2015 X5 sDrive 35i_gaskets, gaskets, gaskets

[texasslim]

OK, I have owned this car 5 years and other than a few quirks, I have been pretty happy with the performance. I am a previous 323 owner (15+ years, 200k miles). However, I now find myself at the 100k miles mark on this 2015 X5 (6 cylinder) and I am starting to question whether or not I want to continue my love affair with BMW.

I take the car to the local dealer for routine oil/fluid changes and they are very professional and courteous. They have been telling me for several months that I need to repair the cylinder head cover and the oil filter housing due to leaks (old gaskets). I can smell the oil burning, but never see a drop of oil in my garage, so I ignore the problem for a while. The burning oil smell gets worse and I finally break down and let the dealer repair the cylinder head cover to the tune of $2135 (includes new plastic cylinder head cover, gasket, etc). As well, I decide to go ahead and get the oil filter housing gasket replaced, but take it to an indy repair shop with great reviews to save some money ($520 vs. $1350 at dealer). This is where the head scratching starts. Upon picking up my freshly repaired X5, the indy mechanic states on the receipt that I have a possible oil pan leak. I take the X5 home and immediately notice it has a slow leak under the front of the car. This car has NEVER leaked oil on the garage floor, but now it is, for the first time.

MY QUESTION:

1) Did the indy mechanic tamper with something to create more work? *He has 286 5 star reviews on Google, so I am perplexed as to the timing of the new oil leak on the exact day he released the car to me. Call me paranoid.

2) OR did changing the cylinder head cover (+ gasket) and oil housing gasket somehow cause enough pressure differential in the crank case to blow out an already weak and old oil pan gasket? I do not know if this is even possible, so i am posing the question to others here on this forum who might have experienced something similar. Maybe a BMW mechanic on this forum has seen this as well. OR maybe this is not possible whatsoever.

[Tomcat_F15_STL]

I wouldn’t want to guess about the order of events but your vehicle is absolutely due for an oil pan gasket at its age & mileage. The mechanic is likely just giving you good information.

This is a pricey job to pay for, as the subframe needs to come out to replace the gasket. If you didn’t like the price of the work you just had done you’re really not gonna like what you hear on this one.

I did this job myself, and had a few days in it.

[Clifton]

If the Indy shop replaced the oil filter gasket, it's possible that they leaked/dribbled oil during the removal/replacement of the filter housing. It might just be oil weep finding it's way down the block then pooling and dripping.

Another possibility is that while cleaning and prepping the area for a new gasket, they cleaned a little too well and exposed an brewing issue with the oil pan.

Your theory about pressure might be plausible as well. What you can do or ask your Indy to try is to add some UV dye to the oil to confirm the source/location of the leak.

As Tomcat stated abvoe, at your mileage, it's not unheard of to replace oil pan gaskets.

[texasslim]

Understood. I am going to do the oil pan gasket anyways ($1600 quoted). Just curious as to why it started the way it did. I do not question the integrity of the indy mechanic. I am just trying to analyze how that happened. It is an active leak.

[Tomcat_F15_STL]

There are seals and o-rings which should be replaced at the same time.

The shop may or may not care whether to do them depending upon their calibre.

Here is my DIY to review so you are informed.

BMW_X5_E70-LCI_N55_Oil_Pan_Gasket_DIY-rev.3.pdf

[tlow98]

All of these leak. It’s normal. Bad timing.

Unfortunately, the pan gasket is expensive.

Not so unfortunate is that it’s the least problematic and you don’t need to do it.

Put a diaper of some sort on the garage floor and say fuckit.

It’s good that you did the other two. They can cause more expensive issues. Send it till you’re sick of it.

[stocktree]

It is probably spilled oil from the oil filter housing gasket.
It was for me at least. Wait and see.