2012 X5 35i N55 Valve Cover replacement - Advice and luck appreciated

msan · #1 07-11-2020, 06:08 PM

So...I just finished replacing all the spark plugs and coils due to water intrusion from the center engine partition leaking....a lot of fun that was....

Then, not a few weeks later I realize I have an engine oil leak somewhere. Vehicle drips oil more on the passenger side. I am guessing a valve cover gasket leak. My car is a 2012 and has over 102k miles on it. I will be replacing the entire cover and gasket, not just the gasket.

I have watched numerous Youtube videos, some for X5 and some for just an N55 to get a feel for what was involved over and above a normal spark plug change. Here are links to the videos and posts I found helpful.

e92 experience:
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...php?p=18946466

2011 X5 video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AxD6P0Wbmw

Another X5 video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Oug8POtq4&t=351s

F10 535 N55 video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pWXj8Hy4Io&t=54s

Anyways, all my tools and parts should be here on Monday and will probably tackle this on Tuesday.

Tips I have learned before tackling the job include:

1. Take off negative battery terminal to prevent fuel pump from activating while working since you will be removing fuel injector lines. Taking it off the night before is even better since this will allow fuel line pressure to lessen.
2. Get 12 party balloons to put on the injectors and fuel rail openings to prevent debris from entering them.
3. Use some paracord to help lift/remove the valve cover. Apparently, they are usually stuck on pretty good and there are not too many places on the cover to get a good grip on it. The paracord is used in the front two holes that don't have screws in them, along the front edge of valve cover. You can thread the cord in those two holes and lift it with the paracord to get the removal started.
4. TIS calls for transmission oil on the threads of the injector lines when reinstalling but I am going to go without since (A) I don't have transmission oil and (B) if I did have oil I might get some in the fuel line by accident.

I am going to use a Dorman 264-937 brand valve cover. It is made in China. Only reason I am using it is because for some reason it was $134 before tax at Amazon.com. Now I see it as $334 +tax. We will see how it does. Took some pics of it (see bottom of this post). Anew genuine BMW cover is $400-$500.

I believe I will need t-25 (majority of non-valve cover screws), t-30 (one screw for the oxygen sensor connector harness), E6 socket for two screws, and E10 socket for the 26 valve cover screws. Also a torque wrench that can do in/lbs for the valve cover screws...very little needed...like 6 ft/lbs.

Also got a crows foot flare nut wrench set for the fuel injector lines. I believe the union nuts are 14mm.

Wish me luck! and feel free to comment on any advice or your experiences!

Thanks!

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CLS70 · #2 07-11-2020, 10:08 PM

I replaced the valve cover two years ago --and so far so good (knock on wood)--

I followed two of the links you already have there; the first one (full post) was quite helpful and had several tricks / recommendations already; from what I can recall:

1. take time to make as much space as possible in the back of the engine, I pulled up the cables with a bungee cord to keep them out the way when removing/installing cover; the bolts are the back are very hard to reach and limited visibility so the added space was key. There is a bracket that gets in the way, I read it in the first post I was using as reference but did not realize it importance until encounter the same issue.

2. I vacuumed the engine thoroughly before removing the cover; tried to remove any dust/dirt that could then drop inside the engine

3. I used ziplock bags to store the high-pressure fuel rails and marked them individually

4. the party ballon trick is good but they tend to fell so I used electric caps (twist-on connectors) to keep then tight (will try to post pictures later)

5. When I did the valve cover, took the time to change the Oil Filter Housing Gasket as well. It was completely flat.

6. Clean the surface throrughly before putting the new one.

7. I see you plan to buy the torque wrench; I did buy as well as read everywhere that properly torquing the valve cover is key, I printed the sequence for reference as it is complex. Also bought the crow feet.

Good Luck !

msan · #3 07-12-2020, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CLS70

I replaced the valve cover two years ago --and so far so good (knock on wood)--

I followed two of the links you already have there; the first one (full post) was quite helpful and had several tricks / recommendations already; from what I can recall:

1. take time to make as much space as possible in the back of the engine, I pulled up the cables with a bungee cord to keep them out the way when removing/installing cover; the bolts are the back are very hard to reach and limited visibility so the added space was key. There is a bracket that gets in the way, I read it in the first post I was using as reference but did not realize it importance until encounter the same issue.

2. I vacuumed the engine thoroughly before removing the cover; tried to remove any dust/dirt that could then drop inside the engine

3. I used ziplock bags to store the high-pressure fuel rails and marked them individually

4. the party ballon trick is good but they tend to fell so I used electric caps to keep then tight (will try to post pictures later)

5. When I did the valve cover, took the time to change the Oil Cooler Gasket as well. It was completely flat.

6. Clean the surface throrughly before putting the new one.

7. I see you plan to buy the torque wrench; I did buy as well as read everywhere that properly torquing the valve cover is key, I printed the sequence for reference as it is complex. Also bought the crow feet.

Good Luck !

Thanks for the tips. I assume when you say oil cooler gasket you also did the oil filter housing gasket the same time too? or just the oil cooler gasket?

I'm not looking forward to tackling those three screws at the back on the cover...from my spark plug change I know there is little access back there.

When you say Electric caps, do you mean those caps you use to splice two wires together annd screw them together?
Thanks!

CLS70 · #4 07-12-2020, 01:40 PM

Yes, my bad, I was referring to the Oil Filter Housing Gasket - will fix the post

Yes, the Plastic connectors you use to twist and connect electrical cables, you can use them to cover the exposed fuel line connectors

msan · #5 07-12-2020, 02:52 PM

Thanks for the pics. Did you have to loosen the intake manifold to get that one bolt on the OFH? I saw one video where they loosened int, and other people said you can get at it with a combination of swivel joints...

CLS70 · #6 07-12-2020, 08:27 PM

I used a combination of sockets/extensions to get to it to avoid having to loose that bolt and it worked fine.

msan · #7 07-15-2020, 11:56 PM

Ma!n CLS70 I should have listened to you! But I didn't have 12 of those electrical "caps" handy.....OK so my saga is over....I started Monday night disconnecting the battery. Removed the stuff I knew from the spark plug change. Removed the passenger side partition, cabin air filter etc. Removed the "snorkel", air box, charge pipe. Undid the O2 sensor bracket with that one T-30 screw. Undid the two large wire looms across the back top , and removed the foam cover. Was thinking I don't need to remove the passenger strut bar (I did later remove it for more room). Unplugged the O2 sensors. Tied up the two large wires looms with long zip ties. Removed the coils and put towels in the tubes to prevent things from falling in them. Picked out the injector wires and took off the 3 ground wires. Moved the ignition wiring harness out of the way. Called it a night. So far so good.

Next day, removed the two vacuum lines on the passenger side of the valve cover. The front one came off easy, the back one was stuck on a bit and I tore a little of the hose, but the hose was long enough I could cut off the short section I damaged. Used six zip lock bags and took off the six fuel pressure lines that run across the valve cover. Used balloons to cover the 12 fuel openings (this later came back to haunt me). Evenly undid the 26 screws. Was a pain in the butt because I went slowly and undid them one or two turns at a time and went round and around maybe 8 cycles until all were loose.

I used the paracord trick to lift the valve cover a bit to get the removal started. This was a brilliant trick because my cover wouldn't budge otherwise. I got the old cover off and out, took a couple tries. I was careful not to knock that one thing that hangs down off. Wasn't easy but turned it this way and that until it came out. I THOUGHT I was home free, but nooooo!

I went to put the new one on and I could not get it to set down. I could get it a couple inches from where it needed to be but I kept bumping into those two AC lines near the firewall. I called a mobile mechanic but he said two days wait. I didn't want to wait. I then went back and figured I needed to remove the fuel rail and it would give me more room. Undid the fuel rail, moved it aside and tried to catch as much as I could of the fuel that spilled out (I didn't catch some of it). Remember this rail had 6 balloons on it. Anyways tried put the new cover on and got it to sit down!!! Highly recommend you remove the fuel rail, instead of just the pressure lines. I did the tedious task of tightening all 26 screws one turn at a times and make the rounds maybe 7-9 times until I felt I could do the final torque to 75 in/lbs (~6 ft/lbs). Couldn't torque the back left screw so just tried my best to mimic the tightness. After an hour of this I finished. Made my check to make sure I didn't drop and tools or anything. Counted the balloons and counted 11. *SAD FACE* The second one on the fuel rail was missing. I looked EVERYWHERE in the engine bay and did not see any yellow balloon. And I made the slow and sad determination that it might have fallen into the engine when the valve cover was off...or did it? Not sure. What to do? I just torqued all 26 screws down to spec. Told my wife and she told me you got to do what you got to do. So I undid all 26 screws again. Those of you who have done this can feel my pain right??? lifted the cover and sure enough the yellow balloon was sitting there inside!! Thank God I did the equipment check and opened it back up. Took out the balloon, cursed at it, and threw it as far I could. Put the cover back on, did the 26 screw dance. I got really good at it at this point. torqued it down. Was tired put some stuff back on like the fuel lines and half of the ignition wiring. But called it a day.

Last day just had to put everything back on that I had removed. I cleaned all the oil mess under the car so I could better tell if the new cover was leaking. Started it up ( a little worried since I had messed with fuel lines....) but it started up just fine. Had a little burning oil smell but the gasket was holding fine. NO leaks!! So happy now. So I was able to get it done for the $135 valve cover and maybe $50 of new tools I needed like crowsfoot wrenches for torquing the fuel lines (14mm and 17mm), some small paracord, a 3/8" male to 1/4" female adapter so I could use my 1/4" torque wrench with the E10 socket.

So I probably saved $1,000, learned A LOT about this service, but not sure I'd want to do it all again....

msan · #8 07-16-2020, 12:43 AM

The paracord trick to get the valve cover removal started . Had to unscrew the beauty cover stud first to open up that hole.

msan · #9 07-16-2020, 12:46 AM

My solution for the rear left screw.

E10 socket 3/8 “ -> u joint 3/8” -> adapter to 1/4” -> 1/4” u-joint -> short extension

CLS70 · #10 07-16-2020, 07:02 PM

Wow...glad to hear you completed it (!!); it should have been difficult to make that decision of removing the cover to search for the missing balloon but on the positive side, you found it -so it was the right call-, you have twice the experience and counting equipment (=balloons) should be now added to the list of suggestions !

Cheers

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