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Stealership vs DIY cost with big oil leak!

2K views 21 replies 10 participants last post by  pleiades 
#1 ·
First off I love this forum and have recieved alot of information about different issues.

I have a new one!!!! Catastrophic oil leak. Today I had the dreaded red oil pressure light come on while driving on interstate for a second. Engine sounded rough, after a while of being parked. No oil on dip stick. Had it towed to stealership where they stated::: drum roll please...

crankcase vent valve with updated hoses and dipstick 822.17
oil filter housing gasket 440.00
remove cylinder head and send for repair 3310.50


Which of these can I do myself ( the first two) and I had the OFHG done a year ago at a shop. It shouldnt fail yet should it? Also Last month my fan detonated inside the shroud putting holes in the radiatior. Could that have caused any of these issues?

Also they stated that when they added oil, the noise in the crankcase became very quiet so it was an optional but recommended.

I told them I would get back with them in the morning. Any input is appreceated!!!
 
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#2 · (Edited)
First off, you should get your car away from the dealer (they are called stealerships for a reason) as your car is not likely worth putting the money into it they are suggesting.

Your oil leak is likely the Oil Filter Housing Gasket, this is very common and I think any Indy could do it for a fair amount cheaper than the dealer quoted.

CCV, they all need this replaced, this may or may not be why some you had no oil, along with the oil leak?? CCV parts are less than $275 as I recall, maybe slightly cheaper, the job is much easier if the OFHG is being replaced.

So why does the dealer feel the cylinder head needs to be repaired?? This is the wildcard here. More info would be helpful to understand what the issue/diagnosis is.

You would likely save $1k if you were able to replaced the OFHG and CCV, dipstick is not required, but should be fully cleaned out.

How far do you drive the car one way in these colder temps?

Suggest you read this thread as well - http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=964491&highlight=report
 
#3 ·
I agree on saving money by not going to the dealer but due to my location, that was my only choice for my insurance co to cover the tow. The stealer said that they heard noise coming from the crankcase. But it would do that anyway without oil right? They said they would want to "investigate" to see where the noise is coming from. VANOS?

I am pricing it out at my indy shop as we speak. Thanks for the reply and the link to the thread
 
#12 ·
I agree on saving money by not going to the dealer but due to my location, that was my only choice for my insurance co to cover the tow. The stealer said that they heard noise coming from the crankcase. But it would do that anyway without oil right? They said they would want to "investigate" to see where the noise is coming from. VANOS?

I am pricing it out at my indy shop as we speak. Thanks for the reply and the link to the thread
The noise they heard coming from the crankcase probably caused by a bad CCV, I had this symptom a while ago, little oil leaked on CCV, car drove fine, just annoying sucking sound, and when I pulled up the oil dipstick, noise was gone, put it back in, noise reappeared, so I bought a complete CCV set with associated hoses from BMA for around $85 and replaced it myself, took me good 5 hours since one of the bottom hose wouldn't fit so I had to sand the bottom fitting of the CCV a little bit in order to get it fitted. After replacing, no more noise and oil leak.
 
#4 ·
Were you ignoring a low oil light by any chance?

I thought the drum roll would conclude that you towed it to dealer, it added oil, and said, "you should get to ccv and ofhg" pretty soon.

Was there a part of the story you didn't mention, like the engine sounded horrible for many miles? When you got the oil light, how much further were you driving?

Yes, what does dealer think went on with cylinder head...sounds like it thinks you blew a headgasket . Did you get an overheating light too by any chance?

Man, this dealer will be in a world of fanatics trouble if it turns out this was BS.

Honestly, I bet you could add oil and drive...but were you ignoring a yellow oil light for a significant period of time? Had you had the yellow oil light come on, then went off after about 15 seconds, and you figured all was good? You hadn't checked your oil in a while I gather.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I had it towed to the dealer. The light came on (yellow) while I was on the interstate at highway speeds. It was transient. The engine sounded rough, but it was 4 degrees out with wind so I choked it up to road noise. When I stopped at the light at the bottom of the ramp, the RED light came on and then immediately went off. (engine running fine)

When it cooled down I looked and saw oil all over the bottom of the car and no oil on the dipstick. That was when I called the tow truck. From time of first light to stop it was aprox 10 miles.

Checked the oil last week, and it was in normal operating range and proper color
 
#6 ·
I am thinking that maybe the CCV froze and sucked all the oil out of the crankcase???

This would possibly be why the oil level light would not have come on, but also likely the oil level sensor is not working?
 
#7 · (Edited)
If the head is fine then you can get the other two, if not for what they are quoting you you can get a completely used engine to its entirety.

OGFH can be done at a shop for 150-200. CCV will cost about $500-600. If you can DIY both of these jobs will cost $130 at most.
 
#20 ·
I now have what looks like brown foam under the car . My first thought was head gasket. I pulled the dipstick and it was difficult to remove. When it came out, the tip was missing. I assumed it was a new dipstick until I looked at the ring and residue on it. I tried to replace it and it will not go back in. Called the shop and it is going back in. I think they broke the dipstick in the tube somehow. As for the foam. The oil on the dipstick looked like new oil with the proper color. And no oil in the expansion tank and no oil underneath the engine. I wonder if they used a degreaser to clean up the engine and that's what it is? The Pic with the engine is as car in as the dipstick will go before hitting a lot of resistance
 

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#22 ·
Do e46 dipsticks look like that? To me the plastic piece looks as though it has broken on its end and slid up the stick about 2 inches.... If that's -not- the way it's supposed to be, buy a new dipstick and do not use that one again, or the plastic part may end up lodged in the lower end of the guide tube or fall down into the oil plan.
 
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