What happens if I don't fix a minor oil leak with my rear main seal and drive an E46 w/ M54 engine 2000 miles?
I haven't been able to find another job in tech since I was laid off from Intel Corp near the end of the covid 19 pandemic in Oregon. Through a turn of events I ended up stranded in Missouri after a DV situation. There is absolutely zero opportunity here. I'm going to try and make it back to the pacific northwest alone.
My car, 2004 BMW E46 ZHP hit some black ice during the last winter cold snap and went off the road tearing out the front finder liners. Since then it also developed a minor oil leak mostly in it's rear main seal and oil pan gasket. It's minor enough that I can top up the oil occasionally without worrying about it getting too low. I don't have the funds to fix everything in this car right now. I'm hoping to head for WA and restart my life there (even if it means living out of my car for a while) where there will be more opportunity and less extreme winter weather.
My biggest question, what can I expect if I do not fix the minor oil leak or fender liners (which expose the engine bay to the elements) and drive it 2000 miles from Missouri to Washington? I think this might actually be a complementary set of problems since the small amount of oil covering the engine will protect it from corrosion until I can get my life back together and fix it properly. So far the biggest problem it causes is a faint white cloud that smells of burning coming from the rear upon starting up and a faint burning smell in the cab when the car is driving below highway speeds.
Before the recession I was able to turn most of the weak-points of the car into the strong points. That is, A complete overhaul and replacement of every cooling system component with stage3+ parts. That is aluminium Mishimoto radiator, a heavy duty water pump that will probably never have to be replaced again for the life of the car, new thermostat, tubing, belts, wheels, pump screws, hydraulic tensioner retrofit, etc. I'm not worried about cooling system failure.
New suspension dampeners and front crossbar, rebuild of the DISA with new parts, transmission fluid change (automatic ZF 5 speed), new wheels, summer tires (pilot sport mich 4s.
Summer tires are my biggest concern on this trip given their operating temperature. I'll have to shutdown during the night and take a more southern route going trough utah till i cross the rocky mountains given the time of year. I'll also have to head out quickly before it starts getting even colder.
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