Clean it up and see where it is coming from, it`s quite normal for the oil filter housing gasket to leak a lot of oil.

Mart.

 

I'd change the oil filter gasket as it is easier to repair. Oil pan is a bitcccch and takes longer.

 

Oil flows down (gravity) and backwards (airflow when driving). It doesn't flow up, and rarely forwards. So if it's above where the oil pan joins the block it's coming from somewhere higher.

Best way to check if it's oil filter housing gasket (or VANOS oil line, another possibility) is to remove the airbox and look at the side of the block immediately rearwards from and below where the oil filter housing attaches. The side of the block there looks a like a waffle. If that's covered in oil then you almost certainly found your leak. If it's dry then it's coming from something else.

 

All seals leak, the question is just when its bad enough to cause a problem.

Every M5x car I've had has needed an OFH gasket. Fitting it is down in the engine bay after removing the air filter assy, PS reservoir and alternator.

You can pretty much assume it is bad, so given its the most common one, and very cheap to buy. So its best to do that, clean and see how much of the leak persists. I usually replace the PS filter housing and low pressure hose at teh same time (but sometimes a re-seat/cut the pipe shorter to re-seal, can work good enough).

VCG is more common, as people use too much sealer on the half moons, (it's only needed in the corners) and leaks from hard to see places along the lower side. After that comes the pan gasket (done from underneath so is best done individually), and the front/rear main crankshaft seals.

 

All seals leak, the question is just when its bad enough to cause a problem.

Every M5x car I've had has needed an OFH gasket. Fitting it is down in the engine bay after removing the air filter assy, PS reservoir and alternator.

You can pretty much assume it is bad, so given its the most common one, and very cheap to buy. So its best to do that, clean and see how much of the leak persists. I usually replace the PS filter housing and low pressure hose (sometimes a re-seat/re-seal of that can work fine).

VCG is more common, as people use too much sealer on the half moons, (it's only needed in the corners) and leaks from hard to see places along the lower side. After that comes the pan gasket (done from underneath so is best done individually), and the front/rear main crankshaft seals.

Thank you. With 154,000 km on the clock, i guess mine is definitely due for an oil filter housing replacement. Thanks for the advices

 

Change number 6 from the diagram, and clean the engine
part number 11421719855

 

Bingo. Have done mine twice in 160K

 

Change the oil filter housing first, because replacing the oil pan gasket is a real job. You have to raise the engine 3 inches for that. But sooner or later, you will also have to replace that. They all eventually fail. Oil pan, valve cover, and oil filter housing gaskets will all eventually fail they're cheaply made.

 

Thanks, I will definitely change the OFH. Do you recommend replacing anything else that might potentially fail while I'm doing this job? The only thing I've done so far (at 154K) is the valve cover gasket. Is it worth changing the water pump? I've read that it could fail, but it seems that in the 2004 versions, they already replaced the plastic components with metal ones,
Thank you

 

Personally I would leave the water pump for a different day, and tackle the whole cooling system together. Unless it's gone bad, that is. Don't get hung up on the material the impeller blades are made from, it's the bearings that matter. The more common failure point is the expansion tank.