Battling Vacuum Leaks

[Jason5driver]

oh my poolman! Jest liv'er alone will ya!
Now i have some wrenchin' to do.

lol!

[Poolman]

Been out playing Golf all day and my son just got back home from college for the first
time--by the way the car ran just great today--when I cranked her up this morning
purrrred like a kitten---don't miss this spot on your check list when servicing your car.

Jason I'll get in touch shortly when I get the first chance---my Boy's home and were'r
playing slide gitair's and having a hell of a time--this kid can wail.

Down on Highway 61

[jase007]

just an FYI: I pulled the valve on my touring and cleaned the o-ring and the rubberized coating where the flapper valve seals internally (re-directing air in the plenum / manifold) with solvent and a dental pick. No air leaks but I'm sure the valve is actually sealing internally better and doing it's job correctly now. Mine was covered with coked up oil / varnish from years of use.

This was maintenance I did when cleaning ICV, etc...

[Poolman]

Just back from a 60 mile trip to my moutain house--best mileage before was 28 round trip---today it was 32--I like that.

Jason--good catch on cleaning around the sealing flap on the disa valve--I started to do the same and gave up after finding mine had gone bad after 120k miles. While the engine is at idle you can put your ear up to it--if it's clicking and making a racket it's pretty much a gone'r.
Mine was making a little noise -had my son give it a little gas while I had my ear up to it and
it really went crazy flapping around in there when extra gas is added.

180 bucks later all is fine.

[cpatstone]

Yo Poolman,

I was wondering... You said you used some sensor safe sealant and that worked. Cheap and effective - I like that.

That said, and with a little planning, why not just spend the $4 or so on new o-rings? see #17:


Admittedly, I haven't personally looked at how difficult it would be to pull off the runner (item 5). Thoughts/comments?

[Jason5driver]

Yo Poolman,

I was wondering... You said you used some sensor safe sealant and that worked. Cheap and effective - I like that.

That said, and with a little planning, why not just spend the $4 or so on new o-rings? see #17:


Admittedly, I haven't personally looked at how difficult it would be to pull off the runner (item 5). Thoughts/comments?

+1!
Anyone???
Poolman?

[rich30769]

This is just for '01 and up, correct?

[Poolman]

Hey Guys--would have responded sooner--but have been out of town to see my son.
I like the idea of replacing the seals myself--but there are a couple of things to consider. There are two vac tubes that come from the cranckcase vent valve that plug into this distribution unit. While I have just replaced those parts on my car--I noticed that they were extremly brittle when removeing them. The ones that go to this top piece are a real pain to get to and remove. I't would probably be prudent
too change out the hol shebang at one time. If you see that you have a bad 0 ring and lots of miles on the ccv --I would do as I have done unless your going to change it all out. Brake one of those tubes and you will be doing that anyway
I'm unsure about the screws that fasten this part down also--If they are sheet metal screws or machine screws with inserts located in the intake manifold--I'm a little paranoid about removing sheet metal screws that have been anchored in plastic for 100k mile--they can cause brittle plastic to break up when trying to remove them .
As stated I only had one of these 0 rings bad --that was enough for 3 miles to the gallon difference on the open road--roughly 60 extra miles per tank for a 20 gallon tank. Probably need to take one of the screws out and see what happens--the silicone I put in there may not be bad for just one port--but put it in everyone and you have glued those parts together---Where mine is right now--running great and all--I don't want to mess with it while she's doing well.
I'm going to check this area from now on while maintaining the car and if another
one pop's up--I'll see about removing it then and install new 0 rings.
Thanks and hope this helps

Couldn't stand it--had too know--the screws are sheet metal--I removed one--real careful like.

[cpatstone]

I tried Poolman's patented water-sucking technique on those intake runner o-rings. No sucking here... so I guess my o-rings are still in good shape. Very easy, pretty quick procedure. 15 min tops. I used a syringe - not a medical thing, more like a very small turkey baster. That and a flashlight, while the car was idling. Water wasn't sucked past the 0-rings at all, or if it was, it was very slight.

Well worth checking though...

[Poolman]

If water was pulled through --you would spot it right off--sounds like you have a well
sealed engine--congrats

[E39Only]

I have a 1997 528i and battling with this issue. Which part would it be for my car? Could you please point it out in the realOEM.com diagram?

[crdiscoverer]

I have a 1997 528i and battling with this issue. Which part would it be for my car? Could you please point it out in the realOEM.com diagram?

Same problem as you, I guess it would be this part:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1092314

But I still haven't fixed mine... some days it's good, the rest not so much.

[Poolman]

Capstone got me wondering about my 0 rings on the distributor unit--couldn't stand it anymore--I ordered the 0 rings from Crown BMW and recieved them in this afternoon.
I removed the screws holding down the unit and then unhooked the plastic tube that goes down to the CCV valve. With that done I inserted a long screw drive under the front of the unit and gently pried the part up from front to back.
When I had the unit loose from the top of the intake--I gently unhooke the other tube that leads back to the ccv valve and then removed the part.
Those 0 rings were hard and brittle--I have now replaced those parts and cars seems even better--I would suggest that when doing the change out of the crank case vent valve that these 0 rings be changed out at the same time-When replacing the mounting screws--coat them with a little white litheium grease--helps going back in- Do the above once every 100k miles ain't to bad for regular service.
Cheers

[Jason5driver]

Capstone got me wondering about my 0 rings on the distributor unit--couldn't stand it anymore--I ordered the 0 rings from Crown BMW and recieved them in this afternoon.
I removed the screws holding down the unit and then unhooked the plastic tube that goes down to the CCV valve. With that done I inserted a long screw drive under the front of the unit and gently pried the part up from front to back.
When I had the unit loose from the top of the intake--I gently unhooke the other tube that leads back to the ccv valve and then removed the part.
Those 0 rings were hard and brittle--I have now replaced those parts and cars seems even better--I would suggest that when doing the change out of the crank case vent valve that these 0 rings be changed out at the same time-When replacing the mounting screws--coat them with a little white litheium grease--helps going back in- Do the above once every 100k miles ain't to bad for regular service.
Cheers

Well what a cooincidence!
I just bought me a new CCV valve, and was planning on installing after I cleaned the throttle body, and ICV!
I guess I need the grommets as well...

Poolman, care sharing the part numbers, LOL!

Do you think it is good idea to replace the large tubing from the MAF to the throttle body?

Thanks!
Jason

[Poolman]

Hey Pal---That air below's is pretty tough---just inspect it--if there aren't any tears it's A O K. Be sure that when refitting the belows that hooks the throttle body to the idle control valve that you have the flap on that belows in between the two ribs that are located on the outside of the throttle body--if you don't you'll spend time trying to line all the other parts up correctly---ask me how I know why. Jason--along with the ccv valve your going to need the three hose's that hook everything up---thre's no way in hell to even think about removing these parts after there installed--your goin to have to brake them to remove the ccv valve.
Little tip on the top side--when you get all the parts for the trade out along with the new 0 rings for the top unit--unscrew the distribution unit before trying to remove the plastic tubes--the larger tube you may be able to take some long needle nose plyer's and compress the ring to allow the tube to be removed--but the back one is much easier to remove if the top unit can be raised .
Chip

[Jason5driver]

Hey Pal---That air below's is pretty tough---just inspect it--if there aren't any tears it's A O K. Be sure that when refitting the belows that hooks the throttle body to the idle control valve that you have the flap on that belows in between the two ribs that are located on the outside of the throttle body--if you don't you'll spend time trying to line all the other parts up correctly---ask me how I know why. Jason--along with the ccv valve your going to need the three hose's that hook everything up---thre's no way in hell to even think about removing these parts after there installed--your goin to have to brake them to remove the ccv valve.
Little tip on the top side--when you get all the parts for the trade out along with the new 0 rings for the top unit--unscrew the distribution unit before trying to remove the plastic tubes--the larger tube you may be able to take some long needle nose plyer's and compress the ring to allow the tube to be removed--but the back one is much easier to remove if the top unit can be raised .
Chip

Roger that Capt!
I need #17 in the pict below, correct?:

[Poolman]

Thats it

[bowmang]

that water technique is pretty clever, good thinking!

but if it is somewhere a little less accessible, try spraying a little brake cleaner, or carb cleaner (something flammable) where you think the leak is, if the RPMs increase briefly, bingo, vac. leak. this happens because you are introducing unmetered fuel into the system... just like a vacuum leak introduces unmetered air.

and thanks for putting my oil filter housing DIY in the DIY section!

[Poolman]

Thanks Bowmang for the good words---that oil gasket needed to be seen by all
Doru beat me to the punch--but the main thing it's were we can see when need be.

PS--that damn new ccv valve is still pulling oil--I'm beside myself on this--the harder I drive the car the less oil it uses--but when I take it easy I'm using oil--I just don't figure how this is happening--never used oil before changing this damn thing out--
wish now I'd left it alone but with the miles on her everyone said it's something to be changed.

[bowmang]

Thanks Bowmang for the good words---that oil gasket needed to be seen by all
Doru beat me to the punch--but the main thing it's were we can see when need be.

PS--that damn new ccv valve is still pulling oil--I'm beside myself on this--the harder I drive the car the less oil it uses--but when I take it easy I'm using oil--I just don't figure how this is happening--never used oil before changing this damn thing out--
wish now I'd left it alone but with the miles on her everyone said it's something to be changed.

really? that's pretty strange... it's not leaking anywhere? have you looked into maybe valve cover gaskets if you haven't replaced those? that's a common one

[Poolman]

Valve cover gasket is new--I unhooked the hoses from the top distribution unit and the hose to the oil pan pulled it out and pluged it along witht the hose to the valve cover--then I put a vacuum on the hose going into the ccv and it held vacuum until I would let air into the part from one of the hose's--Thats gotta mean it's all hooked up right.

[bowmang]

Valve cover gasket is new--I unhooked the hoses from the top distribution unit and the hose to the oil pan pulled it out and pluged it along witht the hose to the valve cover--then I put a vacuum on the hose going into the ccv and it held vacuum until I would let air into the part from one of the hose's--Thats gotta mean it's all hooked up right.

yup! doesn't sound like another CCV problem... it may just be a coincidence that it happened after replacement of the CCV... do you notice any blue smoke, or the smell of burning oil at all? have you checked the coolant and oil for a peanut buttery substance?

there aren't TO many places for the oil to go if it isn't leaking...

[Poolman]

Coolent is perfect---no smoke screen down the road--but there is a little soot in the tail pipe now that wasn't there before--no smeel of oil----I'm starting to think real hard that I have recieved a bad ccv valve from my OEM supplier.
Is there a test to determine this--when I pulled the hose's off from the top dis unit there was some oil in them--

[knightrider325]

I have a whistling noise coming from the engine as I idle, and it sounds like probably a vacuum leak (my gas mileage has also been horrendous).

I have to drive 3 1/2 hours home on Thursday and back again Sunday, will I be safe going that far or should I get it fixed now?

Thanks!

[01530iWhite]

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