Who to Contact in Carrollton for BMW Valve Cover Leak Repairs

BMW has a strong reputation for offering high-performance and high-quality to drivers around the world. Popular for decades, BMW are reliable, innovative, and stylish. However, something which can dampen the experience of owning a BMW is part failure. Because of this, we will take a closer look at valve cover leaks and who to call if you need this issue resolved.

What is the valve cover?

Your BMW may have one or two valve covers, depending on the way that it has been configured.  A standard four or six-cylinder engine will only require one valve cover, while those of V-configurations, such as the V6 or V8 engine, will have 2 valve covers; one for each side of the V.

The valve cover is designed to sit on top of the cylinder head and keeps the valves covered. The valves of the engine need to open and close. They use a rocker arm to do this. These parts are lubricated with oil to keep them cool and reduce part wear. The cover keeps this inside the system.

Unlike leaks involving high-pressure fluid, the oil which circulates the gaskets is of low pressure. So leaks in the valve cover are more like a weep or a gradual drip than a flood. This can make it more tricky to detect a leak and can leave the problem unnoticed. This slow leak can result in a series of unfortunate issues.

A damaged valve cover can allow oil to leak onto the exhaust manifold, creating nasty fumes and also increasing the risk of fire. A slower leak can also diminish your oil levels without you realising, putting the health of your entire engine system at risk.

Causes of Valve Cover Leaks

Valve cover leaks happen for many reasons. The unit may have shrunk, it might have developed cracks, or even started to rot with age. The valve cover bolts may also have become loose and cause a leak.

How to Detect a Valve Cover Leak

The first thing to do is to make sure your BMW isn’t actually leaking from anywhere else. You don’t want to waste time, money, and effort investigating a problem that doesn’t exist after all. Unlike some more pesky types of oil leaks, a leaky valve cover is quite easy to diagnose. The valve cover is the highest seal inside the engine, and therefore, it is easily visible.

You should first perform a visual assessment with the aim of finding evidence of a leak, such as staining, oil deposits, or dripping oil. You may need a mirror or flashlight to help you look in the more obscured areas.

When you have performed your initial visual check, you next need to be on the lookout for the following:

1. Loose or missing bolts or screws
2. Cracks to the valve cover
3. Visible gaskets or even gaskets poking out from underneath the cover
4. Evidence of oil leaks such as stains, deposits, or an active leak

Once you’ve successfully confirmed you are dealing with a leaky valve cover, you will next need to assess your options. Minor issues such as a missing bolt or screw can be replaced at home. You need to do this swiftly to prevent damage to your BMW, and to do this correctly, you will need to use a torque wrench. It is important to match the tightness of the screw to factory-recommended settings, as too tight will damage the cover but too loose will allow oil leaks to continue.

Ultimate Bimmer Service

For more severe issues, such as those which may require complete replacement of the cover, you should seek a professional for immediate service. If you are unsure of what to do or can’t find the source of the leak at all call us at Ultimate Bimmer Service to resolve your problems.

Ultimate Bimmer Service of Carrollton and Dallas, TX are BMW masters. We specialize in the BMW brand. Our friendly team is passionate about BMWs, and because of this, we have been trained with a solution for the common problem to the more obscure issue. From a leaky valve cover to tire alignment, Ultimate Bimmer Service can do it all. Call our friendly customer service team today to discuss how we can help you.