Margal

I have 103k miles and was diagnosed with valve cover gasket and upper timing case leaks by dealership which is not that tereble at this time but they want $2200 and Indy $1000 for the job. I have done valve caver with my 325i earlier but never with 8 cylinder engines. I searched the web and the forum but really there is not a complete procedure for DIY. before I start this project could you please tell me how hard it is, what o rings and gaskets I have to replace when I am there. Do I need to use any sealent to put on gasket? What is the torgue for the bolts for VCG?
Thanks

545iMike

BMW TIS - 11 12 005 Removing and installing/sealing left cylinder head cover (N62/N62TU)
http://tis.spaghetticoder.org/s/view.pl?1/07/45/46

Stephen Max

It is the most difficult valve cover gasket job in the history of the known universe. The secret to successful removal of the driver side valve cover is:

1. remove the exhaust cam position sensor out of the valve cover in order to gain some precious millimeters of clearance with the inner fender wall and tubes and crap.

2. push the oil dipstick tube out of the way, towards the centerline of the engine and away from the valve cover. And I mean push it over until it permanently bends out of the way, you won't break it. It only needs a couple of centimeters or so, but it makes all the difference in the world.

You need a little RTV at the junction of the upper timing cover and the cylinder head, towards the front of the engine. You don't really need any anywhere else. And while you're at it, replace the timing cover gasket and the solenoid o-rings.

RTR

Recently found this DIY by flash_n DIY - E65/E66 - Valve cover gasket (driver side) - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums
Might be useful

Margal

Stephen Max;1481692]It is the most difficult valve cover gasket job in the history of the known universe

Do you think it is worth to pay a shop $1000 to perform it. What it the difficulty level 1-10.?

Stephen Max

It is one of the most difficult single procedures I have done in over 40 years of amateur auto mechanicing, and I have rebuilt engines and transmissions. It is not as hard as replacing the seal behind the alternator bracket or removing the lower timing cover, however. So I would give it a 7-8. The biggest source of difficulty is not realizing from the start how little clearance there is to remove the cover and then getting impatient and breaking the eccentric cam position sensor. So knowing this ahead of time (forewarned is forearmed), along with the dipstick tube bending trick and removing the exhaust cam position sensor will save a lot of frustration. Is it worth paying a mechanic? My philosophy is it is always worth it to learn how to do something, because you may eventually need to have it done again later. But I love working on cars, it is my therapy after working at a computer all day.

Margal

Is the passenger side as difficult as driver side. Which side is better to start. I am thinking passenger side to get more familiar with it. Is there anything I need to remove to get more clearance? I looking for micro torque wrench also. Could you please tell me also which one you are using and how important it is to torque the VCG bolts as specified?
Thx

Margal

Oh do I have to replace the spark plug well gaskets also
Do I they come with the casket set?

lilazngrl4o8

Is an Indy charging you $1000 to do both valve cover gasket and the upper timing case? If so, let the indy do it.

I sat at a shop and watched them do just the passenger side valve cover gasket and that took a good 8 hours.. then they ran into some problems (incompetent shop that I never went to again afterwards) and they were trying to diagnose a CEL light that was caused by not doing the valve cover gasket job correctly and that took another 3-4 hours.

I then sat through the fixing of my upper timing cover gasket change and that took a good few hours as well.

You might as well change the alternator bracket while you're at it (known source of leak). Are you sure it's your valve cover gasket that's leaking/needs changing? I took my car into a shop (the incompetent one) for an oil leak and they diagnosed it as a valve cover that was leaking but it was really the upper timing cover and alternator bracket.

Where is your oil leak coming from? How big of a puddle?

When the valve cover gasket was changed on my car, the shop also replaced the metal tube for the spark plugs.


#12. Spark Plug Pipe p/n 11127570219

Margal

The leak was diagnosed by the dealership as vCG and upper timing case
Shop wants $1000 for both sides but they sad If timing cover is leaking than it gonna be more probably another $500
The leak is not that terrible now as I just added a quarter oil to the engine as the low warning light come on in 4k
I decided to performed other preventative repairs like coolant flush thermostat, drive belt to get more clearance TC and VCK
Thank for that alternator bracket. Do I have to remove alternator to replace it?
Is replacing those spark plug tubes necessary and more involving it might be?
Thanks for good information.