Valve Cover Leak (N52)... gasket or entire cover replacement?

[13inches]

Had the car in for some work yesterday and it was reported to me that there's some oil leaking from the VC onto the header. Is the replacement job just a gasket, or does the entire VC have to be replaced? I can't seem to get a straight answer from search results.

2009 128i (Canada) if that information is helpful.

Thanks!

[asbrr]

Originally Posted by 13inches

Had the car in for some work yesterday and it was reported to me that there's some oil leaking from the VC onto the header. Is the replacement job just a gasket, or does the entire VC have to be replaced? I can't seem to get a straight answer from search results.

2009 128i (Canada) if that information is helpful.

Thanks!

So check the N52 drivetrain forum, lots of discussion there. Conventional wisdom says to replace the entire Valve Cover since they are plastic and tend to warp over time due to heat cycling, so you may end up with a leak even after doing all the work to replace the gasket (if the cover is warped).

Secondly, my tech highly recommended to get an OE valve cover as the quality on the aftermarket ones varies greatly and they can sometimes come "pre-warped" (!!!!) and will leak quickly...

It's not cheap unfortunately.....damn BMW and oil leaks...