Unofficialbmw.com

[rbunch4468]

I had to drop off my E32 at my (non-dealer) mechanics...It was running very rough and blowing smoke through the exhaust. All had been well up until now. I have never experienced such a quick unraveling of a piece of machinery!

It looks like a small vacuum leak was part of the problem...but further examination after removing the PCV plate has revealed quite a bit of oil in the intake manifold.

My mechanic has suggested a leak down test followed by a compression test.

I decided to call my local BMW dealership, and when that proved fruitless, BMWNA.

BMW NA has told me that I'm on my own. They will not pay for a leak down test, and certainly not for anything beyond that should the leak down test fail. They told me that the terms of the 6 year, 100,000 warranty applied only to original owners, who serviced their cars exclusively through dealerships.

My E32 has 82,000 miles, but is 9 years old. I have read of others who have managed to get this work done out of the literal terms of the warranty, what gives?

I am the second owner, maintain my car well, but not through a dealership. Is this the price I pay? I bought the car with 60,000 mi, and had visions of driving this car for several hundred thousand miles.

At this point, although I have enjoyed driving this car for the past year, they have proven to be extremely expensive miles! Why would I want to continue doing this?

Any suggestions?

[MBennett]

The oil in the intake is a result of the PCV plate going bad. This valve regulates the suction of gases from the crankcase, and when it goes bad, it sucks alot of oil into the intake. Clean it up, replace the plate, and you should be fine.
The Nik engine problems caused uneven idle, and loss of compression. They didn't cause oil in intake.