[Uncle_Shred]

What climate do you live in? It's Winter so this may be a problem with the CCV causing blow-by to go through valve cover gasket. Have you changed the CCV system before?

 

[MrMCar]

OP: Have you taken into consideration of hot (thin oil) engine VS: cold (thicker oil) engine into the possibility for your leak spot?

 

[MATTCIE]

I live in the northeast. New jersey. ccv has been deleted m50 manifold converted with a catch can. I have not thought about hot vs cold oil as being an option because for the 6 months I have been driving it and put 3000 mile on it after the rebuild not a single drop of oil has leaked from the engine. I am using liquimoly 5w-30. Haven't had any issues until now.

 

[MATTCIE]

So I got a new exhaust vanos solenoid. Swapped out the original one for the new one and went for a test drive. It did not spew oil out whatsoever. This unintentionally also helped with a slightly rough cold start too. So I assume it was already on its way out a long time ago and finally blew up last week. I won’t know for sure until I take it for a highway drive but for now I will do some short errands with the car to build up my confidence in it again and some time soon I will take it on the highway and hopefully everything goes well.

 

[Sapote]

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

 

[MATTCIE]

So after a few days of driving around I’m happy to report no issues at all. Apparently it was my exhaust vanos solenoid that failed and was spraying oil everywhere. There are no oil leaks anymore with the new solenoid installed.

 

[MATTCIE]

Okay update the vanos solenoid did not fix the issue. Just popped my hood to replace some belt tensioners and it’s covered in oil again. I’m at my wits end with this pos rn. I have no clue what it could be.

 

[VpointVick]

What is the highest, most forward point that there's oil?

 

[MATTCIE]

judging from how much it sprayed and since I still have a full pan of oil, oil pressure wise the only thing I can think of is that maybe the vanos unit itself is cracked. I really have no other clue since it worked fine with the new solenoid for like 4 days and then everything is horrible again.

 

[MATTCIE]

judging from how much it sprayed and since I still have a full pan of oil, oil pressure wise the only thing I can think of is that maybe the vanos unit itself is cracked. I really have no other clue since it worked fine with the new solenoid for like 4 days and then everything is horrible again.

The towel wrapped around the fan connector is just there to see if it sprayed oil again.

 

[IdahoDoug]

If you are struggling to find an oil leak, I have great luck with the UV dye kit you put in oil. Now newly leaking oil will be a bright green and all doubt is gone. Get the kit w dye, yellow enhancing glasses and the UV light at the tip of a flexy wand. This lets you poke the light deeply into the engine right at sources to nail it. HTH

 

[MATTCIE]

Do you have a link? I'm just nervous to drive the car again and make even more of a mess.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Well, don't drive it around, then! Jump online and research it - a very common product.

 

[bmwbob89]

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

 

[MATTCIE]

would it push all the way to the exhaust vanos side? If I'm not mistaken the only oil pressure switch is on the back of the oil filter housing. I'll check but I don't think this is the issue.

 

[CruiseIdaho]

Time to bring in Dexter to do some blood splatter oil splatter analysis. The hood oil does not look wind/fan blown. Looks like it is spraying directly up and then gravity flowing following the slope of the hood to the front.

And you are sure it is engine oil and not either power steering or brake fluid. Just asking... since you seemed to have stumped the crowd...

 

[MATTCIE]

Yes I am 100% sure it’s engine oil same color, smell and everything, since the atf for power steering is red and I just flushed the brake fluid out so it’s clear at the moment. Am I correct in thinking that it can only be on the oil pressure side of things because just a valve cover leak would drip down.

 

[Sapote]

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.

 

[Sapote]

Have you checked if the chain tensioner loose?

 

[Sapote]

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