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Permanent VCG solution M54?
Hey guys, with 3 bmws it's so hard chasing around common problems, trying to fix everything up, and before you have time to fix the second thing, first one breaks again lol.
I've already replaced VCG with oem gaskets, and that wasn't that long time ago, not more than 30km. Is there any permanent solution? I've read some upgraded to M56 valve covers, but it still leaks. I've seen aluminum valve covers on amazon/ebay, but not sure how good they are. At about $400 CAD, I don't want to buy junk. Had anyone replaced the VCG completely with RTV lol? I'm just looking to see how to do it once and for all, or for at least 10 years, like other gasket that last a long time... |
I'm not sure you really want to solder the VC...as you know it's not a difficult job.
I did it during Covid and it's still holding strong, made several round trips over 900 miles each from then to now. Job calls for yes, a quality gasket..."elring" brand is the best I'm told. At the time I used a popular aftermarket brand. My thinking was "heck the car is over 200k" The half moon areas I used black rtv all went well from there. Sent from my REVVL V+ 5G using Tapatalk |
You need OE, (original equipment) BMW gaskets AND grommets, NOT OEM. The Chinese metal replacement covers are pretty good and come with pretty good gaskets as well. This has all been talked about in other threads so maybe research a bit.
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Agree on the genuine OE BMW gaskets AND grommets. All others will leak sooner. FYI - Aluminum valve covers won't help you. My S54 on the Z4M has an aluminum valve cover and it still seeps/leaks after some times, but genuine OE BMW gaskets AND grommets last the longest of them all. I've tried elrings, victor reinz gaskets and don't have good luck with them. |
No, there are no permanent solutions. Neither the aluminum cover nor the m56 will last much longer (if longer at all), they still have gaskets...
They need good quality gaskets, the rubber bolt grommets to be replaced and RTV at the rear half moon joints and timing cover to head joint. I don't usually use BMW gaskets for the M54, that engine is not very picky - I'll use elring or victor reinz, my personal M54's have so far 50k miles on them since last VCG job and no leaks yet. I also don't see a benefit to the aluminum cover, unless your stock cover is warped (unlikely imo) A pure RTV gasket will last the least amount of time of all... It's just inevitable they will leak eventually. The crankcase is pressurized, the pressure will eventually force oil out of the gasket. Keeping the CCV system well maintained can minimize this. |
As others have said the Elring gaskets are the way to go. I've had nice results with the loctite 5970 sealant that BMW uses on the newer engines. They used to use the drei bond on these. I've heard people talk about the elring gasket maker product, that's supposedly very nice. You could lightly cover the whole surface in that just don't get globs down in the engine.
I think mine might actually be warped, there is again some oil in the number five spark plug well, after replacing the gasket. I will have to take it off again and check it with the straight edge. I'll probably opt for the genuine replacement over the aftermarket aluminum ones, just because of the devil you know / devil you don't know situation. I don't know about 10 years, but is it really that big of a job? I think I can probably do it in appx one hour. Just cleaning the RTV off the rear is the worst part. And don't break that stupid CCV hose. Which I've already broken on both the E36 and e53. The direct inject models are so much more of an ordeal to do the valve cover. Once you do that a few times, the simple m54 is such a relief. It's not possible to get these cars into perfect shape. As soon as you do 2 hours or so down the road something will pop up asking for more money. |
I think the m56 valve cover with its viton gasket will last the longest...It's also a (arguably) better CCV design, although replacing the CCV diaphragm and cap is a challenge.
I have an M56 valve cover in my E39, using its original viton gasket and am happy with it. the M56 gasket is still available part# 11127521009 |
Thanks for advice guys! The best I can remember, last time I either used Felpro or bmw gasket. I know it's a small job, but between million projects, I'm really tired of doing jobs twice. I just did 2 VCGs on E39 M5 and M54 is a lot easier for sure...but I already almost live in the garage with those 3 bmws lol! I would like to avoid doing the same jobs this often.
I've already tried the regular gasket, so maybe it's time to try something different. M56+viton is something I haven't tried, plus it takes care of the ccv system. Effduration, seems like you've done the conversion, Would you say this kit has everything in it that's needed? https://www.ebay.ca/itm/235779185444...mis&media=COPY |
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I would want to get some assurance from the seller that the M56 CCV diaphragm is not torn, but you can't pull the diaphragm cap and check without destroying it . If you already have the pencil style coils you won't need to rewire the coil harness in. I didn't. |
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Mine has a new aluminum valve cover and seal. :thumbup:
I see two flaws in the design. One, the "bolts", bottom out if you tighten them too much. Second, the seal is not wide enough. The gasket goes mostly into the cover grove. My secret to sealing leaks is adding an extra layer. For the sparkplug holes, only the extra liquid seal is applied thinly on the oil "cover inside". RTV for half moons and VANOS mating surface. A thin layer on the head sealing surface. I've done several different manufacturer valve covers. None have come back for leaks. I'm hoping the X5 will do the same. I have two other seals to use if necessary years from now. Fel-Pro and a FCP one. The OFG has been holding up for two years now. :beerchug: |
If I understand right, you install both gaskets into the valve cover, and then apply Form-A-Gasket sealant on the sparkplugs gasket?
And a layer of RTV on the gasket that goes around the full perimeter of the valve cover, which you call "head sealing surface". Basically RTV everywhere. Or Form-A-Gasket everywhere, but RTV on half moons and vanos? |
I'm not sure if the first picture is supposed to demonstrate the application? It's super small and not clickable, I.e. can't enlarge it
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I've done literally hundreds of M54 valve cover gaskets in my life. This is the only right way to do them. I've removed countless of valve covers from an owner who said "I just did the valve cover gasket a few months ago and now it's leaking" when I took it off I saw a skim coat of RTV at the whole surface. It might work once in a blue moon. But it's not the right way to do it. It's one of the most simple jobs you can do on these cars. |
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When you remove the spark plug seal, it will look like this pic. I'm lucky oil didn't get down into the spark plug holes. Mine are lightly sealed there with form a gasket. It should slow down oil seep. RTV only on moon and VANOS/cover seal seat. A lightly brushed coat of form a gasket on cover and head mating surface.
Clear as mud? :bustingup A good working CCV will prevent cap buildup. 167k on the OEM cover. No more white milk since installing a cold weather CCV package. :cool: |
Thanks ill give it a shot. You're basically using form-a-gasket on both sides on the gasket to make stick to the head and to the valve cover!
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Don't worry about getting the form a gasket on the cover outer side. Use brake cleaner to wipe up any mess. It's real tacky! For tight small areas, a q-tip might work better. The container brush is messy.
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Form-a-gasket is a rigid sealant, it is not designed to be used to seal soft rubber gaskets to hard surfaces. I've never understood why some people try using a gasket (RTV, or form a gasket, or anything else) in addition to the rubber gasket. The RTV at the joint locations is to fill any gaps, that's all you need. The rest of the head is flat, another layer of gasket is just creating another failure point.
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Maybe it helps with keeping the gasket "glued" to the head, to prevent oil eventually leaking past the gasket?
It probably has strong bonding properties |
There are two types. Brown and purple liquids. Purple is softer and more flexible when dry. Purple comes off more like glue globs when you want to remove it. I've used both types.
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I've seen people use all kinds of weird stuff to try to seal those. I've also seen oil leak into the seating channel for the valve cover and leak up and out over the top of the gasket when people "glue" the valve cover to the head. The gasket leaks when, for one reason or another, the "pushing" force of the rubber gaskets is so longer enough to provide enough sealing force to resist the crankcase pressure. If gaskets are failing prematurely, I would be investigating the CCV system, not trying to modify the gasket to be "glued" to the head. |
I can second X5Chemist love of these all aluminum valve covers. Guys, send your POS plastic cover to the landfill. These are the Bomb. I will add that you should wash your new rubber gaskets in Dawn detergent before assembling them. There is a sticky mold release film of the gaskets. Get that off before you fit them on the aluminum VC,s. I took a lot of pictures and the fit and finish is superb. Can’t post the picture because they are too large. Not a geek so I’m lost there. Anyway I loved the cover so much on my 2003 525 wagon I bought another one for the sticker shift 2003 X5. With 3.0 engine. I bought from Amazon and even the hardware and gaskets re great.
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I've seen these VC on Amazon, very attractive. I would spring for a couple but my existing OEM covers are performing just fine. If I were to run across one at the bone yard however, I'll id most likely snap it up...
Sent from my REVVL V+ 5G using Tapatalk |
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Email the pictures to yourself. Before the email goes out, your phone should ask what size to email them. Choose small or medium size. After receiving smaller pictures on my computer smaller, I can post them. This works on iPhones. Not sure about Android. I would like to see your pics! :cool: |
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Ordered this one, it also includes all new bolts and rubber grommets
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/385974605549...mis&media=COPY Hopefully this holds for many years |
Cool, you have the first style ignition coils. Post pics after the installation.
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It came with some small nicks and red stuff. Not sure what it was, i scraped it off. Shouldn't interfere with sealing.
Don't know if i used too much form a gasket or not. I'll let it dry for 24 hours and do a test drive tomorrow. My coil 1 and & 5 were drenched in oil, the other ones were dry. I used form a gasket inside the valve cover, on both sides of the gasket and on the head. I didn't use rtv on half moons, I still have some left from previous installation, and I'm not sure if it would bond with form a gasket or not. It would be like mixing form a gasket and rtv together, so don't know if I did it right or not. I think I used enough form a gasket to seal off those half moons. We'll see... |
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This is with engine idling. I've removed ccv system completely, and the hose from valve cover goes into the manifold. I've done it more so to help with oil consumption, as many suggested. So I think it created less pressure and more vacuum. In my case it didn't help with oil consumption. Soaking cylinders with Acdelco stuff didn't help either. The only think that stopped oil consumption was Lucas honey stuff. Now I don't know if whatever pressure/vacuum I have under the valve cover is making matters worse or better. I was under the impression that I have pretty light vacuum, which would not be causing the gasket to leak. As far as form a gasket is concerned, it seems that it's made exactly for this purpose. I dont know why you call it weird. It literally says to be used on gaskets :) https://i.ibb.co/BV2RtFxw/Screenshot...adian-Tire.jpg https://i.ibb.co/5XSpSfTv/Screenshot...adian-Tire.jpg |
Nice work. I had to use my non work computer to see the pictures. How many miles are on it? Maybe it's lighting, cam caps and head look to have darker oil residue than mine.
The engine sound is different. I'll wait to see how it sounds when temps hit above 95F here. All the oil smell on mine is gone. I can walk around it after turning it off and not smell oil residue. So far exhaust shields are clean. I have not checked the oil level. At the next fill up, I will. Hope to make it another 1200 miles without topping it off. The next oil change is due at 170k miles. :bmw: |
I dont know the real mileage, previous owner said he replaced the engine with a used engine, that was like 5 years ago.
Maybe it's darker because I have a quart of Lucas oil stabilizer. I still haven't started my vehicle yet, gonna wait another day to make sure it cures properly. Good to hear your smell is gone! I strongly suggest Lucas oil stabilizer if you have oil consumption issue. I'm also getting the front and rear bumper spoilers glued, while the car is warm in the garage https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1161...-modifications https://www.ebay.ca/itm/324525557618...mis&media=COPY |
Nice spoilers! I like the upper hatch one. I would put one on mine if I had wider wheels. Locally, there is a set of style 63 Tiger Claws for $300. Unfortunately, I have new tires on mine. It will be 50-60k before I need another set.
Are the spoilers paint matched? Post pictures after installation. I think oil consumption on mine is down to whatever the M54 design would use. OFG, VCG, oil pan, and updated cold weather CCV have reduced bad oil consumption. Mine did smoke at start up and hard accelerations when I bought it. After fixing leaks and updated maintenance, I don't carry a quart of oil anymore. I even went to 5-40wt oil. The heavier weight oil is better for summer. I drive it slow until it's up to temp on cold days. |
Took it for 200km drive, no more oil smell! I think it's good now. Let's see how many km it holds. Im at 43862km (swapped cluster).
Here are some pics of the tired and aftermarket spoilers. I did not paint them, would be too expensive... My car is black, and spoilers are black, good enough for now! It does need a wash though... https://i.ibb.co/M5kPRwDM/20250211-153251.jpg https://i.ibb.co/WNnQWYPM/20250211-153245.jpg https://i.ibb.co/GvNJN0WY/20250211-153300.jpg https://i.ibb.co/5WTKXyTf/20250211-153222.jpg https://i.ibb.co/fGTxJnm6/20250211-153232.jpg |
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