[typody]

The time has come at 80k miles to get my valve cover gasket replaced as there is a small amount of oil leaking onto the exhaust causing a burning smell.

I was planning on just replacing with the OEM model, but figured I would ask people's thoughts on using a more robust aftermarket one, and if so what make is a decent one.

Cheers.

[BringBackButtons]

Your title says valve cover, your post says gasket, will offer both *data as I can.

I have done the following on my n55 x5

1: aftermarket gasket replacment only, og valve cover. Lasted 8,000 miles before og valve cover cracked internally.

2. Aftermarket valve cover and aftermarket gasket. Lasted 7,000 miles before manufacturing defect in cover (crack) in rear left corner (above downpipe)

3. Oem cover, oem gasket - lasted 3x,000 miles before pcv failure and crack in vacuum chamber occured. Again. Gaskets still operating.

4. Aftermarket aluminum valve cover, oem gaskets = time will tell.

On my M235, i replaced with OE cover and OEM gaskets only because its not my daily driver and that setup should *hopefully* last 5 or more years in which i consider it standard maintenance. My n55 X5 gets the dumb use mileage and im tired of doing valve cover replacements so i said "F$%! You plastic" and went with an aluminum one to hopefully stop the dumb pcv/internal vacuum cracks i keep encountering. Bonus? It offer pcv gasket quick replacements like b58s. I plan to do this change every other oil change.

I dont consider it any consolation buying from a lifetime warranty vendor. Besides the oem cover, all lasted a year or less and didnt want to replace with the same failing part.

So there you go, if you can get an oe or oem cover and use oe or oem gaskets I find tolerable results if you havent experienced my previous situations. So in 7 years I have done 5 valve cover repairs over 2 vehicles. One of those jobs that makes me think for my daily driver that gets dumb "transport" miles, ev might not be that bad...


If you are talking about n20/26 or b4x/b58, sorry, no data on those particular models.

Best of luck!

[typody]

Thanks, good catch. That was an error on my part.

I am getting my trusty indy to replace the whole cover just to be on the safe side. This is on the N55 engine. I think I will stick with OEM given what you have said. I probably only do around 8k miles/year so not huge distances.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by BringBackButtons

Your title says valve cover, your post says gasket, will offer both *data as I can.

I have done the following on my n55 x5

1: aftermarket gasket replacment only, og valve cover. Lasted 8,000 miles before og valve cover cracked internally.

2. Aftermarket valve cover and aftermarket gasket. Lasted 7,000 miles before manufacturing defect in cover (crack) in rear left corner (above downpipe)

3. Oem cover, oem gasket - lasted 3x,000 miles before pcv failure and crack in vacuum chamber occured. Again. Gaskets still operating.

4. Aftermarket aluminum valve cover, oem gaskets = time will tell.

On my M235, i replaced with OE cover and OEM gaskets only because its not my daily driver and that setup should *hopefully* last 5 or more years in which i consider it standard maintenance. My n55 X5 gets the dumb use mileage and im tired of doing valve cover replacements so i said "F$%! You plastic" and went with an aluminum one to hopefully stop the dumb pcv/internal vacuum cracks i keep encountering. Bonus? It offer pcv gasket quick replacements like b58s. I plan to do this change every other oil change.

I dont consider it any consolation buying from a lifetime warranty vendor. Besides the oem cover, all lasted a year or less and didnt want to replace with the same failing part.

So there you go, if you can get an oe or oem cover and use oe or oem gaskets I find tolerable results if you havent experienced my previous situations. So in 7 years I have done 5 valve cover repairs over 2 vehicles. One of those jobs that makes me think for my daily driver that gets dumb "transport" miles, ev might not be that bad...


If you are talking about n20/26 or b4x/b58, sorry, no data on those particular models.

Best of luck!

Are you running a lot more power than stock?

[typody]

nope, fully standard.

[BringBackButtons]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

Are you running a lot more power than stock?

No.

It would be sure fun to say I was pushing my X5 to the limit, but nope. Just me learning things the hard way, and too stubborn to pay someone else to do it for me first.

[johnhva]

Originally Posted by typody

The time has come at 80k miles to get my valve cover gasket replaced as there is a small amount of oil leaking onto the exhaust causing a burning smell.

I was planning on just replacing with the OEM model, but figured I would ask people's thoughts on using a more robust aftermarket one, and if so what make is a decent one.

Cheers.

My 2016 leaked at 59k. No reason not to go with BMW OEM VC/gasket/PCV. My experienced indy said nothing's better.

[typody]

Thanks

[FrostyMornings]

Originally Posted by BringBackButtons

Your title says valve cover, your post says gasket, will offer both *data as I can.

I have done the following on my n55 x5

1: aftermarket gasket replacment only, og valve cover. Lasted 8,000 miles before og valve cover cracked internally.

2. Aftermarket valve cover and aftermarket gasket. Lasted 7,000 miles before manufacturing defect in cover (crack) in rear left corner (above downpipe)

3. Oem cover, oem gasket - lasted 3x,000 miles before pcv failure and crack in vacuum chamber occured. Again. Gaskets still operating.

4. Aftermarket aluminum valve cover, oem gaskets = time will tell.

On my M235, i replaced with OE cover and OEM gaskets only because its not my daily driver and that setup should *hopefully* last 5 or more years in which i consider it standard maintenance. My n55 X5 gets the dumb use mileage and im tired of doing valve cover replacements so i said "F$%! You plastic" and went with an aluminum one to hopefully stop the dumb pcv/internal vacuum cracks i keep encountering. Bonus? It offer pcv gasket quick replacements like b58s. I plan to do this change every other oil change.

I dont consider it any consolation buying from a lifetime warranty vendor. Besides the oem cover, all lasted a year or less and didnt want to replace with the same failing part.

So there you go, if you can get an oe or oem cover and use oe or oem gaskets I find tolerable results if you havent experienced my previous situations. So in 7 years I have done 5 valve cover repairs over 2 vehicles. One of those jobs that makes me think for my daily driver that gets dumb "transport" miles, ev might not be that bad...


If you are talking about n20/26 or b4x/b58, sorry, no data on those particular models.

Best of luck!

Crikey - How was the fitment of the Alu one? - Did it take much offering up/mating surface all mated fine?

[BringBackButtons]

The valve cover is fine. I think.

It's not leaking - but I'm not confident in it's included PCV control as much. Good news is that is easy to replace just that component, and not a whole freaking cover.

In regards to mating surface, I took my time and cleaned all surfaces with a blue scotch pad, and added a very very small amount of red high temp gasket sealant to keep the oem gasket in place during install. The oem gasket was thinner than the supplied gasket, but I trust OE gaskets better due to the listed scenarios above. I know people say you don't or shouldn't - but I did. I didn't on the last 3 and it all failed.

You cannot torque this down only twice however. This required torquing down like 7-8 times in sequence before all bolts were locked in. That was annoying.

I dunno. Do I recommend it? Meh. Is it working for me? Currently yes.

[pmcmtnbkr]

I am in the same boat my 235 just turned 80k started to notice a bit of a burning oil smell the other day and figured it was time. I had been researching for quite some time all the valve covers ad reading reviews. Noting that it seemed to be pretty even on complaints across all the aftermarket OE plastic type or the aluminum for having continued leaking or failure shortly after install and some seeming to have no probles. None seemed to be problem free even the bmw ones. So the best conclusion i could come up with was pick the best in your price range do a good prep of all surfaces be very careful reinstalling not to roll the gasket and hope for the best. I purchased an aluminum one from ESC due to the offer of a lifetime warranty. I will check to see how true it is prior to install and hope for the best I might go the extra mile and pop the pcv make sure it seated correctly and possibly and a little gasket maker to the mating surfaces for a better seal. I did pick up a inexpensive smoke machine to di a pre and post install to check for leaks that should be a fun experiment. Keep us posted on what route you go with and how things turn out.

Aluminum cover just arrived will see how it goes over all it needed a little clean up nothing a small file couldn't fix

[pmcmtnbkr]

Not trying to hijack this thread but since the question was asked instead of starting an new thread. Here is the aluminum cover installed from ECS Tuning. I did as smoke test to look for vacuum leaks and didn't find any. The car idles dead on no missing/stumbling. I am now getting and intermittent code of 101F01 that states air mass system playsibility calculated air masses in air intake system not plausible. Anyone have an idea ? I did replave the pipe going from the valve cover to the intake and even swapped back the original with no effect