Oil leak...but where???

I am getting oil spots on my drive and my parking space at work. Not much but is still a leak somewhere

I looked under my car just now and although most of it is bone dry, there is oil right down the centre of the engine underneath. it looks like to is coming from the front of the engine between the sump and the BIG pulley.

I checked my engine oil and that seems fine. i had a power steering leak about a month ago, but my mechanic said it was sorted. there seems to be quite a bit of oil on the underside of the car...but where is it coming from?

The oil seems to be quite clean and not black like engine oil (that has been used of course)

I attach pics to show what i mean

Any ideas??

Hmmm...Pirate.

Nasly leak....almost as bad as the leak in my wallet after my wife and kids get hold of it, but.....................

There only to things that come to mind,

1. Maybe a sump gasket has died and started to leak around the pully area. The air at the front of the engine would be enough to blast it over everything like it has.

2. The seal around the shaft of the pully itself has failed (I am asuming this as I cant see all of the pully and if its attached or connected by a shaft to maybe the crank)

Hope this helps.

you should steam clean the bottom of the car put in engine dye drive it for 100 miles and look again with a black light that should tell you whats the problem

Is there a front seal? can you replace it from just taking off pulley?

Thanks for the suggestions guys

Will put her up on the ramps tomorrow and have a look

Odd thing is that i really dont seem to be losing engine oil. at least not that much, i would say maybe 1cm off the dipstick

LOL pirate my e36 suffered this too. We took it back and the guy rekons its notorious for them to leak. Apparently its a 2 dollar gasket on the timing belt or someplace near.
Hope this helps u man. I would check it

Cheers buddy, will check it tomorrow.

Know it cant be too serious as there is no loss of performance or MPG and the engine oil seems to be pretty constant

yeah but oil leak isnt to pretty man. And if ur mates find out they will bag the ****s outtah ur bimmer. Mine is oil leak free now

LOL, my mates all drive bimmers or know better than to say anything derogatory against it!!

Will be fixed within 24 hours anyway

nice, see my mates hate bimmers. And if they find anything they will hang it on me for months!

that sucks!!!

yeap, sure does. They used to hang it on my e30 big time! But ever since i got the e36 they have shut up

hey pirate, what exactly was the part that needed to be replaced? sorry to bump this back up to the top, but i'm having the same problem

It was the seal behind the crank pulley.

I had to replace the hub too

Number 6 - http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...35&hg=11&fg=18

thanks!!

sorry, but i have to ask. what particular seal did you guys replace, aside from the hub. thanks.
Jerome