Cleaning N53 Valve Cover Bolts with Vinegar?

nk-mark10 · 07-22-2023, 08:42 AM

Hi all, as the title suggest wondering if that would be ok? I'm replacing the valve cover gasket and some of the bolts have surface corrosion, thinking of cleaning with vinegar, wash with baking soda water, and then potentially oil quenching?

Any ideas if that would be ok?

Thanks.

Phil325i · 07-22-2023, 11:43 AM

I thought the bolts were aluminium so I don't understand how they are corroded. BTW I would recommend you replace the whole cover not just the gasket (which comes with new bolts all round). Ensures you have a fully functioning PCV system (which is inside the cover).

nk-mark10 · 07-25-2023, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil325i

I thought the bolts were aluminium so I don't understand how they are corroded. BTW I would recommend you replace the whole cover not just the gasket (which comes with new bolts all round). Ensures you have a fully functioning PCV system (which is inside the cover).

On the N53 with the plastic valve cover, they are galvanised steel I believe. The vinegar strips out the zinc coating. I ended up using vinegar on only a few of the bolts with a steel wire brush, this ended up cleaning the corrosion as well as the zinc coating. For those ones I ended up spraying them with a rust prevention coating (XCP Rust Blocker). The cover is back on now and so far seems to be holding up, Fingers crossed.

One tip which might be helpful to someone out there, is to note if there is residual oil on the cats from the leak or from when the cover is removed. I didn't realise this and when I turned the car on after the job was done there was a lot of smoke coming out. I thought that I'd messed up and had to redo the bolts only to realise it was probably oil from the removal process not a new leak.

07-22-2023, 08:42 AM	#1
nk-mark10 New Member 0 Rep 5 Posts Drives: BMW 325i Join Date: Jul 2023 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Cleaning N53 Valve Cover Bolts with Vinegar? Hi all, as the title suggest wondering if that would be ok? I'm replacing the valve cover gasket and some of the bolts have surface corrosion, thinking of cleaning with vinegar, wash with baking soda water, and then potentially oil quenching? Any ideas if that would be ok? Thanks.
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07-22-2023, 11:43 AM	#2
Phil325i Brigadier General 639 Rep 3,212 Posts Drives: E92 325i MSport Coupe Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: UK South East iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 BMW 325i Coupe [6.00]	I thought the bolts were aluminium so I don't understand how they are corroded. BTW I would recommend you replace the whole cover not just the gasket (which comes with new bolts all round). Ensures you have a fully functioning PCV system (which is inside the cover). __________________ E92 pre-LCI 325i - Ohlins R&T; H&R spacers; M3 strut brace; Swift thrust sheets; 3 x chassis braces; diff brace; N53 V-brace; 034 subframe inserts; BMS clutch stop; BMS CDV; RE g/box mounts; Delrin shift bushes; Saikoumichi OCC; Cyba scoops; BMW Perf Exhaust; HEL s/steel brake hoses; M3 rear spoiler; Recaro Sportster CSs; M3 white dash LEDs; LED Angels; LED side repeaters; BMW Perf black grille; CSL reps; SSDD carbon diffuser; Monster Wrap black roof/clear front
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