Rocker cover gasket failure?

C

CRAIGO

Member
 Manchester
While poking around trying to find a source to a possible coolant leak, I noticed what looks like fresh oil weeping down the cylinder head (under the intake manifold).

Does this look like a rocker cover gasket replacement? I’ll take off the engine cover and look during daylight.

If so, where’s the best place to buy a quality replacement? I’ve done these in the past on previous cars.

961ACB0B-5756-4D63-99CE-7744D93802F5.jpeg

Thanks
 
I would say oil filter housing gasket, possibly rocker cover gasket but requires a good look.

The oil filter housing gasket leaks and blows back along the block and the sump gasket seam. Common issue..
 
Sounds plausible thanks. I’ll pull some covers and take a good look this weekend to try and find the root cause. The car had a comprehensive service by an Indy in April and has only covered around 2000 miles since.

I did wonder why the rocker cover gasket would perish around the cold side rather than the usual exhaust manifold side.

Both coolant and oil levels are tip top so it’s all very minor.

Cheers
 
+1 oil filter housing gasket.
done both on mine at same time.
been drizabone ever since :thumbsup:
 
Chris_D said:
+1 oil filter housing gasket.
done both on mine at same time.
been drizabone ever since :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Perfect - sounds good coming from two reputable sources :thumbsup:

Are there any instructions on swapping the filter housing gaskets available online?

I guess the Indy didn’t use new filter housing gaskets when changing the oil and filter then? I would expect them to last longer than 9 months unless one isn’t seated correctly?

Thanks
 
Hi, it’s not the filter top gasket it’s the rubber seal between the block and the housing.
Belt off, alternator off, electrical connector and a few bolts. Took me about an hour to do mine.
I’ll try find a pic
 
mr nurburgring said:
I would say oil filter housing gasket, possibly rocker cover gasket but requires a good look.

The oil filter housing gasket leaks and blows back along the block and the sump gasket seam. Common issue..
Click to expand...

Agree with this. Definitely the OFH gasket. I replaced mine April last year, exactly the same as your photo. Alternator off job to fit a new one :cry:
 
mr nurburgring said:
Hi, it’s not the filter top gasket it’s the rubber seal between the block and the housing.
Belt off, alternator off, electrical connector and a few bolts. Took me about an hour to do mine.
I’ll try find a pic
Click to expand...

Mr Nurburgring is correct. This is the OFH gasket
maxresdefault.jpg :thumbsup:
 
Cheers guys - I also found a YouTube video as I didn’t realise the mating surface was straight on the block - I’d assumed the filter housing was remotely mounted via a inlet/outlet hardpipe and that the seals would simply be within the filter housing or similar. Having seen those images - I completely agree it’s the filter housing gasket now.

I have the tools and I’m confident enough to do the job myself. Would I need to jack the front end up and remove the under tray or can this be carried out completely within the engine bay from above?

If from above, i might strip it all down this weekend and then next weekend fit the new gasket and reassemble.

The strip down should allow me to inspect the coolant system and expansion tank too.

Thanks
 
did mine from above after removing a few bit and pieces.
torque values for tightening are quite important as the housing is pretty fragile.
sorry can't remember off top of my head and after necking 7 Duvels but there are 7 or 9 bolts all of different lengths that u need to be careful with when tightening. u'll find the info somewhere on line.
good luck and post up final results fella
:thumbsup:
 
Chris_D said:
did mine from above after removing a few bit and pieces.
torque values for tightening are quite important as the housing is pretty fragile.
sorry can't remember off top of my head and after necking 7 Duvels but there are 7 or 9 bolts all of different lengths that u need to be careful with when tightening. u'll find the info somewhere on line.
good luck and post up final results fella
:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

6 x M8 bolts @ 22Nm :thumbsup:
7 x Duvel @ 8.5% = :o My absolute favourite beer 'of all time mate' but I can only manage 2 or 3 before my legs stop working :rofl:
 
I’ve a wrench that can dial that in but it’s 18inch long and space looks tight. I’ll figure it out though.

I’ve put 300 miles on this car since buying it and everyone I know who’s seen it has really admired it. I’ve spent the last week getting the front bumper resprayed by a friend who owns a spray shop, looking into a roof motor relocation, detailing, checking for a suspected coolant leak and taking nearly everyone I know out for a spin with both noise generator foams removed. I’m having fun in Winter so god knows what the Summer fun factor will bring! :D

I’ll cycle to work next week.
 
It seems the leak is worse than I thought - that gasket must be completely shot so it’s off the road now until I replace it. It’s gone from a full dipstick to the middle level of the dipstick within only 150 miles and the below is what I found today - fresh oil everywhere around the housing but nothing to worry about around the rocker gasket.

F3C826FF-7832-456D-812E-84FA71757E73.jpeg
2DCC3BB8-9DDA-4575-B7FD-D1F0A5AD5EFA.jpeg

I’ll order a new gasket from BMW if they’re still available for the E85 M54.

I’m struggling to find a complete list of the tools I’ll need for the job. I’d like to pull out every correct socket, spanner and torque wrench so I can hit the ground running without having to faff about mid job. I don’t own any torx sockets but from the limited view I have from above, it doesn’t seem like there are any? I want to use this week to buy everything I’m going to need in preparation for next weekend. I.e tools, oil, gasket - belts and or pulleys while I’m down there?

Does anyone have the above info?

Thanks
 
50sKid on YouTube has been very useful for info for a lot of work I've done on my Z4 over the last couple of years. Watch this 30 minute video, pretty much all you need to know. Just bear in mind he has a US spec E46, but apart from the power steering reservoir and a few other minor things it's all applicable on your Z4
https://youtu.be/zC_cmsX68Ok
Also, genuine BMW gasket £4.95 on Ebay https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F253968349689
Take your time and with the right tools it's an easy and satisfying job. :thumbsup:
 
Thanks for the great reply - very informative.

I’m a little stuck with the torque settings I should apply with regards to the OFH (24NM seems common) but the two alternator bolts seem to have a huge disparity in the recommendations where official references are extreme high at around 70NM and most diy’ers recommending ranges between 35NM and 55NM. Can anyone explicitly clarify the correct torque for the 3.0 M54 alternator?
Having watched 50’sGuy’s video - he torques his alternator bolts to 17ft/lbs (23NM) which seems way off what it should be?

Thanks
 
I used the TIS torque values of 22Nm for the OFH bolts and 42 Nm for the 2 x alternator bolts :thumbsup:
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/
 
That makes more sense!

Do both the AC and Auxiliary tensioners require a Torx 60 bit to take the tension off the belts for removal?

Thanks
 
Pretty sure the AC tensioner is a T60 or T55 bit and t'other is a 17mm socket iirc. I did mine from below, much easier access. Watch the first 2 mins of this video :thumbsup: https://youtu.be/YKphkCyEccs
 
Thanks again for all the answers to my questions guys. I did the job today and it took me around 90 minutes but with the additional 3 hours of cleaning all the oil off the engine, oil housing and jet washing the undertray etc. I can now keep an eye on fresh oil leaks much more easily.

The job itself was a doddle. I think I spent most time cleaning the gasket surfaces with alcohol and trying to get the lower alternator bolt aligned! I’ve left the tray off for now as I’ll keep an eye on it over the next week before reinstalling. Fun and games.

Just a word of advice to anyone wanting to carry out this job. You don’t need to remove the AC belt - you can away with leaving the serpentine belt on too. Just release the tensioner and pull the slack of the belt up toward the AC compressor and water pump pulley and hold it out of the way with a cable tie. I did it this way as I didn’t have a torx big enough to fit the AC tensioner pulley then realised it was a waste of time doing that anyway :thumbsup:

The gasket was shot! Picked it out and it snapped in two and was very hard and brittle.

5257B31D-6EF4-4DEE-9F81-0C082C9647E9.jpeg

6462D0FC-8E14-45FF-A885-A1B0E4D9A548.jpeg

Beer and burger now for saving £400 in garage fees!
 
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