Good Morning!

I've been on this website nonstop since I purchased my 2001 XKR (49k miles) from a BMW dealership about 5 weeks ago. Prior to the purchase, there was a small amount of smoke coming through the hood and hood vents. The dealer cut the price down an incredible amount (he was a friend, and it's pretty difficult to move a car like that in minnesota) and fixed what he thought to be the problem for free.

The service department identified the leak coming from the valve cover gaskets, which they replaced and identified the issue as fixed. About a week later i noticed the same smoking so i took it back in. At no cost, they replaced the valve cover gasket grommets. PROBLEM SOLVED!

Since then, the minnesota weather has heated up to a blistering 40 degrees so i've put about 400 miles on her. This morning was the first time I noticed the smoke again, coming from the same spot (attached). I swear it hasn't happened before this morning, as I've been watching it like a hawk.

Anyone experience chronic smoking like this?

 

If y'all couldn't tell, I'm not the most car savvy person on the planet, but I really do want to learn everything there is to know about this car. I've been scouring this forum and already gained more knowledge than i could have elsewhere, but please bare with me if I ask any stupid questions leave anything obvious out! :P

 

Everyone thinks that if it leaks tighten it. That doesn't work with these cars. A common problem with valve cover oil leaks is that someone tightened the valve cover down too tight and cracked the plastic.

Can't tell much from the photo but removing the cover for inspection is probably the next move.

 

I have the same problem on the same place on my 2002 XKR. I found out the last lower screw holding the cover is the bad guy. It feels like it hits the bottom of the thread Before tightening. The other ones feels like normal slowly giving more resistance. The last one goes from zero to stuck. I will adress this when I Wake her up from the Winter sleep in a month and see if there is something special with this one. It is a stupid placement aswell.

 

Thanks for the replies. I will take a look when I get home, but is this something that I should consider detrimental to the vehicle? Any chance it could wait until Easter for my brother-in-law to look at it, checking the oil levels from time to time?

 

It probably not leaking enough to make much difference in the oil level but as long as you keep the oil level up all it is only a smoky, stinky aggravation.

You might want to have access to a good valve cover for the inspection removal. The plastic cover isn't really repairable.

 

almost all shops will overtighten those rear lower bolts seeing as it is such a pain to get at they usually don't use a torgue wrench seeing as its such a tight fit... the gasket is only about an 1/8 th of an inch wide and if overtightened in flattens out and viola leak situation. I replaced both of mine and added a little permatex in that area on both sides then tightened till just snug and havnt had a recurance .

 

Mine has been leaking there for about 3 months. Replaced the gaskets twice and inspected the cover but it still leaks. Third time i used some sealant aswell as a new gasket it still leaked then i removed it again cleaned off the sealant and tried a new gasket torqued the bolts up in sequence and it still leaks i have given up and just put up with the smoke. I have had a camera down there and it drips on to the heatsheild below the. Drops on the exhaust creating the smoke. Looks alot worse than it actually is

 

Latest update, and more proof that I'm new at this I'm working hard to get the basics!

Turns out the 'Smoke' smell was not smoke, but steam. Apparently the coolant reservoir had a leak, causing some to spill out onto the exhaust manifold when the car was warmed up. Luckily, the dealership I purchased it at agreed to fix it at no cost as it's been steaming since I got it. I even got to drive around a 2015 BMW 328i, which wasn't so bad!

Thanks for all the comments, I'm sure i'll be back :P