[Jonsiu]

Hi all, I just went to BMW dealership and got my car checked up and found/told by the SA that the valve cover gasket is leaking to the engine bay. I realized this too as when I normally drive, there would be a burning smell. They said they would replace it and it is covered by warranty. This is my second time replacing the valve cover gasket under warranty, last time it was replaced was August of 2011. My question is what could be causing it? I mean the car is fairly new and usually don't happen to cars that are 3-4 years old. My concern is that my warranty is ending this August, and I don't want to deal with this issue after my warranty expires as it is very expensive if not covered by warranty.

Here are my infos if that helps:

-brand new(not a CPO)08' 328xi coupe
-mileage 53,264km
-no engine mods currently

Any inputs would be appreciated!

[queensfield]

My guess is increased pressure in the engine area may lead to valve cover gasket leak. One possible cause could be clogged PCV valve and/or hose. Ask them to check it and you are right in finding out the root cause of valve cover gasker leak. However, the diagnosis you posted above also points to valvetronic motor seal as a possibility too.

[Jonsiu]

Originally Posted by queensfield

My guess is increased pressure in the engine area may lead to valve cover gasket leak. One possible cause could be clogged PCV valve and/or hose. Ask them to check it and you are right in finding out the root cause of valve cover gasker leak. However, the diagnosis you posted above also points to valvetronic motor seal as a possibility too.

Ya thanks, I asked them but they could not seem to find the root of the cause.. rather they just replace whats defective everytime. Hopefully they can find whats going wrong this Friday.

[jli801]

i had a leak too in engine bay and was covered in oil and soil everywhere. Dealer recommended me replace the oil filter housing gasket and valve cover gasket. I found that the valve cover gasket wouldn't be as big of a culprit compared to the oil filter housing which was more problematic. I replaced the oil filter housing gasket myself and have had no leaks so far for a couple weeks. just my opinion though and your situation may be different and more localized.

-jeff

[Jonsiu]

thanks for the inputs

[mlifxs]

fyi I posted earlier this week...
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=675856

some speculate possibility of over-torqued broken bolts. I'm out of warranty so I'll be checking it out first, maybe DIY maybe head for the shop.

[buffalotr8]

The leaking valve cover gaskets are covered by CPO? I bought a mint 2007 328i on Sunday, only had 65,000Km and still had a year of CPO on it. Private sale. I picked it up, drove home in 30 minutes and pulled into the garage to find smoke from under the hood. Sure enough, oil on the side of the engine. I crapped my pants and called the seller back. He was a gentleman and took it right back and gave me my money back. He took it into a BMW dealer on Monday and they said, leaking valve cover gaskets, and that gaskets and seals WERE NOT COVERED BY CPO and buddy had to pay $1150 to fix it! We both found it odd that an engine leak wouldn't be covered by CPO!!!!! Now on this thread someone said it was covered. WTF?

[queensfield]

Valve cover gasket is definitely covered by CPO here in US. Someone I know got it replaced under CPO warranty about 2-3 months back. I think warranty terms should be the same in Canada as in USA.

[forever_speed]

You aren't the only one.. I have the same problem on my 06

[dhallsim]

Hi,


I went to Hassel BMW for a oil change, the servicemen told me afterwards that i had Valve cover gasket leaking. This is the 2nd time this has happened to me, I am out of warranty and don't trust the dealer. Should i go to a indy shop? what are your recommendations?...How to fix the problem? How do i know if hes telling me the truth or not. The engine light just came on.

[queensfield]

You first need to determine the cause of engine light on by getting the codes read. Leaking oil through valve cover gasket is a different issue, unless you have the +1qt oil indicator on, if too much oil has been lost. If the valve cover gasket is new, perhaps your oil filter housing gasket is leaking, not your valve cover gasket. You can try to clean wherever you see oil with a rag, and then run the car to identify the source if you can.

A specialized german car indy would be a good choice to get the engine codes read and to diagnose the real source of leaking oil.

[Jonsiu]

Had my valve cover gasket replaced under warranty again.

[nate5ks]

I found my valve cover gasket to be leaky about a year ago. Local indy shop said vibrations cause the aluminum bolts that hold the valve cover on to break and the gasket starts to leak. It cost me about $50 for a new set of bolts and the gaskets and a whole day of my time because I had to buy tools as i needed them since it was my first project on the car. I got broken bolts out with a power drill and extractor bit.

[Jonsiu]

Originally Posted by nate5ks

I found my valve cover gasket to be leaky about a year ago. Local indy shop said vibrations cause the aluminum bolts that hold the valve cover on to break and the gasket starts to leak. It cost me about $50 for a new set of bolts and the gaskets and a whole day of my time because I had to buy tools as i needed them since it was my first project on the car. I got broken bolts out with a power drill and extractor bit.

You da man! lol I am no technician, but do you think BMW already replaced the aluminum bolts for me or just the valve cover gasket?

[nate5ks]

Originally Posted by Jonsiu

You da man! lol I am no technician, but do you think BMW already replaced the aluminum bolts for me or just the valve cover gasket?

They are supposed to. There is even a label in my engine compartment that says all aluminum bolts which are marked blue in most cases must be replaced if they are removed and they aren't terribly expensive. New ones must be torqued to specs to avoid breaking them. Get yourself a Bentley manual if you're interested in doing your own maintenance once your warranty is up.

[asuresh8]

At least you get your valve cover gaskets fixed. Global Imports said straight to my face that the leak was within spec and not to be worried about. Another one of the many reasons I am selling my BMW.

[Saintor]

BAD design. Mine was changed once under warranty and needs another one.

[stylin20]

Originally Posted by Jonsiu

Had my valve cover gasket replaced under warranty again.

Where did you get your's replaced under warranty?? Mine is leaking as well. CPO ends in October. But AutoWest SA says not covered under warranty and wants $1,000.00!! Please help!!!