Valve Cover Gasket install - 2003 330i

[OVERKILL]

So my sister's valve cover gasket, like my wife's, was leaking.

She ordered the kit from BavAuto, and I changed it for her last weekend. Been working too much to post the pics until now.

We've been running Mobil 1 0w40 in it since she got it (less than a year ago), it only has ~138,000Km on it now. It looks like the Mobil 1 is cleaning up the varnish that the factory Castrol appears to love to leave behind. The varnish wipes off with a paper towel, so I wiped it off the VANOS area before putting it back together.

 

[LeakySeals]

At least it wasn't QS, could have been worse. A Red Line run would be helpful.

 

[stephen9666]

Do you remember the brand/country of origin of the replacement gasket?

Are valve cover gaskets a common issue on these engines? That seems low miles for one to fail.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Are valve cover gaskets a common issue on these engines? That seems low miles for one to fail.

Was true back in 94 with my M5, leaked almost from day 1. I miss her. Wrecked.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Do you remember the brand/country of origin of the replacement gasket?

Are valve cover gaskets a common issue on these engines? That seems low miles for one to fail.


It was OE BMW, made in Germany.

They are rubber..... They would be better served using silicone like Ford did. They don't get hard and leak like the rubber ones do.

 

[Texan4Life]

Nice pics. looks good/avg... but being BITOG its not clean enough until it looks like it just come off the assembly line

thanks for sharing

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Are valve cover gaskets a common issue on these engines? That seems low miles for one to fail.

Yup, very common. Mine started leaking at about 45k miles.

Leaking oil housing gasket and oil pan gasket are also fairly common.

 

[97tbird]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Are valve cover gaskets a common issue on these engines? That seems low miles for one to fail.

Yup, very common. Mine started leaking at about 45k miles.

Leaking oil housing gasket and oil pan gasket are also fairly common.


I assume you meant to say 'oil FILTER housing gasket', right?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Are valve cover gaskets a common issue on these engines? That seems low miles for one to fail.

Yup, very common. Mine started leaking at about 45k miles.

Leaking oil housing gasket and oil pan gasket are also fairly common.


I assume you meant to say 'oil FILTER housing gasket', right?

Yes, thanks.

 

[JHZR2]

Was it a Reinz branded gasket? The VC gaskets for my 30 year old MBs are still made in Germany by Reinz.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Was it a Reinz branded gasket? The VC gaskets for my 30 year old MBs are still made in Germany by Reinz.


That sounds familiar. It was the OEM BMW one, but I think you are right, and that was the brand on the actual package.