BMW e90 320i oil smoke on idle, water usage, Plzzzz help

[ChristianBMWe90]

Good day.
My Bmw e90 320i has been giving me weird issues.
Starts fine, idles fine and drives perfect, no overheating.
The car doesn't smoke when going up a steep hill, no smoking after standing for 2 hours or a week,,, BUT when car is at operating temp and i stop at a intersection my car wil puff out smoke when pulling away??
Can this be a crank vent valve?
I also have another issue at the same time,
If I drive for some time and car is at operting temp and i park the car, then i must open the water expansion bottle otherwise car struggles to start later??
There is some milky oil under oil fill cap but inside on cams it all seems fine, normal color oil.
Can someone please assist?
Might be headgasket?
Thanks in advance...

 

[preveshin]

Hi ,

Yes your issue is the headgasket this causes the smoke that you mentioned and also could cause the milky white liquid (oil and water mixing). Best thing to do is replace your headgasket. There could be another issue which could be present.

Have you tried doing a diagnostic on the car

Also the smoke you mentioned is it black or white ?

 

[ChristianBMWe90]

No error codes on car.
The smoke is definitely oil, i can smell it.
Car only smokes when car operating temp when i idle for a while and pull away...
Up mountain, no smoke.

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I cant understand thay car starts if i open water expansion bottle when parking car, but struggles when i dont open it.
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I will drain oil in the morning to see if all oil is milky, as the oil inside on cams seem normal?

 

[ChristianBMWe90]

:fencelook:

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... The oil i drained from bmw is normal colour, no water in there

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Oh ja the smoke was blue ish but definitely oil.

 

[Beemerbro]

sounds scary:blueCry:

i agree with possible head gasket but I'd leave that for last cos its expensive. You don't say what you see in the expansion tank tho. Is there oil there too?
Milky stuff under oil cap is not always diagnostic of head gasket damage
A compression test will also help

Whatever you do, I'd strongly recommend changing the oil separator/ PCV valve and vacuum lines cos they also cause the same symptoms you describe

 

[Blue Shirt]

The smoke during idle is caused by worn valve stem seals, it is a well-known problem on the N46 engine. The valve stem seals can be replaced in-situ without removing the cylinder head.

Get in touch with a reputable workshop like some of the forum sponsors.

A compression test will determine if the headgasket is still fine or not.

 

[ChristianBMWe90]

Hi.
Thanks for the reply,,,

What can cause water on the pistons?
This happens if i do not open my expansion water bkttle when parking the car, when at operating temp

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As far as i know this will be the headgasket?
:dunnoanymore:

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Nope, there is no oil in the coolant,
The rear tapped cover breather pipe has got some milky oil in but other than that the oil is fine.

I am more worried how the water gets to the plugs, pistons

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And the smoking is not coming out when idling but when car was idling for 2mins and i pull away, this happens on operating temp

 

[Blue Shirt]

Hi.
Thanks for the reply,,,

What can cause water on the pistons?
This happens if i do not open my expansion water bkttle when parking the car, when at operating temp

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As far as i know this will be the headgasket?
:dunnoanymore:

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Nope, there is no oil in the coolant,
The rear tapped cover breather pipe has got some milky oil in but other than that the oil is fine.

I am more worried how the water gets to the plugs, pistons

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Failed headgasket.

And the smoking is not coming out when idling but when car was idling for 2mins and i pull away, this happens on operating temp

Worn valve stem seals.

 

[ChristianBMWe90]

:ty:

 

[VernonD]

what about this if you want a more affordable option:
https://www.bossautospares.co.za/rislone-valve-seal-oil-consumption-repair

 

[Twinz]

I read N46 and i see dollar signs. The engine is so expensive to maintain.

Sell it :thumbs:

 

[ChristianBMWe90]

Thanks all, will post update, going ahead with taking the head off... :hammerhead:

 

[Beemerbro]

Couldn't agree more with Twinz
This e90 engine is well known for endless trouble; one thing after another, and it won't stop. There's a lot of info online about experiences of owners of the 320i; it's nothing but bad news. I'd flog it without delay:thumbdo:

This sounds increasingly like a blown head gasket. And when you've done it, there'll be more blown things to come

 

[SubLoaded]

@Ruaad can assist you. He is our N46 gatekeeper :thumbs:

 

[momo1]

id bet on valve stem seals, common issue on N46 engines

 

[ChristianBMWe90]

Just an update...

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Bottom of head gasket...

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... The ridges on boar are not bad for 280000kms

:skit:

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Now what would you suggest?
Doing just the head and headgasket, or the entire motor?
I dont want to do the head and afterwards it smokes like a rocket due to the head being sealed??

Thanks

 

[Beemerbro]

If it were me, I'd just do the whole motor given the mileage and that you're already in there tbh. cos if after doing the head it then raised deeper lying complaints, you'll have to start all over again, and the costs could go stratospheric. But check what the price of a good recon, or second hand running motor would be so you can make informed comparisonsmgwaiting:

 

[Nick]

Put a 2j in it...

 

[Iceman007]

On 280k do the whole motor. If you do just head it will start smoking after a while because you head will be good but your rings dont seal like new ones. So you gonna have to go with new pistons and rings.

 

[MGO_BMW]

Here in Cape town you can get a low mileage(under 100k kms) motor for under R29K.

I would also suggest to do the whole motor but if it cost more than R29K. Then look for a replacement.

By the way i also have a 320i E90 2006 model and so far nothing major has gone wrong (sitting on 159k kms) and i would love to change it but financially not at this stage.
Its 3 years of ownership now.

If i did wait and researched more before i bought it i would have bought a 320D instead.

Rest assure I would get my 330D at some point.

Good Luck. Hope this is not too expensive.