anything was clogged up, nothing from what I could see, just some weird upside down "hook like" tubes that had oil in them, so I blew them out.

Put it back on car and no changes, I still cant change the idle at all by pulling the cap when its running.

quinn11m20 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2009, 11:59:06 PM »

I have had the same symptoms. Mine dies when I pull my dipstick, and when I pull the oil cap off. Also mine ticks too when I first start it up. You got me on this one, I will have to get back with you later after I let this info sink in for a couple of day. By the way, How does it run on the road? Freeway? at a stoplight? Let me know. Thanks.

JoeDellio · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2009, 12:13:49 AM »

Quote from: quinn11m20;73881

I have had the same symptoms. Mine dies when I pull my dipstick, and when I pull the oil cap off. Also mine ticks too when I first start it up. You got me on this one, I will have to get back with you later after I let this info sink in for a couple of day. By the way, How does it run on the road? Freeway? at a stoplight? Let me know. Thanks.

yeah, my car use to die when Id pull the dipstick, but I dont know why it wont now, Im sure its directly related to my problem.

My car runs fine on the road except the CEL will come on, but when I take my foot off the gas it goes away, and at stoplights it idles fine, it always idles fine. On the freeway it pulls the CEL like once a minute, the 1222 Im sure, since Im at a constant RPM. The last time I drove it on the freeway the CEL would pop on and the car would just bog down totally, I could barely drive it, the plugs were completely fouled. That why I have been working on it since then to get to the bottom of the leaky oil cap.

JoeDellio · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2009, 12:34:58 PM »

UPDATE: I took off the CCV, everything is intact. With the CCV removed the hole which it covers sucks SUPER hard, so I put the hose that goes to the CCV directly on it and then I get tons of vacuum.

When I put the CCV back on its like it barely pulls at all. Ive never heard of them breaking this way, Its almost like the spring is too weak and it shuts itself off.

It is a brand new CCV from Pelican, but I bought the FEBI one, not the OEM. If anybody could pull off there CCV hose and see how hard it sucks when they put their finger over it that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys.

derek9702 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2009, 03:06:46 PM »

Sorry if you might have already done this previously, but have you done a compression check. Might be blowby??

JoeDellio · « **Reply #10 on:** June 19, 2009, 03:34:23 PM »

Quote from: derek9702;73912

Sorry if you might have already done this previously, but have you done a compression check. Might be blowby??

Would the CCV not be able to compensate for severe blowby? I havent done a comp test yet, I figured blown rings would show in my exhaust for sure. Ill have to check it out.

JoeDellio · « **Reply #11 on:** June 21, 2009, 01:54:58 AM »

NEW UPDATE

Compression tests out 160-230-230-210. Of course its always cylinder #1.
All my plugs are pitch black.

I dont think that blowby in just cylinder #1 would cause:

A. All my spark plugs to be fouled/borderline dead.
B. My Crankcase pressure to be off the chart.
C. The reason why my car is running rich.

Im still leaning on the CCV. I contacted Pelican and they are gonna send me a new one because its only 2 months old. I really think this one is defective or my car just flat out killed it. I think my positive pressure is because my CCV isnt letting it through, or at least I hope so.

If a new CCV fixes the problem Ill be happy. If it craps out, and indeed my weak cylinder #1 is ruining my fun, then in goes a new longblock. Locally they can be had for $500-$700 with 90,000 to 130,000 miles. And itll get ARP head studs on it

Ill post up when I get the new CCV in hopefully by the end of the week.

1991 E30 M42 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 21, 2009, 12:24:46 PM »

It could be due to excessive crank case pressure from worn out valve guides or piston rings.

quinn11m20 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 21, 2009, 10:48:47 PM »

Hey this may sound stupid but check your AFM. You know the AFM works in conjunction with the TPS and so on with the DME. I think the running rich part is kinda due to a bad Air Flow Meter. As for the Crank case pressure I am gonna go with the blowby theory. Just to let you know the M42 is supposed to have an average of 210 psi in each cylinder. If you have more it could cause an adverse effect. Really in all I think if you have serious internal engine problems, I would go for a rebuild. Good luck.

JoeDellio · « **Reply #14 on:** June 22, 2009, 06:16:16 PM »

Quote from: quinn11m20;74036

Hey this may sound stupid but check your AFM. You know the AFM works in conjunction with the TPS and so on with the DME. I think the running rich part is kinda due to a bad Air Flow Meter. As for the Crank case pressure I am gonna go with the blowby theory. Just to let you know the M42 is supposed to have an average of 210 psi in each cylinder. If you have more it could cause an adverse effect. Really in all I think if you have serious internal engine problems, I would go for a rebuild. Good luck.

I hear ya on the MAF, but wouldnt that being damaged result in a direct CEL related to that? I have a new OEM BMW CCV on the way, but if that doesnt work Im gonna go for a low mileage longblock. For the same price as a rebuild, machining, and all parts and gaskets, its way cheaper. There is one 130 miles from where I live with 42k original miles on it for $900.

Does anyone know if I end up buying an engine from a car that had an A/T if there will be anything I might have to change besides the obvious flywheel, is there anything that is different with that end of the crankshaft in terms of bolt on and go?