[drymite]

Can i use the n52 2006 1st gen valve cover on the n52n 2009 the plastic cover keeps failing. My 2006 metal valve cover never gave me issues.



Are they interchangeable?

[3PedalJake]

They are not interchangeable. The first gen has the oil separator for CCV under the intake manifold, it is built into the valve cover on the plastic ones.

[drymite]

Originally Posted by 3PedalJake

They are not interchangeable. The first gen has the oil separator for CCV under the intake manifold, it is built into the valve cover on the plastic ones.

Are there any aftermarket metal ones made for the plastic n52? Is there anyway to make sure this stupid valve cover doesnt keep failing

[3PedalJake]

Not aware of any. The oil separator is molded into the plastic valve cover with a melt welded top, it would be hard to duplicate that on a metal one.

There is another thread going on here right now discussing this... https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1592945

[E92William]

If you choose to go with the magnesium valve cover you would have to pull your intake manifold and go from the pcv hose setup of the plastic cover N52s to this which is what the external pcv system cars have. I have considered doing that before but my experience with external pcv systems with the e46s M52tu engine made me not want to deal with that. I'm using a 100 bucks eBay valve cover and it burns no oil and has been on for 20k miles with no cracking or anything. Here's what the pcv setup would look like if you were to swap the cover.

Also I wanna add that I had a 2006 325i with the magnesium valve cover and found out that if one or more coils go bad they tend to ground again the walls of the spark plug tube of the valve cover and they send current through them and crack them, if it does this in the wrong place it'll cause a vacuum leak and a cracked cover. Of course this doesn't happen overnight

[krhodes1]

If they keep failing, I would suspect there is something else going on that is making them fail, or installer error. While they are not forever, I would think that at least 8-10 years and/or 100K+ would be a typical lifespan, and many on here have gone MUCH longer and farther than that. That would make them a once in the typical life of a car item.

Though IMHO, if the gasket goes, replacing JUST the gasket and not the whole thing is false economy.

[nuron]

Make sure you torque down the bolts in at leas two stages and in a spiral (like a snail's shell) starting from the center so that you get even pressure across the valve cover.

[longm1985]

Originally Posted by nuron

Make sure you torque down the bolts in at leas two stages and in a spiral (like a snail's shell) starting from the center so that you get even pressure across the valve cover.

Would a torque wrench make sense if there's clearance? If so I'd use one to ensure this. Plastic doesn't like being torqued unevenly.

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by longm1985

Would a torque wrench make sense if there's clearance? If so I'd use one to ensure this. Plastic doesn't like being torqued unevenly.

Sure, but ultimately the torque for this is very low. You are just sealing a gasket with a plastic plate afterall. So if they are failing in short order, my bet is they are being overtorqued, and/or torqued unevenly. It's not the part - at least assuming some super cheap knock-off isn't being used (I know there are cheaper aftermarket that seem fine).

[mainbearing]

For the center row, I torqued from the center out. For the perimeter, I torqued from the center (length wise) in a star pattern outward. Uro cover held fine.

FCP Euro would have lifetime coverage on the part. Some one member even said the it was covered under SULEV? I thought only the "gasket" was??

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...2&postcount=18

[E92William]

Is your car sulev? If it is why are you even doing the valve cover, take it to a BMW dealer and get a brand new cover and gasket from them

[drymite]

Originally Posted by E92William

Is your car sulev? If it is why are you even doing the valve cover, take it to a BMW dealer and get a brand new cover and gasket from them

Thanks for your replies one last question would a valve cover thats for a 328i work on the 323i?