How to release the rivet on the intake manifold and screw it back on
 

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/h/u/239.png
I'm trying to take the intake manifold(13) off, but the extending rivet(14) looks problematic. How do I loosen it and fasten it back on later on? I can't think of a driver/tool that can do the job.

Hard to tell for sure from the picture, but if it's like the expanding rivets I've removed, you need to pull the center part up to make the rivet "non-expanded." I did it by first prying the center up a little with a small screwdriver, and then carefully pulling it with a long-nosed pliers.

It looks like the ones where you just pop up the rivet and then it is loose and the whole thing can be removed. I typically use a screwdriver I have that has a fork at the end of it from sears, works well for that kind of stuff, but typically you can just get a flat screwdriver under the head and pop it up also, sometimes you can just pull it up if you have strong fingernails even.

If it is a plastic rivet like they use on the fender flairs, then it is the same process to pop it up, just a little more force is required and they are single use and require a plastic rivet gun to replace, but I would be surprised if they used that, I would guess it is the reusable type.

Rob

Why are you taking that off???

Good question.


From the looks of it, there are the typical BMW spring clamps on the side of the top half, shown in the diagram as part (1), and I would expect that removing them all would allow to top half to separate and come off, exposing the air filter.


But that's just a guess.

Actually, I want to access the oil filter housing. I thought the top half of the intake muffler(1) could come off without removing the intake manifold(13). Those two don't seem to be connected.

So do these rivets screw back in without a special tool and I can use them again? They look like plastics and don't want to break them while removing.

Best to use a new one. That said, if it has been removed carefully and the center pin is still in good shape, you can reuse it. You simply insert the rivet with the center pin still out, and once it is seated down to the "rim" of the rivet, you push the center pin down to expand the rivet and hold it in place.

That's assuming the rivet is the type I think it is....