leaky valve cover?

[zKnuds3712]

So just recently i bought myself a 2003 2.5 knowing it needed a few fixes. I know it has a slight oil leak which i believe is due to a leaky valve cover gasket. Has anyone had this problem before? I just want to double check with some more experienced z owners before i go tinkering with it.

[Blind32]

On the M54 engine at that age, it could also be the oil separater aka Crank Case Vent (CCV) aka hooter valve. How many miles does the car have?

[zKnuds3712]

it has 125,000 on it :/

[nickpapa]

Originally Posted by Blind32

On the M54 engine at that age, it could also be the oil separater aka Crank Case Vent (CCV) aka hooter valve. How many miles does the car have?

definitely a possibility, but i believe the newer M54's have an insulated CCV to prevent this issue that was common on older M54's like the E46.

easy way to tell is pull your coils and see if there is oil on them (if you cant tell from around the valve cover).

[zKnuds3712]

excuse me for my ignorance, what do you mean by "pull your coils." and what would this indicate if there was oil on my coils?

[Blind32]

Remove the plastic "BMW logo" cover on top of the engine and you will see the coils. There are no spark plug wires. The coils actually connect directly to the spark plugs. 2 10 mm bolts each. Don't over torque them when replacing and it is a good idea to keep them in the same order when reinstalling.

The valve cover gasket goes around each spark plug hole and if you see oil, it is leaking into the plug holes and most likely other places.

[nickpapa]

Originally Posted by Blind32

Remove the plastic "BMW logo" cover on top of the engine and you will see the coils. There are no spark plug wires. The coils actually connect directly to the spark plugs. 2 10 mm bolts each. Don't over torque them when replacing and it is a good idea to keep them in the same order when reinstalling.

The valve cover gasket goes around each spark plug hole and if you see oil, it is leaking into the plug holes and most likely other places.

exactly, except the M54's don't have the 2 10mm bolts holding each coil down. they just clip in. so all you have to do is pull up (after disconnecting the harness attached to them of course)

[zKnuds3712]

awesome. thanks for the info, im going to give this a shot tomrrow when its light outside.

[pokeybritches]

The valve cover gasket is a common replacement at that age. I had mine done at ~90k miles. Here's a DIY to get down to the plugs (easy I know, but just in case):

http://www.linquist.net/motorsports/bmw/plugs

[zKnuds3712]

Originally Posted by nickpapa

exactly, except the M54's don't have the 2 10mm bolts holding each coil down. they just clip in. so all you have to do is pull up (after disconnecting the harness attached to them of course)

jw but how do i tell what kind of engine is in the car?

[mousitch]

2003 BMW Z4 roadster
Manufacturer BMW
Also called Land Shark
Production 2002–2008
Assembly Spartanburg, United States
Class Luxury Car-Sports Car-Roadster
Body style(s) 2-door roadster
2-door coupé
Layout FMR layout
Engine(s) 2.0 L N46B20 I4
2.2 L M54B22 I6
2.5 L M54B25 I6- <-------------Your 2.5 liter engine here
3.0 L M54B30 I6
3.0 L N52B30 I6
3.2 L S54B32 I6
Transmission(s) 5/6 speed manual
5/6 speed automatic
Wheelbase 2,495 mm (98.2 in)
Length 4,090 mm (161.0 in)
Width 1,780 mm (70.1 in)
Height 1,300 mm (51.2 in) (roadster)
1,285 mm (50.6 in) (coupe)

http://www.bmwz4roadster.net/bmw_z4_engines.htm

[zKnuds3712]

alright so everything is done. It took me about an hour and a half to complete the entire thing (should have made a DIY). As soon as i took the valve cover off i could see where the leak was coming from by the oil stains on the side of the motor. So hopefully this fixed my problems......as far as the leakage goes :/

[Blind32]

Good to hear. Now you should have a closer bond with your engine since you've seen her with her top off.

[zKnuds3712]

lmfao ive never thought about it like that ahaha