How to replace your coolant pipe, valve covers, timing gaskets and more

So I have pulled the covers off and I am in the process of putting them back on. I am having a very difficult time getting them to go onto the new spark plug tubes. I tried with the old spark plug tubes and the covers go on very easy. Any ideas? Both sides are having problems getting back on. Any tricks to getting them back on?

Thanks

Originally Posted by Xerox

So I have pulled the covers off and I am in the process of putting them back on. I am having a very difficult time getting them to go onto the new spark plug tubes. I tried with the old spark plug tubes and the covers go on very easy. Any ideas? Both sides are having problems getting back on. Any tricks to getting them back on?

Thanks

Did you use lubricant? I used generous amount of lubricant on spark plug tube ends. They went in with no resistance at all.

What did you use as a lubricant?

I think it was some silicone based lubricant. I had few unlabeled lubricant bottles on the shelf. I picked the one that eliminated friction best. If i remember correctly the TIS specified lubricant is also silicone based.

Yeah, my version of the TIS just said "Anti friction rubber coating". I was not sure what and could not find anything that said that. So I figured it meant a lubricant and just put a small amount of oil on the tube seal. However, I had no luck with it. The old ones did not even need oil on them, the just slid right in. Do you think oil is fine, or should I look for something else? Maybe I should put oil on both the tube and the valve cover.

Thanks

I would get some lubricant that is designed for this. I tried with different oils and if you use something like wd40 or general lubricants its about same as not using any. At least when i compared "general purpose" lubricants and silicone based lubricants the different was like night and day. I used silicone oil that was quite thick and clear, much like a syrup. Its used to treat rubber seals in industry, but is very multipurpose stuff. I used small paintbrush to apply it.

I found Silicone grease at Home Depot in the plumbing section used for o-rings in faucets. You are right it was like night and day. The cover slides right on. However, now I am on to my next challenge in that it seems that I can not get the tubes to go all the way up into the cover. It has a very small gap at the top. This small gap seems to be keeping me from putting the small nuts/bolts back onto the bottom of the cover. I am not having a problem getting the long ones on the top. Just for reference, I tried the long ones on bottom to see if I could get those started and I could. I would guess I have about an 1/8 of an inch gap from the top of the cover to the top of the tube.

I am sure this gap is not suppose to be there but can not figure out what to do about it. Any ideas?

Thanks for your help with the grease!

I also had hard time getting covers back on. Mostly because I was too lazy to read tis and didn't notice I had different size bolts. Are you tightening them in right order? Does your new spark plug tubes have a metal sleeve on them? Mine did and I ended taking them off to get cover aligned properly&threads started.

So I do have the new tubes with the aluminum covers. I did read tis thats the only reason I knew the 4 small bolts went on the bottom. I have not taken the aluminum off but might have to as a last resort. Do you feel the aluminum sleeves is what made the difference for you?

Thanks

Maybe do a dry run without them? See if it helps. Sleeves seem to keep tubes straight when seated on the head. I failed to see any obvious other uses for them. Plus old tubes didn't have them. So I just took them off as it allowed more movement with the cover. After I realized I had different size bolts it went without bigger issues. I still had to lean a bit over it to get threads started as new rubber grommets/sealing elements were little bit thicker than old ones.

I'll let you know what I find. Thanks for the help.

The steel tubes won't have an impact. Definately do a dry run. It's a matter of finesse and a rubber mallet when everything is aligned. The putting on the bolts which requires pressure on the cover. Getting the short ones on in the front and working your way back is key if I remember correctly

Sent from my PC36100 using Bimmer A

I've got one on. NOW, I have the problem of I can't figure out how the heck to get my torque wrench on the bottom bolts. I've tried a crows foot but still can get in there. Any suggestions? How did you guys do it? I have been successful at getting the wrench on there but then I don't have room to rotate it at all.

The way that I did was as follows:

Call the lower studs from left to right 1-4 (direction doesn't really matter right to left would be fine as well). I put a slightly tightened long bolt on studs 1 & 3 until I could get a short bolt on studs 2 & 4. Removed long bolt attached to stud 1 and replaced with a short bolt. Removed long bolt on stud 3 and replaced with a short bolt. You may have to tighten the bolts slightly more to get the last short bolt on. Once I had all of the short bolts on then I put all the long bolts on.

I did not have to remove the aluminum sleeves. Everything fit together well with them on there.

Thanks

No suggestions? I thought somebody would have had a solution. I am waiting for someone to chime in with a winning suggestion

Thanks

I accomplished this using 2 universal joints (one by ratchet and one by socket) and an extension bar.


I think i also used a stubby ratchet for the 3rd one back.

A flexhead ratchet also came in handy.

I definitely increased my tools selection on this project.

'NOW, I have the problem of I can't figure out how the heck to get my torque wrench on the bottom bolts'

Originally Posted by wilson009

More alternator Bracket Pics
Replace this Seal. A bad seal here would definitely cause oil dripping/weeping. As there and opening directly into the block.

No clue why its here doesn't' seem to do anything or go anywhere.

So I am 95% sure I have a leak from here. How difficult is this compared to the valve cover gaskets? It seems like the biggest deal is that the engine has to be hoisted up (which I don't have an engine hoist). I do have a car lift. Is it possible to do without hoisting the engine?

Also my alternator is not water cooled. Does that make a difference? Seems like it would not matter.


Also, I have not been able to find anything in TIS about this subject. Any ideas where it is in TIS. Surely it is in there and I just have not found it. I found how to change he alternator just not the procedure for removing the mounting plat and replacing the gasket .

TIA

Hello everyone,

I apologize for not starting a different thread for this question but I figured I may just post it here as it's all related.

So I put on my valve covers and after letting the car run for a few minutes I saw some smoke coming out from the area around where the exhaust is, right below the cover. It's not coming out from UNDER the cover itself, just the general area. Could it be the leftover oil that dripped down as I was taking the old covers off? I know for a fact that the new cover is not leaking any oil. Did anybody encounter the same problem? I was thinking of just letting the engine run till it burns off but figured I'd ask before I go with that idea.

GREAT WILSON,
THANK YOU SO MUCH , YOU MADE MY WEEKEND WONDERFULL, LOOKING FOWARD TO FINISH THIS ,
Happy Thanksgiving
mustoboy

Wilson, you the man. I enjoyed this thread as my Alternator Bracket Gasket is now leaking and I was searching on how to do it, looks like I'm gonna have to hoist the engine up for that pesky last bolt on the bracket to get the bracket to come off. I just don't understand why BMW would put a hole in the engine that serves no purpose. Anyway, thanks for your instructions and for others input as well.

Need a little help guys. I am presently fixing my coolant pipe issue. Everything was going well until I was trying to remove the fuel rail. The screws are loose and I gave it a few tugs but it won't budge. I don't want to break anything. Any tips?

Originally Posted by dablk1

Need a little help guys. I am presently fixing my coolant pipe issue. Everything was going well until I was trying to remove the fuel rail. The screws are loose and I gave it a few tugs but it won't budge. I don't want to break anything. Any tips?

Keep constant pressure pulling straight up and just wiggle a little / gently side to side. It'll come out, just keep at it.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Bimmer App

Originally Posted by Garland745Li

Wilson, you the man. I enjoyed this thread as my Alternator Bracket Gasket is now leaking and I was searching on how to do it, looks like I'm gonna have to hoist the engine up for that pesky last bolt on the bracket to get the bracket to come off. I just don't understand why BMW would put a hole in the engine that serves no purpose. Anyway, thanks for your instructions and for others input as well.

Use an engine support bar if you have one -- that way the engine stays suspended as you lift and lower the car, as opposed to an engine hoist, which you would have to lift and lower as you lift and lower the car.

Actually that hole at the alternator mounting bracket gasket is used on the gulf versions -- to help in cooling the alternator, I believe.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Bimmer App

Well I replaced my coolant pipe. Reassembled everything and now I'm getting a misfire and sounds like it sucking in air on the side of the intake. I will pull some codes and report back. I'm not sure where I went wrong.

I am also busy to work towards replacing the water pipe inside the V. Start to strip the parts today and I must admit it is much more work than what I thought..

At this stage I have removed the fuel rails and the two intake manifolds, I am left to remove all the wiring to get access to the valley pan cover.

While I am inside I am inspecting all the parts for damage and can already see that most of the plastic tubing around the wires are brittle due to heat, I will use BMW cloth tape to repair all the wire looms accessible.

A quick question, is it worth while to remove all the injectors, well first of all is it necessary to remove the injectors? and then is it worth while to have the injectors service at a Bosch dealer? Car has almost 100k miles on the clock now.

What else deserve attention while I have the intake manifold and air box removed?

Cheers

Originally Posted by Blackbox760

I am also busy to work towards replacing the water pipe inside the V. Start to strip the parts today and I must admit it is much more work than what I thought..

At this stage I have removed the fuel rails and the two intake manifolds, I am left to remove all the wiring to get access to the valley pan cover.

While I am inside I am inspecting all the parts for damage and can already see that most of the plastic tubing around the wires are brittle due to heat, I will use BMW cloth tape to repair all the wire looms accessible.

A quick question, is it worth while to remove all the injectors, well first of all is it necessary to remove the injectors? and then is it worth while to have the injectors service at a Bosch dealer? Car has almost 100k miles on the clock now.

What else deserve attention while I have the intake manifold and air box removed?

Cheers

That's pretty weird; I had to remove my wires before I removed my fuel raisl. 2 intake manifolds(I only had one unless you are referring to the gaskets) I didn't remove my injectors as it didn't seem neccessary to me, but I did replace my injector o-rings.
I completed mine 2 days ago. I was getting misfires on 3 cylinders until I did.