Another big Achilles's heel for BMW engines is oil leaks. There are too many to describe in detail in just one post, so I will do many different ones to explain them more in dept and explain their consequences. I will at least mention the most common engine oil leaks, which I will describe later in further detail. Inline 6 cylinder engines usually leak from the valve cover gasket, oil filter housing gasket and the engine oil pan gasket. V8 engines leak from valve cover gaskets, upper timing case cover gaskets, vacuum pump, alternator bracket gaskets, upper and lower oil pan gaskets. The V8 also leak from the transmission mechatronic sealing sleeve and transmission oil pan gasket. One thing's for sure, BMWs leak much more in hot climate. I've seen many cars from the north that don't leak, but then they are very rusty underneath from the road salt, making them harder to work on. Depending on which one it is, the gaskets are not that expensive. The repair price is mostly the labor. If you own or are thinking of buying a BMW in hot climate, get it checked for oil leaks. There is a high chance of there being one, or possibly more than one, and it can get very expensive, especially on a V8 engine. It is usually recommended to sta rt from the top of the engine if there are multiple oil leaks and clean everything, then recheck later on in case there is an additional leak. I will say that the guys at the dealer do an excellent job compared to most people out there, but if you can't afford dealer prices make sure you go to a reputable, knowledgeable technician. They will know what to look for in a BMW engine, what the signs of each leak are and how to fix them in the best sequence possible. BMWs are awesome cars with highly sophisticated engines, and it takes a knowledgeable technician to do the job, especially in later model engines. I've seen so many engines end up messed up due to some unknowing mechanic going at it at an independent shop without the proper tools and without knowing what they are getting themselves into. Leave this work to the experts. Your engine
depends on it.
