E46 burning smell and steam/smoke from engine bay

[Cerberus]

Hi guys,

I feel like a chop for asking questions like these but I just arrived home, normal commute with a slightly heavy foot, when I noticed an indistinct mild burnt plastic but hot engine smell. I opened the bonnet to see (in poor lighting) smoke/steam issuing from the engine in this region by the exhaust manifold and also off the engine in general:

Does this look particularly healthy/unhealthy? When I opened it up a hint of vapour/smoke could be seen:

Gauges indicate normal operating temp with no warning lights. Engine feels fine and sounds normal. I checked the oil after letting her stand for 5 minutes... seems fine. Waiting for radiator to cool to check levels there too.

The smell dissipated fairly quickly.

Plus I've noticed evidence of a leak on a component that says "ATF OIL ONLY" on it...I assume this is the power steering fluid reservoir and that leakage is negligible (read somewhere that it was normal? )

I am looking down at the splash plate on the driver's side of the engine bay and can see evidence of leaking onto it around there... Power steering I'm guessing?

Any help would be much appreciated :thumbs:

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I think of this post:

http://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?pid=907541#pid907541

My car has approx 109k km on her

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Oh and the smell was ever so slightly oily too...

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[Ram3on]

Maybe you have a small leak from the tapper cover gasket and it's dripping onto the exhaust manifold.....it's a simple fix, just a new gasket.....as for the power steering bottle leak, yes it's common from the cap, just make sure it's not also leaking from the pipes connected to the bottom of it!

 

[Loom]

Does this look particularly healthy/unhealthy? When I opened it up a hint of vapour/smoke could be seen:

Looks fine to me. Mine was much dirtier but when I changed the valve cover gasket and VANOS seals at +- 240k km the engine was as clean as can be with no sludge builtup at all.

Plus I've noticed evidence of a leak on a component that says "ATF OIL ONLY" on it...I assume this is the power steering fluid reservoir and that leakage is negligible (read somewhere that it was normal? )

It's normal. The cap actually has a hole to "breath" or something. Just wipe it clean regularly and check for leaks at the bottom pipes. The cap has a built-in dip stick. Unscrew and check your power steering fluid level.

I am looking down at the splash plate on the driver's side of the engine bay and can see evidence of leaking onto it around there... Power steering I'm guessing?

Clean your engine top to bottom and check often for oil leaks. Check all coolant hoses too. Check for oil deposit at the spark plug holes.

 

[applehero]

Maybe you have a small leak from the tapper cover gasket and it's dripping onto the exhaust manifold.....it's a simple fix, just a new gasket.....as for the power steering bottle leak, yes it's common from the cap, just make sure it's not also leaking from the pipes connected to the bottom of it!

+1!

 

[Cerberus]

Thanks chaps. Will monitor the car's vitals and see if this problem persists, will try and get the engine cleaner too. Feeling better now :thumbs:

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[Philip Foglar]

As said above, it's the valve cover gasket that is old and leaking - common place for it to fail too. On my Wife's car it was more towards the back, but on that side too. The oil cap looked much the same too, but when I had the valve cover off it looked a lot better in there. I thoroughly cleaned the oil cap and as much as I could cleaned the inside of the valve cover, so everything is now nice and clean.

Power steering is ATF and is normal for it to look like this after a while. Best is to clean and keep an eye on it. I also suggest flushing the power steering fluid and replacing with fresh ATF - use a turkey baster to suck out the old fluid from the reservoirs, top up with fresh, close and then run the engine steering the wheel lock to lock a few times, then repeat the above until you have replaced roughly 1.5 - 2 ltrs of ATF. The old stuff is usually black, the new a nice red colour!

Valve cover gasket would have to be replaced, and of course while you're at it, do the Vanos seals!! :thumbs:

 

[Cerberus]

Thanks for your advice Philip, raise: it is always appreciated. :thumbs:

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Will attend to this next month! I assume my car is perfectly drivable

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[Cerberus]

Checked this morning. Is definitely a leak onto the exhaust manifold of the last 2 cylinders :thumbs: the smoking is not immediate. Seems to only happen once the engine has sat for a minute... But the smell is there. Luckily I can now see evidence of the leak. Just look where the part number has been engraved:

Car goes like a Boeing... As usual :rollsmile:

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[GPGrobler]

Hi Cerberus,

Thanks for asking first, also weird burnt smell from my car's engine bay (320i E46 2002 f/l) after driving approx 8km in town and stopping after that - I see a thin film of oil built up on the air cleaner?

Any ideas?

Guess a semi strip down and proper check is in the pipeline

Gaskets, suggestions, OE or aftermarket?

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I may just as well do the gaskets when installing the Vanos seals :flyfun:

 

[Cerberus]

Hi Cerberus,

Thanks for asking first, also weird burnt smell from my car's engine bay (320i E46 2002 f/l) after driving approx 8km in town and stopping after that - I see a thin film of oil built up on the air cleaner?

Any ideas?

Guess a semi strip down and proper check is in the pipeline

Gaskets, suggestions, OE or aftermarket?

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I may just as well do the gaskets when installing the Vanos seals :flyfun:

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Ah man sorry to hear you have this too! :thumbdo:

I have seen that you have been doing a lot of work on your car. I won't lie to you - I'm a complete and utter newbie when it comes to DIY, I know engine components and how they function but I've never even serviced a vehicle... I'm like Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory who tried to learn how to swim online :roflol: Never too late to learn though!

When you say on the air cleaner you mean the air filter cover on the right hand side of the engine bay? I will check mine over lunch :thumbs:

We will have to see what the more experienced fanatics can tell us regarding OE or aftermarket components.

I am not too sure I need to do a Vanos seal replacement yet - but it can only be good for the engine and I'll know it's done once it's done...:idea:

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I just need to get the following first:

The tools

A garage

Perhaps a helping hand :thumbs:

 

[GPGrobler]

Yip, if you face the front of the car on your right on the engine's left, on the air filter cover. Actually quite weird, the film of oil forms a perfectly straight line?

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If you say your car goes like a boeing, then your Vanos is in a better condition than mine, my car is dead - can't wait to service the Vanos.

Had the exhaust cats replaced with straight pipe yesterday, I can already see a slight improvement in fuel consumption, some sand-like compound came out of them when they were removed.

 

[Cerberus]

Yip, if you face the front of the car on your right on the engine's left, on the air filter cover. Actually quite weird, the film of oil forms a perfectly straight line?

How peculiar! No I do not have this problem - just checked now.

If you say your car goes like a boeing, then your Vanos is in a better condition than mine, my car is dead - can't wait to service the Vanos.

Had the exhaust cats replaced with straight pipe yesterday, I can already see a slight improvement in fuel consumption, some sand-like compound came out of them when they were removed.

Ja she pulls eagerly across all rpms, only after 5k rpm do I feel a decrease in pulling force, which is quite distinct - as if it's hesitant - perhaps that's my Vanos? Or is that characteristic of the engine?

Does 200km/h without batting an eyelid :fencelook: (did it once)

 

[moranor@axis]

could be the cats blocking up or oil from the tappet cover leaking out...

if it is the tappet cover you should see evidence on top the the manifold heat shields of oil (check when cold )

 

[Cerberus]

could be the cats blocking up or oil from the tappet cover leaking out...

if it is the tappet cover you should see evidence on top the the manifold heat shields of oil (check when cold )

EXACTLY!!! :thumbs:

Went and checked over lunch - ran my finger over the rearmost heat shield et voila - oil or remnants thereof.

Seems like a fair bit of oil sitting on my splash plate though :thinking:

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Any thoughts on my engine's behaviour past 5k rpm Moranor?

 

[Philip Foglar]

Yip, if you face the front of the car on your right on the engine's left, on the air filter cover. Actually quite weird, the film of oil forms a perfectly straight line?

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If you say your car goes like a boeing, then your Vanos is in a better condition than mine, my car is dead - can't wait to service the Vanos.

Had the exhaust cats replaced with straight pipe yesterday, I can already see a slight improvement in fuel consumption, some sand-like compound came out of them when they were removed.

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That's odd, could you take a pic of that? And it's not in line with the serpentine belt or it could be related to a filter housing gasket leak. But without seeing it, hard to say...

 

[moranor@axis]

engine should pull hard all the way to redline... this could be an indication the cats are staring to block up...

Vanos affects low RPM on this engine but if you replacing the tappet cover it is worth addressing Vanos at the same time...

 

[Cerberus]

engine should pull hard all the way to redline... this could be an indication the cats are staring to block up...

Vanos affects low RPM on this engine but if you replacing the tappet cover it is worth addressing Vanos at the same time...

Many thanks - will check how the engine performs this weekend on my way to the convoy run :thumbs:

When I get round to replacing the tappet cover gasket I'll pm you regarding Beisan (spelling) seals :rollsmile: - might need to send the car to a workshop...will see.

The cats...well that will have to wait...for now

 

[GPGrobler]

:bravo: Hope the car does well.

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I have determined that the weird smell on mine is from a sneaky water leak, no dripping or puddle, but when it stands overnight the newspaper I placed under the car has a green stain (anti freeze) on it and the paper is just a little bit damp.

 

[Cerberus]

Glad you found the source man! :thumbs:

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And thanks

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[GPGrobler]

Ee-yuck, but the smell, he is not niiice :yuck: