Could an oil leak be caused by...

"BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind" (briangriffinsprius) 03/07/2020 at 16:54 • Filed to: None

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...a loose oil cap? The rubber gasket on my BMW 535’s oil cap cracked and fell off when I removed it for an oil change. I put it back on just to test the oil level and move the car from the middle of the garage , thinking that I’d just go and buy a new one on Monday.    After the oil change, the car started heavily dripping oil. No apparent gushing from the oil cap, though. I use a Fumoto so I didn’t touch the oil pan bolt.

I could hear some air sucking from the cap. Covered the underside of the cap in Permat ex, obviously BMW dealer isn’t open on the weekend for me to get a new one.

If that’s not the culprit, then the oil pan gasket decided to explode at the exact same moment as i changed the oil. Which, i guess, is possible.

jimz > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 03/07/2020 at 17:05

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Only if it’s OHC and there’s no baffle between the oil fill spout and the camshaft. But you’d have oil spattered around the cap.

The fumoto valve could be leaking, or the old oil filter gasket was stuck to the engine block.

MiniGTI - now with XJ6 > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 03/07/2020 at 17:12

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I forgot to put the cap on my 93 civic once. Made a huge mess of the engine bay.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > jimz 03/07/2020 at 17:25

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No leaks around the drain valve. Canister oil filter, which is also not leaking. It’s just very strange.

Edit: and yes, there’s no baffle between the oil fill “spout” (it’s just a hole) and the cam. But the engine bay’s not getting dirty and there’s no evidence of oil anywhere around where the filler hole is.

Would the pressure imbalance cause oil to leak out of the PCV or something?

BaconSandwich is tasty. > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 03/07/2020 at 18:07

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Any evidence of oil getting where it shouldn’t be (e.g.: on the ground, mixed with coolant, etc.)?

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > BaconSandwich is tasty. 03/07/2020 at 19:13

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Oh yes, practically  pouring on the ground, but only when the engine is on.

dumpsterfire! > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 03/07/2020 at 19:17

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How about torquing enough on the filter cap that you cracked an old filter housing gasket?    

BaconSandwich is tasty. > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 03/07/2020 at 19:24

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Makes me almost wonder if some sort of oil cooler line got disconnected.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > BaconSandwich is tasty. 03/07/2020 at 19:34

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I just had the water pump replaced, so maybe. But I’ve been driving it for two weeks and probably 1000 miles, I would think that if it was that easy to have come off or even just slipped, it would have happened already. Literally no torque was put on anything during the oil change, other than to unscrew the cartridge filter housing. 

notsomethingstructural > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 03/07/2020 at 19:35

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Thoroughly degrease and rinse the engine bay

Then shake a bottle of talc and blast some dust on it with the canister right side up. Don’t just dump it on.  Repeat a few times. Run engine. Look for source. Profit. 

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > dumpsterfire! 03/07/2020 at 19:35

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Possible but unlikely. The OFHG was just replaced in the spring and has been fine. But...maybe. The oil filter cap was a bit snug, so I had to use some torque. 

BaconSandwich is tasty. > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 03/07/2020 at 20:36

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And no visible sign of where it’s leaking from?