Leaf in Valve Cover

drevan · 01-12-2016, 10:54 AM

So yesterday i went to add some oil on my E92 07 335i when i found a strange object inside my cover. It turned out to be a leaf. I have no idea how it got there and the previous owner said he only serviced it at BMW so WOW. I tried picking it and i got a small piece and the rest fell apart and went in even further. I have no idea how long has been there and im little worried not if its going to cause any issues. Should i be opening the valve cover or should i leaf it alone.

mmmnot · 01-12-2016, 11:12 AM

That pun literally made be bust out laughing.

But I wouldn't worry. The oil filter will catch it or it will 'dissolve' with time. I'm not a mechanic, but this has happened to me with that little plastic/metal seal they have on oil bottles with one of my Hondas.

robthewrench · 01-12-2016, 12:43 PM

Leave it alone. The filter will catch the pieces as they get carried into the oil pan. As long as it can't jam / damage any of the top end valve mechanisms it won't do any damage. It should be soft enough not to be an issue.

maddmatt02 · 01-13-2016, 12:53 AM

hopefully that's not the root of future problems and nothing bad stems from it...

Efthreeoh · 01-13-2016, 06:56 AM

If it were my car, I'd rig up some type of small plastic tube, say 1/4 inch ID, and connect it to a shop vac and suck the leaf parts out. I could see the leaf parts clogging oil passages and possible starving a bearing of oil.

drevan · 01-13-2016, 12:10 PM

Since im getting ready to do the OFH gasket might as well do the Valve Cover Gasket and take that leaf out. It bugs me that is there plus who know what else i can find inside.

Needbmwpartzz · 01-13-2016, 12:25 PM

It would suck to have engine failure by leaf.
It's organic and assuming this leaf is not of substantial size I believe it would just disintegrate without much issue.....but my car guy inside tells me to do anything in my power to not let this be......must... get.... leaf... bits...out.... now!

maddmatt02 · 01-14-2016, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Needbmwpartzz

It would suck to have engine failure by leaf.
It's organic and assuming this leaf is not of substantial size I believe it would just disintegrate without much issue.....but my car guy inside tells me to do anything in my power to not let this be......must... get.... leaf... bits...out.... now!

I know the few leaves I never got out of my gravel when the trees dropped them MONTHS ago are still there just becoming a little more slimy... I think being in oil might possibly preserve them from being broken down... but who knows. harbor freight sells a little micro vacuum attachment that will adapt to a shop vac for about 7 bucks.

cdgatti · 01-17-2016, 12:47 AM

can't see anything in that pic. wouldn't worry about it.

vapore0n · 01-19-2016, 08:06 AM

squirrels?
Ive seen cars stuffed with nuts and leafs. Usually around the valve cover area.

I wouldnt worry about a leaf though.

TBN54 · 01-19-2016, 10:13 AM

OP, I think you should remove it if it bothers you enough. After it does get removed, you could finally say..

"What a releaf"

drevan · 01-19-2016, 11:19 AM

Indeed i am releafed

maddmatt02 · 01-19-2016, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drevan

Indeed i am releafed

or you are... de-leafed

01-12-2016, 10:54 AM	#1
drevan Enlisted Member 3 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Las Vegas iTrader: (1)	Leaf in Valve Cover So yesterday i went to add some oil on my E92 07 335i when i found a strange object inside my cover. It turned out to be a leaf. I have no idea how it got there and the previous owner said he only serviced it at BMW so WOW. I tried picking it and i got a small piece and the rest fell apart and went in even further. I have no idea how long has been there and im little worried not if its going to cause any issues. Should i be opening the valve cover or should i leaf it alone.
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01-12-2016, 11:12 AM	#2
mmmnot Custom User Title 409 Rep 1,337 Posts Drives: E92 328i Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Hotlanta iTrader: (2)	That pun literally made be bust out laughing. But I wouldn't worry. The oil filter will catch it or it will 'dissolve' with time. I'm not a mechanic, but this has happened to me with that little plastic/metal seal they have on oil bottles with one of my Hondas. __________________ My "build" thread
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01-12-2016, 12:43 PM	#3
robthewrench Captain 266 Rep 950 Posts Drives: 11 E90 335i Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Columbus OH iTrader: (0)	Leave it alone. The filter will catch the pieces as they get carried into the oil pan. As long as it can't jam / damage any of the top end valve mechanisms it won't do any damage. It should be soft enough not to be an issue. __________________ bone stock
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01-13-2016, 12:53 AM	#4
maddmatt02 Private First Class 8 Rep 117 Posts Drives: alpine white e90 Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: WA/USA iTrader: (0)	hopefully that's not the root of future problems and nothing bad stems from it... __________________ 07 A/W 335i 6AT/JB4/race BEF/FSB METH CM5/VRSF DP/DCI
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01-13-2016, 06:56 AM	#5
Efthreeoh General 19156 Rep 19,708 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	If it were my car, I'd rig up some type of small plastic tube, say 1/4 inch ID, and connect it to a shop vac and suck the leaf parts out. I could see the leaf parts clogging oil passages and possible starving a bearing of oil. __________________ A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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01-13-2016, 12:10 PM	#6
drevan Enlisted Member 3 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Las Vegas iTrader: (1)	Since im getting ready to do the OFH gasket might as well do the Valve Cover Gasket and take that leaf out. It bugs me that is there plus who know what else i can find inside.
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01-13-2016, 12:25 PM	#7
Needbmwpartzz Colonel 855 Rep 2,792 Posts Drives: 2009 bmw 328i x-drive Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Kitchener/Waterloo iTrader: (0)	It would suck to have engine failure by leaf. It's organic and assuming this leaf is not of substantial size I believe it would just disintegrate without much issue.....but my car guy inside tells me to do anything in my power to not let this be......must... get.... leaf... bits...out.... now!
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01-17-2016, 12:47 AM	#9
cdgatti Colonel 260 Rep 2,547 Posts Drives: e90 328i Join Date: May 2011 Location: KY iTrader: (4)	can't see anything in that pic. wouldn't worry about it. __________________ OEM Black grill and Blackline tails - LCI halogens with Lux V2 coded as DRL - 3M Crystalline - BMS PBX - OEM Euro Airbox with K&N - Hardwired CTEK - Bilstein B6 w/OEM springs and SP perches - Conti DWS06 - HiFi-Helix DSP - JLAudio HD/XD-Morel - CD changer trim - AE optical out
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01-19-2016, 08:06 AM	#10
vapore0n Captain 40 Rep 669 Posts Drives: 2010 335i Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: MA iTrader: (0)	squirrels? Ive seen cars stuffed with nuts and leafs. Usually around the valve cover area. I wouldnt worry about a leaf though.
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01-19-2016, 10:13 AM	#11
TBN54 Captain 425 Rep 793 Posts Drives: 08' E92 335 -> 17' F30 340i Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Upstate NY iTrader: (0)	OP, I think you should remove it if it bothers you enough. After it does get removed, you could finally say.. "What a releaf"
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01-19-2016, 11:19 AM	#12
drevan Enlisted Member 3 Rep 42 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Las Vegas iTrader: (1)	Indeed i am releafed Attached Images
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