Advice Needed: 2015 X6M - 70K - Valve Stem Seals need replaced?

[jagangjee]

Need a little advice on what to do here. 2nd owner, purchased at 16K, babied the car for the past 6 years, always had work done at BMW dealer. Changed oil every 7500 miles, no modifications and never tracked.

40K miles - received Drivetrain Malfunciton warning. It would come on and off when turning off the ignition and come back on if I hit the gas a little hard.
Replaced spark plugs and coil packs - resolved problem no issues.


At 69K, received drivetrain malfunction warning, took car in to replace spark plugs. Was told misfire faults on 6 and 8 performed. Test plan for faults checking coils and injectors for leaks - both passed leaks. Recommend & replaced Spark Plugs Oil - found on 6 & 8 spark plugs. Future Valve Seals. Completed Oil Change. Found cylinder faulted for #7 removed and replaced ignition coil.

So I am scared to drive this car now in fear that my Valve Stem Seals will need replaced and was quoted 66.5 hours of labor. I since haven't put it in M mode and just driving minimally until i decide what to do.

My questions are;
1. How long do I have before I need to replace the Valve Stem Seals? I do not have any smoke coming from exhaust, but the car does require a quart of oil every 2500 miles. All my M cars have always drank oil, so I never thought this was an issue. The dealer has also told me that if I don't take care of the Valve Stem Seals I can blow a piston rod which will be very expense on top of the cost to replace the valve stem seals.

2. If I decide to do the Valve Stem Seals, what else do I need to consider doing at this time? Will the car be fine and okay to drive in M mode again so I can enjoy the vehicle again?

3. What else needs to be done at the 70K-100K mark that I haven't already done. I've done all the required maintenance and replaced air springs/bags at 55K.

4.. I am also considering 2021/2022 CPO X5M or X6M but don't they also have the same engine and am I going to have the same problems?

I am surprised at 70K miles that a car of this caliber has these kind of issues. The dealer has me a little scared to drive the car, deciding how long I have before I need to do the work and look for something new.

Thanks in advance for all responses, I apprecaite the help.

[Kamate]

Huh? Valve stem seals is just that, a seal. It dried up and leaks oil into your combustion chamber and you will burn oil more than you suppose to. Severe case, you will foul your plugs but it won’t bend anything, and what is a piston rod?

There are connecting rods, rod bearings, piston rings. Just keep drive it like you stole it, maybe switch to 5-40 oil. Get another opinion from other shop, that dealer sound shady to me.

[Chilled]

How much blue smoke is coming out the back especially during cold starts? Whilst in theory it is possible to bend a rod due to leaky stem seals. Realistically you will first start to loose power, start fouling plugs and miss firing.

All n63/S63 suffer from stem seal issues at some point in their life and the only fix is replacement.

The urgency is dictated by the amount of oil found/ how bad is it smoking/ miss firing.


If you are thinking of trading up to a 2021+ X5M (F95), just take it for a long-ish drive first. The suspension is heaps different to our F85's. It's allot more harsh, and requires allot more input from you as the driver.

[jagangjee]

Thank you both for the quick responses back:

Kamate - my bad, my understand is that I could bend a rod bearing if my valve stem seals blow. I am running 0w-30 oil now, you think I can go straight to 5w-40 or do I need to move up to 0w-40 first? I get it, it's older and these valve stems will dry up, I just don't want to blow something and I'm stranded on the side of the road. Sounds like I sound just continue to drive it and enjoy it in M mode. I am also planning to get a second opinion. Thanks again for the response back.

Chilled - I have zero white or blue smoke coming from the back. I have done overight cold starts and pushed it up to 3k-4k rpms with no appearance of smoke. I do not feel any lack in power. So you are saying that first indication of leaky seals is that I will see white/blue smoke? Then if the problem persists I will likely miss fire which would then trigger an drivetrain mailfunction error - likely go into limp mode. These are all things that would likely happy prior to bending a rod bearing or being stuck on the side of the road? Let me know if I am understanding this correctly? It sounds like this is something I can drive with until I start to see colored smoke on a cold start in the morning or it starts to misfire triggering drivetrain malfunction errors? Thanks again for the response back.

[Chilled]

Just re-read your first post, def get a 2nd opinion. Stem seals should not take 1.5 weeks. Upto a full week, sure (if they are removing the engine, less if they are not). But not 1.5.

Yep, you understanding of my post is correct and for the oil. The first number is the cold ratting. So 0wXX is rated for a colder climate compared to 5wXX. So try 0w40 at your next change.

Also something to check, the PCV hoses. Those can leak oil into the turbos. Granted with that you will most likely see oil on all the plugs but ....

Have a read my post 12, on how to disconnect the hose from the intake but be careful those clips/90 pipe can get very brittle. If you disconnect the hose, look inside the triangle looking thing, you will see an orange thing. If it looks oily/wet than that hose need to be replace.
https://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2089217

Also per the same thread, do have a look at your intake tube. In the thread, both of the guys pipes have cracked. This can lead to Check Engine Light errors.
Those pipe do crack with age/heat.

[tfunk88]

I’d also try LiquiMoly Motor Oil Saver. It’s supposed to help condition the seals in the oil pathways and “swell” them slightly…which is why they recommended only using it occasionally. I tried one treatment and I’m gonna go on record as officially saying it helped. I’ve definitely seen less seepage from the top of the engine/valve cover area.

[jagangjee]

Chilled Thanks again for the response back - I plan to get a second opinion. There is an authorized //M Dealer about 35 miles away that I will have get me an estimate.

tfunk88 Thanks for the Liquid Moly suggestion. I like it...the next time my oil levels get low, I will add this with a quart of 0w-40 and monitor oil consumption until my next oil change. At the time of my next oil change I will request 0w-40 oil. There was another thread that someone stated that they used AT-205 reseal. I assume it is a similar oil additive to help sweal the seals? I would prefer Liquid Moly - it looks to have some great reviews

Crossing fingers that this all helps. Thanks again for all the responses back - much appreciated!

[tfunk88]

I hope it does for you what I think it did for me. According to their instructions it takes a few hundred miles for it to start to work. I just did my second oil change after having put it in, so around 7500 miles (added it, drove 2500 miles, changed oil, drove another 5k, just changed it this weekend) since I added it. Definitely seems like less oil usage!