If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Oil puddle from 2004 BMW 330i
I have a 2004 330i. It had its first oil change at the dealer about
three weeks ago at about 13k miles. I checked the oil level right after they changed it, and it was at the correct level. Today, three weeks later, I noticed a large puddle of oil on the floor of my garage. At least it feels and smells like oil. The low oil indicator was not on. I parked the car in the driveway so I could clean up the oil in the garage. When I moved the car back into the garage, there was another puddle in the driveway where the car had been parked. When I checked the oil level after letting the car sit for a half hour, it was still at the full mark. Prior to the oil change, I had occasionally noticed a sweet odor like leaking coolant. I told them about it when the car was in for the oil change. They said they did a pressure test and did not find any problems, but that they did find a power steering leak that they fixed. I thought power steering fluid did not have an oily consistency, but was more like transmission fluid. Does anyone have any suggestions before I take the car back to the dealer? Thanks. /gb |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
In article <rC1Gd.17124$B95.11688@lakeread02>,
GB > wrote: > I thought power steering fluid did not have an oily consistency, but was > more like transmission fluid. I had a power steering leak and initially confused it with an engine one. It's not red like older ATF. -- *Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now * Dave Plowman London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> In article <rC1Gd.17124$B95.11688@lakeread02>, > GB > wrote: > >>I thought power steering fluid did not have an oily consistency, but was >>more like transmission fluid. > > > I had a power steering leak and initially confused it with an engine one. > It's not red like older ATF. > It just occurred to me, could this be from the steering rack? Does that hold a substantial amount of oil? What I am seeing is very clean oil, about 30 weight, and it is dripping through a hole in the plastic cover between the front wheels. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 16:27:49 -0500, GB wrote:
> It just occurred to me, could this be from the steering rack? Does that > hold a substantial amount of oil? What I am seeing is very clean oil, > about 30 weight, and it is dripping through a hole in the plastic cover > between the front wheels. The steering system uses ATF, which is considerably thinner than engine oil. Having said that, it can be difficult to tell the difference between ATF and engine oil once it is on the ground. And since the belly pan is preventing you from seeing where the oil is leaking from it really could be either. Since you've just had an oil service done, my bet is that the leak is from the oil filter or drain plug. -- The instructions said to use Windows 98 or better, so I installed RedHat. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
"GB" > wrote in message news:rC1Gd.17124$B95.11688@lakeread02... >I have a 2004 330i. It had its first oil change at the dealer about three >weeks ago at about 13k miles. I checked the oil level right after they >changed it, and it was at the correct level. > > Today, three weeks later, I noticed a large puddle of oil on the floor of > my garage. At least it feels and smells like oil. The low oil indicator > was not on. > > I parked the car in the driveway so I could clean up the oil in the > garage. When I moved the car back into the garage, there was another > puddle in the driveway where the car had been parked. When I checked the > oil level after letting the car sit for a half hour, it was still at the > full mark. > > Prior to the oil change, I had occasionally noticed a sweet odor like > leaking coolant. I told them about it when the car was in for the oil > change. They said they did a pressure test and did not find any problems, > but that they did find a power steering leak that they fixed. > > I thought power steering fluid did not have an oily consistency, but was > more like transmission fluid. > > Does anyone have any suggestions before I take the car back to the dealer? > Thanks. > > /gb Check the power steering fluid level again. The clamps on the hose leading from the tank are notorious for leaking. Also, look around under the car and in the engine bay for any oily, wet looking areas. A relatively new car like yours should be quite clean, a leak should be easy to spot. Kyle. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Jim Levie wrote:
> On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 16:27:49 -0500, GB wrote: > > >>It just occurred to me, could this be from the steering rack? Does that >>hold a substantial amount of oil? What I am seeing is very clean oil, >>about 30 weight, and it is dripping through a hole in the plastic cover >>between the front wheels. > > > The steering system uses ATF, which is considerably thinner than engine > oil. Having said that, it can be difficult to tell the difference between > ATF and engine oil once it is on the ground. And since the belly pan is > preventing you from seeing where the oil is leaking from it really could > be either. > > Since you've just had an oil service done, my bet is that the leak is from > the oil filter or drain plug. > Thanks for the thought, but it turns out that it is almost certainly power steering fluid that leaked out. After driving it a few miles, the steering started making groaning noises, and the steering wheel has become difficult to turn at low speeds. I've requested a service appointment, but I would like to be able to add the correct fluid in the meantime. Unbelievably, the manual does not indicate what type of fluid to use, or where the reservoir is located. /gb |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Kyle and Lori Greene wrote:
> Check the power steering fluid level again. The clamps on the hose leading > from the tank are notorious for leaking. Also, look around under the car > and in the engine bay for any oily, wet looking areas. A relatively new car > like yours should be quite clean, a leak should be easy to spot. Where is the reservoir on an E46 330i? The manual does not say, and I cannot find it. I see the brake fluid reservoir, but not the power steering reservoir. I could not find any sign of leaking from within the engine compartment. I see plenty of oil on the plastic cover on the underside. Thanks for your help. /gb |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
GB wrote:
> Kyle and Lori Greene wrote: > >> Check the power steering fluid level again. The clamps on the hose >> leading from the tank are notorious for leaking. Also, look around >> under the car and in the engine bay for any oily, wet looking areas. >> A relatively new car like yours should be quite clean, a leak should >> be easy to spot. > > > Where is the reservoir on an E46 330i? The manual does not say, and I > cannot find it. I see the brake fluid reservoir, but not the power > steering reservoir. I could not find any sign of leaking from within the > engine compartment. I see plenty of oil on the plastic cover on the > underside. > > Thanks for your help. > > /gb Ok, I found the reservoir. It is empty. The cap says "ATF oil only". I wish they could have been a little more specific. Does this mean Dexron III? I have a bottle of that, but its color is redish, whereas what is on my garage floor is golden. /gb |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 19:24:31 -0500, GB wrote:
> > Ok, I found the reservoir. It is empty. The cap says "ATF oil only". I > wish they could have been a little more specific. Does this mean Dexron > III? I have a bottle of that, but its color is redish, whereas what is > on my garage floor is golden. > ATF III is fine. The color seems to be ATF vendor specific. -- The instructions said to use Windows 98 or better, so I installed RedHat. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
n
> III? I have a bottle of that, but its color is redish, whereas what is on > my garage floor is golden. > BMW use Castrol Transmax Z from factory - it is a ATF oil but not red but golden - not all ATF oils are red. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
price advice on 2004 325Ci | Drew | BMW | 1 | January 9th 05 01:16 PM |
Bad Gas Mileage with 2005 330i BMW with Performance Package | Kent Lewis | BMW | 26 | December 10th 04 06:14 PM |
Used 330i with Performance Package vs. Sport Package | GRL | BMW | 9 | November 21st 04 09:22 PM |
looking for 2004 BMW 325i | Raj | BMW | 0 | October 19th 04 08:00 PM |
G35 vs. 330i sedans why did you choose one over the other? | GRL | BMW | 59 | October 9th 04 01:35 PM |