[vasillalov]

Hi Everyone,

My original valve cover gasket was leaking so I bought a new one to replace it along with new bolts. I found out that the old gasket has hardened and had 2 cracks in it. Oil was dripping down from the oil "tray" and onto the turbo outlet and further down onto the exhaust. Due to heat, it was smoking and causing the smoke to enter the passenger cabin. Basically, the classic valve cover gasket leak.


I also examined the valve cover itself very carefully as I know they are prone to cracking. I also put it on a level surface to make sure it is not warped. The valve cover itself is in perfect condition - no hairline cracks, no warping.

So I replaced the gasket and the bolts with BMW parts. Everything went smoothly. I torqued the bolts to 75 in lbs as per specifications.

Much to my surprise, the oil leak is still there! In just a short trip (10 miles) I can smell the oil burning up again and I can see that there is oil on that oil tray that's right under the vacuum solenoids. However, I can't see any oil on top of the engine head. It's all dry there.

So what gives?

I have the RB turbo PCV valve. I tested it and it seemed to work fine. There is a metal ball bearing inside it and it was moving freely.

I suspect that somehow there is just too much pressure inside the VC under boost and that's causing the VC gasket to leak.

Any suggestions, ideas of what to do next? I don't want to just throw parts at this thing hoping it will get fixed.

[Mustafa.e92]

Could be old residue do you try to clean it. I've heard the gasket can leak if not installed properly/rolled

[Emilime75]

Could be residue. Could be a hairline crack that you missed.
Could be the gasket is not seated right(very common and easy to do when reinstalling-use a small mirror and go around every inch of the cover to head mating surface to check). Could be that you didn't clean the head mating surface well enough. Could be that you didn't follow the tightening sequence pattern(did you?).

As easy as this job should be, it's easier to get something wrong.

[vasillalov]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

Could be residue. Could be a hairline crack that you missed.
Could be the gasket is not seated right(very common and easy to do when reinstalling-use a small mirror and go around every inch of the cover to head mating surface to check). Could be that you didn't clean the head mating surface well enough. Could be that you didn't follow the tightening sequence pattern(did you?).

As easy as this job should be, it's easier to get something wrong.

Thanks for the suggestions! I appreciate it.

The mating surface was cleaned immaculately. I have a plastic scraper (so I don't scratch the head) and I was able to clean it perfectly. I also wiped it clean completely with alcohol to remove any chances of anything being left behind.

Sequence pattern? There was not one defined in the Bentley manual nor did I find one in the official BMW manual. So I created my own - I started from the inside bolts out.

Where would that residue be coming from? I wiped everything so clean I could eat from it. ...and I mean everything - the head mating surface, the VC, the oil tray for the vacuum lines, the vacuum lines themselves, the O2 sensor wires, literally everything was wiped clean.

Before I spend more money on a new VC and VC gasket kit, is there anything else I should be checking?

[feuer]

Originally Posted by vasillalov

Thanks for the suggestions! I appreciate it.

The mating surface was cleaned immaculately. I have a plastic scraper (so I don't scratch the head) and I was able to clean it perfectly. I also wiped it clean completely with alcohol to remove any chances of anything being left behind.

Sequence pattern? There was not one defined in the Bentley manual nor did I find one in the official BMW manual. So I created my own - I started from the inside bolts out.

Where would that residue be coming from? I wiped everything so clean I could eat from it. ...and I mean everything - the head mating surface, the VC, the oil tray for the vacuum lines, the vacuum lines themselves, the O2 sensor wires, literally everything was wiped clean.

Before I spend more money on a new VC and VC gasket kit, is there anything else I should be checking?

What a coincidence! I have been meaning to call you! The aluminum tray is folded and traps good amount of oil. From vibrations oil travels up into the fold. Molecular gravity or what ever they call it. Make sure you blow that fold clean from oil residual oil. If if leaking you will be able to see it from where oil is coming from. If gasket is pinched you will need to re do it. I always use spray glue. Hair spray works too. I’m doing one soon on the ST and can help you with new gasket if needed.

[infinite_creations25]

Originally Posted by feuer

What a coincidence! I have been meaning to call you! The aluminum tray is folded and traps good amount of oil. From vibrations oil travels up into the fold. Molecular gravity or what ever they call it. Make sure you blow that fold clean from oil residual oil. If if leaking you will be able to see it from where oil is coming from. If gasket is pinched you will need to re do it. I always use spray glue. Hair spray works too. I’m doing one soon on the ST and can help you with new gasket if needed.

^I had the exact same experience. I didn't thoroughly clean the aluminum tray properly and residual oil continued to leak from the folds and out onto the tray and down the exhaust manifold. Problem was gone after I cleaned the tray a second time.

[tcphoto]

I did mine a few days ago and made sure the surface was clean. I hand tightened the external bolts opposite each other starting with the one next to the OFH. Then moved to the internal bolts in the same pattern before doing the final tightening. I was pleased to not smell oil when I took it out for a drive.

I suspect that you are burning off residual oil since it sounds like you covered all the bases.

[Bimmer_Engineer]

I'll second or third what the previous posters have said. I did my VCG last year and had some smoke and burning oil afterwards from the same place it was leaking prior to the change. So I did it again and damned if it wasn't still smoking at the same place. I decided to just leave it and drive the car and it went away after a few days...

[vasillalov]

Originally Posted by feuer

What a coincidence! I have been meaning to call you! The aluminum tray is folded and traps good amount of oil. From vibrations oil travels up into the fold. Molecular gravity or what ever they call it. Make sure you blow that fold clean from oil residual oil. If if leaking you will be able to see it from where oil is coming from. If gasket is pinched you will need to re do it. I always use spray glue. Hair spray works too. I’m doing one soon on the ST and can help you with new gasket if needed.

I am digging the hairspay idea man! Yeah I will keep wiping and testing a few more times to see if it improves. If not, I'll just get a new VC and VC gasket and do it again.

Yeah man, hit me up when you get a chance. It'll be good to hear from you.

[feuer]

Originally Posted by vasillalov

I am digging the hairspay idea man! Yeah I will keep wiping and testing a few more times to see if it improves. If not, I'll just get a new VC and VC gasket and do it again.

Yeah man, hit me up when you get a chance. It'll be good to hear from you.

Wiping won’t help. You here to either use compressed air or put the little red straw from the brake cleaner exactly where the fold is. I have one VCG for the ST that I will be working on soon and can get you one too if needed.