My '05 545i is currently in the shop to have at least my timing cover gasket and water pump replaced (and anywhere else they find oil leaking).

Can you recommend any other work I should have my guy do while I'm already paying a good chunk on labor already?

Thanks

 

Control arms

 

You must have some dough.

1. Upper timing cover gaskets
2. Vanos solenoid o-rings
3. Valve cover gaskets
4. VVT motor gaskets
5. Alternator bracket seal
6. Vacuum pump o-ring
7. Johnson rods
8. Frammis plate
9. Muffler bearings
10. Blinker fluid

 

Nah, not paid like that, I just want to get as much done as possible while they have the car apart.

Stephen, Are any of those that you suggested easily accessed while they have the car apart doing the current repairs?

 

Oh, and don't try to get aftermarket johnson rods, frammis shift plate, and muffler bearings, only OEM will do. Blinker fluid must say long life LL-04. Go for the stage 2 muffler bearings for heavy duty performance.

 

The most time consuming jobs are the valve cover gaskets and the alternator bracket seal. The others are easily replaced.

 

Stephen, did you do the work on your own car, or a shop? Reason why I'm asking, is I'm curious about the alternator bracket seal. Is it just a gasket or some kind of o-ring? Would it be ok to add oil resistance high temp RTV to help seal it up.

 

To your first question: It is a gasket, not an o-ring.
To the 2nd question: I wouldn't recommend simply applying RTV since you have to do the job 95% of the way done to do it and the gasket is less than $5, seems silly to go that far into a job and then half ass it. Yes, it's a huge PITA, but do it right and you may not have to do it again the rest of the time you own the car.

 

Sorry, I wasn't clear on my question, I wanted to know if while doing the job, could you add RTV to be preventive down the road. As I wouldn't want it to leak again in the near future just by relying on the oem gasket. I figure if the oem gasket is prone to leaks, why couldn't we do something to prevent it from leaking while we'll addressing the issue.

 

Alternator bracket seal - is this specifically for the N62 engine? Or I assume this is same for all engines?

John - did you do this for your car too?