[BSM n54iS]

Originally Posted by IllSic_Design

yeah at the very end after I made sure there was no shavings or anything else that would be blown anywhere I use an air nozzle and blew out the hole, with something in the ports still to block anything falling into/past the valves. Most everything is caught and removed with the grease on the tap and the paper under the hole though.

Ok cool, I'm comfy with it now. Just to make sure I understand though, is this the part of the kit that keeps the intake valves as clean as possible, or is it just to help with the crankcase pressure under boost and to keep from cracking the valve cover?

Also I just got carbon blasted less than 1k miles ago, would I need to get all new intake gaskets again also? I'd like to have some time to get all the gasket kits and parts together if I can just run the external kit and not worry about continuing to gunk up the intake valves. Thanks for the advice

[IllSic_Design]

I'm not super knowledgeable on the PCV system, but I believe it keeps from pressurizing the crankcase in the event the valve cover is cracked or there is fault in the pcv system, so no chance of boost leak from the intake into the crankcase

[Emilime75]

Tapping the ports does aid in keeping the valves cleaner longer, along with the low side OCC.

As for the tapping, I used a different approach, but I also did mine at the same time as a walnut blast.

1. Remove valve cover and intake manifold.
2. Clean the mating surfaces on the head where the valve cover gasket sits. Make sure it's oil free for step 3.
3. Apply masking tape on that mating surface where the ports are.
4. Cover the rest of the exposed valve train with plastic or rags.
5. Cut the masking tape where the ports are, I just cut little circles around them out. The above steps assured no shavings could fall into the top of the head.
6. Find cylinder with 2 closed valves. Tap port. Squirt carb clean through tapped port. Plug port. Walnut blast. I didn't bother with grease or rags stuffed into the intake port. The walnut blast process after the tapping assured any shavings that fell down would be removed by the vacuum, walnut shells and compressed air used to blast the walnuts. I did use cutting fluid for the tap.
7. Rotate engine to close valves on another cylinder, and repeat step 6 until you're done.
8. Make sure you do step 4 really well, while probably not very harmful, walnut shells do like to fly around a bit.

Anyway, that was my method.

[BSM n54iS]

Would I need to put new intake gaskets on if they were just replaced 1k miles ago?

[IllSic_Design]

I wouldn't worry about them. I have had my intake off like 3-4 times and have not changed them out. They are o-rings, so as long as they dont tear or aren't dry rotting there is no worry about reusing them

[BSM n54iS]

Thanks guys, last question what other things should I get done while I'm in there?

Have OFHG on the list along with a new valve cover/gasket and looking at if I need to replace any oil cooler o-rings or something like that. Would I need to replace any solenoids if I don't have any issues with them? I admit I've actually not looked up anything for them before lol

[Emilime75]

No on the solenoids if you're not having issues. Oil cooler gasket(part of the OFH) and the 2 o-rings for the lines that attach to bottom of the oil cooler part of the OFH would be good to change. Vacuum lines.

If you're doing the external PCV and valve cover, install the RB PCV before installing the valve cover back on the car, it's easier.

[BSM n54iS]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

No on the solenoids if you're not having issues. Oil cooler gasket(part of the OFH) and the 2 o-rings for the lines that attach to bottom of the oil cooler part of the OFH would be good to change. Vacuum lines.

If you're doing the external PCV and valve cover, install the RB PCV before installing the valve cover back on the car, it's easier.

Awesome thanks, ah yes vacuum lines are original... great

[Griff500]

I’ve had this kit on the car for 70k miles and it’s worked great.

I now have a leak in the breather system (smell) and had a closer look today. The pipe connector/spigot on the PCV valve is very loose and wobbly.

I can’t remember if it’s supposed to be like this?
Can anyone confirm?

[GSB]

This RB Turbo External PCV System has been a lifesaver. At 120k miles, I was experiencing extremely rough idle, poor performance and spluttering, especially noticeable during sedate, low-RPM driving. Worse still, the car was smoking from the tailpipes. Changing the air filter, plugs and coils did nothing to help, so I opened up the intake system. I was APPALLED at the amount of oil puddled throughout the entire system, and even more so, by the amount of caked-on oil/carbon buildup on my valves.

I blasted the valves with walnut-shells and disassembled the entire intake system to clean out the puddles of oil in every component. I couldn't believe how much had collected in the intercooler, so I washed it out with gas. The map sensor was heavily coated too. Attempting to fix this situation, I installed a mini oil catch can on the high-side (boost) breather/flapper hose and replaced the PCV valve with an "upgraded" aluminum unit, which came highly recommended. BIG mistake. That valve is indeed far less likely to jam, but it is highly restrictive to airflow.

15k miles later, the car was smoking and experiencing the same performance symptoms. Sure enough, the entire intake system was once again puddled with oil and the intake valves caked! WHY!? People on the forums would say, "Your turbo seals are shot and your turbos need to be replaced". Wrong! The restrictive PCV valve had become overwhelmed and choked during the winter and all of that oil suddenly came through the boost flapper, filled the mini oil catch can, and went through the rear turbo in gobs.

Two things about the N54 engine became very evident... Firstly, failure (or restriction) of the low-side (vacuum) PCV valve results in those nasty pressurized crankcase vapors taking an alternative route... through the high-side (boost) breather/flapper, then through the turbo, charge-pipe, intercooler, diverter-valves, throttle-body and intake manifold. The lack of vacuum in the crankcase also causes the rear main crankshaft seal to pop and leak all over your garage. Secondly, the N54 low-side (vacuum) PCV route is integrated into the valve cover, so we have no way to access it to install an oil catch can. An external PCV adapter is the only answer. And RB Turbo has the best answer, with an excellent PCV valve.

I bought the RB kit with PCV adapter, nipple for the manifold, and set-screws to plug the 6 port channels through the head. I drilled and tapped the manifold, then used 3/8" fuel hose to hook up my own 2-stage oil catch can system. I don't ever want to do that intake valve job again. Now the oil catch can on the high-side stays dry, while the low-side oil catch can setup catches everything.

Another 15k miles later, and the engine is running incredibly smoothly, like brand-new, without any hint of oil in the intake system, or performance issues, or smoke from the exhaust. Thank you, RB Turbo! And no thanks to BMW!