Oceanside Auto Repair

“A question we often hear being asked is “Why is my BMW smoking?” Unfortunately, there is usually not a clear answer off of the start and it’s something that may require a closer look. A BMW may smoke for many reasons, be various colors, and come from different areas of your car. If your car is smoking, it could be either internally or externally. If you have an internal leak, the valve stem seals may be the culprit or a possible head gasket malfunction is present. We have also had a few situations where a bad crankcase vent valve has caused a BMW to release a lot of smoke. An external oil leak could consist of something like a bad valve cover gasket which could allow oil to drip down onto your hot exhaust and then burn off, which would result in a bit of smoke. If you have a turbocharged engine, the turbocharger may be collecting engin ... read more

This is a question that gets asked more often than you may think. Gasoline or sometimes referred to as Fuel, has a noticeable scent and should be obvious when present. If your car Smells Like Gas it could be for many reasons. Worn Out Hoses Most vehicles have a few rubber hoses that help lead fresh gas from your gas tank to the engine. These rubber hoses will wear down due to everyday elements and the constant flow of fuel through them. Over time these pieces of rubber will crack and break down, allowing fuel to leak out. Leaking Fuel can be found Underneath the Engine, Outside of the Car, or sometimes even Inside the Car. Faulty Parts If this is not the reason that your Car Smells Like Fuel, there are a few other things that could be causing the smell. Another problem that can lead to a fuel odor from your car can be a Faulty Part. Common failure can be from a Fuel Pressure Regulator, an Injector, or an O-Ring. In other cases, we have seen failure in things such as a Faulty Gas Cap ... read more

BMW Oil Change: Turbocharged BMW vs Naturally AspiratedTurbocharged BMW engines need to have their oil changed every 5k miles. A turbo can get super hot, oil then will pass through the hot turbocharger, and the excessive heat causes the oil to break down faster. The bearings inside of a turbo have very tight clearances, this makes it a lot less forgiving when it comes to dirty or occasionally low oil. For a non-turbo BMW, based on what we’ve seen, we’ve found that a 7,500-mile interval is the sweet spot. At this mileage, the oil is still doing its job efficiently and it is vital to replace the engine oil before it’s too worn out and dirty. 7,500-mile oil changes are a great interval to properly maintain a naturally aspirated engine for many years to come. Make sure your engine oil stays consistently clean. Play it safe and receive an oil service every 5k miles on your ... read more

BMW Thrust Arm Bushings are responsible for dampening most of the back-and-forth movement of the front wheels of your BMW and provide stability when braking. When they wear out, they can make clunking sounds as you hit the brakes and can also cause a vibration. The bushings contain oil-filled rubber mounts that over time can weaken and crack, resulting in a sloppy quality or steering wheel vibration while going over bumps. If you’re curious whether your Thrust Arm Bushings are bad, have someone stand outside of the car (at a safe distance) and hit the brakes to decelerate. When thrust arm bushings go bad, you can visibly see that the wheel will move forward or backward instead of remaining stable while coming to a stop