Oil leak! Help!

I found out this morning that I have a big oil leak coming from the front of the area. Closer to the front belts, passenger side. I am not sure where its coming from. Looked from bottom and cant determine but its leaking a lot and for sure oil. The car just hit 80K miles.
Could it be the crank case shaft or?
Please help and if anyone know a reputable shop in the inland empire, california area, would greatly appreciate it.

If it happened suddenly it is most likely the vacuum pump. The dealer in Salt Lake charged me $397.00 I had a local Utah shop try and replace the O-Ring in the pump first, but it didn't help. I ended up buying the part and taking it to a friend that is a former BMW mechanic. The BMW repair guideline say it takes 1.5 hours. He did it in 20 minutes. It is a common failure on the 645 engine. I have 58,000 miles on my car and when that pump fails it leaks quickly without warning. If you put your hand underneath the vacuum pump you should feel the oil leak.

The old pump now sits on my desk at work because I think it is machined beautifully. It is interesting to see how it works, that black fin spins around and creates the vacuum pressure. I think it's purpose is to feed the break booster but I could be wrong.

Quinn, thank for the pictures. They really help. It did happen suddenly and alot.
When you put your hand under the vac pump, do you have the engine running to feel it?
Is there any other areas or parts to check?

I wouldn't have the engine running. Put your hand under the pump. If you get your hand oily that's a good Indicator. There is an oil pressure sensor right below that pump that can also fail. It's a standard part you can get from Napa for around $13. Easy to replace that also if you are doing the pump. Good luck.

Remove your lower cover to get a better look at the problem. Left side possible oil sensor or vacuum pump leak, right side could be possible alternator o-ring gasket. Did you check your oil level to confirm that it is motor oil, & not something else?

Good Luck!

Well I checked the vac pump and its not leaking from under or the unit. Put a towel under it to check and nothing. Difficult time finding/checking the oil pressure sensor. Can anyone advise?
For sure its oil and it looks like its coming from the passenger side, that's where its dripping from. Any other idea or part to check?
Weird thing is that the oil is still full. I got an oil change from the dealer a few weeks ago. Could the service of caused this issue?

Make sure that it is indeed oil and not transmission fluid.

Have you removed the lower plastic shield? You can't see much with removing that. It's not that bad, about 10 screws.

The oil filter housing might be cracked or improperly tightened.

Yes, checked it from the bottom. Hard to see where its coming from because oil over all over. Its definitely oil.* my friend thinks its coming from the crank seal. But that'd from the center and this looks like its from the passenger front side. Close to the vac pump area.

One of the upper timing cases? They both tend to leak but not gush.

Valve covers can gush but they are easy to see, unless they are leaking from the back. Can you take a pic?

Ill try to take pics. Just don't know where.
I'm taking the car to a shop today. Hopefully they can pinpoint the issue.
When we first looked at it, one of my friend thought it was coming from the crankcase main seal (the middle pulley on the engine). This is not a typical leak area..is it?

had the same issues for 1st 8weeks of ownership , , may be long winded but here goes , ,it may help you ? oil on drive spotted so book into a porsche indy i used regularly who said he would sort it (haha lol) he diagnoses its coming from upper cam cover gaskets & front engine cover & will be thousands so i should sell the car on , , i asked him to check the oil pressure switch & autobox casing but he says not from there , week later after much searching i am put onto ex master BMW technician of 20yrs now working solo just 7 miles from me , , , ,in the car goes ,, on ramps running for hour & he says new oil pressure switch & unfortunately upper cam covers & front engine cover , , , all done for around £600/£700 inclusive , , , he cleans the engine once more , ,runs on ramp again with no weepage on block & happily declares oil drip free , replaces under tray & i collect later , , ,he had checked the auto box pan but could find no cracks ?
day after oil still on drive , but what i notice is even if the car doesn,t move & i place cllean cardboard under the drop is still the same ? but its amber & odourless & my techie suggests the transmission oil isn,t that ?
anyhow car back in & a little logic later the transmission pan is changed with oil topped up (2 litres) total under £300
it makes sense when he explained , ,when car running on ramp the a/box oil is pumped around the torque converters & not sitting in sump , , ,hence no drip when looking on ramp on tickover.
so is your oil drip just after the car is ran or even when unused ?
& if yours hasn,t had the engine gaskets ( which after 66k/7yrs mine were shot . brittle & breaking up on removal) or oil pressure switch or a/box casing then chances are its 1 ,2 or all 3 jobs that need doing ?

Thanks for all the responses. Took to a indy shop. Turn out that it was the vacuum pump seal. Went in to replace the complete pump but after removal, he says that the pump was OK and looks like the seal only. So far OK. I put paper under the car and the pump to see how it is overnight.
Can't believe all that oil from their vacuum pump.
Thanks for everyone's help. Hopefully that's the only leak.

I did the exact same thing. Replaced the seal, it slowed the leak but it still leaked. Hope it works for you.

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