Is my Valve Cover Gasket going?

[fryebaby161]

Here is the situation.....

My car sat most of last weekend. On Sunday I took it out to drop a movie off at the Redbox and go to the store to pickup a few things. While sitting in the car waiting for my wife to get back from dropping the movie off I started smelling burning oil. After a couple of seconds it passed, so I dismissed it. A few minutes later it came back, and I noticed some smoke coming out of the hood. I cut the car off and popped the hood to get a closer look. When I opened the hood, it looked like the smoke was coming from the passenger side of the engine bay. From what I can tell it looks like oil was dripping on the exhaust (??) and since I had not driven the car in a few days, it pooled up, and burnt off once the exhaust got warm.


My guess is the Valve Cover Gasket, but I just wanted to see if you guys had any other thoughts. I plan on doing a little closer inspection, and hopefully pin pointing the least this weekend, but I must say that this has me a little worried/concerned?

Any thoughts of suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[Crickett]

From the info you've provided, the first / most obvious culprit would be the VCG, but definitely do as you're planning & get a closer / more thorough look at the VCG area. I imagine it'll be fairly obvious where the oil's coming from if you really get in there with a flashlight & perhaps a mirror. GL!!

[kayger12]

Yes, it's most likely your vcg. Most times, if you look at the passenger side rear of the motor, you'll see some burnt oil residue or pooling oil on the heat shield that covers the exhaust like you see in the pic below.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/larinoriani/325Cic/100_1633.jpg

[fryebaby161]

That picture is almost dead on.... not quite as much residue, but that is it ...

Thanks for the info guys!

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[danewilson77]

Vcg.......totally. And do plugs while you're in there. NGK BKR6EQUP.

Droid + Tapatalk = FTW!

[Johnmadd]

Yeah, as dw said, do the plugs. I guarantee some if not all are oil fouled.

[fryebaby161]

Bah, I just replaced the plugs last spring.... Oh well, guess I might as well replace them while I'm in there....

[kayger12]

Definitely worth doing the plugs. My #5 & #6 were seriously oil fouled.

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[aurelius]

Vcg.......totally. And do plugs while you're in there. NGK BKR6EQUP.

My VCG has started leaking too. Right on time -- the M54 in my former E39 did the same at the exact same mileage (~65k).

Realoem lists a Bosch plug (FGR7DQP) in addition to the NGK quoted above. Pelican Parts sells both but the Bosch is a lot cheaper.

Anyone have any opinions or knowledge on whether the NGK is worth the extra bucks?

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/catalog/shopcart/BE46/POR_BE46_BAStun_pg1.htm#item0

[kayger12]

I've always read that the NGK was a superior plug.

Don't recall the exact reasons why, though.

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[danewilson77]

Ngk bkr6equp

[quikryptonite]

Well, looks like I have another project to work on ASAP. As I finished up tonight, I took the car for a spin around the block. Nothing fancy, I didn't even get the revs up above 4k. I got home and popped the hood to make sure my belts and pulleys were still doing ok and I see some white smoke coming up from the rear of the engine bay. I panicked and turned the car off and prepared to grab my fire extinguisher. I couldn't see where the smoke was originating from, but it is from the same area that Fryebaby was talking about. I also pulled off the oil filler cap (and heard a small blub when I did this) and some wispy smoke was coming out there as well.

I've almost got 67,000 miles on my car so it would most likely be a faulty VGC. I had a hunch it was going out, when I would get to work after driving for about 15-20 minutes I could smell a faint trace of what appeared to be burning oil. I would guess that's the problem, but I'm kind of nervous right now about diagnosing anything...

Would the resident Mafia mechanics agree? Is this something that needs to be taken care of right away, or could I drive for a bit with this problem? The smoke has really got me apprehensive.

[danewilson77]

You really need to monitor oil level closely, and it needs fixed sooner than later.

Sent from SIGFest USA

[BustedBoat]

My spark plugs have been getting oiled up as well. I plan on replacing my valve cover gasket either friday or monday. If you'd like I can take some pictures for you. Just ask away!

[quikryptonite]

I think I've got everything for the job already in my box of parts. RTV sealant, 15 round bolt seals, the VCG set and some NGK spark plugs. Anything else I would need?

[JohnnyGraphic]

I would say one of those tiny mirror thingies on an extendable arm as well as a magnetic pick up tool. Harbor Freight for next to nothing. The mirror helps you to find if you've got any other leaks around post VCG replacement and the magnetic pick up tool-pretty self-explanatory.

I would also get brake cleaner to make sure you get all of the areas around your engine clean before you put everything back together. You don't want to be chasing a phantom leak or, if you do get another leak, you want to make sure you're looking at the new leak vs. the old leak.

As far as replacing plugs, if you changed them recently, I would inspect the spark plug well and take it from there. No need to replace a perfectly good set of plugs. It won't hurt to have them on-hand though.

Johnny

[Oli77]

Yes, it's most likely your vcg. Most times, if you look at the passenger side rear of the motor, you'll see some burnt oil residue or pooling oil on the heat shield that covers the exhaust like you see in the pic below.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v396/larinoriani/325Cic/100_1633.jpg

I don't want to look back there!

Just fixed the OFHG leak at 77 K miles and now I hear stories of VCG around 65 K. What is the problem with the gaskets in our cars?

[kayger12]

I swear, BMW saved money by purchasing and installing gaskets that would only last until the cars were off free maintenance.

My vcg was leaking at 48K.

[WOLFN8TR]

I don't want to look back there!

Just fixed the OFHG leak at 77 K miles and now I hear stories of VCG around 65 K. What is the problem with the gaskets in our cars?

The Rubber sucks! My OFHG & VCG were hard as a rock. That's the only thing I do not like about my BMW, cheap rubber seals and plastic everything. Window Cowl, Window Seals, Gaskets, Orings etc all cheap.

[zj96sc]

I swear, BMW saved money by purchasing and installing gaskets that would only last until the cars were off free maintenance.

My vcg was leaking at 48K.

no joke - i've never seen the kind of plasticizing i saw with my 98k VCG on any car i've ever worked on including 1960s stuff with 300k miles. for their dead nuts engineering on so many things, BMW seems to have dropped the ball on proper material selection for thermal operating environment on at least three major things i can think of - ZKW bowls, VCG, buna vanos orings.....what gives?

[webster]

I think I've got everything for the job already in my box of parts. RTV sealant, 15 round bolt seals, the VCG set and some NGK spark plugs. Anything else I would need?

dielectric grease, spark plug socket as well.