Can't Get Valve Cover Off - Help

[SmartSolution]

I'm hoping to tackle this job this Sunday. Can the spark plug metal tubes be reused or do they have to be replaced with new ones?

[golf4dj]

No problem with reusing the ones you have. No need to replace. Good luck let us know how it goes.

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[SmartSolution]

Got it! Thanks for the info.

A few weeks back when I did an initial inspection under the cover I noticed the breather hose insulation was torn. I'm guessing it's ok since the X5 runs fine and gets lots of highway miles. I'll just hope it's not too brittle and break when removing because I didn't order one. Whoever worked on it did a bad job. My leak seems to come from a prior leak around the eccentric sensor that was a patch job so I'm replacing the whole VC with a new one.

[golf4dj]

I replaced the valve cover gasket, essentric shafts sensor seal and the valvetronic motor seal. All where pretty straight forward to replace once the valve cover was off. Unless the valve cover is damaged not sure it needs to be replaced.

As it relates to the breather hose I really struggled disconnecting it from the valve cover. I probably spent an hour trying to follow the video instructions that didn't work for me. I was able to insert a screw driver between the valve cover and the hose connecter and was able to press the tab release with the screw driver on one side and my fingers on the other and it came right apart. However, in order to push the tabs in to release the hose i needed to push the house as if i were reinstalling it and then it came right off without much effort at all.

[SmartSolution]

Thanks for the tips! I will replace the ESS because I have a new one and one of the tabs on the current one is slightly cracked but holding well. There was no oil on the current ESS so I may glue it back then keep it as a back up or sell it. This thread has been very informative.
Thanks golf4dj!!!

[leonbtwo]

Just in case anyone is changing their oil filter housing gasket while your in there. I actually came up with a clever way to remove it without having to remove my whole manifold. I was able to get to the inner bolt right below the manifold by first loosing it with an 8mm wrench from the top. After that i took a 8mm socket attached to a flat head screw drive with tape to keep it from falling apart. This gave me the angle i needed along with the thinnest to get into the tight spot.

[golf4dj]

Great to hear you were able to remove that bracket from the back left corner of the valve cover.

Good job on the oil filter housing. You can definately get to that bolt without removing the manifold.

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