Valve cover gasket leak

rowsdower · 01-03-2018, 07:15 PM

I have a 2011 128i 6MT N51 with about 80k miles on it. My valve cover is leaking and I am researching replacement. Looks fairly straightforward, just time consuming. In what I'm reading, it looks like lots of people are replacing the eccentric shaft sensor while they're in there. Is it wise to replace the sensor itself or just the gasket? I can't seem to find the sensor on RealOEM, but I think #3 the gasket. Am I right?

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_3737

Any other items I should be replacing as part of this project?

bionicbelly · 01-04-2018, 07:23 AM

I would just do the sensor. #3 is not the gasket that you need to worry about. (although it is a good idea to change it also) Check out FCP euro, they have lifetime replacement and good prices. While you are there, Get the full head gasket set (Does not come with a head gasket) it will get you the valvetronic motor gasket, intake manifold, throttle body, and a bunch of others, including the oil filter housing gasket. I did them all, but I did have a couple of other things to do while I was in there.
Pro tip- the rubber boots that seal the strut tower braces at the cowl will come out, and it gives you that extra little bit of room to get the valve cover gasket off.
Also-Pelican parts has a really good write up on this job.

m_thompson · 01-04-2018, 09:11 AM

Is the leaking valve cover gasket covered under the extended SULEV warranty?

rowsdower · 01-04-2018, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m_thompson

Is the leaking valve cover gasket covered under the extended SULEV warranty?

I just read up on this, and I think you're correct! It should be covered for anyone with a car registered in a SULEV state. Unfortunately I'm in Texas now, so even though the car is SULEV, BMW won't honor the warranty (confirmed with 2 dealers' service departments). So I'll be doing this job myself.

rowsdower · 01-04-2018, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bionicbelly

I would just do the sensor. #3 is not the gasket that you need to worry about. (although it is a good idea to change it also) Check out FCP euro, they have lifetime replacement and good prices. While you are there, Get the full head gasket set (Does not come with a head gasket) it will get you the valvetronic motor gasket, intake manifold, throttle body, and a bunch of others, including the oil filter housing gasket. I did them all, but I did have a couple of other things to do while I was in there.
Pro tip- the rubber boots that seal the strut tower braces at the cowl will come out, and it gives you that extra little bit of room to get the valve cover gasket off.
Also-Pelican parts has a really good write up on this job.

Thanks for the tip about the gasket set!

bionicbelly · 01-05-2018, 06:06 AM

Absolutely! It is a good size job, but it is not very complicated. Just time consuming. It was the first time I had worked on my 1'er in depth, and as always, BMW's are just fun to work on.
Couple more tips, if you get the gasket set, there will be two green O-rings. They are for the vanos solenoids on the front of the head. Mine were leaking badly, so do those as well. It is a good time to clean those really well, and clean out the vanos filters on the passenger side of the head. Lots of info out there for that job. My 128's were fine, but I did an E90 a few weeks later that had one filter completely gunked up.

01-03-2018, 07:15 PM	#1
rowsdower Captain 641 Rep 695 Posts Drives: 2011 128i 6MT Sport Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	Valve cover gasket leak I have a 2011 128i 6MT N51 with about 80k miles on it. My valve cover is leaking and I am researching replacement. Looks fairly straightforward, just time consuming. In what I'm reading, it looks like lots of people are replacing the eccentric shaft sensor while they're in there. Is it wise to replace the sensor itself or just the gasket? I can't seem to find the sensor on RealOEM, but I think #3 the gasket. Am I right? https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=11_3737 Any other items I should be replacing as part of this project?
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01-04-2018, 07:23 AM	#2
bionicbelly Second Lieutenant 78 Rep 237 Posts Drives: Z3 coupe, 128i Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Des Moines iTrader: (1)	I would just do the sensor. #3 is not the gasket that you need to worry about. (although it is a good idea to change it also) Check out FCP euro, they have lifetime replacement and good prices. While you are there, Get the full head gasket set (Does not come with a head gasket) it will get you the valvetronic motor gasket, intake manifold, throttle body, and a bunch of others, including the oil filter housing gasket. I did them all, but I did have a couple of other things to do while I was in there. Pro tip- the rubber boots that seal the strut tower braces at the cowl will come out, and it gives you that extra little bit of room to get the valve cover gasket off. Also-Pelican parts has a really good write up on this job.
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01-04-2018, 09:11 AM	#3
m_thompson Major 133 Rep 1,416 Posts Drives: M-Sport 128i, 328xi, 3.0CS Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New England, USA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 128i [0.00] 1972 3.0CS [10.00]	Is the leaking valve cover gasket covered under the extended SULEV warranty? __________________ '09 128i - Black Sapphire Metallic\Coral Red\Glacier Silver\N51 DISA\6MT\Navigation\Premium\M-Sport\Heated seats\Xenon\Headlights\iPod\Smartphone\Euro Delivery
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01-05-2018, 06:06 AM	#6
bionicbelly Second Lieutenant 78 Rep 237 Posts Drives: Z3 coupe, 128i Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Des Moines iTrader: (1)	Absolutely! It is a good size job, but it is not very complicated. Just time consuming. It was the first time I had worked on my 1'er in depth, and as always, BMW's are just fun to work on. Couple more tips, if you get the gasket set, there will be two green O-rings. They are for the vanos solenoids on the front of the head. Mine were leaking badly, so do those as well. It is a good time to clean those really well, and clean out the vanos filters on the passenger side of the head. Lots of info out there for that job. My 128's were fine, but I did an E90 a few weeks later that had one filter completely gunked up.
	Appreciate 0 Quote