Getting rid of the oil leak and oil smell - Upper TC gaskets and breather tube

[ryunk]

VC gaskets did not fix the oil leak and oil smell, so I went in a bit deeper and replaced the upper TC gaskets and new breather tube. Once I was into this project, I decided on replacing more parts, such as the CCV, tensioner, belts, etc. see pic. I couldn't wait for the order time for the BMW tool to press down the upper TC so I fabricated a few pieces of oak that seem to do the job nicely, see pic.

Working on this 540i engine has got me thinking that it must get hotter in the engine bay area than the 740i. The plastic pieces in the engine bay area seem to be more brittle and broke easier than on the 740i. Also the 540i hood paint was deteriorating in the inner area of the hood right over the engine, I speculate that the cause is heat related from the engine bay. Any knowledge of this? or just me?

I have more parts on order - plastic replacement parts.

IMG_1406.jpgIMG_1417.jpgIMG_1401.jpg

[jclausen]

In deed the plastic stuff gets brittle some folks remov all the engine covers and coil PAC covers to let the heat out. I have an 525, I like how the covers look so I vented them also I removed the middle seal at the fire wall that would seal the back of the hood, now the heat has some where to go. When replacing the valve covers on the v8 I would always recommend doing the upper timing overs also.

[Santaclaus4]

I need to replace my VCG also but I've been waiting for my chain guides to fail so I can do all the gaskets "while I'm in there". If they don't fail soon (155,000 miles and counting), I may have to preemptively do the work.

[sealbeach740]

I need to replace my VCG also but I've been waiting for my chain guides to fail so I can do all the gaskets "while I'm in there". If they don't fail soon (155,000 miles and counting), I may have to preemptively do the work.

I would vote on doing the work preemptively.
If you're a few miles from home & on the freeway, by the time you realize your chain guides are disintegrating, it may be too late (bent valves!).
Just my $.02.

[msvphoto]

I'm in the same boat. ~170k miles on a 540iT. PO did VCGs at least once, but the engine has lots of leaks. I did the vanos solenoid flanges which helped some, but still a decent puddle. Consumption is ~1qt/2000 miles (seems to all be due to leaks). Engine runs perfectly and has no abnormal noises.

I was under the impression TCG failure gave some warning and is generally not a timing belt-like catastrophic failure?

I know a TCG job is in my future, and one cannot predict the future. I generally am in the if it ain't broke, don't fix it camp. Timing Belt jobs I consider normal maintenance but I regarded the TCG job as a repair.

How much risk is there if I wait for symptoms? The 540iT is now sharing duty as my 50% commuter (~7 miles each way of mild city cruising split with my 1986 Audi 4000 quattro) and our road trip car (my wife's car is an e-Golf which does not travel far). In other words, it would be very likely the car would be away from home if/when the dreaded noises begin. I do have AAA with 200 mile towing (my most important road trip tools, laptop with INPA, cell phone and AAA card).

[Kenny1958]

VC gaskets did not fix the oil leak and oil smell, so I went in a bit deeper and replaced the upper TC gaskets and new breather tube. Once I was into this project, I decided on replacing more parts, such as the CCV, tensioner, belts, etc. see pic. I couldn't wait for the order time for the BMW tool to press down the upper TC so I fabricated a few pieces of oak that seem to do the job nicely, see pic.
Working on this 540i engine has got me thinking that it must get hotter in the engine bay area than the 740i. The plastic pieces in the engine bay area seem to be more brittle and broke easier than on the 740i. Also the 540i hood paint was deteriorating in the inner area of the hood right over the engine, I speculate that the cause is heat related from the engine bay. Any knowledge of this? or just me?

I have more parts on order - plastic replacement parts.

IMG_1406.jpgIMG_1417.jpgIMG_1401.jpg

I'm interested in knowing a bit more about the special tool for compressing the upper timing covers if you or anyone else can help ?

[ryunk]

There is a Profile Gasket tool - part# 83300493364, designed to compress the Upper Timing Covers. Do a search on this part number to find sources.
Here is a couple PDF files with procedures to show how the tools are used.

vanos-timing-case-cover-left.pdfvanos-timing-case-cover-right.pdf



I did a search but the part was only available from a few suppliers and ship dates were 2 weeks out.


There are other methods to compress the TC cover also, such as a youtube video, link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op7LDHyeVjw

[geargrinder]

Kenny I love a special tool as much as the next guy (gal? TWSS...) but I'd say that tool's not worth the bother.

Most guys just use the valve covers themselves with the gasket out and a couple of extra spacer washers on the nuts so that they will push it down far enough. Works fine. Anything like ryunk's trick works too. One could easily make a homebrew tool too by tracing the front of a valve cover onto some steel plate and then cutting it out to mock up something like the factory tool.

[geargrinder]

I'm in the same boat. ~170k miles on a 540iT. PO did VCGs at least once, but the engine has lots of leaks. I did the vanos solenoid flanges which helped some, but still a decent puddle. Consumption is ~1qt/2000 miles (seems to all be due to leaks). Engine runs perfectly and has no abnormal noises.

I was under the impression TCG failure gave some warning and is generally not a timing belt-like catastrophic failure?

I know a TCG job is in my future, and one cannot predict the future. I generally am in the if it ain't broke, don't fix it camp. Timing Belt jobs I consider normal maintenance but I regarded the TCG job as a repair.

How much risk is there if I wait for symptoms? The 540iT is now sharing duty as my 50% commuter (~7 miles each way of mild city cruising split with my 1986 Audi 4000 quattro) and our road trip car (my wife's car is an e-Golf which does not travel far). In other words, it would be very likely the car would be away from home if/when the dreaded noises begin. I do have AAA with 200 mile towing (my most important road trip tools, laptop with INPA, cell phone and AAA card).

If your engine is gushing oil down the front its likely the upper timing covers (UTC's). They do that. You could easily fix that without doing the TCG's, however, there's plenty of overlap so... You're not quite 'half way there' but you're maybe 30% of the way there at any rate, once the UTC's are off.

No mostly the guides aren't a castrophic failure, and for the most part even clattering can-of-marbles sounding blown-out guide motors recover OK, but it ain't good for it to get to that point, needless to say.

Re: your TCG's, very hard to say. Despite what the ignorant will say, some cars go to 200k and beyond on stock guides. Others crap them out before 150k. My theory is the driver is temp-cycles, perhaps with an added coefficient of quality and frequency of oil changes. If your car saw a lot of temp extremes (hot, cold, or both...) over its life, more likely to be earlier. Crappy OCI's and cheap oil? Earlier. What do you know about your cars life and care?

The only real pre-noise early detection method is to drop the lower oil pan and look for shards of plastic. You'll always get some bits showing up in there before they give up the ghost. The bigger the shards, the more you should worry.

[msvphoto]

Thank you for the reply geargrinder. Pretty much confirms what I thought and had planned.

This car lived in Pebble Beach which is moderate climate and was well maintained. Maybe bought a little time, hard to say.

I will drop the oil pan periodically (maybe every other oil change on 5k OCIs?).

[geargrinder]

Maybe drop the oil pan soon and see what you see. But after 2-3 more you'll be closing in on 200k and really in "oughta do it regardless" territory... Plus its the time to refresh VANOS seals which buys you some better performance enjoyment.