Rocker cover / gasket on a E39 530i
Discussion
I have recently noted a sharp pong (like burning) from my air vents when the car is warm, and at idle.
The car was in on a separate issue today and they commented the smell could be a leak from the rocker cover.
The indy said they would need to replace the cover and clean it up to see whether that would fix it, or indeed whether I would need a new gasket.
I am not mechanically minded, but I have a willing friend who is. Is this a big job to firstly change the cover and check, and secondly change the gasket if required. How much (roughly) would an indy charge for this privilige?
Cars a 2000 530i with 157k.
The car was in on a separate issue today and they commented the smell could be a leak from the rocker cover.
The indy said they would need to replace the cover and clean it up to see whether that would fix it, or indeed whether I would need a new gasket.
I am not mechanically minded, but I have a willing friend who is. Is this a big job to firstly change the cover and check, and secondly change the gasket if required. How much (roughly) would an indy charge for this privilige?
Cars a 2000 530i with 157k.
You'd be best changing it yourself
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/BMW_5+Series_530...
if that link doesn't work, go to http://www.eurocarparts.com and look for part nr. 368110300
£29 quid. It'd be a saturday morning job, i can't see anything too complex in it, you'll get the plastic top cover off, and the coil packs, the plugs can stay in, undo the 12-14 or so bolts round the edges, and lift the cover off and peer inside the world of cams and valves.
clean the faces with something plastic, you could rub a bit of fine sandpaper on the bottom of your cover, but you don't want to get sandy bits inside the engine.
lay the new gasket on, and the two little ones around the spark plugs, and refit the cover.
to follow things exactly by the book, finger tight for all of the outside bolts, and then torque them down in a spiral pattern from the inside to iron out any stresses, but it's a rubber gasket, and the rubber does the sealing, you won't need much more than the torque from your wrist, no 2 foot breaker bars etc and you are done.
to book it in and get someone to do it, you'll be looking at about 70 quid.
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/BMW_5+Series_530...
if that link doesn't work, go to http://www.eurocarparts.com and look for part nr. 368110300
£29 quid. It'd be a saturday morning job, i can't see anything too complex in it, you'll get the plastic top cover off, and the coil packs, the plugs can stay in, undo the 12-14 or so bolts round the edges, and lift the cover off and peer inside the world of cams and valves.
clean the faces with something plastic, you could rub a bit of fine sandpaper on the bottom of your cover, but you don't want to get sandy bits inside the engine.
lay the new gasket on, and the two little ones around the spark plugs, and refit the cover.
to follow things exactly by the book, finger tight for all of the outside bolts, and then torque them down in a spiral pattern from the inside to iron out any stresses, but it's a rubber gasket, and the rubber does the sealing, you won't need much more than the torque from your wrist, no 2 foot breaker bars etc and you are done.
to book it in and get someone to do it, you'll be looking at about 70 quid.
I assume you meant "remove the cover" rather then "replace the cover"? The gasket is perhaps £20 or so plus an hour's work. They can go very brittle with age but are fairly straightforward to replace. However, the only thing that will leak is oil, usually onto the exhaust manifold - so smoke vapour and/or oil traces should be visible. If it's not leaking don't disturb the cover or the gasket will need to be replaced as it is unlikely to seal again once removed. I would have thought a more precise diagnosis is easily possible.
thanks. rather than faffing around working out what it is I am just tempted to change the gasket to ensure all is ok.
Is this the wrong thing to do? You said dont disturb if not necessary.
How can I find out what it is? Only symptom is a bit of oil in front of cabin and burning smell inside the car,
Is this the wrong thing to do? You said dont disturb if not necessary.
How can I find out what it is? Only symptom is a bit of oil in front of cabin and burning smell inside the car,
matt21 said:
thanks. rather than faffing around working out what it is I am just tempted to change the gasket to ensure all is ok.
Is this the wrong thing to do? You said dont disturb if not necessary.
How can I find out what it is? Only symptom is a bit of oil in front of cabin and burning smell inside the car,
No harm in replacing it - just don't go to check its condition without a new gasket on hand as the old gasket re-installed will almost certainly leak.Is this the wrong thing to do? You said dont disturb if not necessary.
How can I find out what it is? Only symptom is a bit of oil in front of cabin and burning smell inside the car,
What do you mena by "oil in the front of the cabin"?
If it hasn't ever been done a 2000 530i will almost certainly need a new gasket even if there are other problems elsewhere so no harm in replacing it. The rubber goes very brittle with age, the new one will be flexible rubber but the old one will probably snap into bits as to take it off.
http://www.beisansystems.com/procedures/vanos_proc...
follow that through, but stop and skip the vanos seals bit
follow that through, but stop and skip the vanos seals bit
matt21 said:
oil at the front of the engine, down by the radiator & fan.
Normally when the rocker cover gasket leaks, it seeps oil out towards the rear of the engine where it drips onto the exhaust manifold. Once it hits the hot manifold it burns off which is where you get the smell from.It doesn’t usually come out in enough quantity to end up all over the engine bay and at the front near the cooling fan/radiator doesn’t sound like the place you’d ever find it leaking.
An oil leak in this area is usually power steering fluid from the reservoir – the pipe leaks, normally where it meets the bottom of the reservoir. But this doesn’t smell. Perhaps you have two leaks?
Fox- said:
matt21 said:
oil at the front of the engine, down by the radiator & fan.
Normally when the rocker cover gasket leaks, it seeps oil out towards the rear of the engine where it drips onto the exhaust manifold. Once it hits the hot manifold it burns off which is where you get the smell from.It doesn’t usually come out in enough quantity to end up all over the engine bay and at the front near the cooling fan/radiator doesn’t sound like the place you’d ever find it leaking.
An oil leak in this area is usually power steering fluid from the reservoir – the pipe leaks, normally where it meets the bottom of the reservoir. But this doesn’t smell. Perhaps you have two leaks?
will report back.
I am wondering if it is oil leaking from somewhere (the rocker cover gasket is likely) and dripping onto a hot exhaust manifold. I had the same problem with my 190 a few weeks back.
Although a completely different car, It was a very easy job to do on mine.
Matt.
Although a completely different car, It was a very easy job to do on mine.
Matt.
Edited by Beirut Taxi on Wednesday 20th January 02:21
Beirut Taxi said:
matt21 said:
think it is the rocker cover gasket.
going to give it a bash saturday.
does anyone know what to torque the bolts up to after I have changed the gasket.
There is an sequence you need to do them up in as well.going to give it a bash saturday.
does anyone know what to torque the bolts up to after I have changed the gasket.
matt21 said:
I can still smell that smell through the vents so a bit worried that either I did not do it properly or (I am hoping) there is residue oil that still needs burning off.
As long as the new gasket is seated properly and the faces were nice and clean when you put it on, and the bolts were done up properly then it shouldn't be leaking. Even a small amount of the previously leaked oil will have gone a long way and may take some time to burn off. Could always get the engine steam cleaned to remove any traces of oil.Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff