crank case breather

hi chaps.

im after some help really, ive got a 2003 e46 320d sport which ive had about six months.i bought it private and did not bother with any inspections. [thought i was clever] anyway about two months ago i noticed she was smoking a liitle when i revved her up but if i gave her a bit of a thrashing the smoke would go away. well this got worse. i took it to a bmw mech and he told me the turbo had gone and that the crank case breather was blocked. i no very little about new cars, but i could still here the turbo whistle quite sweetly so i was not convinced. i took it to my friend whos pretty good with cars and he said the same. i phoned bmw with the knowledge i had, i hung up at =A32500. i phoned cooks in enfield and told them the problem, and was told to try changing the crank case breather thing i phoned bmw back bought the part =A336.00 and they even printed me a diagram of how to fit. well deep breath.two hours later job done. cleaned up, started her up, im off.no smoke she spluttered a little but a few times up the m11 and she was fine. well a week later i went back to mech just to rub it in,he asked me to lift the bonnet and start the car. he undid the oil filler cap and oil spurted out and a bit of smoke. now he tells me there is still a problem as there should not be back pressure there. ive been giving the car a bit of stick over the last week and to be honest she seems fine. my mate said it could be the rings, im scared of bmw, and just wondered if any of you guys have had the same problems. i am bit of a fix it myself person but dont want to go too far. thanks

4 reading helpppppppppp.
Reply to
onetonebmw
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wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups.com... hi chaps.

im after some help really, ive got a 2003 e46 320d sport which ive had about six months.i bought it private and did not bother with any inspections. [thought i was clever] anyway about two months ago i noticed she was smoking a liitle when i revved her up but if i gave her a bit of a thrashing the smoke would go away. well this got worse. i took it to a bmw mech and he told me the turbo had gone and that the crank case breather was blocked. i no very little about new cars, but i could still here the turbo whistle quite sweetly so i was not convinced. i took it to my friend whos pretty good with cars and he said the same. i phoned bmw with the knowledge i had, i hung up at £2500. i phoned cooks in enfield and told them the problem, and was told to try changing the crank case breather thing i phoned bmw back bought the part £36.00 and they even printed me a diagram of how to fit. well deep breath.two hours later job done. cleaned up, started her up, im off.no smoke she spluttered a little but a few times up the m11 and she was fine. well a week later i went back to mech just to rub it in,he asked me to lift the bonnet and start the car. he undid the oil filler cap and oil spurted out and a bit of smoke. now he tells me there is still a problem as there should not be back pressure there.

Are you sure it spurted out? I'm not familiar with the 320d engine, but on many engines the oil filler cap is above the camshaft. The camshaft can splash a lot of oil around as it rotates, so if the cap is removed with the engine running, oil splashes out.

ive been giving the car a bit of stick over the last week and to be honest she seems fine. my mate said it could be the rings, im scared of bmw, and just wondered if any of you guys have had the same problems. i am bit of a fix it myself person but dont want to go too far. thanks

4 reading helpppppppppp.

Sounds like your mate is a pessimist. If it were mine, at this stage I'd just keep a close eye on the oil level. If the rings have gone, a high oil consumption would soon show on the dipstick, providing there are no serious oil leaks. I would also expect to see excessive smoke from the exhaust pipe. If you really want to know, it would only cost a few quid to have a garage check the compressions. Mike.

Reply to
Mike G

thanks chaps i think the problem is more the smoke when i open the oil cap (white) and back pressure. as you look at the engine the oil breather is on the left, the air filter next to it this i beleive goes down towards the turbo.under the air filter there is a small rubber pipe which i think connects to the turbo inlet. when you take this off oil drips out! if you follow these pipes it goes in the turbo and comes back out on the right. the pipe there is about 50mm and metal. on the end it changes to rubber this connects to a metal thing which has a space ship looking saucer on it with a small cloth covered pipe. this also has oil in it. my question is should there be oil there at all. the same friend said the inside should be clean enough to eat your dinner off.and these pipes should only have gases passing through them.would a dianostic test show these problems up. ps where can i get a manual. thanks again

Reply to
onetonebmw

I think you are worrying about something that might not be a problem at all. 'If' there is a problem it doesn't appear to affect the engines performance, so why look for something that might not exist.

Personally I wouldn't even consider a diagnostic check at this atage. Could cost up to £50, and is unlikely, IMO, to reveal anything worth knowing.

A little smoke and oil splashing from an oil filler cap if it's removed with the engine running is quite common IME, and doesn't usually mean that there is anything wrong with the engine. My advice would be to stop worrying, keep an eye on the oil level, and just drive the car.

Try Ebay for a w/shop manual on CD's. Mike.

Reply to
Mike G

thanks mike.......

Reply to
onetonebmw

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