[Insane435]

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...s/11120409288/

Some sites say these work and others do not. I have a 2011 328i xdrive n52. If i go on real oem and look at the valve cover schematic, it seems like there are 5 different bolts i need. If i were to buy all of these it comes out to like $90. Id rather not spend this on just bolts if the $40 set will work. Has anyone else confirmed this to work on a 2011 328ix?

[bluewater328]

Are you trying to replace the valve cover? The new bolts usually come with the valve cover. The genuine definitely comes with the Valve Cover gasket, Valvetronic gasket, the ESS gasket, the spark plug tube gaskets, as well as the bolts already pre-installed. They are actually sleeved and inset into the VC. Because they are sleeved, even if you were trying to just do the VC gasket and reuse the cover (check it, N52 covers go bad), you can also REUSE the bolts if you really wanted to (only the magnesium cover versions require replacement). You WILL have to reuse two of the "unsleeved" bolts in the middle toward the passenger side. The center three bolts also come preassembled.

[Insane435]

Originally Posted by bluewater328

Are you trying to replace the valve cover? The new bolts usually come with the valve cover. The genuine definitely comes with the Valve Cover gasket, Valvetronic gasket, the ESS gasket, the spark plug tube gaskets, as well as the bolts already pre-installed. They are actually sleeved and inset into the VC. Because they are sleeved, even if you were trying to just do the VC gasket and reuse the cover (check it, N52 covers go bad), you can also REUSE the bolts if you really wanted to (only the magnesium cover versions require replacement). You WILL have to reuse two of the "unsleeved" bolts in the middle toward the passenger side. The center three bolts also come preassembled.

good info man. I do not plan on replacing the valve cover itself. I dont see any cracks on it. So with that being said do i even need the screws? Is the magnesium cover the silver one? Mine is black.

[bluewater328]

Originally Posted by Insane435

good info man. I do not plan on replacing the valve cover itself. I dont see any cracks on it. So with that being said do i even need the screws? Is the magnesium cover the silver one? Mine is black.

Well, if you're really anal and want to eliminate all potential problems, get screws, but I only had new ones because they came with the cover. I'm fairly certain that only the magnesium cover (yes silver) needed new bolts because of the way they threaded down. Having the plastic cover, pretty sure you could just do a visual inspection and clean off the bolts. I do not believe they are progressive bolts. Plus the tightening force is so low anyway (8.6Nm).

[Joebie]

Plastic cover (everything except 2006) uses steel bolts that do not need to be replaced. All you need is the necessary gaskets.

Good luck! It's an easy, yet infuriating task.

[bluewater328]

Originally Posted by Joester

Good luck! It's an easy, yet infuriating task.

truer words were never spoken....

My old Sentra took me an hour with a beer break. Not sure when BMW started recruiting Subaru engineers to configure our engine bays, but I'd like to kick that executive in the nuts.

[Insane435]

Originally Posted by bluewater328

truer words were never spoken....

My old Sentra took me an hour with a beer break. Not sure when BMW started recruiting Subaru engineers to configure our engine bays, but I'd like to kick that executive in the nuts.

my only worry is breaking the breather hose. Im gonna scream if that happens, lol. Any tips to insure that doesn't happen?

[Joebie]

Originally Posted by Insane435

my only worry is breaking the breather hose. Im gonna scream if that happens, lol. Any tips to insure that doesn't happen?

Take a long while to understand how it works before brute forcing it out of anger.

I personally used a very small flathead screwdriver to assist in releasing the clamp, but you have to be reallllly careful not to accidentally leverage the thing into breaking.

I think the intent is that you squeeze opposing sides of the hose like shown below and it releases the clip but I found that squeezing it as hard as i could didnt deflect the clip enough (in the blue direction) to actually clear the stuff that the clip clips into if that makes any sense. So it needed help with a screwdriver. And to make things worse it pretty much dead center in the rear of the engine bay so theres no good way to get yourself close to it to really see what youre doing. Maybe if you're really tall.

[Insane435]

Are the strut brace bolts on each side considered one time use? I know on my 435ix they are one-time aluminum bolts. Do i need to buy these as well?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by bluewater328

Well, if you're really anal and want to eliminate all potential problems, get screws, but I only had new ones because they came with the cover. I'm fairly certain that only the magnesium cover (yes silver) needed new bolts because of the way they threaded down. Having the plastic cover, pretty sure you could just do a visual inspection and clean off the bolts. I do not believe they are progressive bolts. Plus the tightening force is so low anyway (8.6Nm).

The '06 N52 uses 1-time use aluminum bolts for the valve cover because it is a magneisum valve cover laying on top of an aluminum cylinderhead. The magnesium will react with steel bolts, which in turn would make the steel bolts react with the aluminum cylinderhead, so aluminum bolts are used to hold down the valve cover. On the plastic valve cover N52s, they use steel bolts because the plastic valve cover doesn't react with the steel bolts.

[Joebie]

Originally Posted by Insane435

Are the strut brace bolts on each side considered one time use? I know on my 435ix they are one-time aluminum bolts. Do i need to buy these as well?

I re-used mine with no issues so far, but I'm not actually sure if they're supposed to be replaced or not.

If I had to guess I'd say yes they are supposed to be replaced.

I re-used mine because if one breaks, nothing of any real consequence should happen. I'll just go buy the proper new bolt.

[Insane435]

Originally Posted by Joester

I re-used mine with no issues so far, but I'm not actually sure if they're supposed to be replaced or not.

If I had to guess I'd say yes they are supposed to be replaced.

I re-used mine because if one breaks, nothing of any real consequence should happen. I'll just go buy the proper new bolt.

Yea i think ill try to reuse, worst case i just go to local dealer and buy them. I can drive my other car if needed as well.

[Ziggy328xi]

Originally Posted by Insane435

Yea i think ill try to reuse, worst case i just go to local dealer and buy them. I can drive my other car if needed as well.

bmw says replace but we reuse them all the time, just throw a little blue locktite on it if your unsure. you really think we keep every bolt in stock that bmw recommends to replace?

some bolts are critical to replace (like the belt tensioner bolt) and some arnt.

[Insane435]

Im mid job right now and i am not sure if i have to remove this vaccum hose thats attached to the top of the valve cover near the back. Its really small and seems like the plastic could easily break

[Insane435]

well i am having a hell of a time getting the valve cover to go on without rolling the gasket. How are you guys doing this?

[bluewater328]

Originally Posted by Insane435

well i am having a hell of a time getting the valve cover to go on without rolling the gasket. How are you guys doing this?

Try permatex for the rear gaskets to keep them planted. Gotta let them dry first though. I actually didn't and had to fix them once I got the VCG up and over.

Ideas for space: trim white electronic box tab; remove rubber seal from windshield cowl area and cut a little to gain space.

Not sure how to say it but it does go in at an twisted angle.

[Insane435]

Originally Posted by bluewater328

Try permatex for the rear gaskets to keep them planted. Gotta let them dry first though. I actually didn't and had to fix them once I got the VCG up and over.

Ideas for space: trim white electronic box tab; remove rubber seal from windshield cowl area and cut a little to gain space.

Not sure how to say it but it does go in at an twisted angle.

i got it. I removed some more of the windshield cowl as suggested by a member in another thread. Im so glad i saw that otherwise id be lost. Im pretty sure th gasket didnt roll either. I tried the RVT but it takes too long to c
cure and actually didnt let the gasket sit in the channel welll.

Now i have to put this all back together and pray it works.

[Insane435]

Car starts but the brake light is on and so is chassis stabilization error. What causes this?

[Insane435]

Originally Posted by Insane435

Car starts but the brake light is on and so is chassis stabilization error. What causes this?

Went away after driving. Hopefully all is good now. Idle seems better. It was usually only bad in the cold. So we will see

[bluewater328]

Originally Posted by Insane435

Went away after driving. Hopefully all is good now. Idle seems better. It was usually only bad in the cold. So we will see

Congrats! Not sure why either of those would pop up after a valve cover change. You didn't touch the suspension/brakes today did you?

[Insane435]

Originally Posted by bluewater328

Congrats! Not sure why either of those would pop up after a valve cover change. You didn't touch the suspension/brakes today did you?

I heard it has to do with Unhooking the negative battery cable. I was also getting a discharging error with battery. I have since unhooked it and re connected and havent had a problem yet. Who knows. Not sure why that is popping up.