Plastic valve covers. To replace or not replace?

We do not replace the valve covers on N62 and we've done plenty of them without issue. Replace the PCV diaphragms and spark plug tubes. As you stated , valve covers with built in PCV valves are another story. Be careful of the eccentric shaft sensors as they are easy to break. If there is any oil in the eccentric shaft sensors, replace them.

Good to know William, thanks for the tips. So many pitfalls on todays cars we need all the help we can get.

Personally I replace the valve cover. I will give the customer the option with the same explanation that if it is warped and leaks you will be paying twice.

Michael: My wife buys a lottery ticket every week at the corner store she has won several times, I buy a lottery ticket at the same store and I've never won! What our odds are doesn't really matter what matters is what you are comfortable in standing behind. You already have a strategy to deal with this situation,I suggest that you adhere to it.

I would replace them. Last N62 we did, we learned the hard way. But that was one time.

I would at least recommend them and let the customer know why you are recommending them. That way if the customer declines them and a problem occurs in the future then it takes the blame off of you.

If it is leaking oil to a large extent then check the rest of the engine carefully. That engine has many issues. Guide seals, plugged AIR passages and oil leaks. Our shop pulled engines to reseal them. Those engines can be troublesome!

Hey Obie, are you saying you had to pull the engine to replace the valve covers ? What am I getting ready to step into here?

… LARGE JOB … no matter how you slice it . … Dan H. … Hobbs … South Texas …

No, cooler seal and most of the time guide seals. Also the coolant tube. Those engines are full of pattern failures and doing them piecemeal sucks in so many ways! With the tools we had ( lift table and shopmade adapters) it was a decent job and properly done. The cooler seal in frame is a real tough job. It also allowed a very good inspection for any other leaks When the engine is out. There is…

Two schools of thought. You don’t know how much it hurts until it bites you. I can’t and won’t allow a comeback, so if it plastic, it gets replaced. That includes valve covers, oil pans, oil filter housings, thermostat housings…. My experience is that they warp. Specially when removed. Just my 11 cents ( adjusted for inflation and the cost of fuel)

… Go with your gut instinct…I like Mickey's funny reply above… Dan H . … Hobbs … South Texas …

i would replace them. last one i did, i did have to remove the engine ….. 8hours ? it was a 30hours job, with water pump, and oil cooler o'ring… plus other seal gasket(upper timing…) so i did replace the cover…. Bonne chance

We are planning on replacing the coolant tube with a AGA set up . youtube​.​com/watch?v=UoCED1… Also upper timing cover gaskets, water pump, the plate that covers the tube (it is leaking, the pipe would be a pro active repair) and all the other associated items. I have tried to go over this job in my head and don't see engine removal as part of the repair, maybe I need to look…

If you are going all in, yes , remove complete drivetrain. It may look like a lot of work but it’s a lot easier to deal on a lift table standing over the engine than bent over the fenders for hours. It’s also easier to see that the valve cover are all the way down.

I get that Mickey, I appreciate the input, but neither repair that I am doing calls for engine removal. I have a guy who is young and skinny and happens to love big jobs like this. I know we have done N62 valve covers before and I don't remember any issues but its been a long time, most of our customers drive the inline 6. If I did get the customer to belly up to another 19 hours in labor to R…

If you decide to bill the job for 10hrs, you should at least allow the tech 20hrs to complete the job. If it takes less time, then fine, but you really should give the tech on this job some breathing room.

If there were an option to give your response extra upvotes, I would upvote it 10 times.

I have not had to remove the engine to perform these repairs on the N62, but it definitely helps to remove the windshield wipers, cowl/drip tray and the air duct panel at the firewall. If you disconnect the hood lift support struts you can usually prop the hood up higher for greater access. You probably already know that the valley pan cover gasket is molded on, so the entire cover must be…

Thanks for the tip Don, I'm on it! Yes these engines have a lot of issues. I have a customer with a Alpina B7. Its a long story and it can be found in the archives of IATN (Am I allowed to say that?) Long story short and much thanks to fellow techs I was able to have a small bushing made at a local machine shop that saved him 14k on a super charger. He had a air injection issue that we…

Yeah. I remember those days 30 years ago. I was in hog heaven. Lol

There goes another 1200 , VCS are 1100 and that's if I use the BMW list price.

The car is 14 years old, just replace the VC already. When I re-read the year I laughed. It's time!

Yup, I didn't design it, or break it. Looks like its covers and shaft sensors or nothing at all.

I don’t replace the valve covers on the N62, just the gaskets. But…. If the tech isn’t experienced, price the covers and the eccentric sensors ( $450 or so a piece) if your nervous. It takes some finesse to get the covers out without cracking the sensors or the cover. The engine stays in the car for just cover replacement, as well as upper timing gasket cover replacement. Pull all of the…

I have done only one n62 valve covers job and I replaced gaskets , spark plug tubes but reused valve covers but I had a horrible time trying to get the valve covers on due to spark plug tubes bot wanting to press into the valve covers . I was also worried about forcing hollow bolts . Had to sand bores in plastic valve cover . Was good after . We had a used bmw 7 series with an N62 and it had an…

I recommend VC replacement on any car if its plastic(phenolic?) as a preventative maintenance if its in for leaking. BTDT….

I know you have gotten plenty of good replies, and I just wanted to add to the post based on the fact of having plenty of experience with this particular engine. I'm only stating this based on my personal experience with it and not to say that I'm right or wrong, it's just how I have dealt with it. In my 10 years at BMW and the 10 yrs plus independent, I, myself, have not had to replace an N62…

Thanks Sadel, That's good to know. I think guys like you who will dig this deep are far and few between. What is your take on the eccentric shaft sensors? Also, since you have a lot of experience with this engine, how much overlap labor might there be doing the coolant tube and valve covers at the same time? Thanks again, Mike

As far as the sensor goes, first and foremost, before a big job I always scan it before hand and check to see how it drives, so being that there isn't an issue before with the sensor, I as well with these, just re-use the same ones over. I have had good luck so far. I will tell you, there was one time where I did replace one once, and it was to avoid possible sensor failure due to my own…

I agree about the sensors. They are quite expensive, so if they work they are fine. The only thing I would add, is if there is oil in the eccentric sensor connectors, then I would replace the sensors, as that is also a common mode of failure.

SSF offers them at half the cost of OE, continental brand I believe, they claim they are OE . They are currently out of them. I have had bad luck using non OEM sensors on BMWs.

After having worked as a German car tech for a while, I’m suspicious of SSF and World Pac. Their OE parts are probably fine most of the time, but I’ve heard that some of these AM parts suppliers get OE parts that didn’t quite pass the quality inspection process. So instead of the parts manufacturers throwing the parts away, they sell them to AM parts retailers for a low cost. That’s why the OE…

Thanks Sadel, I appreciate your information and time. Looking this estimate over a little more carefully( I didn't originally make this estimate) I didn't realize how expensive the factory valve cover gaskets are, the dealer parts guy ( who has always been so informative and helpful ) also suggested some type of PCV kits if we reuse the valve covers, hockey pucks I think he called them. It seems…

Michael, The thing with these is that I guess there are 2 versions of the passenger side valve cover and crankcase breathing set up. The early or first versions, had the valve incorporated into both valve covers, but the internal part that would fail (the diaphragm) is accessible and replaceable…. the later set up, they removed the valve and diaphragm on bank1 to an external vent pipe which I…