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R56 Need help with locating oil leak

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Old Mar 26, 2026 | 06:25 PM
  #1  
white46's Avatar
white46
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Need help with locating oil leak

So a few months ago, I replaced turbo oil feed/return lines and oil filter housing gaskets, and recently I've been smelling oil burning smell again.
I thought it's the turbo oil feed line again, so I opened it up again, but surprisingly the line is fine.
Based on the photos, does it look like oil is leaking from valve cover gasket??




Clean oil feed line and oil filter housing.
Clean oil feed line and oil filter housing.


Clean oil feed line and oil filter housing.
Clean oil feed line and oil filter housing.
Oil residue on exhaust mani cover.
Oil residue on exhaust mani cover.

Bolts are baked with oil.
Bolts are baked with oil.
Oil residue on exhaust mani cover.
Oil residue on exhaust mani cover.
Heatshield that is between cat and turbo oil feed line.  Notice the oil residues are on the top of the cover, which mates to exhaust manifold cover.
Heatshield that is between cat and turbo oil feed line. Notice the oil residues are on the top of the cover, which mates to exhaust manifold cover.
 
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Old Today | 03:44 AM
  #2  
mkov608's Avatar
mkov608
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I've used this several times to help identify the source of oil leaks.

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Old Today | 08:06 AM
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ECSTuning's Avatar
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Valve cover gasket is my guess. But i dont see the top gasket leaking. Might be a pinhole leak on a line or a bad copper washer. I would clean it out and check again after a heat cycle.
 
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