new owner, 2002 525i SE

Originally Posted by DHoang

And even though those parts listed may not leave you stranded, but by the time you figure out that they need to be replaced, the failed parts cold cause problems for other parts down stream. Take oxy sensors. if failed, you could have been running too lean or too rich w/o knowing. Both cases, you subject your costly catalytic converters to a period of damage.
vanos seal....if you wait until they are a goner, by then, the solenoid would have rubbed itself raw against the sidewalls, and so instead of just replacing a $50 beisan seal, you could be looking at a complete vanos unit due to a scored or out of round cyl wall.
2nd air valve. if the valve is left until it's 100% failed, it could take out the pump.
spark plugs...can't imagine why anyone would reuse old spark plugs after a gasket change. They're so cheap, and besides, for 100% combustion seal, you cannot reuse old plugs b/c the washer is a crush washer, a one time use.

these items i agree with you on for the most part. every time i get into somewhere i make these considerations. i don't have the savings account for it anymore though. i plan on replacing the valve cover gasket without new spark plugs lol you can replace the spark plugs without removing the valve cover right? the valve cover seems to be a pretty easy job. i mean i haven't done it yet but doesn't seem difficult, nothing worth jumping through hoops that i can see.

on another note, i bought a new climate control button panel, and completely failed at installing it. has anyone ever done that? what gives with all the loose rockers? i need some more of those little rockers, the new panel is worse than the old one right now. hopefully when the weekend comes ill have time after the cooling system overhaul and VCG to really work on that. i really thought it was going to be plug and play what a bummer.

i have never worked on german cars, its not that they are harder, its that they seem to be manufactured and engineered on a different planet lol

alright so here is a predicament I'm in.

i need shocks, or at least i assume because its been 120,000 miles and 11 years. but i need an alignment and front tires like yesterday. can't afford it all unless i use my credit card (which i have never held a balance on). shocks don't make that big of a difference alignment wise right? all the bushings look good, at least to my eyes, im sure bmw will say differently once they get me to fork over the $160 they want for the alignment.

Ive never herd of a 525i "SE"

Sport edition. figured that might be common nomenclature. What a n00b I am

alright, so i just took off my valve cover and the top of the cover is caked with some sort of carbon and my valve cover in the plastic areas was falling apart. very brittle. signs of overheating?

nevermind guys, just the old gasket... phew! i wonder the best way to go about cleaning this thing. what a task...

Id take it to a powder coating shop. Have them bead blast the whole thing, then coat the outside only. Pics?

i am going to pressure wash it i think. i don't have time to do that unfortunately.

oil cap

the carbon on the valve cover has already been blasted with compressed air. this is the after shot. before it was on a 1/4 inch thick in some spots. cams look relatively good at least.

this is what was coming off with compressed air.


afraid it is signs of overheating. from the 4 inches of the headgasket i can see it looks pretty good, but thats the only section i can see. it runs well. also my oil pan gasket is going. i hope it is just incredibly deceiving and something else like everyone says, because by gawd that is a project i was hoping i wouldn't have to do on this thing. here is a pic of the oil pan seepage.

replaced:
eng oil/filter
VC gasket
radiator
coolant hoses
expansion tank
fan shroud
thermostat

short term goals:
brakes
rear axle service
xmsn service
front end alignment

plans for the car.