upgrading valve cover

[nebilex]

Hey guys, i need to change the valve cover as mine keeps leaking after changing the gasket multiple times. I've had bad luck buying used on eBay as the ones that came had crack or other issues. Anyways, there is an 05 x5 at a junkyard near by with rear end damage and i think 8xK miles. My X5 is an 01 and has the coil packs that screw into the valve cover. This type of valve cover got superseded in 02 by the push-in type of coil pack. Now my question is, if I get the valve cover and coil pack from the 05, would i be able to just swap the two? I looked the coil pack harness # on both the 01 and 05 and its the same (part number# 12517526695)...
I hope someone here knows if it'll work or not?

[Ricky Bobby]

Sure - as long as you match the newer style coil packs with the newer valve cover you should be good to go

[StephenVA]

Hold on

Does you current coil look like this?

[Ricky Bobby]

^Stephen is usually more thorough than me so listen to him - I was just guessing haha

[nebilex]

Originally Posted by StephenVA

Hold on

Does you current coil look like this?

My Current coil looks like the one on the right. And it seems like the harness (plug) will be different between the two coils.

I also compared the gaskets and the gaskets are different between the two models which makes me to believe that the cylinder head might be different as well.

01 gasket part number (11129070990) vs 05 gasket # (11120030496)

Perhaps my only option is to keep searching for a cover that's specific to my car

[Ricky Bobby]

^^I agree with that - if the harness, gaskets, etc is different stick to what you have -

Instead of wasting your money on used and junkyard parts why not just get a new valve cover? $321 is not bad to not have the headache anymore - and its a complete assembly including new valve cover gasket

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Sit...32928/ES18130/

[nebilex]

The only reason i am not buying mee is because i am trying to sell it. So a used part would cost me half the cost of what the new is. If i was going to keep the car, i wouldnt even have bothered with junkyard parts. But considering this is money i wont recoup when selling i dont want to spend too much on it

[Ricky Bobby]

Understood - as I always say though do it right or do it twice, or more than twice in your case -

Add up the cost of how many used valve covers you bought on ebay and the time plus the cost of how ever many valve cover gaskets you've done (since there is plenty of $$ our time is worth, I know mine is) and I'm sure you spent way more than the $322 to do it right the first time.

[Roman D]

Yep - agree to that!

[nebilex]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Understood - as I always say though do it right or do it twice, or more than twice in your case -

Add up the cost of how many used valve covers you bought on ebay and the time plus the cost of how ever many valve cover gaskets you've done (since there is plenty of $$ our time is worth, I know mine is) and I'm sure you spent way more than the $322 to do it right the first time.

I agree, thankfully the two covers that i got on ebay were returned and $ was refunded and in both cases i didnt remove the cover from the x5 yet Because i am just at the point of sourcing the part first before taking things apart.