Well here I am again with a real weirdo of a problem. When I dismantled the heads I didn't notice that 8 of the 16 Cap Nuts that hold the cover on were about 3mm shorter.
Real OEM doesn't specify the length of these nuts they only say there are 2 types but that refers to the 5mm thread in the top of the cap.
Some time later I am getting to put it back together and find that the left cover (I haven't tried the right cover yet) wont seal at the lower edge of the cover. Ah Ha I thinks that is where the short Cap Nuts go but I cant get the thread started. When the cover is down tight I can get a thick feeler gauge into the gap between the head and new rubber gasket.
It seems that no matter how hard it gets pulled down the gap is still there. Common sense says there is a physical stop as in something preventing the cover seating down.
Has anyone encountered this? Is it a known issue? any ideas I am ready to burn the damn thing.
I feel that I may be looking right past something obvious but I'm getting a bit sick of taking it off.
You don't have it lined up properly, and it's probably sitting on top of the red plastic ridge things on the under side of the valve cover. There are 3, with a T25 screw holding them. Flip the valve cover over, and you'll see them. I always remove them. Helps with reinstallation.
I also install the spark plug tubes into the cylinder head first. And I use a vasoline type grease on the rubber seals, so that when I put the valve cover on, a few soft taps of a rubber mallet will push the valve cover all the way down on top of them.
ASE and BMW Master Certified Technician
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