upgrading valve cover
 

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 This type of valve cover got superseded in 02 by the push-in type of coil pack.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?

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

Hold on

Does you current coil look like this?

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

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 :(

^^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/

https://c1552172.ssl.cf0.rackcdn.com/661227_x600.jpg

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

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.

Yep - agree to that!

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.

If you are going to sell it, I would not try other routes. I would stick with the stock part. The original part with OEM gasket, with some sealant in the proper places and properly torqued should seal. Do you know why it keeps leaking?

the last time i had the valve cover gasket changed, the indy (he specialized in bmw, vw, audi) told me that the valve cover is warped... he said he put gasket sealant to help but will need to get a new cover at some point. And his fix worked for about 20k miles but it eventually started leaking again. But since i have another car now, this is just sitting in the garage now and am just waiting for the right part to fix the leak and sell it.

I see, torque specs are such that it is hard to seal a warped cover. Since it won't seal as it is I would set it on a flat surface and see how bad it is then see if I could heat it enough to correct it. Have no idea if it would work but I would try it. Other than that I would keep looking for a stock used cover.

:iagree:
As always

Thanks for the input, i'll give the heat it to correct a try once i find a replacement. it'll be more of an experiment rather than to put it back on the engine.

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

I have a good friend who has a variation on this: "There is ALWAYS enough money to do it right the second time."
I try and do it right the first time and save what it would cost to do it the "cheaper" way.

Well that's not quiet true... the first 2 times that it was done, the shop thought it was the gasket. I only paid for the first time since they honored the work they did and i only had to get a gasket the second time. But it's ok if you assumed, you didn't have the full story.

Now if you are telling me that the first time you have a leak that you will change the gasket and valve cover at the same time, more power to you and your money saving strategy. I personally would rather spend $80 twice than spend $600 once, at least the math makes more sense my way.
Anyways thanks for the input.

No, I am saying I seldom jump on the cheapest solution just because it is the cheapest with no guarantee that it will fix the problem. I always seemed to end up with the expensive fix after the cheap fix failed. So now I would rather fix it once and save myself the expense and headaches of doing it twice.
How you want to proceed or how you have proceeded is entirely up to you. You do not have to justify it to anyone but yourself. If it works for you in your case that also fine.
I judge none but myself as I am privy to all factors in only that case.
I sincerely hope whatever means or solution you decide on works for you and you can move on with the sale.