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Thread: Fixing a cracked M62 valve cover...with a dremmel and marine jb weld?

  1. #1
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    Fixing a cracked M62 valve cover...with a dremmel and marine jb weld?

    Cracked my valve cover a bit during my timing chain guide job, forgot to put one of the oil delivery rails back in and tightened one of the valve cover cap nuts down too far since it had nothing to fasten against, put a 3 inch crack in it.


    IMG_20180128_225023.jpg





    I put some hondabond RTV around and in the crack from the outside as a stopgap





    IMG_20180129_163732.jpg




    but now (about 3 months and 2k miles later) my cold start idle is getting kinda lumpy so i suspect that isn't sealing well enough any more, and is letting air in.
    interestingly, i don't see any oil seeping from it...

    Anyway a hot tip i got was to use a dremmel to sort of "widen" the surface of the crack, then fill it with marine JB weld. Marine specifically, since it can take the condensation moisture of the VC

    Was planning to start this tonight or tomorrow, but with no visible seepage around the RTV, is the rtv actually doing fine and something else is messing up my idle?
    Looking for an e39 Touring black carpet set, including the rear cargo cubbies and side sections!
    ALSO looking for 540i 6speed manual transmission sets (2001+ pedals with switches, driveshaft, gearbox), for the 6speed swap! Probably not for a while....

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  2. #2
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    I'd be looking somewhere else for the source of your lumpy idle. That crack is really narrow and you put Hondabond over it... doubt enough air is being sucked in there (if at all) to matter. Try an unlit​ propane torch near it and see if the idle changes... More likely you have a cracked hose, need new plugs, etc. Any codes?
    '98 740iL E38 201k, TCG at 190k, 5HP24 at 195k
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  3. #3
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    I doubt that's the source of the vacuum leak, it's most likely somewhere in your intake manifold. Ultimately I'd recommend replacing that valve cover... M62 valve covers are a dime a dozen. Sure, you'll need to do the powdercoating again, but fixing a cracked valve cover is not a great long term solution, especially with the heat that goes into the valve cover on a daily basis.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  4. #4
    geargrinder's Avatar
    geargrinder is offline Having No Trouble Here BMW CCA Member
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    Agree w/ all the aboves. That's not the cause of your idle problem. Its ghetto fix, and I'd never roll that for more then an emergency short-term fix, but, its probably "fine".
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
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  5. #5
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    No codes? Interesting.

  6. #6
    JimLev's Avatar
    JimLev is offline Artifically Aspirated Moderator
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    If your going to use Marine JB Weld I hope you'll be putting it on the outside of the valve cover.
    I use this same stuff to fill in pits on valve covers before I powder coat them.

  7. #7
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    Does marine JB Weld have metallic particles in it? Reason I’m asking is, I have a spare set of Style 65’s with some rash, Jim, powder oat sticks to the JB Weld, I take it?
    Set the controls for the heart of the sun

  8. #8
    JimLev's Avatar
    JimLev is offline Artifically Aspirated Moderator
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    I don't think there is any metallic particles in JB Weld. The JB Marine is good for something like 600 degF but take 6+ hrs to setup. The regular JB is much quicker.
    If you want something with metal in it, Eastwood sells a can called (I think) Metal Lab.

  9. #9
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    For metal filled, Loctite and a few others make some metal specific, metal filled epoxies (no magnesium that I'm aware of, this is for the wheels question). I've played with the aluminum (for work stuff, not wheels). Anyway this video shows the stuff being used on shaft repair and machined. It actually machines very nicely:

    https://youtu.be/CfupzecbCLE


    Its just interesting to me. Skyscrapers are having their windows glued on now. Glue is becoming more and more of "The way to do it" vs a half ass fix.
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  10. #10
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    Hey thanks guys, I’m gonna check into that stuff, I had heard about the stuff from Eastwood, totally forgot about it.
    Doug, there are some really amazing epoxies out there these days. Just for my model airplanes alone, I use a variety of different viscosity super glues. A lot of epoxy from 3M , need a special gun and the special mixing sticks, to the stuff from West Systems, amazing stuff.
    For cars, holy crap, Audi R8 chassis are put together with their special epoxy system, and then riveted, amazing what it does for rigidity.
    Last edited by BimmrMeUpSnotty; 05-22-2018 at 04:28 PM.
    Set the controls for the heart of the sun

  11. #11
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    http://www.enecon.com/applications.a...ment%20Repairs
    http://devconeurope.com/products/met...inium-putty-f/
    https://www.belzona.com/en/products/1000.aspx

    Currently use a lot of enecon products fixing salt water exposed components on submarines....

    used all three brands, can not say anything bad about any of them. One piece of advice, the more OCD you are with prep and mixing (fold it in DO NOT MIX IT)
    the better the rapair will be, and the less pits you will have to fill once it is set up.
    Last edited by toybreaker; 05-23-2018 at 11:59 AM. Reason: added an a

  12. #12
    JimLev's Avatar
    JimLev is offline Artifically Aspirated Moderator
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    Toybreaker, you got anything to do with subs?
    My uncle and cousin use to work at the Portsmouth Navel Shipyard building and refurbishing subs. I was up in ME 2 weeks ago.

  13. #13
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    Where i work currently..... Its all supersquirrel secret stuff we do here.

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