[Bmwe39528i]

What's the problem, oil consumption or vacuum leak?

For oil consumption, you can soak your rings overnight. For me it didn't help, on my M54 oil consumption was about 1 liter per 1000 km. I jacked each side on the engine overnight, to get the pistons horizontally flat. Then poured that GM/Acdelco (forgot the serial number) stuff to get the rings unstuck. Did that on each side, but didn't help. I have a feeling that it just leaked past the rings and probably didn't even get into the grooves to dissolve the carbon build up.

Only when I added a bottle of Lucas synthetic oil stabilizer, the honey-like stuff, did my oil consumption drop to 0 liters per 10 000 km.

For the vacuum leaks etc., I too decided I could outsmart bmw engineers, and read and watched all the videos that exist regarding CCV delete mod.
First I installed the oil catch can, but I was sick and tired of constantly emptying it.
Then I removed the oil catch can and just routed the hose directly, like in this video

It didn't help with oil consumption either (before I used lucas).

If I could go back, I would have replaced the oem parts instead of doing these ghetto mods.
If and when I remove the intake manifold again, I will definitely reinstall a brand new oem system back.
Yes it will fail at some point, but probably after 100 000 km...so I'm sure it will outlive any of the DIY methods.

Yes 50skid is a great guy and I learned a lot watching his videos, but whatever he's doing with this mod is pure speculation, he's not an automotive engineer.

My 2 cents

Looking forward to see your test results with the smoke machine

 

[Jackelope_Kyle]

how would one smoke test their appendix?

I was kidding, referring to the CCV as an organ you can live without

 

[mattmar1]

oops

 

[haolibird]

Matt,

You haven't removed your own appendix?
And here I've held you in such high esteem for your expertise in DIY...

A reevaluation is in order.

Bones McCoy

 

[haolibird]

Yes 50skid is a great guy and I learned a lot watching his videos, but whatever he's doing with this mod is pure speculation, he's not an automotive engineer.

That may be, but I went from the engine drinking more than Otis, to near zero oil consumption, using the mod Jason shared.

Hey, I'm no Gynecologist, but I'll take a look...

Hb

 

[mattmar1]

Matt,

You haven't removed your own appendix?
And here I've held you in such high esteem for your expertise in DIY...

A reevaluation is in order.

Bones McCoy

done a few practice ones before i do my own, none have been successful. just learning and awaiting the first survivor case.

 

[E30 e39 e46 owner]

I had an e46 m54b25 for a while, it had about 240,000 miles on it. I sold it to my nephew.

Anyway, it burned oil and had vac leaks (I got a proper smoke machine and love it). As far as I could tell the hard coolant pipes were original and so was the CCV so I took the intake off and replaced all of that stuff.

My takeaway is that the OEM stuff lasts a very long time so why change it? Do your coolant pipes and replace the CCV. I also used the Liqui-Moly engine flush and did 2 oil changes/treatments in about a month’s time. Best I can tell the oil rings freed up and the oil burn slowed significantly. I put the engine flush stuff in and drove about 100 miles (not what they recommend) each time.

 

[Jackelope_Kyle]

Update:I ran the smoke test but just before that I saw coolant puddled up on the waffle area just below where the hard hoses would be, glad I saw that, but the smoke results weren't too bad a very small amount from that difficult small hose to the Idle air intake, so i pushed that on a little farther and tightened it. But then plenty of smoke coming from above coils 3 and 4. Video: Difficult to take video with only two hands.

I remember the last time I did the VC gasket overtightening a bolt and hearing a small crack but pretending I didnt and everything was fine lol. So oddly and luckily last time I was at the yard I actually grabbed an entire VC from a E39 that they just got in that was the cleanest I've ever seen, seals and all not a spot on it no oil the thing looks brand new. So I will replace it with that for the cheap.

But I've made the decision after watching so many videos just to take the entire air intake manifold off, replace the two coolant hard hoses, replace the entire CCV and hoses, gaskets/seals, replace any other suspect vacuum lines, and clean er up.

Thanks for the help all

 

[haolibird]

Get your spray bottle with Dawn dish soap and clean all the gunk out from behind the intake.
Works great.
I think I went and replaced the starter just because.
The V8 can be replaced in less than 30 minutes R&R.
Not so with the I6...

 

[Jackelope_Kyle]

Get your spray bottle with Dawn dish soap and clean all the gunk out from behind the intake.
Works great.
I think I went and replaced the starter just because.
The V8 can be replaced in less than 30 minutes R&R.
Not so with the I6...

I6 of course we wouldn't want this to be easy and quick haha

 

[Jackelope_Kyle]

I had an e46 m54b25 for a while, it had about 240,000 miles on it. I sold it to my nephew.

Anyway, it burned oil and had vac leaks (I got a proper smoke machine and love it). As far as I could tell the hard coolant pipes were original and so was the CCV so I took the intake off and replaced all of that stuff.

My takeaway is that the OEM stuff lasts a very long time so why change it? Do your coolant pipes and replace the CCV. I also used the Liqui-Moly engine flush and did 2 oil changes/treatments in about a month’s time. Best I can tell the oil rings freed up and the oil burn slowed significantly. I put the engine flush stuff in and drove about 100 miles (not what they recommend) each time.

Sounds like I'm undertaking the exact same project now. About how long did it take you?

 

[haolibird]

It's a nice Saturday project.
A six-pack and half a pack of smokes...
It's a healthy project, but not difficult.
Hell, getting the fan shroud off is probably the hardest part.

 

[mattmar1]

ccv and all hoses (without removing IM) took me about 3 hrs. as youre gonna remove the IM and change the hard lines as well, that job is about a 6 hr job, minimal additional time for the CCV.

 

[Jackelope_Kyle]

It's a nice Saturday project.
A six-pack and half a pack of smokes...
It's a healthy project, but not difficult.
Hell, getting the fan shroud off is probably the hardest part.

Thats all?

 

[Jackelope_Kyle]

ccv and all hoses (without removing IM) took me about 3 hrs. as youre gonna remove the IM and change the hard lines as well, that job is about a 6 hr job, minimal additional time for the CCV.

Oh wow. I was getting ready to buy a diesel garage heater and dedicate about 3-4 weekends to it ha. I've watched plenty of the removal videos, doesn't seem difficult, just figured it would take far longer than expected, as usual

 

[redram]

Get your spray bottle with Dawn dish soap and clean all the gunk out from behind the intake.
Works great.
I think I went and replaced the starter just because.
The V8 can be replaced in less than 30 minutes R&R.
Not so with the I6...

And, it takes about 28 of those 30 minutes to get that upper V8 starter bolt. 🤫

 

[Bmwe39528i]

It took me a day to take it apart and put it back together. Definitely not a fun job. Take your time, label all the connectors, so you don't get them mixed up. Changing those 2 hard plastic pipes is an excellent idea. At some point URO had a metal version, but not sure if that's needed or still available.
I would definitely replace the starter as well "while in there".

 

[Jackelope_Kyle]

It took me a day to take it apart and put it back together. Definitely not a fun job. Take your time, label all the connectors, so you don't get them mixed up. Changing those 2 hard plastic pipes is an excellent idea. At some point URO had a metal version, but not sure if that's needed or still available.
I would definitely replace the starter as well "while in there".

Yeah happy to hear it's not going to be a long process and I can buy a much cheaper garage heater. You read my mind about labeling the connectors. First thing I thought while watching the video was that gripping the bolts and taking pictures at each step. Thank you

 

[Bmwe39528i]

I bought something like this

Amazon.ca

Super handy for labeling everything
I always put the bolts and nuts back on, once I remove the component, that way I don't mix them.
I'm sure you'll know but just in case, replace the o-rings on those pipes.

Also, you might know this already, but i just found out. Open the hood all the way, but disconnecting struts on both sides and installing bolts. Makes a huge difference, and hood doesn't block the lighting on top

 

[redram]

Update:I ran the smoke test but just before that I saw coolant puddled up on the waffle area just below where the hard hoses would be, glad I saw that, but the smoke results weren't too bad a very small amount from that difficult small hose to the Idle air intake, so i pushed that on a little farther and tightened it. But then plenty of smoke coming from above coils 3 and 4. Video: Difficult to take video with only two hands.

I remember the last time I did the VC gasket overtightening a bolt and hearing a small crack but pretending I didnt and everything was fine lol. So oddly and luckily last time I was at the yard I actually grabbed an entire VC from a E39 that they just got in that was the cleanest I've ever seen, seals and all not a spot on it no oil the thing looks brand new. So I will replace it with that for the cheap.

But I've made the decision after watching so many videos just to take the entire air intake manifold off, replace the two coolant hard hoses, replace the entire CCV and hoses, gaskets/seals, replace any other suspect vacuum lines, and clean er up.

Thanks for the help all

What smoke tester did you just get? It seems to have a pretty good volume that it can deliver.