E46 engine internal wear. Burns oil like crazy.

The engine should run like a bag of poo with the oil cap undone.What you are doing is creating an air bypass to the manifold with the cap off.This unmetered air causes the dme to richen the mixture up to a point but not enough to compensate....You would also find the dme light comes on as the emissions go through the roof.

I would say you have a crankcase breathing problem somewhere,I think you need to pop the manifold off to check the fitment of the scavenger.

Theres a vacuum pipe that goes from the scavenger to the inlet manifold.You need to make sure it isnt trapped or perished...Unfortunately thats manifold off for that,all other pipes can be checked then as well.

Trying to make sure every avenue is covered before an engine is fitted.

The only oil that passes into the scavenger is from crankcase breathing.it has a cyclone effect which catches the particals of oil and lets them run off to the sump,and let the air in the manifold for burn...If for any reason the the pipes block or kink the crankcase pressure will rise and pump the oil to the manifold........

The pipes run through and under the manifold...one of the pipes runs from the n/s top front of the cam cover and heads down under the manifold.

When the engine is running,undo the oil filler cap..Is there alot of pressure-gasp of air and does the engine then run roughly?

The kits we tend to use cost £200+ and you will also need an air compressor .The job although similar to what you have just done is easily misread.

I should take about an hour to do and could be done by any good indie-a stealer will cost a fair bit.

I know the pipes were replaced but my concern is that they are placed correctly..not kinked.Or even blocked..What condition was the scavenger/cyclone/breather/oil seperator

The oil in the manifold will give a clue as to whether the fault is engine or breathing...If its clear then the oil has to be internal....Its the amount of oil thats being lost thats odd.If thats through wear then the engine would struggle to start and run...That amount of oil cant pass through a head gasket or valve guide or even through a crack without causing major running difficulties.....Very interesting!!!!Im raking through the grey matter on this one

Those compressions are fine....Any sign of oil in the coolant?

I would be looking to take the manifols off and checking for crankcase breather failure-pipe collapsed/poorly routed.You may find a large amount of oil sat at the bottom of the manifold...

After this you need to carry out a cylinder leakage test-thisa test puts a compression into the cylinder and the overal leakage of air should be no greater than 5 % - 10 %  havent had to do this since the early nikosil problem...oh and the new e65 v12 n73 engine

We dont see any other problems with these as such..head gaskets,heads,engines very very rare indeed.

This should help you....

http://e46fanatics.com/howto/howtodetail.php?howto_id=44

Hi, Im just in the process of doing the compression test and I have come across some plastic covers over the plugs which are bolted down with 2 bolts. Is there a rubber seal underneath these that I mite damage ??

Just wanted to be sure before I continue.

Thanks.