Rocker Cover Gasket

[poortomsacold]

Morning folks

Is there any clear way to see if the rocket cover gasket needs replacing? I'm pretty sure mine is shot as I have that wonderful burning smell that I've seen described so many times before and am also getting through more oil than before.

Also - any recommendations for which brand to buy or where to buy from? Any other parts I'll need?

Thanks!

[coldel]

Is there oil around it, and below the gasket on the outside of the engine?
If there is, clean it all off with a degreaser and drive the car and see if it reappears.
If it does need replacing then quite a few options online, I just bought an official BMW one for about 40 quid (mine is the N52 engine), I know others buy brands like Erling for about 20.
When the old one came out it was literally like brittle plastic, not rubber, it shattered into pieces!

[BigDaddy]

I have bought one from bmw as I have a leak and the person I bought the car from said it was the RCG. However I can’t tell where it’s coming from either. If you’re replacing it you could do the vanos seals at the same time…

[enuff_zed]

I've used two or three from this seller. No problems at all.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275187635987

If it is burning on the exhaust it is shot.
The kit I linked to has everything you need to do the job.
When you lift the cover away you may find the seals are so brittle that they break and some parts stay on the head.
Make sure you block the oilways before you try to prise these off. I always say they look more like bakelite than rubber and shatter into loads of tiny pieces. You don't want theose getting into the oilways.

You will also need to put small blobs of gasket sealant on the corners of the half-moon sections front and rear, to ensure you get a good seasl as it's an acute change of direction for the seal to cope with.

[BigDaddy]

I have no burning whatsoever on mine. There’s just oil dripping from somewhere. Cant really tell where from but I’m hoping to track it down. Done the oil filter housing gasket so that’s one out of the way.

[enuff_zed]

I have no burning whatsoever on mine. There’s just oil dripping from somewhere. Cant really tell where from but I’m hoping to track it down. Done the oil filter housing gasket so that’s one out of the way.

Oh sorry, I was meaning the OPs symptoms.
But all the advice remains the same for you.

[poortomsacold]

Thanks all - excellent help as always. I'll take a close look tomorrow after taking her for a drive to see if I can see any leaks and take it from there!

Aren't the vanos seals an even bigger job?

[chanlon1]

I’m half way through changing mine as I type this.
Cover off, new gasket put in, cover back in again. Just waiting for the right socket to be posted out to allow me to torque up the head bolts.
I was suffering from the smell of oil in the cabin, and when you stood at the front of the car looking at the engine, all round the back left corner, where the gasket is, you could see it was a mess.

[BigDaddy]

Thanks all - excellent help as always. I'll take a close look tomorrow after taking her for a drive to see if I can see any leaks and take it from there!

Aren't the vanos seals an even bigger job?

Well they look like a bit of a job but I’ve been watching some YouTube videos and it looks like worth doing as apparently the original bmw vanos seals tend to fail after 20k or so and you lose power/torque.

I haven’t done mine yet but it’s a job that can be done at the same time as the valve cover gasket, with more buggering about obviously.

Check out these videos, they’re very good.

https://youtu.be/YDK2KhPEj7c?si=Kdjt7mau4aGlHnbV

[enuff_zed]

Thanks all - excellent help as always. I'll take a close look tomorrow after taking her for a drive to see if I can see any leaks and take it from there!

Aren't the vanos seals an even bigger job?

Well they look like a bit of a job but I’ve been watching some YouTube videos and it looks like worth doing as apparently the original bmw vanos seals tend to fail after 20k or so and you lose power/torque.

I haven’t done mine yet but it’s a job that can be done at the same time as the valve cover gasket, with more buggering about obviously.

Check out these videos, they’re very good.

https://youtu.be/YDK2KhPEj7c?si=Kdjt7mau4aGlHnbV

Or ask me or bigwinn. I reckon between us we're well into double figures on these now.
Always happy to help with technical tips etc.

[BigDaddy]

Thanks. Is it worth buying the top of the line kit from x8r or do you usually just do the seals and gaskets?

I already have a rocket cover gasket so don’t need another and there’s no noise from the vanos but I’m thinking of just doing it to hopefully restore the car back to where it was 20 yrs ago.


I am a bit wary of taking it apart and breaking something I suppose but I haven’t seen it open on a table so don’t know if I’m worrying for nothing.

[enuff_zed]

Thanks. Is it worth buying the top of the line kit from x8r or do you usually just do the seals and gaskets?

I already have a rocket cover gasket so don’t need another and there’s no noise from the vanos but I’m thinking of just doing it to hopefully restore the car back to where it was 20 yrs ago.


I am a bit wary of taking it apart and breaking something I suppose but I haven’t seen it open on a table so don’t know if I’m worrying for nothing.

You would need the gasket that goes between the vanos and the head too. Then something like the X8R 0163 kit would probably suffice.
Worst parts are the small lefthand thread torx bolts.

I have done the full rattle ring kit before but only because I had already bought it. I've not had a car that rattles so have tended not to bother now.