So, it's not rings, its not in the valve train. A compression test will not diagnose this. You have intermix which means combustion and cooling system pressures are communicating. The simplest (for anyone with any familiarity with the M96) , and cheapest answer is the oil cooler. That's the unicorns and rainbows answer, in other words, possible but not likely. The most likely answer (to the uninitiated) is a head gasket, but those are bullet proof on the M96 so strike that one out. That leaves you with cylinder failure or a cracked head. Not uncommon in this engine. But which one? Well, pull the plugs and look for the clean one. They are all dry and dirty? It's unicorns and rainbows, a good day. One is clean and wet? That's the bad actor. Pull the head over that cylinder and check the cylinder and the head. One of them is hosed. So grey beards, how'd I do?
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2003 S manual
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