HELP! Leaking oil and white smoke
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 47
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W211 E63 Wagon, Audi R8
HELP! Leaking oil and white smoke
Hi Folks,
I have recently bought a gently used e63 wagon with 59K on the clock. Since the purchase I put another 5k on the odometer. This morning, while running some errands, and on car start-up, my wife pointed out that there was some white smoke billowing past the doors. The smoke was coming from the exhaust and cleared up momentarily.
Shortly thereafter, when we got home, and dreading the head bolt issue, I immediately popped the hood, and started to look for trouble. Immediately I noticed that there was some fresh oil residue around the oil fill cap. Thinking (praying) that the car might have been overfilled with oil at its last service, I immediately checked the dip stick to find that the oil level was at the very top of the third plastic bump. I went ahead and drained about half a quart, and had my wife start the car. There was a tiny amount of white smoke from the tail pipe, and no warning indicators on the dash. The car sounded and ran fine.
I took the e63 for a spin around the block, to see if everything was back to normal, and within a quarter of a mile I noticed white smoke and a burning smell coming from the right side of the engine. I slowly drove back home, popped the hood, and noticed oil overspray on the right side of the engine by the firewall. Also, the left manifold was covered in oil. The white smoke was oil burning on the manifold. I also noticed a small pool of oil underneath the car.
So how screwed am I? I am going to have a call with my indie mechanic first thing on Monday. Of course, the car will remain stationary until then. Is this the head-bolt issue? I checked the coolant level, and it was fine.
I have recently bought a gently used e63 wagon with 59K on the clock. Since the purchase I put another 5k on the odometer. This morning, while running some errands, and on car start-up, my wife pointed out that there was some white smoke billowing past the doors. The smoke was coming from the exhaust and cleared up momentarily.
Shortly thereafter, when we got home, and dreading the head bolt issue, I immediately popped the hood, and started to look for trouble. Immediately I noticed that there was some fresh oil residue around the oil fill cap. Thinking (praying) that the car might have been overfilled with oil at its last service, I immediately checked the dip stick to find that the oil level was at the very top of the third plastic bump. I went ahead and drained about half a quart, and had my wife start the car. There was a tiny amount of white smoke from the tail pipe, and no warning indicators on the dash. The car sounded and ran fine.
I took the e63 for a spin around the block, to see if everything was back to normal, and within a quarter of a mile I noticed white smoke and a burning smell coming from the right side of the engine. I slowly drove back home, popped the hood, and noticed oil overspray on the right side of the engine by the firewall. Also, the left manifold was covered in oil. The white smoke was oil burning on the manifold. I also noticed a small pool of oil underneath the car.
So how screwed am I? I am going to have a call with my indie mechanic first thing on Monday. Of course, the car will remain stationary until then. Is this the head-bolt issue? I checked the coolant level, and it was fine.
Last edited by aprikh1; Oct 17, 2015 at 01:21 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 47
Likes: 2
W211 E63 Wagon, Audi R8
Also, could this be the valve cover gaskets?
Another option, is a bad PCV Valve / Breather hose. Dang, talk about putting a wrinkle on my weekend. Now I have to sit on pins and needles until Monday.
Another option, is a bad PCV Valve / Breather hose. Dang, talk about putting a wrinkle on my weekend. Now I have to sit on pins and needles until Monday.
Last edited by aprikh1; Oct 17, 2015 at 01:18 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 47
Likes: 2
W211 E63 Wagon, Audi R8
Hi Folks,
After an afternoon spent reading various threads on the forum, and having had a chance to cool off and stop panicking, I am thinking that the most reasonable course of action is to get my oil tested.
If it is indeed my valve cover gaskets leaking, then the oil should not have any coolant in it. However, if it is the dreaded head bolt issue, and there is coolant in the oil, then it makes no sense to drive the car to my mechanic, I will have it towed, and not risk further damage to the engine.
Coolant in the oil will also be a good indicator that one of the head bolts broke or has stretched, and I will not be able to do perform the ARP bolt installation, one bolt at a time, and will have to follow through with a more costly head removal.
Does my logic make sense? I am open to suggestions.
Thanks!
After an afternoon spent reading various threads on the forum, and having had a chance to cool off and stop panicking, I am thinking that the most reasonable course of action is to get my oil tested.
If it is indeed my valve cover gaskets leaking, then the oil should not have any coolant in it. However, if it is the dreaded head bolt issue, and there is coolant in the oil, then it makes no sense to drive the car to my mechanic, I will have it towed, and not risk further damage to the engine.
Coolant in the oil will also be a good indicator that one of the head bolts broke or has stretched, and I will not be able to do perform the ARP bolt installation, one bolt at a time, and will have to follow through with a more costly head removal.
Does my logic make sense? I am open to suggestions.
Thanks!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Canada
07 E63 + 07 CLK63CAB
Could also be PCV issue allowing pressure build up inside the engine.
You state fresh oil around the filler cap, pressure will find a way out .
Change the cover gaskets anyways, also check inside the spark plug wells for signs of oil.
Coolant has a sweet smell to it and well u now know what oil smell like if you seen it burning on the hot manifold.
Coolant in the oil will look like, well coolant and oil blended in a blender, gray slop!!
You state fresh oil around the filler cap, pressure will find a way out .
Change the cover gaskets anyways, also check inside the spark plug wells for signs of oil.
Coolant has a sweet smell to it and well u now know what oil smell like if you seen it burning on the hot manifold.
Coolant in the oil will look like, well coolant and oil blended in a blender, gray slop!!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 47
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W211 E63 Wagon, Audi R8
Bah, I should have provided update to this thread ages ago. Oh well better late than never.
The culprit of the white smoke problem was a faulty dipstick rubber gasket, and not a broken head-bolt as I originally feared. The torn gasket prevented the dipstick from sealing, and resulted in oil leaking down the engine block and onto the exhaust manifolds.
If anyone runs in to a similar problem, check your dipstick first before you freak out! I guess in the grand scheme of things, I should consider myself extremely fortunate that the total cost of the fix was a tow and a new dipstick
The culprit of the white smoke problem was a faulty dipstick rubber gasket, and not a broken head-bolt as I originally feared. The torn gasket prevented the dipstick from sealing, and resulted in oil leaking down the engine block and onto the exhaust manifolds.
If anyone runs in to a similar problem, check your dipstick first before you freak out! I guess in the grand scheme of things, I should consider myself extremely fortunate that the total cost of the fix was a tow and a new dipstick
