BimmerFest BMW Forum banner

Valve Cover Gasket Job is PITA on this vehicle

4K views 15 replies 5 participants last post by  Owenrocks2013 
#1 · (Edited)
2009 E71 with about 84K miles. I had a leak in the valve cover gasket and I've done this job on other BMW models before. No big deal, I thought. There is a plastic molded vent pipe on the passenger side of the head that prevents the cover from coming out easily. The pipe routes down behind the back of the motor and it's not obvious how to remove it so I didn't. I removed all of the fuel injectors to make sure the valve cover doesn't catch on any of them.

I had to sit on top of the engine and wiggle, push and pull for a long time to finally get the cover out, but the cover was brittle from age and I broke the gasket flange in a couple of spots. I've ordered a new valve cover.

While I'm waiting for the part, did I miss some step that would have made life easier? Any tips on getting the cover back on more easily?
 
#2 · (Edited)
Having now spent over 20 hours on this job and still not done, my strong advice to anyone reading this: Pay whatever the dealer wants, or sell the car. Anything to avoid doing this job yourself. That plastic pipe prevents you from getting the valve cover in and out without damage. It also makes it so the gasket will catch on the valve train as you try to jam the cover back in, forcing you to pull the cover back out again to re-seat the gasket. I'm even using RTV Black to try to keep the gasket in place. I've done valve cover gaskets on at least a half dozen vehicles, other BMWs, Audis, Mercedes, and it has never taken more than 4 hours.

If your valve cover is starting to leak, sell the car.
 
#3 ·
LOL!!!
I am SO glad you posted your frustration and time spent on this project as I am in the same exact situation.
Whatever that hard pipe is against the fender makes this task exceptionally difficult.
I am now hoping that by removing the injectors I can work around that pipe. Of course, the #6 injector is frozen in place...
20 Hours is no exaggeration.
 
#4 · (Edited)
SOLUTION!!!

Go ahead and buy a new cover, new PCV and hose. ECS Tuning has a complete kit with the gasket installed, new bolts, etc. Just a suggestion but I've read it is worth replacing that cover at !00,000 mi so I did. https://www.ecstuning.com/b-assembled-by-ecs-parts/valve-cover/11127565284kt/

Removing the air pipe is easy though reinstalling may be a hassle. Make sure you check out the tabs at the bottom end of the tube- there are three tabs that look like they are just a partial turn to secure. Unfortunately the plastic on mine was brittle and broke right at those tabs. Here is the part: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/air-duct/13717571348/
Here is the service diagram: https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/...ration-control/13-71-intake-silencer/1LNbp8rb
There is a single T20 screw holding it in place, no clamp at the bottom. That screw head points towards the fender and you can get a 1/4" socket with a T20 bit on it by putting your right arm along the engine near the wiring harness bracket and your left hand can come down from the top to apply pressure to the backet of the ratchet head. You'l want a fine ratchet as there isn't much room to move. I used a ratcheting 1/4" disc to get it out once it was loose. The pipe has the blow-by vent hose attached and that piece will probably crack/break so go ahead and have a new one on hand.

Zip tie the wires, etc to the A/C line bracket to get them out of the way.

No need to remove the vacuum line that runs across the front of the cover, there is enough play to get it out of the way.

I did remove injectors 3-6. Not sure 3 and 4 really needed to come out. If you need to make an injector puller you can make one with a M12x1.5 coupler nut, a 4"? M12x1.5 shoulder bolt, a ~1" washer and a ~2" washer. I used a weight lifting bar collar to make the slide because I was not having any luck using an adjustable wrench as a hammer on it. You need something with mass that can slide straight in line with the bolt/injector. No wiggling side-to-side.

This may help someone down the line. https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/...ngine/11-12-cylinder-head-with-lid/1VnZ3DqrZH
Skip step 12- removing wiring harness. Whomever wrote these instructions had no clue about this part as those bolts are nearly impossible to reach and this step is not needed.
 
#6 · (Edited)
SOLUTION!!!
Were you able to rotate and remove the air duct? If it's that easy, I feel like a fool! I did remove the T20 hoping that it was going to be something simple like that, but I still could not get the duct out. Maybe I didn't rotate it enough. Did you remove the vacuum fitting? If so, how hard is that?

I can get the injectors out easily using the hook pick from this set. https://www.harborfreight.com/pick-and-hook-set-7-pc-69592.html
I don't use the pick to pull the injector. I use it as leverage to gently pry up on the bracket collar. It comes out really easily.

I'm still getting a slight burning oil smell so there is still a small oil leak discharging on the exhaust manifold somewhere. I will re-tackle this job when the weather warms up in the spring. (I'm in Salt Lake City). Any advice will be very helpful.
 
#7 ·
There is an air duct system that I believe is for the turbo charger. There is a Y-duct that goes across the top of the motor that clamps to two ducts that go down towards the bottom of the engine bay. The front one is out of the way. The rear one is not.
 
#11 · (Edited)
More success!
Autozone has a boroscope loaner- borrow it or buy one. Absolutely want this unless you have skinny arms and smallish hands.

I reinstalled the fuel rail, injectors, and coils before this step.

I will post a video at some point but here is the summary for getting the air pipe back on the turbo.

1) The lockring will rotate from open = passenger side to closed = driver's side. There is a positive click when it is in place. Get a feel for it before trying to install the tube.
2) I think having the intake manifold out the way may be helpful. Mine was because I was replacing those gaskets too. You may be able to get around it without removal.
3) Set the boroscope on the right strut tower, roughly, facing the left side so you can see it with your head resting on the valve cover. Yep, prepare to get intimate with your engine.
4) Place several thick towels/padding on the front edge of the engine compartment, passengers side of the radiator and the leading edge of the block, about the oil filter assembly location.
5) Have a ~12mm wrench with a closed end to loop over the lever on the lock ring.
6) I ran the boroscope down the firewall side of the block close to the passenger side corner- basically straight down at the connection. Use the part as a reference before assembly to get a sense of where you will be looking/working.
7) Reconnect the sensor wire to the charge pipe before putting the pipe in place.
8) Loosely thread the mounting screw for the charge pipe- the one that goes through the wiring harness bracket. This will approximately locate the far end of the pipe at the opening on the turbo. Approximately.
9) Getting the pipe in to the housing is the first tricky part. You may be able to stand along the passenger fender and manipulate the pipe from above, getting it to seat by working the far end. I couldn't. Instead, I had to lay on the engine, right hip at about the oil filter housing, head almost touching the valve cover at cylinder 4'ish. My right arm was able to squeeze between the block and firewall, just over the transmission housing. There is a bit of an open space once you get your hand down in there, enough to move around a bit and manipulate a tool.
10) First pass- get your right hand down in there, use it to align the boroscope so that you can see the tab and the scope won't move when you take your hand away. It's a bit finicky- may want to have an external monitor set up for better picture.
11) Go back in with wrench in hand, closed end is the working end. I think I started with the loop angled down. Viewing the scope, hook the loop over the tab and start pulling towards the drivers side. With luck it will come easily. If not, try flipping the wrench and pulling again. I wasn't able to move it fro mthe starting position without the wrench, you may have better luck and may not need the wrench at all. Once you get it as far as you can with the wrench, pull your arm out, pass off the wrench and go back in to use a finger for final effort. Hopefully.
12) Mission accomplished!
13) Tighten the mounting screw and proceed with reassembly.
[Optional Step 14) Drink beer]
 
#12 ·
More success!
Autozone has a boroscope loaner- borrow it or buy one. Absolutely want this unless you have skinny arms and smallish hands.

... Snip ...
Thanks for the great writeup, Randy! That will help me when I redo the job in the spring, and everyone else who comes here by way of Google search. I'll be sure to borrow a boroscope from Autozone. Wish I had thought of that the first time so I could see why the hell that pipe wasn't coming out.
 
#15 · (Edited)
No fuel injector moved, air pipe need loose,disconnect short pipe and a wire plug, after that lift as high as possible but no need take out.

Toy Gesture Elbow Human leg Aviation


Try several time by touch for air pipe locking with no luck, index finger can barely touch the locking tab, use Randy H's genius wrench idea succesfully locking the pipe in position.

BTW, To access that air pipe locking ring you are needed to stretch your body on the engine and from a bit right side with right whole front arm by 45 angle to reach that locking tab down there.

Anyway it is doable job, it may takes 4-5 hours for second time.
 
#16 ·
IMO You ever and I mean ever have Valve Cover leaks on a BMW Just Take it to the Dealership and get that warranty. It's Really a Fix you can do within a few hours for a couple of hundred bucks for Gaskets and Cases etc. But I personally have done mine 2 times now and had bad luck both times with OEM gaskets. Just take it to a Dealership they typically for my Car (V8) Only wanted $1200 for both Covers, Gaskets & Labor all with a 2 Year Unlimited Mile Warranty on labor and parts. It's the greatest deal since if you ever have a Spark Plug Tube fail and or the gasket fails again you save all that time and get to drive around in that nice Loaner Car they give you haha.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top