[SoupAnxiety]

Hi all,

I've got an annoying whine from my CCV, it's been diagnosed as such (with the possibility of it being another breather, but probably the CCV). The advice I have been given is that it will need attention someday but given that the CCV is part of the head on the N53 (!) wait for it to develop into something more serious. The whine is there on acceleration and at certain speeds (30 MPH is a favourite). It's annoying more than anything else.

Do you have any suggestions for a "cleansing" type fix, without taking the head off? I have an oil flush at every oil change and I'm hoping this might fix the issue. I think I'm asking for the impossible but if there's a £10 additive which might circulate to the right area I'd give it a go.

Thanks!

[wallsmk2]

I don't know for sure, but the ccv is built into the rocker cover on the n53 not the head. I couldn't see this being a massive job but no idea on the part cost

[Dormermike]

Does it stop if you lift the oil filler cap, assuming you can hear it at idle?

[SoupAnxiety]

It stops as soon as the oil filler cap is lifted. There's an incredibly strong vacuum on the cap and the CCV is suspected. I've ordered a replacement CCV cap and membrane (instead of the new valve cover from BMW) and am going to give it a go, I'll post here.

[Dormermike]

Please do. My n53 makes a whining noise which goes when the cap is lifted but the vacuum is not overly strong so I think it's normal. The strong vacuum on yours is not right.

[SoupAnxiety]

Fixed! I ordered http://bersa-tools.ru/goods/Remkompl...1127548196-BMW, a replacement membrane and cap. The membrane can be purchased standalone from bersa-tools.ru, or from https://vanos-bmw.com/product/111275...53-11127548196. vanos-bmw.com also sell the aluminium cap https://vanos-bmw.com/product/cup-fo...81-11127548196.

Plenty of sellers sell a complete plastic cap / membrane for the N53, it does not fit the N53 even though it is listed as such. The N53 requires a full width membrane and a flat cap on the underside, the plastic caps have a screw type fitting which does not fit into the inner area of the CCV breather valve on the N53. The membranes are sealed into the plastic cap which means they cannot be transferred to the original cap, they are no good for the N53. It was obvious as soon as I removed the old cap but prior to removal (and I didn't want to remove the cap until I had the new one ready) it was guesswork. The support from vanos-bmw.com was excellent, I bought the original plastic cap from them and they refunded me after realising it was not N53 compatible (and have revised their listing) and pointed me in the right direction. The parts above are what you need, either seller will sort you out and I've bought parts from both.

You will need the membrane and your existing / a replacement aluminium cap. The advantage of the aluminium cap is that it becomes reusable if the membrane fails again and it should prolong membrane lifespan by dissipating heat more effectively. Personally I think the old cap could be salvaged and you'd get away with the membrane replacement in isolation, although the aluminium cap is more expensive I'm glad I opted for it. Reusing the old cap would require filing away the raised bits on the inside and good fortune when you're trying to remove it from the cover. It's a gamble that might leave you without a working cap. Treat yourself and buy the aluminium cap!

Here are a few photos of the repair, it was done in two parts as I ordered a plastic N53 cap which did not fit but served as a temporary repair until the flat aluminium N53 cap arrived today. The poor fit of the plastic cap (after I sawed off the extra material!) meant there was an air leak and a whine. Seemingly only available from Russia both took 9 days to arrive after ordering, door to door. The repair is easy enough, the original cap needed warming with a hairdryer to soften the glue and then hammer to tap a screwdriver head into it. Encouragingly the old membrane was completely torn and definitely in need of replacement. Although the old cap came off cleanly the retaining clips on the valve cover broke off. To ensure the new cap has a good seal without the retaining clips I've sealed the cap using liquid gasket (silicone based) which will play nicely with the membrane material and remain flexible should I need to remove / replace the membrane in the future. With the aluminium cap and new membrane there's no whine from the engine and the oil filler cap vacuum is reduced.

FYI my membrane started to tear around 140,000 miles leading to the whine / whistle noise and failed completely a few weeks ago (155,000 miles) which meant I had surging power and a terrible idle. If your car is already whining chances are you've got ~10,000 miles left before the membrane splits completely.

I do not know why BMW refuse to sell the membrane separately. I was quoted £550 for a valve cover + fitting! Changing the valve cover in full requires expensive parts and a lot more effort to fit. I suspect as these cars get older the Russian parts will become easier to get hold of on eBay, the best I could find was the useless plastic cap variant from China and the USA. Only the Russian websites sell the aluminium caps and standalone membranes. Even with having to fit this twice I'm still less than two hours in, I'm a dab hand at removing the engine cover and other bits due to N53 injector fun but there is nothing difficult about this job. I finished this off today in storm Doris and still had no issues.

I hope this helps other N53 owners. I'll post a long term update on oil consumption as I've been using oil (no visible smoke, no leaks) and this is a known cause of it.


Original cap removed, tear in membrane visible.


Cap removed and the revised N53 innards on show, this is why the plastic caps do not fit.


Tear in the original membrane visible.


Original cap on the left, incorrect plastic cap in the middle (after I sawed off the extra material!), and the aluminium cap on the right. Notice the difference between the height of the incorrect plastic cap and aluminium caps, particularly the level for where the cap would sit.


New cap installed.

[Dormermike]

Nice work, and thanks for posting back.

My n53 is under warranty and only 40k miles but is whining so I guess I should sort something out. I get the occasional puff of blue smoke on start up too, which I assume could be related..

[Phil325i]

Great info OP! Thank you. I've seen the plastic ones advertised as N53 compliant and had my doubts when I saw they were fitted with a vent tube. As far as I know the N53 doesn't have a vent - at least my 325i doesn't. Does your 330i?

So just to clarify, does the ali cap have some kind of screw thread, or is it just a press fit? And do Bersa Tools supply both cap and membrane?

[SoupAnxiety]

An update for anybody who stumbles upon this thread - replacing the CCV reduced oil consumption from around 1 litre / 1,000 miles to around 1 litre / 3,000 miles, which is OK with me considering mileage (162k) and driving style ("making progress").

[SoupAnxiety]

Originally Posted by Phil325i

Great info OP! Thank you. I've seen the plastic ones advertised as N53 compliant and had my doubts when I saw they were fitted with a vent tube. As far as I know the N53 doesn't have a vent - at least my 325i doesn't. Does your 330i?

So just to clarify, does the ali cap have some kind of screw thread, or is it just a press fit? And do Bersa Tools supply both cap and membrane?

Missed your reply earlier, sorry. The N53 does have a vent, presumably in both 325i and my 330i setup. The engines are similar apart from the two / three stage intake.

The cap is a press fit, it's glued originally but mine is secured with liquid gasket as it provides a seal but isn't difficult to remove. Bersa Tools supply the cap (metal) and membrane, or a standalone cap or membrane (whatever suits you).

[richk84]

i think i may have this issue with mine, I have a hissing sounds almost like a belt going on mine. Only hear it when the car is moving and not idle and only at low speeds like you said.

[Dormermike]

OP is this the noise you were hearing? (Large file warning) mine only has 47k on the clock.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mqtro5hqr1...72224.mp4?dl=0

[SoupAnxiety]

Originally Posted by richk84

i think i may have this issue with mine, I have a hissing sounds almost like a belt going on mine. Only hear it when the car is moving and not idle and only at low speeds like you said.

That sounds similar - low speeds and often mistaken for a belt. A strong vacuum on the oil filler cap is a giveaway.

Originally Posted by Dormermike

OP is this the noise you were hearing? (Large file warning) mine only has 47k on the clock.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mqtro5hqr1...72224.mp4?dl=0

There's a YouTube video in the original post, mine eventually went from a low speed whine to a horrendous whine at idle after a warm start. Judging by how much force you are using to lift the cap it looks like there's a strong vacuum, the noise changes when you lift the cap off as well. This points to CCV, given that mine is now on 162k and the CCV system itself is fine (only the membrane gave up) I'd start by looking at the membrane. You need to break the cap off to see what state it is in but it's the cheapest / easiest fix and makes sense to start here.

[usi227]

Thanks to Soup for taking the plunge with the Russian parts, wouldn't have dreamed of ordering if I hadn't read this post.

In case this helps anyone -

The Vanos BMW aluminium cap, when sitting flush on the valve cover will experience some upward pressure from the spring. As a result when gluing make sure to use plenty of sealant and put something heavy on the cap to hold it in place. I used half a brick (and another 2 bricks on top of that) and used a microfibre cloth to prevent any scratches on the aluminium cap. Make sure the brick(s) does not slip off and is putting pressure on the CCV cap and not the fuel lines. The sealant I used had a cure time of 1-2 hours with maximum strength in 24 hours. I therefore left the brick(s) on the cap for 24 hours before starting the car.

If after this the car still misfires (as mine did), go around the cap and use a generous amount of instant gasket between the plastic base on the valve cover and aluminium outer edge to get an air-tight seal. Wait until the gasket has cured before turning on the car (24 hours). You will need to remove the 2 fuel lines around the cap in order to seal around the whole perimeter. (See injector tutorials on how to remove these safely).

Do NOT cover the breather hole on the outside of the CCV cap - I accidentally covered this in instant gasket and the car misfired like crazy. I used a tiny allen key and a tooth pick to clear the hole of any debris and the idle was 99% perfect after that with a tiny hiccup every once in a while (I can live with that - FYI car has 6 brand new Index 11 injectors fitted about 50 miles ago)

I have ordered some large heat shirnk (100mm diameter) to cover the seal (make sure to keep the breather hole clear after this by using a tooth pick to pierce the heat shrink and allow the cap to breath). I'm hoping this will seal up any unwanted air gaps that I couldn't quite get with the instant gasket.

Note: There is still a little bit of CCV noise at the moment but I had the engine covers off on the test drive so I doubt I'll be able to hear this once the insulated cover is back on. If you want it silent, you will probably need to cut down the spring as mentioned in previous posts on this thread - in my opinion, live with a bit of noise and don't mess with it as if you over-cut you will have to order a new spring. In my opinion this fix should be used until your valve cover gasket eventually fails/ if the cover cracks, at which point I will be biting the bullet and be replacing the entire cover.

Note 1: When you cut the old cap off (I used a bradawl and a hammer to tap into the platic bit on the top), you might need to file down the outer side/edge of the plastic base on the valve cover where the new CCV will sit in order to get the aluminium cap to sit flush against the valve cover.

I will update the thread on oil consumption in case anyone comes across this as I did with Soup's post.

[SoupAnxiety]

Originally Posted by usi227

Thanks to Soup for taking the plunge with the Russian parts, wouldn't have dreamed of ordering if I hadn't read this post.

In case this helps anyone -

The Vanos BMW aluminium cap, when sitting flush on the valve cover will experience some upward pressure from the spring. As a result when gluing make sure to use plenty of sealant and put something heavy on the cap to hold it in place. I used half a brick (and another 2 bricks on top of that) and used a microfibre cloth to prevent any scratches on the aluminium cap. Make sure the brick(s) does not slip off and is putting pressure on the CCV cap and not the fuel lines. The sealant I used had a cure time of 1-2 hours with maximum strength in 24 hours. I therefore left the brick(s) on the cap for 24 hours before starting the car.

If after this the car still misfires (as mine did), go around the cap and use a generous amount of instant gasket between the plastic base on the valve cover and aluminium outer edge to get an air-tight seal. Wait until the gasket has cured before turning on the car (24 hours). You will need to remove the 2 fuel lines around the cap in order to seal around the whole perimeter. (See injector tutorials on how to remove these safely).

Do NOT cover the breather hole on the outside of the CCV cap - I accidentally covered this in instant gasket and the car misfired like crazy. I used a tiny allen key and a tooth pick to clear the hole of any debris and the idle was 99% perfect after that with a tiny hiccup every once in a while (I can live with that - FYI car has 6 brand new Index 11 injectors fitted about 50 miles ago)

I have ordered some large heat shirnk (100mm diameter) to cover the seal (make sure to keep the breather hole clear after this by using a tooth pick to pierce the heat shrink and allow the cap to breath). I'm hoping this will seal up any unwanted air gaps that I couldn't quite get with the instant gasket.

Note: There is still a little bit of CCV noise at the moment but I had the engine covers off on the test drive so I doubt I'll be able to hear this once the insulated cover is back on. If you want it silent, you will probably need to cut down the spring as mentioned in previous posts on this thread - in my opinion, live with a bit of noise and don't mess with it as if you over-cut you will have to order a new spring. In my opinion this fix should be used until your valve cover gasket eventually fails/ if the cover cracks, at which point I will be biting the bullet and be replacing the entire cover.

Note 1: When you cut the old cap off (I used a bradawl and a hammer to tap into the platic bit on the top), you might need to file down the outer side/edge of the plastic base on the valve cover where the new CCV will sit in order to get the aluminium cap to sit flush against the valve cover.

I will update the thread on oil consumption in case anyone comes across this as I did with Soup's post.

Thanks usi227. Just to update, I installed my CCV cap in 2017 at 157k miles and in 2021 at 194k miles it's still going strong. Oil consumption remains acceptable (particularly given the mileage!) and the cap hasn't needed any attention since installation. The valve cover is good too, the membrane failing doesn't necessarily mean your cover is on the way out.

[usi227]

Originally Posted by SoupAnxiety

Thanks usi227. Just to update, I installed my CCV cap in 2017 at 157k miles and in 2021 at 194k miles it's still going strong. Oil consumption remains acceptable (particularly given the mileage!) and the cap hasn't needed any attention since installation. The valve cover is good too, the membrane failing doesn't necessarily mean your cover is on the way out.

Amazing that your 330i is approaching 200k Soup, gives me a lot of hope as I’ve just bought mine a few months ago at 57k and planning on keeping it for the long term. I’ve read most of your threads and looks like I’ll also need to purchase Noxem as I have the Nox ageing cat code- as you say probably makes more sense to get this sooner due to the fuel savings on offer . Have you replaced your water pump yet? Seems like the last big ticket item on my list to get sorted.
Thanks for putting this info out there- has helped many a N53 owner I’m sure.

[SoupAnxiety]

Originally Posted by usi227

Amazing that your 330i is approaching 200k Soup, gives me a lot of hope as I’ve just bought mine a few months ago at 57k and planning on keeping it for the long term. I’ve read most of your threads and looks like I’ll also need to purchase Noxem as I have the Nox ageing cat code- as you say probably makes more sense to get this sooner due to the fuel savings on offer . Have you replaced your water pump yet? Seems like the last big ticket item on my list to get sorted.
Thanks for putting this info out there- has helped many a N53 owner I’m sure.

Not to tempt fate but my water pump is still going strong. The N53 had a rocky start when introduced, but index 11 injectors and NOXEM seem to solve all the major issues.

The only gripe is that the N53 doesn't sound as good as the M20 engine in my E30!

Happy to write up my experiences, I decided to do them as they occurred as I have a very high mileage N53, and figured I was running into problems earlier than most.