Seeing as they were "hammered out" of the valve cover is likely damaged and you will now need to purchase a new valve cover.

 

Seeing as they were "hammered out" the valve cover is likely damaged and you will now need to purchase a new valve cover.

Thank you but was i not suppose to remove these bolts? I got them out cleanly without ruining anything just dont know how to get back on

 

How to get these bolts back in valve cover?? I hammered them out but cannot appear to get them back on.. bolts keep spinning when I screw

I thought they were one time use so replaced valve cover gasket but decided to keep the original valve cover


2008 bmw 528xi , n52 engine

 

We are confused because we don't know exactly what means "hammered them out". How exactly did you remove them?

The plastic valve cover uses steel bolts and they can be reused.

If you banged on the plastic valve cover, it may be cracked in a way that is hard to see. This will cause issues with vacuum leaks and associated problems. An independent shop that works on BMW's I have been to for A/C work only replaces the plastic ones and never reuses them.

There are several length bolts and some have those sleeves you see. I'm guessing you have them mixed up and that's why they aren't threading in.

This website is a parts website, but is useful for figuring out what goes where sometimes: realoem.com
Put in the last 7 of you VIN and you make and model will come up. Surf to the right page. If this case Engine->Cylinder Head

You'll see there are 5 different bolts used and the diagram will list the lengths of each bolt. You can see what bolts have the sleeves by surfing for the part number and looking at the photos you find. All those are M7 bolts and get torqued to 9 Nm.

 

I got a screw driver and tapped them out one by one.. I think i may have got this valve cover confused with another and was not suppose to take the valve cover screws out to replace them as i can't get the new screws back in.. does anybody know if it is possible to get these screws back in?? Pics in comments of valve cover thank you so much for all ur guys help

 

I believe the bolts are collared, designed to hold them in the valve cover.
May be why you can’t get the new ones back in.

One option would be to buy bolts that aren’t collared, if the valve cover is not damaged or micro fractured.
They would need to be the same size, length and thread pitch as the current bolts, just no collar - regular bolts.
And then they should slide right in.

If yours is a 2008 it should have a plastic valve cover, which used steel bolts, which could probably be sourced from a hardware store.

Some earlier models had a magnesium valve cover, with aluminum bolts.

 

I appreciate the reply It makes sense what u are saying but i dont want to use different bolts not to spec.. to me it seems like I have to take the loss and buy a new valve cover with the bolts already in the cover. I dont think I can save the original valve cover with the new bolts that I purchased.. I will continue to review this thread incase if anybody has an idea

 

I think you bought the bolt set for the magnesium cover, mostly used on 2006 models with the N52.
Since those were aluminum bolts they had to be replaced.
All the models after that, that used a plastic valve cover, had collared steel bolts.

You can also see if you can get the old bolts back in without damaging the cover.
If you think it will damage it can try the hardware store no collar bolt option.

 

I think there the same bolts as the original but I was not suppose to take them out the valve cover and should of just reused the original. Every video I seen of this Car had reused original bolts but I guess the rear wheel drive model needed the bolts changed and I confused

 

I am pretty sure you bought the bolt set for the magnesium valve cover, it had to use aluminum bolts (one time use from stretching) because magnesium and steel touching would have galvanic corrosion.
Looks like 2006 and 2007 N52’s used them.
My son had a 2008 328i with a plastic valve cover.

if you have a plastic valve cover, which you should, your original bolts are steel and can be reused.
Can see if they go back into the valve cover, if you still have them.
But if they damage/fracture it, best to get a new cover.

If you still have the old bolts, compare them to the new ones. I think the collar on the bolt may be different than the sleeves on the aluminum bolts.

 

I'm confident that if your valve cover isn't damaged, you can use it.
We just need to figure out what you issue is.
You may or may not have the wrong bolts.
The RWD car does not use different bolts.
An earlier year valve cover was made out of magnesium and uses different bolts which are aluminum.
The plastic valve cover uses steel bolts.

 

Thank you very much for the reply. The valve cover is in excellent condition as i was very careful getting the screws out and the screws are the exact screw as I can tell by eye and I put my vin number when buying it from the bimmer website I just don't know how to get these bolts in so was seeing if anybody else may know. There has got to be a way

 

Like you, I always removed the bolts with their aluminum spacers off the valve cover before putting it back to N52 engine, well, with the exception of those in the 4 corners. I found it easier to put VC back on that way. I wrapped VC with thin string from wife's sewing machine, by a couple of turns on the inner end so the cover gasket does not fall out during installation. For a VC screw to go back to its hole, if only used two fingers to press and turn, it won't do it. I need to use a small hammer to tap on the screw head to force the aluminum spacer into VC hole first by 0.040" deep or so, doing this allow the screw to reach the threaded hole in the cylinder head, next finger-turn the screw to engage a couple of threads and use a ratchet to do the rest.

 

I just read this and thank you so much!! So I will have to use a hammer to get the aluminum spacer in. Do u recommend to tap the screw and spacer with the valve cover off the car? Or would u tap the screw with the hammer while the valve cover is in place, on top of the motor?

 

My wife used to have an X5 with the plastic valve cover. Honestly, I didn't remember how the bolts were in that valve cover, so i looked at some photos online. I see one photo of the plastic valve cover upside down and the screw are still in place -- as in, not falling out. Sometimes screws are held in place by a captive washer or it looks like some sort of captive sleeve that is pressed into the valve cover. In a case like that, like EMT-X5 points out, you need to use some force to push it back though the captive washer. Once in, it won't fall back out. I think it may be best to do this by lying the valve cover on a flat surface and tapping them back in. That way you won't stress or bend the valve cover getting them back in.

 

Thank you so much for this tremendous help guys I think that is the way to go, I will take the valve cover off and use force to get them in on a flat surface. I will also freeze the bolts to hopefully get them to shrink a bit!

I must say this is by far one of the most helpful best communities I've been in as I just purchased my beemer and just joined this community. I really appreciate u guys and will keep u all posted on how I get these bolts in after I get them in as im sure someone in the future my lookup this form and may need to know how to do this!! Thank you all and have a great day !!

 

Throw the bolts/spacers in the feezer for a while. They will shrink a tad and it will be easier to install them back on the cover. If you can get them to cool down to around 0 degrees Celsius they will shrink about 0.5 millimeter.

 

Thank you my friend It may be a great bmw hack that will work, I will try this and keep u all posted!!

 

Screws were loaded after VC was put in the tight space and well positioned on the top of engine. Use an E10 socket with 3" socket extension on a screw and just tap at the top of the extension to advance the screw. In the inner side of VC, screws are hidden, no room for hammering due to the obstruction by windshield wiper cowl, in that case, I filed to chamfer the bottom edge of the aluminum spacer and thumbed it harder down then turn.

 

Thank you so much for this, I will be back in the office working on the bmw tomorrow and will try what u said and will report back to this thread to see if it works or not as im sure it should work hopefully 🤞

 

Hi so update yall. Thank you very much for the help. Aafter I froze the bolts to hopefully make them smaller, I tried hammering the new bolts back in while the valve cover was on the motor and it didnt go in. If I hammered harder it would've probably went in but I bet some screws were going to strip or i would ruin something with the car. So I took the valve cover back off the car. I started hammering in the new screws and they were hard to get in. I tried hammering a old screw in and it appears to tap in fine. I think I will just go ahead and reuse the old screws to get this job done even though it is not recommended by bmw to reuse old screws. I dont know what the reason may be for why the new screws are not working but I need to get this projext done to use my daily again.. Will keep u all posted when valve cover is bolted back down on car and ahin thank you

 

Hi so update yall. Thank you very much for the help. Aafter I froze the bolts to hopefully make them smaller, I tried hammering the new bolts back in while the valve cover was on the motor and it didnt go in. If I hammered harder it would've probably went in but I bet some screws were going to strip or i would ruin something with the car. So I took the valve cover back off the car. I started hammering in the new screws and they were hard to get in. I tried hammering a old screw in and it appears to tap in fine. I think I will just go ahead and reuse the old screws to get this job done even though it is not recommended by bmw to reuse old screws. I dont know what the reason may be for why the new screws are not working but I need to get this projext done to use my daily again..


Whichever ways, the one works for you matters. Glad you got the screws all in, before tightening screw use either a mirror to see or a finger to feel all around the bottom of VC to make sure the gasket is in put in properly.

 

Also will anyone may know if this peice is missing under valve cover?

 

I believe I said before you need a new valve cover. That part is part of the valve cover and not replaceable separately.

 

I found a photo and they look like guides that fit into something on the cylinder head...they may be sitting in their spot on the head after you too off valve cover...it looks like you need them for sure since a bolt goes through each one:

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-valve-cover-3-0-l6-11127552281

 

Thank you very much for this reply. I will have to see where this part is and if I cannot find, will have to see where to order it from

 

Got the all the original bolts in everyone thank you very much I guess the ones who said the valve cover screws were not the right size may have been right. One more question to finish this project. Does anyone know how how to get these two peices to stay in tact? I see rtv is suggested but what if it breaks off in the future? What would u do? Thank you all! It will not stick together easily at all if there is nothing done maybee I need a new part?

 

I would try an not use RTV. You don't want it to end up in the oil pan. How about some vasoline? That is on the thicker side and just petroleum jelly anyway and might just hold it in place as you maneuver the cover in place? Or is there a way to deform the inserted part of rubber thing so it stays put?

 

The two pieces are part of the crankcase ventilation system They are a mini version of oil separator and the hole at the end must not be blocked though. I would use JB Weld High Temperature to permanently glue them back to VC.

 

I used super glue on mine, as recommended there by Pelican Parts. I'm not certain but I think the cap is held against the head when the valve cover is in place, so the glue is mainly just to keep it attached while you get the valve cover reinstalled and then there's no room for it to move once everything is tightened down.

 

Thank you for the confidence, I used permatex ultra black RTV silicone gasket maker, im sure it will be just fine as it is a common practice for this part to fall off