DIY Solution to M54-M52TU CCV problems

[Joshdub]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

^Josh did you do it on yours? Which one of the ports did you run it to? I really dont want to do the CCV job again since I only did it 2.5 years ago but this may be a good way to do it since I already upgraded to cold weather parts.

I replaced those small vac lines at the back of the manifold and the vac caps earlier this year.

Yeah I did. I used the smaller of the two ports on the firewall side of the intake manifold. There is only one capped port on the CCV. You can get to it in place, but you need to remove the intake box/hoses, icv, and wiring junction box

[cn90]

Originally Posted by Sroor9001

I think there is pilot modification only hose from vent in ccv to the back of the manifold and you got same effect of vacum
I think it's done by 50s kid on e46 on YouTube

@Sroor9001, I know all about those "O2Pilot" mod and "50sKid" on youtube. I want to do a definitive mod and am glad I did this mod. Once you have all the parts (hoses, clamps, Tee), you can do this on 30 min. Very very easy mod.
I am now 500 miles AFTER the CCV Mod, zero oil consumption (used to be 1qt/400 miles).

@all: re CCV vs PCV. Both systems accomplish the same goals:
a. CC blow-by gets routed back to the Intake Manifold ---> combustion chamber.
b. Oil returned to the sump.

The method is slightly different on how the gas is routed back to the Intake Manifold:

1. CCV: the spring/diaphragm has a pre-set value, once the vacuum difference exceeds ___ in Hg (let's say hypothetically, it is 10 inches Hg), the diaphragm opens.
- Let's say at idle, the I.M. vacuum is -15 inches Hg, CC is - 2 inches Hg, now the vacuum difference is > pre-set value of 10 inches Hg: the diaphragm opens, allowing blow-by gas to enter I.M.
- So, depending on how much CC gas is being produced, the diaphragm opens On-Off to allow air ---> I.M.

- FAUCET ANALOGY: similar to you turn on the faucet: "On" and "Off".


2. PCV: there is always a flow, but controlled by the spring/pintle design.
Note the difference between Vacuum vs Flow Rate, they are 2 different things.
- The vacuum difference controls the position of the spring/pintle system.

- FAUCET ANALOGY: similar to you leave faucet "On" just a hair so there is some dripping, sometimes you turn the faucet up a bit to get more flow, and turn it down to a slow dripping flow.

Japanese cars such as Honda still use PCV and emission is as good as other mfg's.
Personally, I like PCV system better b/c it is easier to maintain.

[Sroor9001]

Originally Posted by cn90

@Sroor9001, I know all about those "O2Pilot" mod and "50sKid" on youtube. I want to do a definitive mod and am glad I did this mod. Once you have all the parts (hoses, clamps, Tee), you can do this on 30 min. Very very easy mod.
I am now 500 miles AFTER the CCV Mod, zero oil consumption (used to be 1qt/400 miles).

@all: re CCV vs PCV. Both systems accomplish the same goals:
a. CC blow-by gets routed back to the Intake Manifold ---> combustion chamber.
b. Oil returned to the sump.

The method is slightly different on how the gas is routed back to the Intake Manifold:

1. CCV: the spring/diaphragm has a pre-set value, once the vacuum difference exceeds ___ in Hg (let's say hypothetically, it is 10 inches Hg), the diaphragm opens.
- Let's say at idle, the I.M. vacuum is -15 inches Hg, CC is - 2 inches Hg, now the vacuum difference is > pre-set value of 10 inches Hg: the diaphragm opens, allowing blow-by gas to enter I.M.
- So, depending on how much CC gas is being produced, the diaphragm opens On-Off to allow air ---> I.M.

- FAUCET ANALOGY: similar to you turn on the faucet: "On" and "Off".


2. PCV: there is always a flow, but controlled by the spring/pintle design.
Note the difference between Vacuum vs Flow Rate, they are 2 different things.
- The vacuum difference controls the position of the spring/pintle system.

- FAUCET ANALOGY: similar to you leave faucet "On" just a hair so there is some dripping, sometimes you turn the faucet up a bit to get more flow, and turn it down to a slow dripping flow.

Japanese cars such as Honda still use PCV and emission is as good as other mfg's.
Personally, I like PCV system better b/c it is easier to maintain.

Thanks I did this but returned back to ccv cause I got leak on valve cover gasket and oil filter housing so I've bought ccv
Tried 2 pcv valve got leaked any way I'll do oil catch can if I didn't get ccv which I preferred no vacum than extreme vacum
I hope everything is running well for you if it's too cold right now I hope my ccv withstand at least 2-3 years

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by Joshdub

Yeah I did. I used the smaller of the two ports on the firewall side of the intake manifold. There is only one capped port on the CCV. You can get to it in place, but you need to remove the intake box/hoses, icv, and wiring junction box

And just the standard BMW braided vacuum hose worked right? I may have to finagle it in place as I have the cold weather valve so that insulation might be covering my capped port, but this will probably be on my spring to-do's - if I have to I'll remove the valve and replace hoses or valve if necessary. It wasn't a fun job the first time but I imagine a second time might be easier, maybe I'll have to get the other things out of the way like OFHG as preventative while its open.

I still am not completely sold on the PCV fix as I think it might add a bit too much vacuum to the crankcase.

[BavarianE39]

Wow haven't been on here in a while and this thread has sure blown up! I am happy to report that my original pcv valve is still going strong, I sold my x5 to a good friend of mine and it has accumulated 30,000+ miles on this original pcv valve. Still absolutely no oil consumption or any issues pertaining to this mod. Also no issues to report from other people around me who have done this mod, even in these cold temps everyone has no complaints!

[Joshdub]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

And just the standard BMW braided vacuum hose worked right? I may have to finagle it in place as I have the cold weather valve so that insulation might be covering my capped port, but this will probably be on my spring to-do's - if I have to I'll remove the valve and replace hoses or valve if necessary. It wasn't a fun job the first time but I imagine a second time might be easier, maybe I'll have to get the other things out of the way like OFHG as preventative while its open.

I still am not completely sold on the PCV fix as I think it might add a bit too much vacuum to the crankcase.

The vac line wasn't braided, just plain rubber (11727545323). I have the cold weather version as well. I used a scalpel and cut a small square incision into the jacket for the port. I used a picture of a warn weather valve to help locate the port.

[ramp]

I performed this mod on my 2.5L BMW 525i, 5 speed. Very well maintained but the oil consumption was concerning. Shall monitor. Great write up.

[lo_jack]

Originally Posted by 80stech

@lo-jack
It's best to inform yourself about how things work and know how you want to change them, not to try to copy. It might be the same engineers that designed the M54 CCCV ! What I am really curious about is why the crankcase needs to be completely closed in the first place? emmisions maybe ? to meet what spec? what is the reasoning ?

That's the point: every motor is developed with different emissions pressures from regulatory, but also cost directives from project development. The M56 SULEV aluminum intake with built-in CCV was way more expensive to design and manufacture than the plastic tube octopus calamity M54 got. There has to have been a reason they did not put M56 SULEV intake into service before. Perhaps it was only cost. The tube monster isn't reliable, so it wasn't that either. I believe most of these choices are based on cost.

But there was incentive to get SULEV certification later, so that warranted the extra cost of designing and casting that intake manifold. Also recall there were fires caused by the worthless CCV in M54, and that lead to an unsuccessful class action wherein BMW denied responsibility but updated the parts and issued TSBs.

Copying another OEM system is about using OEM parts that have been put into service by the factory for factory spec, which you know has at least had a minimum of thought put around reliability and liability. Minimum, obviously, as M54 CCV was a catastrophe.

[cn90]

Originally Posted by Sroor9001

Thanks I did this but returned back to ccv cause I got leak on valve cover gasket and oil filter housing so I've bought ccv
Tried 2 pcv valve got leaked any way I'll do oil catch can if I didn't get ccv which I preferred no vacum than extreme vacum
I hope everything is running well for you if it's too cold right now I hope my ccv withstand at least 2-3 years

After watching all posts by "mlody" and his youtube videos. it took me weeks and hundreds of hours of research on the piston rings and vacuum issues, I have come to the conclusions that:

1. Piston oil rings are worn (see "mlody" videos and website), allowing oil to be sucked into combustion chamber. Interestingly "mlody" never did the CCV Mod, instead he replaced his CCV a few times but never did the CCV Mod. He ended up rebuilding his engine with new piston rings using a mix of rings from M52 and M52TU engines.

2. Very few of us have the time/desire to replace the piston rings, thus the CCV Mod. The CCV Mod will definitely increase the vacuum a bit: it is somewhere between minimal vacuum (factory spec) and full (which is around 18 inches of Hg). I will do vacuum measurement on my CCV Mod system soon and post the findings.

This CCV Mod is not a permanent solution, rather, it is a "stop-gap" measure, which is good enough for me.

[bmwman528e]

I was attacking the Valve Cover and the Oil Filter Housing Gasket on my 2003 BMW X5 5 speed manual this week and figured it was a good time to eliminate the factory CCV it was extremely easy but I do plan on adding catch can at some point.