[Sapote]

Everything I am thinking kind of leads to the solenoid, since the cam sensor in the area and the timing chain tensioner don't spray oil when they leak.

If it sprayed that much oil then you should see it repeating again with engine running, even with the already dirty oily engine. I don't think a crack VC can do this.

 

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Must be the EX vanos solenoid valve.

 

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From what I have read, this is a symptom of a faulty exhaust vanos solenoid.

faulty solenoid and leaking are two different problems. If the leak cannot be verified at the solenoid then I would continue investigate instead of dive in and replace part. If the vanos not working then there should be codes popped up.

 

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This is a rare problem for the vanos solenoid to spray oil. Keep us posted.

 

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Check your oil pressure switch's. I've seen them leak on E30's and push oil through the wiring harnesses. Just a thought.

No, the leak cannot get to the washer bottle.

 

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Have you checked if the chain tensioner loose?

 

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I don't think it's a cracked vanos housing, but could be cracked valve cover, VC cap, tensioner.

 

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I’m considering the vc being cracked but would it have that much pressure to spray everywhere.

It depends on if CCV is stock or home brew, and working or not. You might have a positive pressure crankcase instead of negative with a working stock CCV. Cover the oil dipstick tube with an empty plastic bag tight, and see if running engine will suck the air out of bag or add more into it.

 

[Sapote]

I had an E30 leaking oil into the glove box. It was the oil pressure switch pushing oil into the harness all the way to the ECU.

I'm not talking about oil wicking in the wires, but oil spaying under pressure as the OP issue.

 

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Several people recently reported oil shooting out of the dipstick tube. If that can happen there, why not out of faulty Vc or Vcg? What else is there on the front Ŕ corner of the engine?

Well, put a condom on the dipstick tube as I suggested

 

[Sapote]

Catch can after a year. Sight glass shows no accumulation of that milky sludge.

Any metal wools or bird nest inside the catchcan? How is the oil consumption since zero oil caught and drained back?

 

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No and zero. None of of bimmers burn any oil between changes.

Nothing inside to catch the oil -- then why it's called catch-can? Or, how to catch the oil if nothing insde?

 

[Sapote]

It depends on if CCV is stock or home brew, and working or not. You might have a positive pressure crankcase instead of negative with a working stock CCV. Cover the oil dipstick tube with an empty plastic bag tight, and see if running engine will suck the air out of bag or add more into it.

OP, have you tried the bag over the dipstick tube?

 

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I'm curious, why do you guys believe that driving around with that much crankcase vacuum is a good thing?

Good thing with high vacuum: it sucks the dust and water t into to the crankcase via the crank seals.

 

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Anyone have specs on what the crankcase vacuum in inches of water column pressure should be?

around 6" water column I think.

 

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I'm going to measure my m54 with the CCV bypass and compare.

It's easy to use a clear hose with water and connect it to the dipstick tube; one side of the U shape hose should have water 6" pulled up higher than the other opened to atmosphere.

 

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Well I did some investigating and took off the valve cover. Come to realize it is cracked.

With normal engine the crack will leak little oil due to negative pressure inside, and should not spray as this case. This engine at some points in the drive, the pressure inside the crankcase was up high, probably due to a bad CCV / catch can system.

If you vented the catch can then maybe no more high pressure to crack VC and spay oil.

 

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Here’s a pic of the crack.

This missing piece didn't cause the leak

 

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Been driving it for a week and no issues at all with the new vc and vcg. The catch also vented to atmosphere.

Venting catch can stopped the oil spray as no more high pressure built in the crankcase.

 

[Sapote]

The catch also vented to atmosphere.

So why vent the can to atmosphere? Why not use it properly or why not use the stock CCV?