Help identifying oil leak on 116i F20 N13 - Is it the head gasket?

[invictus24]

Looking at purchasing a used 2014 116i F20 with mileage at 150,000kms and need some advice on an oil leak. There is oil build-up on the block below the head gasket. Could this be a blown head gasket between an oil gallery and the outside block? No history on what was done to the vehicle in terms of previously fixing oil leaks. Valve-cover has been cleaned, and valve-cover gasket is clean with no leaks. Head has also been visibly cleaned up to the point of the head gasket. See photos attached.

No notable codes detected on OBD scan. No specific errors/warnings on I-drive. No coolant contamination. No oil contamination. No smoke from the exhaust.

Does anyone have advice on where the oil has been leaking from based on the photos and previous known problems with the model? What are the chances the head gasket is leaking oil only to the outside, with no other normal signs of failure?

 

[6spdmanual]

Looking at purchasing a used 2014 116i F20 with mileage at 150,000kms and need some advice on an oil leak. There is oil build-up on the block below the head gasket. Could this be a blown head gasket between an oil gallery and the outside block? No history on what was done to the vehicle in terms of previously fixing oil leaks. Valve-cover has been cleaned, and valve-cover gasket is clean with no leaks. Head has also been visibly cleaned up to the point of the head gasket. See photos attached.

No notable codes detected on OBD scan. No specific errors/warnings on I-drive. No coolant contamination. No oil contamination. No smoke from the exhaust.

Does anyone have advice on where the oil has been leaking from based on the photos and previous known problems with the model? What are the chances the head gasket is leaking oil only to the outside, with no other normal signs of failure?

My man/woman/person. I had an 118i with the exact same engine. The N13 is notorious for being an absolute pain of an engine when something goes. Please please please don’t buy this car no matter how much you love it or how good a deal it is.

 

[TurboLlew]

116i with peugeot engine
150000km (honestly if this motor was at half the mileage the advice would still be to run away)
No history (massive massive red flag in that they likely have been trying to fix this or have diagnosed it and it is a potentially very expensive fix)

+1 Run far away. Leave this to be the current owner/dealership's problem to diagnose and fix.

 

[6spdmanual]

I think I totalled to about 60k in repairs on my 118i then finally let her go. Don’t make the same mistake I did bro.

 

[Nobz330i]

My F20 also 2014 model 116i also has a weird leak which I can’t figure it… I’ll be doing a service end of this month, I’ll also purchase gaskets and seals just to figure out if it stops it but from my inspection it seems to be the valve cover tappet gasket but I shall see once they work on it.

Mine sitting on 180xxx other than that look out for the cooling system and pipes.

 

[Teezoh]

If the top view is cleaned out like that for when people do the viewings but the bottom half is in that state you smack the owner/dealer for wasting your time and never go back there.

Most likely the Valve cover since it's common on all the F20's, this is normally followed by the PCV creating that whining noise.

Nonetheless, walk away.

 

[basespec1series]

PCV seems to be a common culprit for these engine oil leaks