I watched several videos on the subject multiple times before attempting. Hands down this is the best step by step guide showing disassembly and reassembly with torque specs as you go and a few little tricks and reminders to be patient.
Awesome video. Best I have watched in a while. No cursing and straight to the point. Only thing I did differently was NOT disconnect the battery but instead pulled the very bottom left fuse in the trunk to stop the pump from engaging every time the car felt movement. Number 189 on this 528i. The reason for that is the last time the battery was unhooked it reset all the sensors and it cost $125 to have it reprogrammed on this car. So being the reason for just pulling the fuse. Thank you for taking the time to create the video and post it. Much appreciated. God bless
Hey Lee, thanks for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the video and found it helpful when doing the valve cover on your BMW. Appreciate the tip about the fuse in lieu of disconnecting the battery. Thanks again for hanging out on the channel. Cheers!
Excellent video. I just did changed today on my 2016 5series valve cover gasket using this video as my reference and it did help me a lot. The only thing that challenged me most was putting back for the vacuum part at the back in aligning the notch coz it did moved and rotate 😂with that tight space and a new seal oh man😅 Thank you for your detailed video, I really appreciate taking your time to share with us. 🙏
Hey James, thanks for the comments. We agree that it can be a bit challenging to get good access. Not sure why BMW decided to change the whole style of the valve cover assembly. On the previous engine generations, the M52/M54 is so much easier to perform this job on. Glad the video could help you on on your project though. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Bought a 2014 528i about a month ago and noticed a funky burning smell with some smoke coming from the left side. I know what I'm doing this weekend lol
Thank you @BradleysGarage for the very clear and complete video. This is the best video I've seen on the subject. It doesn't skip any important steps, it includes the torques, and even the torque sequence. That really shows the level of care that you put into the video. I have the exact same leak problem on my 2014 F10. It has ~100K miles on it and my mechanic tells me I should change the complete valve cover and he says he will not use an aftermarket brand, which will cost me $400-500 for the original BMW part alone. Once you add labor, it will probably be in the $900-1000 range, which I'm hoping to avoid if possible. That's how I discovered your video. I have 2 questions for you: 1) Is it reasonable for my mechanic to recommend that I should replace the whole valve cover without even diagnosing a crack, instead of just replacing the gasket set like you did? 2) Let's say I remove the valve cover and indeed find a crack, is there any aftermarket brand you would recommend, or possibly any brand you think one should avoid)? There are 4 different aftermarket brands on Pelican Parts (Uro Parts, Hamburg Technic, Febi Bilstein, and Elring Klinger) in addition to the very expensive BMW one. I don't know if you have had any good/bad experience with any of these aftermarket brands. Thank you for the excellent video.
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. If you have the ability to go without the car for a week or so, we would remove the valve cover and see if there are any visible cracks, then you would know you need a complete cover. The other option would be to order both the gasket kit and the valve cover itself. Then you can decide which direction you want to go once you see what is leaking. We only changed the gasket on ours and haven't had any issues since the repair. That being said, the plastic valve cover itself does go bad and does crack over time. The reason why shops just change the whole cover is they don't want to have any leaking issues a week or month later. Then they would end up taking things apart again. If you are on a budget, we would go with the Elring from FCPEuro since they offer a lifetime guarantee on all their parts. It's half the cost of the OEM unit and we have had good success with the Elring brand. www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-valve-cover-elring-11127588412 Good luck on your BMW project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Picked up this issue yesterday. Wife car. She complained of smoke. So i checked the brakes for not releasing fully. About a month now. Oil leaks on manifold. Will getnon it immedeately. Very clear video on how to fix this. Thank you very much.
Appreciate the feedback DEVOTE, that will always be our goal to provide simple, straightforward tutorials that get right to business. Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for hanging out, Cheers!
Thanks Adam, glad you enjoyed the video. Hope it helps with your project. We haven't played around with any E39's yet but we can't pass up a sweet deal on one if it comes our way. Thanks for the sub, Cheers!
Took me two days of working in the rain but I finally managed to get it. Old one was not only stuck on that damned fuel line, but the head oil line as well... Luckily the oil line clipped/bent back into place.
Thanks for the comments, glad the video was able to help you out with the repair. Sorry to hear that you had a little trouble with the lines. Congrats on getting it done though and saving a ton of cash as well. Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage By the way, would you happen to know the name of the oil line in there? I’d like to look at some schematics and make sure it’s ok, since I noticed the loose end of mine looked strange after the valve cover was removed.
Nice video. More clear than some other N20 valve cover gasket replacement videos. By the way, the engine sounded like the timing chain was loose. Subbed and waiting for a timing chain replacement video lol.
Hey Russell, thanks for the question. A typical independent shop will charge around $800 for this job. The BMW dealer will be around $1300 for it. Some dealers are charging $225-$250/hr labor rates these days, while most indie guys are around $125-$150. It's listed at around 4 hours so they are really gouging the customers. The parts are still under $100, genuine BMW, so if you want to tackle it yourself, you can save a ton of cash. Good luck on your project, Cheers!
Thanks for the comments Brooks, glad you enjoyed the video. This will cover all models that use the N20 engine, which your 2016 528i will have. Good luck on your BMW project, let us know how things go. Cheers!
@@PBrooksSawyer Thanks for the question, it can be tough to tell. We just try to hold it up to the sunlight and try to see if there are any hairline cracks visible. Just take your time and look at various angles in order to verify. The do make an aftermarket valve cover for around $220, so it's a little less than double the gasket set cost. The OEM valve cover is $429, so it's quite a bit more than the gasket set cost. Good luck on your BMW project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Thank you for this great detailed video. 2 questions: 1. What torque should be used while tightening the valve cover. And also for other bolts if I should use different torque. 2. What is that cleaner spray you're using to clean up the oil?
Hey Rain Man, the torque values for the Valve Cover are 6.6 ft. lbs or 9 Nm, (ua-cam.com/video/cueBubfSEqE/v-deo.html). As for the other bolts, I just made sure everything was snug since I couldn't really find the actual torque values. The spray is just Brake Cleaner, it's the best for wiping down the metal parts and not leaving any residue. Just be careful on plastic parts. Cheers!
Great video with detail explantion my friend , i have the same car my problem is i found oil on sparkplug tube how to fix that issue if have any video on that please share
Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. If you are getting oil in the spark plug holes then the smaller gaskets are bad and leaking into those holes, @12:07. Good luck on your BMW project, Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage Thanks for replying. i found out that there is a sparkplug seal under the sparkplug housing which are leaking fcp euro have for $ 5 my question is how you remove the sparkplug housing insert
@@arjunpatel3709 It looks like they are held on by the small M6x35mm torx head bolts. There are a total of (4) for each spark plug recess insert. Then you will need the (2) gaskets - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-spark-plug-tube-seal-11127589830 You also might need a thin walled spark plug socket in order to fit in the tight space. This one works great on BMW's. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076MLLHMB Good luck on your BMW project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Also because of inherent ccv and pcv issues i ordered a new valve cover too. Ill check lines for plugs and leaks while cover is off. Probably overkill.
Won't be a bad thing, you should peace of mind for many years to come. Those plastic covers definitely have issues from time to time. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
What an incredible, deliberate, clear video. Thanks for your time and sharing. I have a 228i with this engine so should be a similar process. I just changed my plugs and coils and saw oil pooled around cylinder #4. I coincidentally developed aggressive oil pooling under my car and assumed it was a more severe oil pan leak which Im having replaced with aluminum pan this week. In your experience, could the seemingly mild leak in the valve cover seal, account for the fairly large volume of oil under my car and not the pan seals? (Not doing the oil pan myself) I know only physical inspecting will give the answer, but wondering if the valve seal can leak that aggressively without any telltale smoke or odor. And thanks!
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. It would be rare for a valve cover leak to leave large puddles on the ground. Most likely it is the oil pan as you have suspected. The best thing to do is to clean up the engine and possibly drive up on some ramps to clean up the underside as well. Then you can go for a short 10-15 drive, including some freeway time. After the car has cooled down a bit you can take a look to see if any oil leaks are present. If you were able to get things cleaned up, it should easy to locate any signs of fresh oil. Please let us know how things go on your BMW project. Cheers!
Thanks so much for kindly taking time to respond to my question. Awesome channel and professionalism. In my situation, I'm having the oil pan replaced regardless since even if that isn't the cause of my oil loss, though I believe it is, at my 100,000 miles it's wise to do anyway. I'll be rewatching this video repeatedly until I feel I can do it in my sleep before I tackle the valve cover. Again, deeply appreciative!
We typically use Brake cleaner on all the metal parts. Just be careful with brake cleaner around plastic parts though, it can soften it and damage plastic. For the throttle body and fuel related parts we use carburetor cleaner or throttle body cleaner. Hope this helps with your project, Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage sorry I got another question, I’m about to the work but I also need help with my oil type, what do you recommend for a 2015 328i n20 2.0 twin turbo with 97k miles ?
Hey Francisco, 5w-30 is the correct oil for your engine. We use Torco SR-1 for our Euro vehicles. They are close to us here in Southern California and is easy to get it directly from the warehouse. torcousa.com/collections/torco-superstreet-series-motor-oil/products/torco-sr-1-superstreet-synthetic-motor-oil They even make a racing oil, the SR-1R for more extreme conditions. You can use any quality synthetic oil that's available in your area, Motul, Liqui Moly and AMSOIL to name a few. Have fun with your project, Cheers!
Hey Mark, we are glad to hear our video helped motivate you to tackle this repair. We are confident that you and your Ford buddy will be able to knock it out. Just take it slow and plan to work at it all day just so you are not rushed and have plenty of time. Good luck and let us know how it goes, Cheers!
Hey Jerome, thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. Here are all the parts you need for the repair. Product Link: www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-valve-cover-gasket-kit-genuine-bmw-522269 This Kit Includes Qty Part OEM # 1 Vacuum Pump Seal 11127507217 1 Engine Valve Cover Gasket Set 11127588418 1 Engine Variable Valve Lift Eccentric Shaft Actuator Seal 11377502022 2 Direct Injection High Pressure Fuel Pump Bolt 13517632572 Good luck on your BMW project, Cheers!
Great video it looks like I could do it, but one question, I've noticed all these videos never day how long it will take to do the job, so im going to times the video by ten
Hey Wondell, thanks for the comments. It looks like the shops say 3-4 hours for the repair. I would set aside the day if you are doing this for the first time. That way you can follow along and go through each step and take your time. You should have no problem getting it done in 6 hours. So your estimate of ten times the video length looks to be pretty accurate. Let us know how your repair goes. Cheers!
Hi sir! Amazing video. Do you think it would be prudent to replace the valve cover with an aluminum one? I have heard that after 60k miles the plastic ones can get micro cracks and leak. Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. We try to always use OEM parts whenever possible so we don't have any experience with the aluminum aftermarket parts. We are sure the engineers at BMW designed the plastic valve cover to last more than 60k, otherwise they would have made an aluminum one. That being said, we are sure there are examples of plastic covers failing prematurely. It really comes down to your current situation and how much time/money you'd like to spend on your BMW project. Cheers!
Bradley. Finally doing the job now. I have taken the cover off and made the mistake of opening the door. Fuel sprayed onto the engine bay and onto the chain that's under the valve cover. What do I do? I'm nervous I ruined something.
Thanks for the comments Brooks, apologies we should have mentioned disconnecting the battery before starting this repair. If you got gas down into the timing chain area, the best thing to do would be to perform an oil change after you get everything back together. Just be sure not to start the car until AFTER you have done the oil change and have everything back together. That way any gas that mixed with the oil will be gone and you will be fresh from that point. You can also cover the exposed engine with a trash bag and spray some Simple Green around the engine bay to dilute any spilled gas. Most likely you wont have any issues from the engine bay though. Good luck on your BMW project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Gracias por las amables palabras, me alegro de que hayas disfrutado el vídeo. Asegúrese de ver el vídeo de seguimiento aquí: ua-cam.com/video/XFsHnrt0l3w/v-deo.html ¡Salud!
Yes, you got the F30 chassis and the N20 motor. Both the N20/N26 utilize the same gasket so you won't have an issue there. Have fun working on your Bimmer, Cheers!
Thanks for the comments Lee, glad you enjoyed the video. Shoot us a message over on our Instagram channel, we are only about 45 minutes from Long Beach. Cheers!
Hey Hamza, thanks for the question. We are using an old school Craftsman torque wrench. The new ones are similar but I think the torque range is a little less. Here are the links: 3/8 Torque Wrench - www.craftsman.com/product/cmmt99435/38-drive-digital-torque-wrench?tid=576301 1/2 Torque Wrench - www.craftsman.com/product/cmmt99436/12-drive-digital-torque-wrench?tid=576301 They are also sold at Lowe's. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Thanks for the question, please let us know what tools you are looking to purchase. We have been accumulating our collection of tools for over 40 years now so they go back a long way. That being said most of our hand tools are old school Craftsman and the power tools are Milwaukee. You can pick up great used tools from local sellers on OfferUp or FB Marketplace. A lot of times you can also find great collections from garage sales and estate sells in your area. Good luck on your BMW project, Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage just the hand tools like the specific sockets for this car and extensions I don’t need the electric extension I just ordered the valve cover gasket and I need tools to remove the valve cover bolts and everything else you removed in this video
Funny how the hardest part of the valve cover gasket replacement was the stupid Jigsaw trap electrical connectors. Felt like I was always fighting to get them off
Thanks for the comments, not sure why BMW went to this style design with the valve cover. Our older E46 was much more straightforward. It seems the newer stuff just keeps getting more and more complicated. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
We are located in Southern California, however we really only work on our own projects. We have helped a few Subscribers in the past but it's not routine for us. Cheers!
An Indy shop would probably book about 3 hours for the job so depending on their hourly rate it could be $450-600 for the labor portion. Add that to the $100 in parts to give you an idea. Good luck with your project, Cheers!
Thanks for the comments, sorry to hear you are having trouble with your BMW. The most common reasons you may have a misfire afterwards are: Coil plug not fully seated into connector Brown ground wires not attached Fuel injector pulse wires not fully seated into connector Coil itself not fully seated onto spark plug You could also try to move the #1 coil to the #2 position just to rule out a possible bad coil. We have seen it happen where you are in there fixing one issue and things that you may touch all of the sudden begin to have a problem. Let us know how things go, good luck on your BMW project. Cheers!
@BradleysGarage Thank you for the tips. I did exactly what you replied. And we'll it was the purse wires. Thank you for the tips. Definitely this guy knows what he is doing, no doubt. I'm glad I ran across your video as this was my very 1st self repair, and your video helped a lot! This my very first bmw 😋 feels good to do the small things for myself.
Hey Dave, thanks for the question. Although we didn't mention it on the video, we typically remove the negative battery cable before doing any work where electrical connectors will be removed. It's probably good practice to disconnect the battery on this repair. Apologies for not specifically mentioning it. Cheers!
Thanks for the question Von, unfortunately it will not be the same procedure. The Active Hybrid uses the N55 6 cylinder engine. Our video is for the N20/N26 4 cylinder motors. You can check out the FCP video for the N55 procedure - ua-cam.com/video/4pWXj8Hy4Io/v-deo.html Good luck on your BMW project. Cheers!
Thanks for the question Lee. It's our understanding that you only need to reprogram the battery when replacing it with a new one. Simply disconnecting it to perform a repair will not need a reprogram since you are hooking back up the same exact battery that has already been paired with the car. Hope this helps answer your question, Cheers!
Yo yo . I did everything u did . And one thing I notice is that it was misfiring after. So I thought to myself . Heyyy I forgot to put that spark plug solution on the coils. And u should include that in the video!!!!
Hey Dominick, we are using a small, low value 3/8" Torque Wrench that goes as low as 5 ft. lbs. You can easily use an 1/4" torque wrench if you have one handy since they don't require very much force. Good luck on your BMW project, Cheers!
Thanks for the question Tyrone, we typically use Brake Cleaner or Carb Cleaner to wipe off the surfaces prior to the new gasket installation. The goal is to just clean up any contaminants that may be on the surface. Since it evaporates very quickly and doesn't leave a residue, it quick and easy. Good luck on your BMW project. Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage Ok so at the end you said when you crank it up you said you was going to prime it with the fuel pump what does that mean or do i just follow the same exact process you did sorry working on mine this week and wasn't sure if i could crank it straight up or something i needed to do 1st
@@tyronebryant2749 Sorry for the confusion Tyrone on that part. You will just need to cycle the key a couple times to activate the fuel pump and prime the fuel system. Each time you cycle the key the fuel pump runs for a few seconds. This ensures the system has adequate pressure to start the car each time. If nothing has been apart, it only runs for a brief seconds since the system is already fully pressurized. Once you have taken it apart, there will be a small amount of air in the fuel lines that will need to be replaced with fuel in order to "purge" the line. Also, just wanted to mention a few people have responded and said it's best to rotate the engine to BDC (Bottom Dead Center) before removing the high pressure fuel pump. There is a small chance that the cam lobe it rides on could be in a bad position upon reassembly and cause an issue. Just something to consider when doing this repair. We did not perform this step but it's easy enough to do for peace of mind. Let us know how it goes with your BMW project. Cheers!
Hey Duck, thanks for the comments. We have been detailing engine compartments for over 30 years now and have never had an issue with electronics getting affected. The only time I can recall a small issue was on old cars that run a distributor cap/rotor setup getting a little moisture under the cap. Just took a quick blast with an air gun to remove the moisture and the car fired right up. With any modern car, you should not really have any issues. I wouldn't be blasting right at the computer and wire harness connections but in general you won't have any problems. Have fun with your project, Cheers!
@@DuckMcDuckinson We are located in SoCal. The secret is after getting the engine bay clean from years of buildup, you just simply do a quick rinse during each car wash. That way there never really gets to be a buildup of dirt. All of our cars have super clean engine bays 😎 Plus it makes it super easy to spot problems and easily see future leaks. Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage darn it I’m in NC 😂 yeah I was thinking of cleaning up a little bit of my engine bay at the self serve wash I go to but not a lot just a little pull of the trigger. I’ll leave it at that my friend!
I have the malfunctioning warning , I am thinking it was installing the camshaft follower the engine needs to be at bdc or it will break the follower thus throwing the malfunction
Hey Juan, there really isn't a need to unplug the battery when doing the valve cover gasket repair. Nothing that you are disconnecting should have any impact if the battery is hooked up or not. However, in general it's good practice to unplug the battery when doing any electrical component work. Good luck on your project, Cheers!
If it's just a leaking cover then you won't really notice anything. If the valve cover is cracked, then you would be getting a vacuum leak and most likely have a check engine light on for a lean condition. But there won't be any whining noises from either of those situations. Cheers!
@@josephgarrett7433 Is the oil leaking on the Passenger or Driver's side? The first thing we always do is degrease and pressure wash under the hood and under the car to remove any oil buildup that is present. It is extremely difficult to identify small oil leaks that have been at it for awhile. After you get it all cleaned up, you can take it for a short drive, usually less than 5 minutes. Then you can inspect all the common areas for oil leaks, valve cover, oil pan, oil filter housing, etc. That should help you narrow down the location of the leak and then you can tackle it. Good luck on your project, Cheers!
@BradleysGarage I cleared codes and light hasn't popped up yet but I did have a leak from cam shaft sensor. It's weird cuz It didn't have a gasket or o ring from factory, put some high temp oil resistant rtv on it yesterday hopefully that fixes leak thanks fellas
It may have been taken off in the past and put back under the fuel rail. I wouldn't worry about it as long as it's not smashed or pinched. It won't have any effect on things running under versus over. Cheers!
Hey James, thanks for the question. We are using Brake Cleaner for surface cleaning and prep prior to installing the valve cover. Timestamp in the video -ua-cam.com/video/cueBubfSEqE/v-deo.html Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Thanks for the question, sorry you are having trouble with your BMW Valve Cover removal. It is a little tricky with the metal fuel line and the bolts that want to keep biting into the threads. Just make sure everything is clear before lifting up and out. Hope this helps, let us know how it goes, Cheers!
Hi I did manage to get it finally, the fuel line and other plastics were holding it back there. So i put everything back together and prime the system but its running a few seconds and shuts off, i dont see any leaks.
Hey Wakatsuki, sorry to hear you are having trouble. In an effort to narrow down the issue, I would ask if you have a code scanner to see if there are any pending or hard codes present after the initial start up attempts? You might get lucky and have something pop up if for some reason there is something that didn't get plugged back in during reassembly. If not, I would go back through the installation and make sure all connections are properly connected. You have the HPFP, vacuum pump, camshaft sensors, ECU, along with all the ground wires. There are quite a few electrical connections that have to be unplugged in order to remove the valve cover so just go back through to confirm all is well. Good luck in getting it figured out, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Hey Juelz, if it's your first time doing this repair, I would plan a setting aside a 2-3 hours. After you have done it once, it can be done in an hour or so. Good luck on your project, Cheers!
Hey Dominick, I wouldn't be to worried about it if one of them broke during removal. They simply hold that wiring loom securely to the valve cover. You can just add a bit of clear silicone to the broken clip area when reinstalling it. That should be sufficient to keep things in place. Good luck on the BMW project, Cheers!
Hey Fenger, thanks for the comments. You should definitely check your existing manifold for any signs of cracks or damage. They can become brittle and have an issue. We have not seen them for that cheap but you might be referring to aftermarket brands. OEM BMW is $428.99 - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-engine-valve-cover-z4-x1-11127588412 (Lifetime Guarantee) The Elring one is around that $250 price but it's backordered until 10/18/22 Since the complete gasket set is less than $100, it is a considerable cost difference versus changing the entire cover out if it is not damaged. Cheers!
Hey Benito, I think we forgot to record that part but typically when unplugging electrical connections it's a good idea to disconnect the battery. Thanks for the feedback, Cheers!
Does anybody here have drivetrain malfunction triggered after replacing the valves cover? I scanned it and it gave me P15DF. Looked over for lose connections and all but couldn’t find anything that’s not plugged in. Any tips and comments is appreciated. 🙏. Btw, most of the videos on UA-cam said you don’t have to disconnect the battery to do this but I found 1 video said you must disconnect the battery before doing it.
Hey Joe, thanks for the comments. I haven't had any experience with the error code you mentioned after doing a valve cover gasket replacement. I would make sure the connection to your high pressure fuel sensor is connected securely, as well as you HPFP, since this gets removed during the valve cover job. In regards to the battery being disconnected, I don't personally feel this has any impact on this repair. In general, it's good practice to disconnect it but not mandatory. I know the code comes up as "Drivetrain Malfunction" but that error code is typically associated with a bad HPFP (High Pressure Fuel Pump). Sometimes you can get away with replacing the High Pressure Fuel sensor located at the end of the fuel rail but most of the time the HPFP is bad. Here are the part numbers for the parts depending on what year you have: HP sensor - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-sensor-high-pressure-13537620946#fitment HPFP - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-high-pressure-fuel-pump-replacement-kit-13518604229kt1 HPFP Kit for early cars 2012-2014 - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-high-pressure-fuel-pump-replacement-kit-13518604229kt#fitment HPFP Replacement Video - ua-cam.com/video/uZjtaqmoRtE/v-deo.html HP Fuel Sensor Replacement Video - ua-cam.com/video/GKgGyh0CRzI/v-deo.html Good luck on your project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage Hey Bradley, thank you for taking the time to write back. The thing is the HPFP before the job was working fine though but ok I will look it over again then go with your advice and perhaps order the HPFP kit from FCP. Thanks again!
I would just double check those connections and then run another scan. Disconnect the battery before that so you can get a fresh reading. Are you experiencing any symptoms besides the check engine light? Any running or drive ability issues? Cheers!
There are other videos that explicitly state to crank the engine to bottom dead center (BDC). The HP fuel pump has a cam follower that can break if the engine is not at BDC when the pump is reassembled. Use a wrench on the cam pulley to manually rotate the engine.
I watched several videos on the subject multiple times before attempting. Hands down this is the best step by step guide showing disassembly and reassembly with torque specs as you go and a few little tricks and reminders to be patient.
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. Good to hear it helped you with your BMW project. Thanks again for hanging out. Cheers!
Mission accomplished without a single glitch. Started up and idled until all oil spill residue burnt off. Alls fine now. Thanks again for the video.
Great work Danny, glad everything went smooth. Enjoy not having smoke coming out at each stop light 😜 Cheers!
Awesome video. Best I have watched in a while. No cursing and straight to the point. Only thing I did differently was NOT disconnect the battery but instead pulled the very bottom left fuse in the trunk to stop the pump from engaging every time the car felt movement. Number 189 on this 528i. The reason for that is the last time the battery was unhooked it reset all the sensors and it cost $125 to have it reprogrammed on this car. So being the reason for just pulling the fuse. Thank you for taking the time to create the video and post it. Much appreciated. God bless
Hey Lee, thanks for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the video and found it helpful when doing the valve cover on your BMW. Appreciate the tip about the fuse in lieu of disconnecting the battery. Thanks again for hanging out on the channel. Cheers!
Donde se encuentra ese fusible?
Great video and great tip. My fuse is 184, and I will be doing it this weekend
Excellent video. I just did changed today on my 2016 5series valve cover gasket using this video as my reference and it did help me a lot. The only thing that challenged me most was putting back for the vacuum part at the back in aligning the notch coz it did moved and rotate 😂with that tight space and a new seal oh man😅 Thank you for your detailed video, I really appreciate taking your time to share with us. 🙏
Hey James, thanks for the comments. We agree that it can be a bit challenging to get good access. Not sure why BMW decided to change the whole style of the valve cover assembly. On the previous engine generations, the M52/M54 is so much easier to perform this job on. Glad the video could help you on on your project though. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Great video. One thing that will also help is if you disconnect the o2 sensors you can peel the whole wire harness back and out of your way.
Thanks for the comments, appreciate the tip on the wiring harness.
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Cheers!
Perfect video, thanks for taking the time to film and upload. Made my experience in changing my valve cover gasket simple and relatively quick.
Hey Dson, thanks for the comments. We are glad the video helped you with you BMW repair. Thanks again for hanging out on the channel, Cheers!
Bought a 2014 528i about a month ago and noticed a funky burning smell with some smoke coming from the left side. I know what I'm doing this weekend lol
Yeah, it's not that bad of a job, just a little tough to reach that brake vacuum pump bolts. Good luck with your project. Cheers!
This video help me as well thanks sir
Well, that's how you make a do-it-yourself video / instructional video, well thought out, and easy to follow. Very professional.
Thanks for the kind words Robert, glad you enjoyed the video. Good luck on your BMW project.
Cheers!
Great video clarity and great instruction and very efficient I ever seen in UA-cam. Great teacher.
Thanks for the kind words Zewdu, appreciate the feedback. Glad you enjoyed the video and we hope it helps you with your BMW project. Cheers!
Thank you @BradleysGarage for the very clear and complete video. This is the best video I've seen on the subject. It doesn't skip any important steps, it includes the torques, and even the torque sequence. That really shows the level of care that you put into the video. I have the exact same leak problem on my 2014 F10. It has ~100K miles on it and my mechanic tells me I should change the complete valve cover and he says he will not use an aftermarket brand, which will cost me $400-500 for the original BMW part alone. Once you add labor, it will probably be in the $900-1000 range, which I'm hoping to avoid if possible. That's how I discovered your video. I have 2 questions for you: 1) Is it reasonable for my mechanic to recommend that I should replace the whole valve cover without even diagnosing a crack, instead of just replacing the gasket set like you did? 2) Let's say I remove the valve cover and indeed find a crack, is there any aftermarket brand you would recommend, or possibly any brand you think one should avoid)? There are 4 different aftermarket brands on Pelican Parts (Uro Parts, Hamburg Technic, Febi Bilstein, and Elring Klinger) in addition to the very expensive BMW one. I don't know if you have had any good/bad experience with any of these aftermarket brands. Thank you for the excellent video.
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. If you have the ability to go without the car for a week or so, we would remove the valve cover and see if there are any visible cracks, then you would know you need a complete cover. The other option would be to order both the gasket kit and the valve cover itself. Then you can decide which direction you want to go once you see what is leaking. We only changed the gasket on ours and haven't had any issues since the repair.
That being said, the plastic valve cover itself does go bad and does crack over time. The reason why shops just change the whole cover is they don't want to have any leaking issues a week or month later. Then they would end up taking things apart again.
If you are on a budget, we would go with the Elring from FCPEuro since they offer a lifetime guarantee on all their parts. It's half the cost of the OEM unit and we have had good success with the Elring brand.
www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-valve-cover-elring-11127588412
Good luck on your BMW project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage Thanks a lot Bradley for your prompt reply and your expert advice. This is so kind of you and really appreciated. Two thumbs up!!!
@@kaviator No worries, happy to help. Let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Picked up this issue yesterday. Wife car. She complained of smoke. So i checked the brakes for not releasing fully. About a month now. Oil leaks on manifold. Will getnon it immedeately. Very clear video on how to fix this. Thank you very much.
Thanks for the comments Danny, appreciate the feedback. Good luck on your project, Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage just the tappet cover left to remove. All else is cleared. Will finish the task tomorrow. Thanks again for your help.
Absolutely, glad we could get your Bimmer fixed up. Let us know how it goes, Cheers!
I've watched a few of these valve cover gasket replacement videos. This one seems to fly straight to the point.
Appreciate the feedback DEVOTE, that will always be our goal to provide simple, straightforward tutorials that get right to business. Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for hanging out, Cheers!
Thanks for the video it helped me replace my gasket and my car is fixed thanks to you appreciate it
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. Good to hear that you are up and running with a new gasket on your BMW.
Cheers!
This is probably the best detail video I've seen 👏
Thanks for the kind words Octavio, appreciate the feedback. Hope the video helped you with your project, Cheers!
Really appreciate the great video. Wanted to know exactly what i was in for. You showed me every step. Now i have to subscribe. Do any e39 work?
Thanks Adam, glad you enjoyed the video. Hope it helps with your project. We haven't played around with any E39's yet but we can't pass up a sweet deal on one if it comes our way. Thanks for the sub, Cheers!
Took me two days of working in the rain but I finally managed to get it. Old one was not only stuck on that damned fuel line, but the head oil line as well... Luckily the oil line clipped/bent back into place.
Thanks for the comments, glad the video was able to help you out with the repair. Sorry to hear that you had a little trouble with the lines. Congrats on getting it done though and saving a ton of cash as well.
Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage By the way, would you happen to know the name of the oil line in there? I’d like to look at some schematics and make sure it’s ok, since I noticed the loose end of mine looked strange after the valve cover was removed.
Nice video. More clear than some other N20 valve cover gasket replacement videos. By the way, the engine sounded like the timing chain was loose. Subbed and waiting for a timing chain replacement video lol.
Thanks for the comments, appreciate the feedback and the sub. Let's hope there won't be any timing chain issues in the near future..... LOL. Cheers!
Hey Russell, thanks for the question. A typical independent shop will charge around $800 for this job. The BMW dealer will be around $1300 for it. Some dealers are charging $225-$250/hr labor rates these days, while most indie guys are around $125-$150. It's listed at around 4 hours so they are really gouging the customers.
The parts are still under $100, genuine BMW, so if you want to tackle it yourself, you can save a ton of cash. Good luck on your project, Cheers!
About to tackle this. Im assuming this is the same process for 2016 528i? Thank you for taking the time to make a clear, informative video.
Thanks for the comments Brooks, glad you enjoyed the video. This will cover all models that use the N20 engine, which your 2016 528i will have. Good luck on your BMW project, let us know how things go.
Cheers!
Thanks for response. How would I know if I need to replace the cover itself as well or just the gaskets? Hard for me to tell.
@@PBrooksSawyer Thanks for the question, it can be tough to tell. We just try to hold it up to the sunlight and try to see if there are any hairline cracks visible. Just take your time and look at various angles in order to verify.
The do make an aftermarket valve cover for around $220, so it's a little less than double the gasket set cost.
The OEM valve cover is $429, so it's quite a bit more than the gasket set cost.
Good luck on your BMW project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
Thanks for the video. It’s pretty clear and well explained.
Hey Ramon, glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for the feedback, Cheers!
Great guide! Thank you.
Thanks for the kind words Mike, glad you enjoyed the video.
Cheers!
Thank you for this great detailed video. 2 questions:
1. What torque should be used while tightening the valve cover. And also for other bolts if I should use different torque.
2. What is that cleaner spray you're using to clean up the oil?
Hey Rain Man, the torque values for the Valve Cover are 6.6 ft. lbs or 9 Nm, (ua-cam.com/video/cueBubfSEqE/v-deo.html). As for the other bolts, I just made sure everything was snug since I couldn't really find the actual torque values.
The spray is just Brake Cleaner, it's the best for wiping down the metal parts and not leaving any residue. Just be careful on plastic parts. Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage thank you. Getting the parts and tools to change mine :)
No worries Rain Man, glad the video helped motivate you. Let us know how the project goes, Cheers!
Great video with detail explantion my friend , i have the same car my problem is i found oil on sparkplug tube how to fix that issue if have any video on that please share
Thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video. If you are getting oil in the spark plug holes then the smaller gaskets are bad and leaking into those holes, @12:07.
Good luck on your BMW project, Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage Thanks for replying. i found out that there is a sparkplug seal under the sparkplug housing which are leaking fcp euro have for $ 5 my question is how you remove the sparkplug housing insert
@@arjunpatel3709 It looks like they are held on by the small M6x35mm torx head bolts. There are a total of (4) for each spark plug recess insert.
Then you will need the (2) gaskets - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-spark-plug-tube-seal-11127589830
You also might need a thin walled spark plug socket in order to fit in the tight space. This one works great on BMW's.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076MLLHMB
Good luck on your BMW project, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Also because of inherent ccv and pcv issues i ordered a new valve cover too. Ill check lines for plugs and leaks while cover is off. Probably overkill.
Won't be a bad thing, you should peace of mind for many years to come. Those plastic covers definitely have issues from time to time. Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
What an incredible, deliberate, clear video. Thanks for your time and sharing. I have a 228i with this engine so should be a similar process. I just changed my plugs and coils and saw oil pooled around cylinder #4. I coincidentally developed aggressive oil pooling under my car and assumed it was a more severe oil pan leak which Im having replaced with aluminum pan this week. In your experience, could the seemingly mild leak in the valve cover seal, account for the fairly large volume of oil under my car and not the pan seals? (Not doing the oil pan myself) I know only physical inspecting will give the answer, but wondering if the valve seal can leak that aggressively without any telltale smoke or odor. And thanks!
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. It would be rare for a valve cover leak to leave large puddles on the ground. Most likely it is the oil pan as you have suspected.
The best thing to do is to clean up the engine and possibly drive up on some ramps to clean up the underside as well. Then you can go for a short 10-15 drive, including some freeway time. After the car has cooled down a bit you can take a look to see if any oil leaks are present.
If you were able to get things cleaned up, it should easy to locate any signs of fresh oil. Please let us know how things go on your BMW project.
Cheers!
Thanks so much for kindly taking time to respond to my question. Awesome channel and professionalism. In my situation, I'm having the oil pan replaced regardless since even if that isn't the cause of my oil loss, though I believe it is, at my 100,000 miles it's wise to do anyway. I'll be rewatching this video repeatedly until I feel I can do it in my sleep before I tackle the valve cover. Again, deeply appreciative!
Another great video!
Thanks for the feedback! Cheers 👍
Thanks bro. You made it this so easy 🙏🏽
Glad the video helped you out on your project Francisco, thanks for watching. Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage by any chance you know what spray were you using to clean around the valve cover?
We typically use Brake cleaner on all the metal parts. Just be careful with brake cleaner around plastic parts though, it can soften it and damage plastic.
For the throttle body and fuel related parts we use carburetor cleaner or throttle body cleaner.
Hope this helps with your project, Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage sorry I got another question, I’m about to the work but I also need help with my oil type, what do you recommend for a 2015 328i n20 2.0 twin turbo with 97k miles ?
Hey Francisco, 5w-30 is the correct oil for your engine. We use Torco SR-1 for our Euro vehicles. They are close to us here in Southern California and is easy to get it directly from the warehouse.
torcousa.com/collections/torco-superstreet-series-motor-oil/products/torco-sr-1-superstreet-synthetic-motor-oil
They even make a racing oil, the SR-1R for more extreme conditions.
You can use any quality synthetic oil that's available in your area, Motul, Liqui Moly and AMSOIL to name a few.
Have fun with your project, Cheers!
Zero mechanic skills but my buddy works at ford so we gonna try to knock it out together in a couple weeks. Wish me luck
Hey Mark, we are glad to hear our video helped motivate you to tackle this repair. We are confident that you and your Ford buddy will be able to knock it out. Just take it slow and plan to work at it all day just so you are not rushed and have plenty of time. Good luck and let us know how it goes, Cheers!
Awesome send me a link to buy valves cover gasket very helpful and clean job
Hey Jerome, thanks for the comments, glad you enjoyed the video.
Here are all the parts you need for the repair.
Product Link: www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-valve-cover-gasket-kit-genuine-bmw-522269
This Kit Includes
Qty Part OEM #
1 Vacuum Pump Seal 11127507217
1 Engine Valve Cover Gasket Set 11127588418
1 Engine Variable Valve Lift Eccentric Shaft Actuator Seal 11377502022
2 Direct Injection High Pressure Fuel Pump Bolt 13517632572
Good luck on your BMW project, Cheers!
Excellent video! Thank you so much!🙂
Thanks for the comments Robert, glad you enjoyed the video. Good luck on your BMW project, Cheers!
Excellent video with great details
Glad you enjoyed the video James, appreciate the feedback. Cheers!
Great video it looks like I could do it, but one question, I've noticed all these videos never day how long it will take to do the job, so im going to times the video by ten
Hey Wondell, thanks for the comments. It looks like the shops say 3-4 hours for the repair. I would set aside the day if you are doing this for the first time. That way you can follow along and go through each step and take your time. You should have no problem getting it done in 6 hours.
So your estimate of ten times the video length looks to be pretty accurate. Let us know how your repair goes. Cheers!
This video is Nice ... Great... Kind ... Wonderful !!!!! Thank you so so much.
Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching, Cheers!
You Sir are amazing thank you!
Glad you enjoyed the video Kennedy, we hope it helps you with your project. Cheers!
Hi sir! Amazing video. Do you think it would be prudent to replace the valve cover with an aluminum one? I have heard that after 60k miles the plastic ones can get micro cracks and leak.
Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the video. We try to always use OEM parts whenever possible so we don't have any experience with the aluminum aftermarket parts. We are sure the engineers at BMW designed the plastic valve cover to last more than 60k, otherwise they would have made an aluminum one.
That being said, we are sure there are examples of plastic covers failing prematurely. It really comes down to your current situation and how much time/money you'd like to spend on your BMW project.
Cheers!
Adorei a explicação. Muito Obrigado!!!!
Obrigado pelas palavras gentis, aprecio o feedback. Abraços!
Bradley. Finally doing the job now. I have taken the cover off and made the mistake of opening the door. Fuel sprayed onto the engine bay and onto the chain that's under the valve cover. What do I do? I'm nervous I ruined something.
Thanks for the comments Brooks, apologies we should have mentioned disconnecting the battery before starting this repair. If you got gas down into the timing chain area, the best thing to do would be to perform an oil change after you get everything back together. Just be sure not to start the car until AFTER you have done the oil change and have everything back together. That way any gas that mixed with the oil will be gone and you will be fresh from that point.
You can also cover the exposed engine with a trash bag and spray some Simple Green around the engine bay to dilute any spilled gas. Most likely you wont have any issues from the engine bay though.
Good luck on your BMW project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
excelente video gracias por compartir
Gracias por las amables palabras, me alegro de que hayas disfrutado el vídeo.
Asegúrese de ver el vídeo de seguimiento aquí: ua-cam.com/video/XFsHnrt0l3w/v-deo.html
¡Salud!
Great job and very nice video 👍
Thanks Eduard, appreciate the feedback, glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers!
Thanks for the clip. It will save me $ 350 to 500.
Thanks for the comments Renan, hope the video helps you with your project, Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage I got 320 xdrive 2015
The engine will be F30 for gasket?
Thanks
Yes, you got the F30 chassis and the N20 motor. Both the N20/N26 utilize the same gasket so you won't have an issue there. Have fun working on your Bimmer, Cheers!
It is done. I replaced the whole cover.
Thanks 👍
Congrats Renan, glad you got it sorted and got the repair done. Hope the video helped you with your project. Cheers!
Good 👍 job! Can you do my car too and where you located at? I’m from Long Beach Ca 😊
Thanks for the comments Lee, glad you enjoyed the video. Shoot us a message over on our Instagram channel, we are only about 45 minutes from Long Beach. Cheers!
Спасибо из России , хорошее видео
Спасибо за комментарии, рад, что вам понравилось видео.
Удачи в вашем проекте BMW.
Ваше здоровье!
Awesome video ! What torque wrench are you using ?
Hey Hamza, thanks for the question. We are using an old school Craftsman torque wrench. The new ones are similar but I think the torque range is a little less.
Here are the links:
3/8 Torque Wrench - www.craftsman.com/product/cmmt99435/38-drive-digital-torque-wrench?tid=576301
1/2 Torque Wrench - www.craftsman.com/product/cmmt99436/12-drive-digital-torque-wrench?tid=576301
They are also sold at Lowe's.
Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
I got a 2016 528i I got this same issue in the same place. Is there a link to where you got your tools from
Thanks for the question, please let us know what tools you are looking to purchase. We have been accumulating our collection of tools for over 40 years now so they go back a long way.
That being said most of our hand tools are old school Craftsman and the power tools are Milwaukee. You can pick up great used tools from local sellers on OfferUp or FB Marketplace. A lot of times you can also find great collections from garage sales and estate sells in your area.
Good luck on your BMW project, Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage just the hand tools like the specific sockets for this car and extensions I don’t need the electric extension I just ordered the valve cover gasket and I need tools to remove the valve cover bolts and everything else you removed in this video
Funny how the hardest part of the valve cover gasket replacement was the stupid Jigsaw trap electrical connectors. Felt like I was always fighting to get them off
Thanks for the comments, not sure why BMW went to this style design with the valve cover. Our older E46 was much more straightforward. It seems the newer stuff just keeps getting more and more complicated.
Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Hello,
May I know where are you located and how much would you charge to do the gasket valve cover replacement? I have a BMW 528i xdrive
We are located in Southern California, however we really only work on our own projects. We have helped a few Subscribers in the past but it's not routine for us. Cheers!
I watched several videos and I tring do do it but I can't get the cover off please Bradleys Garage?
Sorry to hear you are having trouble removing the valve cover. Please let us know what is giving you trouble and we will try to help out.
Cheers!
great job how much you estimate shop mechanic charge for.... thanks
An Indy shop would probably book about 3 hours for the job so depending on their hourly rate it could be $450-600 for the labor portion. Add that to the $100 in parts to give you an idea. Good luck with your project, Cheers!
Bradley 2015 528i xdrive. Followed your video. However, after reconnecting everything, I have a cylinder 1 misfire. Any advice?
Thanks for the comments, sorry to hear you are having trouble with your BMW.
The most common reasons you may have a misfire afterwards are:
Coil plug not fully seated into connector
Brown ground wires not attached
Fuel injector pulse wires not fully seated into connector
Coil itself not fully seated onto spark plug
You could also try to move the #1 coil to the #2 position just to rule out a possible bad coil. We have seen it happen where you are in there fixing one issue and things that you may touch all of the sudden begin to have a problem.
Let us know how things go, good luck on your BMW project.
Cheers!
@BradleysGarage Thank you for the tips. I did exactly what you replied. And we'll it was the purse wires. Thank you for the tips. Definitely this guy knows what he is doing, no doubt. I'm glad I ran across your video as this was my very 1st self repair, and your video helped a lot! This my very first bmw 😋 feels good to do the small things for myself.
Did you disconnect the battery?
Hey Dave, thanks for the question. Although we didn't mention it on the video, we typically remove the negative battery cable before doing any work where electrical connectors will be removed. It's probably good practice to disconnect the battery on this repair. Apologies for not specifically mentioning it. Cheers!
Will this procedure work for 2012 bmw 5 series active hybrid?
Thanks for the question Von, unfortunately it will not be the same procedure. The Active Hybrid uses the N55 6 cylinder engine. Our video is for the N20/N26 4 cylinder motors.
You can check out the FCP video for the N55 procedure - ua-cam.com/video/4pWXj8Hy4Io/v-deo.html
Good luck on your BMW project.
Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage thank you
question someone, when i disconnect the negative cable, won't I have to go get the battery reprogrammed ??????????
Thanks for the question Lee. It's our understanding that you only need to reprogram the battery when replacing it with a new one. Simply disconnecting it to perform a repair will not need a reprogram since you are hooking back up the same exact battery that has already been paired with the car. Hope this helps answer your question, Cheers!
Yo yo . I did everything u did . And one thing I notice is that it was misfiring after. So I thought to myself . Heyyy I forgot to put that spark plug solution on the coils. And u should include that in the video!!!!
Thanks for feedback My, glad the video helped you out with your project. Cheers!
What is spark plug solution? I’m also getting a misfire now says 2 and 4 are swapped but to my knowledge the wires are in the correct order
Is that a 1/4 or 3/8 torque wrench ?
Hey Dominick, we are using a small, low value 3/8" Torque Wrench that goes as low as 5 ft. lbs. You can easily use an 1/4" torque wrench if you have one handy since they don't require very much force.
Good luck on your BMW project, Cheers!
What exactly were you spraying on the towel to wipe the oil before you installed the new cover?
It happened around 13:51
Thanks for the question Tyrone, we typically use Brake Cleaner or Carb Cleaner to wipe off the surfaces prior to the new gasket installation. The goal is to just clean up any contaminants that may be on the surface. Since it evaporates very quickly and doesn't leave a residue, it quick and easy.
Good luck on your BMW project. Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage Ok so at the end you said when you crank it up you said you was going to prime it with the fuel pump what does that mean or do i just follow the same exact process you did sorry working on mine this week and wasn't sure if i could crank it straight up or something i needed to do 1st
@@tyronebryant2749 Sorry for the confusion Tyrone on that part. You will just need to cycle the key a couple times to activate the fuel pump and prime the fuel system.
Each time you cycle the key the fuel pump runs for a few seconds. This ensures the system has adequate pressure to start the car each time.
If nothing has been apart, it only runs for a brief seconds since the system is already fully pressurized. Once you have taken it apart, there will be a small amount of air in the fuel lines that will need to be replaced with fuel in order to "purge" the line.
Also, just wanted to mention a few people have responded and said it's best to rotate the engine to BDC (Bottom Dead Center) before removing the high pressure fuel pump. There is a small chance that the cam lobe it rides on could be in a bad position upon reassembly and cause an issue. Just something to consider when doing this repair. We did not perform this step but it's easy enough to do for peace of mind.
Let us know how it goes with your BMW project.
Cheers!
Thankyou so much for that information greatly appreciate it@@BradleysGarage
Wait wouldn’t pressure washing affect the electronics?
Hey Duck, thanks for the comments. We have been detailing engine compartments for over 30 years now and have never had an issue with electronics getting affected.
The only time I can recall a small issue was on old cars that run a distributor cap/rotor setup getting a little moisture under the cap. Just took a quick blast with an air gun to remove the moisture and the car fired right up.
With any modern car, you should not really have any issues. I wouldn't be blasting right at the computer and wire harness connections but in general you won't have any problems.
Have fun with your project, Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage thanks Bradley God bless! Where are you located? I have a 2015 428i with the N20 and would love for it to be clean like yours!
@@DuckMcDuckinson We are located in SoCal. The secret is after getting the engine bay clean from years of buildup, you just simply do a quick rinse during each car wash. That way there never really gets to be a buildup of dirt. All of our cars have super clean engine bays 😎
Plus it makes it super easy to spot problems and easily see future leaks. Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage darn it I’m in NC 😂 yeah I was thinking of cleaning up a little bit of my engine bay at the self serve wash I go to but not a lot just a little pull of the trigger. I’ll leave it at that my friend!
Did your car have drivetrain malfunction warning?
Hey Shone, we didn't have any malfunction lights on, just had the small amount of smoke coming off the exhaust after driving. Cheers!
I have the malfunctioning warning , I am thinking it was installing the camshaft follower the engine needs to be at bdc or it will break the follower thus throwing the malfunction
Does battery need to be unplugged ?
Hey Juan, there really isn't a need to unplug the battery when doing the valve cover gasket repair. Nothing that you are disconnecting should have any impact if the battery is hooked up or not.
However, in general it's good practice to unplug the battery when doing any electrical component work.
Good luck on your project, Cheers!
Would a bad valve cover cause a whinnying noise when accelerating?
If it's just a leaking cover then you won't really notice anything. If the valve cover is cracked, then you would be getting a vacuum leak and most likely have a check engine light on for a lean condition.
But there won't be any whining noises from either of those situations. Cheers!
That would be your timing chasing guide!
I have the same issue on my left side but I'm also leaking oil bad under my car could that be the same issue or an oil pan issue ?
@@josephgarrett7433 Is the oil leaking on the Passenger or Driver's side? The first thing we always do is degrease and pressure wash under the hood and under the car to remove any oil buildup that is present. It is extremely difficult to identify small oil leaks that have been at it for awhile. After you get it all cleaned up, you can take it for a short drive, usually less than 5 minutes.
Then you can inspect all the common areas for oil leaks, valve cover, oil pan, oil filter housing, etc. That should help you narrow down the location of the leak and then you can tackle it. Good luck on your project, Cheers!
@@josephgarrett7433 whining noise turned out to be the turbo was bad so replaced it, now smooth driving again hope this helps
So I did mine no leaks but it gave check engine light charging scanner now to see what code
Sorry to hear you are having trouble, let us know what codes you are getting after getting things back together.
Cheers!
@BradleysGarage I cleared codes and light hasn't popped up yet but I did have a leak from cam shaft sensor. It's weird cuz It didn't have a gasket or o ring from factory, put some high temp oil resistant rtv on it yesterday hopefully that fixes leak thanks fellas
@masonsetzer2119 No worries, hopefully you won't have any additional issues. Keep us posted on how things go.
Cheers!
My braided vacuum line for my n20 runs under the engine cover and sits on my fuel rail. Is this normal?
It may have been taken off in the past and put back under the fuel rail. I wouldn't worry about it as long as it's not smashed or pinched. It won't have any effect on things running under versus over. Cheers!
What's in the spray can?
Hey James, thanks for the question. We are using Brake Cleaner for surface cleaning and prep prior to installing the valve cover.
Timestamp in the video -ua-cam.com/video/cueBubfSEqE/v-deo.html
Thanks again for hanging out, Cheers!
Has anyone had issues with pulling theirs out, mine is stuck, it’s not releasing from the bottom part of the metal
Thanks for the question, sorry you are having trouble with your BMW Valve Cover removal. It is a little tricky with the metal fuel line and the bolts that want to keep biting into the threads. Just make sure everything is clear before lifting up and out.
Hope this helps, let us know how it goes, Cheers!
Hi
I did manage to get it finally, the fuel line and other plastics were holding it back there. So i put everything back together and prime the system but its running a few seconds and shuts off, i dont see any leaks.
Replaced everything and went to fire the car up and it turns on for a second but then immediately shuts off.
Hey Wakatsuki, sorry to hear you are having trouble. In an effort to narrow down the issue, I would ask if you have a code scanner to see if there are any pending or hard codes present after the initial start up attempts? You might get lucky and have something pop up if for some reason there is something that didn't get plugged back in during reassembly.
If not, I would go back through the installation and make sure all connections are properly connected. You have the HPFP, vacuum pump, camshaft sensors, ECU, along with all the ground wires.
There are quite a few electrical connections that have to be unplugged in order to remove the valve cover so just go back through to confirm all is well.
Good luck in getting it figured out, let us know how it goes. Cheers!
Hi. How were you able to resolve this? I am in the same position. Car wont stay on more then a second.
@@abdullaharain13 it was an issue with my valvetronic actuator I had bent one of the teeth things on the she end
How long was the process from start to finish?
Hey Juelz, if it's your first time doing this repair, I would plan a setting aside a 2-3 hours. After you have done it once, it can be done in an hour or so. Good luck on your project, Cheers!
When taking off the front clip 6:10 the little black clip came off what do you recommend!?
Back one came off fine
Hey Dominick, I wouldn't be to worried about it if one of them broke during removal. They simply hold that wiring loom securely to the valve cover. You can just add a bit of clear silicone to the broken clip area when reinstalling it. That should be sufficient to keep things in place.
Good luck on the BMW project, Cheers!
Why not just change the whole valve cover. It's like 250 bucks. Mine had a crack in it. they seem to get brittle.
Hey Fenger, thanks for the comments. You should definitely check your existing manifold for any signs of cracks or damage. They can become brittle and have an issue. We have not seen them for that cheap but you might be referring to aftermarket brands.
OEM BMW is $428.99 - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-engine-valve-cover-z4-x1-11127588412 (Lifetime Guarantee)
The Elring one is around that $250 price but it's backordered until 10/18/22
Since the complete gasket set is less than $100, it is a considerable cost difference versus changing the entire cover out if it is not damaged. Cheers!
Hi no desconet batery
Hey Benito, I think we forgot to record that part but typically when unplugging electrical connections it's a good idea to disconnect the battery.
Thanks for the feedback, Cheers!
Does anybody here have drivetrain malfunction triggered after replacing the valves cover? I scanned it and it gave me P15DF. Looked over for lose connections and all but couldn’t find anything that’s not plugged in. Any tips and comments is appreciated. 🙏.
Btw, most of the videos on UA-cam said you don’t have to disconnect the battery to do this but I found 1 video said you must disconnect the battery before doing it.
Hey Joe, thanks for the comments.
I haven't had any experience with the error code you mentioned after doing a valve cover gasket replacement. I would make sure the connection to your high pressure fuel sensor is connected securely, as well as you HPFP, since this gets removed during the valve cover job. In regards to the battery being disconnected, I don't personally feel this has any impact on this repair. In general, it's good practice to disconnect it but not mandatory.
I know the code comes up as "Drivetrain Malfunction" but that error code is typically associated with a bad HPFP (High Pressure Fuel Pump).
Sometimes you can get away with replacing the High Pressure Fuel sensor located at the end of the fuel rail but most of the time the HPFP is bad.
Here are the part numbers for the parts depending on what year you have:
HP sensor - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-sensor-high-pressure-13537620946#fitment
HPFP - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-high-pressure-fuel-pump-replacement-kit-13518604229kt1
HPFP Kit for early cars 2012-2014 - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-high-pressure-fuel-pump-replacement-kit-13518604229kt#fitment
HPFP Replacement Video - ua-cam.com/video/uZjtaqmoRtE/v-deo.html
HP Fuel Sensor Replacement Video - ua-cam.com/video/GKgGyh0CRzI/v-deo.html
Good luck on your project, let us know how it goes.
Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage Hey Bradley, thank you for taking the time to write back. The thing is the HPFP before the job was working fine though but ok I will look it over again then go with your advice and perhaps order the HPFP kit from FCP. Thanks again!
I would just double check those connections and then run another scan. Disconnect the battery before that so you can get a fresh reading.
Are you experiencing any symptoms besides the check engine light? Any running or drive ability issues?
Cheers!
@@BradleysGarage No, no other symptoms. The car idles fine, no misfire or anything. Just drivetrain malfunction.
There are other videos that explicitly state to crank the engine to bottom dead center (BDC). The HP fuel pump has a cam follower that can break if the engine is not at BDC when the pump is reassembled. Use a wrench on the cam pulley to manually rotate the engine.
Excellent video! Thank you so much!
Glad you enjoyed the video Elizabeth, hope it helps you with your project. Cheers!