The Famous Valve Cover gasket leak..My thought

[Martin 03 325i]

I know this is a very COMMON POS that goes bad regardless how many times you replace it..I am getting ready to spend a long time in my car one of these weekends doing some preventive stuff, but I am really tired of seeing this thing leak all over the place..My thoughts are, I know more than a few say it could be because is not tighten enough, I guess the torque spec doesn't matter as you need to bottom out the screws, others say it may be warped. Now what I say to that is..Why not just buy another valve cover for $188 (ecs) instead of replacing the darn thing 3 times= $120 or so every time. do you guys agree? has anyone done this and still have problems?

[G. P. Burdell]

I agree. The higher the car's mileage, the more likely it is that the cover is warped and needs replacement.

[GoingNuts]

Replace mobil 1 with less leaky BMW/castrol. I have direct first hand experience that Castrol has just over 100% leak performance advantage over mobil 1.

[smeli]

dont listen to going nuts. your vcg was going to fail over time no matter what. i had 159k on mine and it wasn't warped or if it was it didnt cause a leak.

[Martin 03 325i]

I know I seen his long argument on the matter somewhere else..I now that oil won't make it leak or not and if makes that big of a difference then it would not leak right after changing the oil or the engine will not act proper if the oil changed to point to cause a leak.

[slvrXI]

Funny, I replaced mine at 70k miles, now at 160k and still leak free.

[mLuMaN83]

Im still ok at 136k miles but I get some burning smells from time to time so I think it may be time. No other leaking or explanation for the on and off smell. I'm just gonna go with the gasket when I replace my plugs and all that jazz soon. Thats my next step. Tune up overhaul. Plugs, wires, fuel filter, VCG, Intake boots, clean DISA, and possibly VANOS seals.

[hooRAH]

I replaced my first VCG at around 70k. Now at 146k its starting to leak again. I'd say its just the age of the rubber.

[Martin 03 325i]

I replaced mine less than 10k ago and it started leaking after 6-8k..so yeah pretty annoying..

[danewilson77]

170k and going strong on same valve cover. I replaced gasket when I did vanos seals/anti rattle kit at about 150k miles.

Sent from my Thunderbolt using BF.com

[e30hijinks]

Hey GoingNuts. They're talking about you over at E46F. Come back, we need your advice on oil.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=952692

[TArsen]

Hey GoingNuts. They're talking about you over at E46F. Come back, we need your advice on oil.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=952692

He's not lying..

Well...

[bmwbob89]

If you think the cover is warped take to a machine shop and have them check it with a straight edge. I doubt it is unless it was damaged by a bad vent valve in the past. The gasket just dries out and gets brittle.

[dmax56]

Just heard a rumor that bf was talking about e46F!

Anyway, I just posted over at fanatics that I don't believe a warped vc would lead to a leak. They're plastic, malleable, and basically, aren't going to warp between the screws so much anyway.

I'd read a number at fanatics report that Victor Reinz had a bad batch of rubber...many have been redoing vcgs after a short period of time...me included. This time I used OE gasket. Just did it, but time will tell.

Still, if you notice, the gasket sits proud of VC even when fully tight, so think there's enough play in it to account for whatever warp might maintain after properly rtving, and tightening down, in stages, in the proper pattern.

GN, I promise if you come back to say hello, some there will be very happy to see you...I've personally forgiven you myself since I seem to write posts a lot more that make me think you wrote them. Please stop fn with my brain, if you wouldn't mind!

I don't think bf deserves you...you're too good for it! :lmao:

BTW, Mango misses you a lot!

[GoingNuts]

I don't believe a warped vc would lead to a leak

Then you are quite wrong. Virgin VC's from the factory never leak while using the BMW oil. Once they are crowbar'ed open, that's when the unending sobbing story begins, especially when the problem is compounded with the wrong oil. Noobs who deliberately replace their vcg as a 'preventive' maintenance even though there wasn't a leak in the first place deserve what they get. All I can say is hah! Old and engine-heat dried vc's will warp when crowbar'ed because the hardened plastic will not flex back.

I have put e46f on ban.

[dmax56]

You're able to ban a forum...that's power alright!

There's what, maybe 6-8" between screws all around the VC. Many had reported the Reinz gaskets failing and I heard from a reputable source that Reinz claimed a bad batch of rubber (who knows?).

I don't think that the VC plastic warping on its own would do it, and I know you love your oil conspiracies, but I'm not buying that...though, of course, only use LL-01 (or LL-98) in mine, but I also think a lot get sloppy on the details of tightening down properly...RTVing where needed.

That said, if someone did pry it off, I could see a warp created in rare cases by an idiot, which then cracks when tightening down improperly...but give that pretty low odds.

Also likely, just insufficient cleaning of the groove in VC where gasket sits...it needs to seal there as well as on the cylinder head.

...to be continued, I guess.

So have you been behaving here?

[dukedkt442]

Every VCG gasket on every vehicle will leak, as a product of more rapid heating/cooling cycles than elsewhere in the engine. The plastic VC and aluminum head experience expansion and contraction rates so as the rubber in the gasket begins to harden over time, its inability to provide proper sealing becomes evident quicker than an engine with a steel VC. My VW has 176k and needs the VCG for the second time, my '84 GMC needed them earlier this year at 110k, my father's '00 Jeep at 100k this year, my 442 twice since I bought it in '99. I actually do agree with GoingNuts on one part... it isn't worth replacing the VCG as a "preventive" measure, as no real damage is going to happen if it fails; I don't consider slight residue and a smell real damage. I wouldn't replace the VCG as a preventive measure any more than I'd change an oil pan gasket or a rear main crankshaft seal as preventive measures.

[smeli]

im not for preventatively replacing the vcg but it could foul your spark plugs and the O2 sensor right by the vc. which arent expensive but damage can occur to those things. possibly even other sensors. who knows

[BadBoostedBmwM3]

Replace mobil 1 with less leaky BMW/castrol. I have direct first hand experience that Castrol has just over 100% leak performance advantage over mobil 1.

That's absurd!

Sent from my iPhone 5 using BF.com

[e30hijinks]

VCG can warp. Mine did. After 6 attempts at resealing it and three new Victor Reinz valve cover gaskets, I finally broke down and bought a brand new valve cover from the dealer. My problem was fixed and the old Valve Cover was visibly warped at the front corner... and no GoingNuts, I never used a crowbar on it.

DMAX... I'll post photos up on E46F. And the stickers... they're ready

[e30hijinks]

I have put e46f on ban.

We miss you!