Slight oil leak

leaskovski

leaskovski

leaskovski

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Joined
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Berkland
So last year, my 07 E91 went though its MOT and an advisory came out as having a slight oil leak. Spin on a whole year, and I am putting the car in for this years MOT, and the CBM system has me in for a brake fluid and also a vehicle check, so given the vehicle check, I also ask them to check out the oil leak.

So the car passes the MOT fine, no issues, and the oil leak isn't flagged again this year, but they do the investigation and find out where it is coming from. Basically the rocker cover gasket is ever so sightly leaking, and it will be just shy of £600 to change it out.

The car is otherwise running fine, apart from maybe drinking oil, but it has always done that to be honest. I have the money so I could get it fixed. Its done 95k now, and the mrs is badgering me to get it replaced, but I think its got loads left on the clock and I love the car, though one part of me thinks maybe I should trade up.

How bad is a leak on the rocker cover... could this go horribly wrong if I leave it for a while, or should I just get it fixed even though I might potentially swap the car out.

Thoughts?
 
If you've left it a year and had no issues I can't see it magically crippling the car any time soon, just keep an eye on how much oil it's drinking to make sure it's not getting worse.
 
As above - as long as it isn't using silly amounts of oil, then I wouldn't worry - it's unlikely to cause any problems.

I assume the £600 quote was from a main dealer? I imagine you could get it done cheaper at an independent specialist. You don't say what engine you have, but looking at a couple of guides it does seem like a reasonable amount of labour required to change a relatively cheap gasket (and potential to need BMW diagnostic equipment)

sources:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...eplacement/ENGINE-Valve_Cover_Replacement.htm
http://www.rmeuropean.com/bmw-e90-valve-cover-replacement.aspx
 
Its only going to be an issue if you don't top up or check the oil level. Lots of cars seep from the rocker cover, as long as it isn't significant oil loss I wouldn't entertain fixing it.
 
£600 to replace a rocker cover gasket?! Do you have to take the engine out to get at it or something?
 
Yep, it was from the dealer, plus that includes an engine compartment steam clean to get rid of all the grot from the leak over the period of it leaking.

The guy did say it was a labour intensive job, and did mention that it does seem expensive for what it was.

The engine in question is the n52 iirc.
 
£600 for a rocker cover gasket?!?

I paid £100 all in to have it done in my 530i (M54) including an engine bay clean.
 
Very steep. I've had a look at some vids and seems like a reasonably straight forward home job if you're up to it?
 
Ignore it unless there is enough oil leaking onto the exhaust manifold to make smoke.

You can get engine bay fires from this sort of leak! :eek:

Other than that, yes they can be a bit time consuming, £600 seems excessive but at the same time, it is not like changing the rocker cover gasket on a 1300 MG Metro!

Old adage for old high end Motors.

You bought a £40,000 car for £4,000

You will still have to face the £40,000 car repair bills whenever it goes wrong!

Be warned! ;)
 
If it is seeping oil then you could just leave it, or get it changed. You could probably do it yourself, it shouldn't be a hard job. I've done it on a 1.9TDI VAG angine and on the engine in my T-Sport in the past, both were easy jobs. :)

Should just be a case of removing any ancillaries, undoing the bolts, lifting the cover off, swapping the gaskets, cleaning the gasket surface on the top of the engine, putting it back on, torquing up the bolts correctly, and putting the ancillaries back.

May need some packing sealant too, some cars do, some dont.
 
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My e46 330i gasket was replaced by the main dealer in Bath (wellsway bmw) last July for £225. Can't see why an e92 should be 3 times the price?
 
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