E46 Fanatics Forum banner

what is this wire & plug?

6K views 15 replies 8 participants last post by  havnfun328 
#1 ·
Evening everyone,

I have a question...I got under my car and to my horror I saw an oil leak. Well not much of an issue as the mechanic will sort that out some how.

What my main concern is this cable & plug that is passing underneath the sump and covered in oil. Surely the wires / connections must be short circuiting with the oil.

Might anyone have any vague idea as to what this cable is? The location is just underneath the oil sump, infact that Oil Sump drain plug is just on the left.

many thanks.
 

Attachments

See less See more
1
#2 ·
They look like oxygen sensor wiring. I'd personally make sure to clean them off, but don't worry. First of all, oil doesn't conduct electricity well at all. Second of all, all external connectors on your car are exterior automotive grade connectors, meaning you can actually dunk them in water and they will be fine. They are sealed water tight with multiple silicone seals.
 
#3 ·
Not sure about the wires, but the leak is either the valve cover gasket, oil filter housing gasket, or power steering pump hose underneath the power steering pump.
 
#4 ·
Thanks Chriztofor,

I am quite sure it is the engine oil leak as the level was low and that had never happened before.

If it is either the valve cover gasket or oil filter housing gasket, is that a big / costly job?

My mechanic said:
1) either some of the nuts all around the sump are just loose and it can be tightened
2) or then he will have to lift out the engine and then remove the sump and replace the gasket.

thanks.
 
#5 · (Edited)
yeah .. oil pan gasket (oil sump). Mine has a slight leak. Lift the engine ..? i thought I just had to drop the cross member plate? what do i know .. havent dug into mine yet, just a slight leak

You can see where the wires go pretty easily, even in your picture! See those silver metalic cylinders that stick out of your exhaust piping? You can see both of the wires are going to those.............

Like poster above said.... don't concern yourself with it, just clean it with some simplegreen and water

did you look anywhere else besides the pan for evidence of oil? Where it starts on the engine will give you a good idea where its coming from. Oil only travels down and back
 
#6 ·
dear guys :: same problem here and i kno for sure its not valve cover gasket or oil filter housing gasket ..its definately a engine leak..ive spend hours and hours trying to reasearch on this forum and other websites as well..cannot find any DIY ..ANYWAY the dealer did mention "or then he will have to lift out the engine and then remove the sump and replace the gasket " -$750.00 approax with 5.5 hrs labor ..
 
#7 ·
Someone on here did an oil filter housing gasket DIY. I remember seeing that a while back. Just seemed like a lot doing of bolts and then remembering where they went. Sump gaskets usually means undoing engine mount bolts and exhaust manifold bolts and lifting it up an inch or two so you can swap it out. Maybe look into a bentley manual if you are interested in doing this yourself. Also would require a torque wrench and knowing proper torque settings as too much torque and you can strip threads in important places and get another oil leak, or not tighten enough and get an oil leak.
 
#8 ·
my car is booked in for 7th Sept.

if you can wait till then, I can tell you exactly where my car's leak was from and what work needed to be carried out...cost wise I was told labour was about £200 to lift up the engine and change the sump gasket or whatever, but that is a private mechanic, not BMW and parts cost will be separate...but I reckon it will be around the £300 mark.

BMW labour is about £165/hr here, so if I were to multiply 5.5hrs labour x £165, that is about £900 / $1350 lol
 
#9 ·
Hey guys .. I have my own "What is this" question for you. I have pictures in my camera but won't be able to post them until later this afternoon.


2002 330i. Under the driver side wind deflector plastic underneath the car in front of the driver's side wheel ... you all know the exterior air temperature sensor is there.

BUT under the PASSENGER's side in the same exact position, there seems to be a round sensor of some sort in the plastic piece. What the hell is this??? I will post a picture later and continue to saerch realoem for the part ... but so far I have not found it anywhere.

Just curious, not worth a new thread. Thanks
 
#13 ·
Good and Bad news...good news the problem is fixed, bad news is that my mechanic refused to fix it (I believe it was too big or complex job for him), meaning I had to take it to BMW! £££ :facepalm:

Anyhow, the car is back from repair, and it was the 'Sump Gasket Seal' Part: 11137511224.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AZ72&mospid=47632&btnr=11_3174&hg=11&fg=10&hl=6

It cost £503, the break down of which is roughly:
- £64 new oil + filter
- £318 3 hours labour
- £10 - to dispose of oil
- £54 to diagnose problem
- £40 Rubber Brg Part 22116785583 (looks like only one side needed changing).

all done.
 
#14 ·
+1 on the thanx for the round-sensor I.D. I was hunting for the torn-off A.T.S./ext-thermistor wiring on my latest E46 ('03-330i), and noticed this same new-to-me widget. Seems overkill, BMW, for such a thing - but that's why we buy them; for excess technology!

Much obliged, havnfun328
 
#15 · (Edited)
This is why old threads and embedded images are so important. Links to offsite hosts work - but if the host disappears or changes URL it's toast.

7 years later someone is able to benefit from the fact that the original posted images remain intact at the e46 Forum site. Without them the thread would be useless - why do I bring this up? read here:

Image Posting Quota on E46 Fanatics
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top