Excellent performance and BMW’s go hand in hand. These European model vehicles are popular among people who want to enjoy high-quality rides while maintaining comfort and sleek elegance.
For this to be possible, BMW designers incorporated cutting-edge technology to ensure you continue to enjoy premium rides. So when your BMW develops oil cooler gasket issues, it is understandable to get frustrated.
Oil cooler gasket faults are particularly common in BMW 6 series. Let’s dive deeper into this valuable car component to understand why it’s such an important component in your driving experience.
Chill Out
The engine in your BMW 6 series needs to be at a certain temperature for it to run efficiently. If this temperature gets any higher than recommended, the engine will overheat and create even bigger problems.
For instance it’s not unheard of for an engine to overheat so much that it stalls completely. This is where the oil cooler gasket comes in. For the engine to remain within the recommended temperatures as it runs, oil needs to be cooled down in the cooling system.
This is what the coolant in your BMW 6 series does. The coolant passes through the engine to remove part of the heat that is produced as the fuel burns in the combustion chamber, leaving only enough heat to power the car.
As part of the cooling system, the oil cooler gasket is directly responsible for ensuring that oil stays inside the engine for it to be cooled. By containing the oil in the engine for cooling, the oil cooler gasket makes it possible for the oil to provide the much needed lubrication to the moving parts in the engine.
Since the oil cooler gasket is made of rubber material, this component often wears out with continuous use. This wear is often as a result of the excessive expansion and contraction caused by the changes in the temperature as the engine runs. The rubber oil cooler gasket over time dries out, loses its elasticity and starts to crack. This as a result hampers the flow of proper oil temperature through the engine. In turn, the different parts in the engine that depend on this optimum temperature for lubrication end up grinding against each other, causing even bigger problems.
Effects of oil cooler gasket failure
When the oil cooler gasket in your BMW develops faults, there will be significant changes in your driving experience. Below are some of the signs that you’ll need to keep an eye out for.
- Oil puddle under car: When the oil cooler gasket fails to contain oil in the cooling system, the oil might start leaking out of the engine and down to the ground. This is why you should be careful to seek help if you notice a puddle of dark brown fluid under the front part of your car after you’ve been parking for a while. This brown liquid often has hues of rainbow colors on the surface when hit by light at an angle. Oil leaks from the oil cooler gasket failure can be dangerous if left unchecked because the hot temperatures in the engine bay can cause the oil to ignite and start a fire. To avoid this, get the help of a BMW specialist to help before disaster strikes.
- Overheating engine: The oil cooler gasket plays an important role in ensuring that the engine temperature in your BMW remains at the optimum level. This is why when the oil cooler gasket is unable to contain the oil in the cooling system to lower the temperatures, the engine will overheat. Driving with an overheating engine is dangerous to you and other road users, and it’s also detrimental to your car’s well-being.
- Dismal engine performance: The excessive temperatures in the engine will cause your car to underperform. This will be more pronounced when you try to accelerate as the engine oil will not be sufficiently cooled to optimize the temperature for the expected performance. Other effects of a faulty oil cooler gasket include black smoke from the exhaust of the car as well as unusual vibrations as you drive.
Bavarium Autoworks for your BMW 6 Series
If you’re in and around Cupertino, Palo Alto, 
San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga, or Mountain View, California, reach out to Bavarium Autoworks today. We will get back on the road safely with confidence in your BMW again. Call us today.