- -Well today I tackled the common CCV (Crankcase Vent/Oil separator) problem. My problem was a very loud intake leak sound and once I placed my finger over the side port on the CCV, the leak went away as best my finger could make it do. Also motor would shack back and forth, lighting in and outside the car would dance to the misfire that the CCV was causing among other things. Here is the new unit: http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement002.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement004.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement005.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement008.jpg.Here is a view from the front of the car of the old unit http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement009.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement011.jpg. Just before I started this I asked myself could the CCV be replaced without taking the intake manifold off. The answer is YES It can be replaced with out taking the intak manifolid off. Here are the intake manifold gaskets I bought a while back thinking that they were the problem http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement014.jpg. On to surgery, first I started with removing the air box from the fender to the throttle body http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement015.jpg. Once the tubing is removed you can see the 3 bolts that hold the CCV in place on the bracket http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement018.jpg. As you can see http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement019.jpg the three bolts are easy to get to. They are 10mm. After disconnecting a couple of pigtails and moving a few lines out of the way for clearance the CCV came out without much fuss http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement020.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement021.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement022.jpg. Once the old CCV was out, I took these picks to show them both http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement023.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement024.jpg, the CCV on the left is the new one and the one on the right is the old one. After that it’s just a matter of doing the reverse and making sure you reconnect any lines or pigtails that were disconnected. This is a go time to check all hoses and cables while most of the big boxy items are out of the way. Also check the hose coming from the bottom of the CCV to the oil dipstick to tube. After a while the rubber becomes spongy from the heat build up and if you look inside you can see that the inside of the hose is starting to deteriorate. So it would be best to change it at this time. Here she is all buttoned up back to normal http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement025.jpg. I was curious to see what the old looked like inside and out, so I took it apart and snapped some shots. I hope this helps anyone out there whom may have the problem I had with a bad CCV(Crankcase/Oil separator). I have more photos and info if anyone needs it. My car now runs and ideals MUCH, MUCH better. When I get to work tomorrow I will have the check engine light cleared and wait to see if it will come back on. I have yet to drive it since the work has been done. Going to fill her up before I go to bed just thought I would go ahead and right this up first. I still hear a very faint air sucking sound but it could just be me and my superman hearing when it comes to this car. I’ll get a second option from one of our techs tomorrow and see if I’m just hearing things. Just a side note, while the CCV was bad I did smell the fuems in the cabin from time to time and my OBC said my gas MPG were 20.9. I thought that was very strange, so I’m going to reset the MPG and the MPH gauges and see wha I get after a few tanks. Here are the pics of the old CCV in its nakedness enjoy. http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement026.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement028.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement029.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement030.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement031.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement034.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement035.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement041.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement042.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement044.jpg, http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l251/jfive96/BMW/CCVReplacement047.jpg. If I missed anything let me know. Here is the link to a thread that helped me out http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214052 (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214052). Thank you. Peace.:buttrock

wow, good write up!

thanks for the info!

- -No problem. Now time to go gas up.- -

AWESOME writeup!!!

I am planning on doing this later today.. helped me a TON! This should be added to the DIY.

nice job!

Does the 540i have this also?

Does the 540i have this also?

Yes, but it's a different part # - 11151705272

I just removed mine and I noticed oil goes into the intake manifold. Is that bad?

Wonder if my 99 can be accessed the same way? I would love to manage this without pulling the intake manifold.

Wonder if my 99 can be accessed the same way? I would love to manage this without pulling the intake manifold.


It's easy. Just remove the air filter housing and MAF, take off fuel pressure switch and you're there.

Did you have an engine vibration at low rpms before the swap? (one you could hear and feel inside the cabin) I've been chasing that problem for a year now with no luck.....

Yesterday Check engine came on again with P1189. Idle was bad and low.
Today I checked for leaks and I found out that CCV have a bad gasket.
Tomorrow I will put a new one so...

How in the world did you get the CCV valve out??? i tryed today for 2 hours and still couldnt get it out, so i just unplugged the bottom tube and flushed the CCV with carb cleaner... well the car started to work better... but back to my question how did you get it out??

How in the world did you get the CCV valve out??? i tryed today for 2 hours and still couldnt get it out, so i just unplugged the bottom tube and flushed the CCV with carb cleaner... well the car started to work better... but back to my question how did you get it out??

- -I disconnected the hose that runs from the valve cover to the CCV at the valve cover then pulled the CCV down passed the IM. You will have to work it a little. There was more room to do it than I thought.- -

hi,

can anyone tell me where it's located in a 540i6?

thx!

hi,

can anyone tell me where it's located in a 540i6?

thx!

Back side of intake manifold. It looks a little different though.

Hmmm My OBC says 20.9 all the time too... never changes. Is that indicative of anything? ('97 528i)

so does that big piece of shit do the same thing for the most part as a $2 pcv valve in other cars?

p.s. little tip when taking close up pics, hit the botton with a little flower on it then it wont be blurry and worthless

so does that big piece of shit do the same thing for the most part as a $2 pcv valve in other cars?


Yes. Back in the day, before we drove E39's, we tuned up our cars with distributor caps, rotor, wires, plugs, fuel filters, air filters...and a new PCV (positive crankcase vent/valve). Most cars had them sitting right there, on top of the valve cover, the E39 hides it down near the throttle body.

I changed mine and wrote about it 4-6 months ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCV_valve

My deaership said I have an oil leak at this location(oil seperator) they want $540 to fix it. Where would th oil be leaking from? The actual unit ofr where a hose goes into it, or where it goes into the intake manny?

please note: in production dates 9/98- the CCV is located UNDER the intake manifold.

getting this fixed on Tuesday at an indy shop $798 + tax. Half the price of stealer. what else should i get done at same time?

Damn!
You can fix ot for 80 bucks.

problem is i live in an apt and have nowhere to fix it...i can get parts but what good are parts if i can't get them in the car for a decent price. only a few indys here that will even touch bmws...

getting this fixed on Tuesday at an indy shop $798 + tax. Half the price of stealer. what else should i get done at same time?

that sux ass. 798!:eek:

i got it fixed at an indy for 300.

problem is i live in an apt and have nowhere to fix it...i can get parts but what good are parts if i can't get them in the car for a decent price. only a few indys here that will even touch bmws...

- -You can do this in a parking lot at Wal-Mart- -

please note: in production dates 9/98- the CCV is located UNDER the intake manifold.

Anything made in or after 9/98 has the CCV in a harder location to get to? Is it essential to take the intake manifold off to get to it? aww snap. mine's a 9/98 :(

Anything made in or after 9/98 has the CCV in a harder location to get to? Is it essential to take the intake manifold off to get to it? aww snap. mine's a 9/98 :(

The later cars have it on the back of the manifold. Not easy to get to.

The later cars have it on the back of the manifold. Not easy to get to.

The part costs a little less :D but is it still worth trying to conquer this job myself? I've owned the car for a little over 2 years now, and it still hasn't needed a repair that I could not do myself (thanks to DIYs)... I don't want this to be the first.

The part costs a little less :D but is it still worth trying to conquer this job myself? I've owned the car for a little over 2 years now, and it still hasn't needed a repair that I could not do myself (thanks to DIYs)... I don't want this to be the first.

Definitely do yourself. How's your valley pan and intake gaskets? You'll be right there if you decide to tackle this. It's not hard at all.

Jared

Definitely do yourself. How's your valley pan and intake gaskets? You'll be right there if you decide to tackle this. It's not hard at all.

Jared

I can only assume that after 172k they're in about the same shape as my CCV... I might just have to pick up the extra parts and tackle all I can while I'm in there.... I might just have to take a bunch of pictures and make a DIY for the post-9/98 CCV swap.

I can only assume that after 172k they're in about the same shape as my CCV... I might just have to pick up the extra parts and tackle all I can while I'm in there.... I might just have to take a bunch of pictures and make a DIY for the post-9/98 CCV swap.

There's a couple DIYs on other sites but I don't think there's a complete one here. I did mine and it wasn't bad at all. Just take your time and you'll be fine.