2006 330 "head bolt" broke

AM330i · 09-03-2012, 11:50 PM

I noticed oil drops on my garage floor where I park my car. So I looked to see if I could figure out where it was coming from. The left side of the engine is all covered with oil and then I found the head of a bolt laying on top. The bolt that broke is the one that is near the oil filter. I am trying to decide if I want to try and fix this myself or try and use my aftermarket AUL warranty. Has anyone made this repair themselves and if so how difficult or easy was it and how involved was it.

RupertPupkin · 09-04-2012, 12:10 AM

It is very easy. Remove the intake manifold, slide back, extract broken, clean up, torque new one down, replace manifold. Clean up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AM330i

I noticed oil drops on my garage floor where I park my car. So I looked to see if I could figure out where it was coming from. The left side of the engine is all covered with oil and then I found the head of a bolt laying on top. The bolt that broke is the one that is near the oil filter. I am trying to decide if I want to try and fix this myself or try and use my aftermarket AUL warranty. Has anyone made this repair themselves and if so how difficult or easy was it and how involved was it.

AM330i · 09-04-2012, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RupertPupkin

It is very easy. Remove the intake manifold, slide back, extract broken, clean up, torque new one down, replace manifold. Clean up.

Thanks for the quick reply. As far as removing the manifold, can it just be loosened from the engine and moved enough out of the way to get to the bolt or is there a little more to it than that. Also I have read that there are a couple more bolts under the valve cover that can break. Once the valve cover is removed are they easily accessible.

RupertPupkin · 09-04-2012, 07:46 AM

The head bolt under the manifold is separate from the valve cover gasket and bolts. I did all of them but at different times. The head bolt requires removing the intake and intake manofld and yes you just unbolt and slide off the head.

The valve cover gasket is more involved and a separate job. I did both by myself and saved a ton of money by doing so and it is not that hard. About $100 in parts for all the jobs. Would be like 1500 from the dealer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AM330i

Thanks for the quick reply. As far as removing the manifold, can it just be loosened from the engine and moved enough out of the way to get to the bolt or is there a little more to it than that. Also I have read that there are a couple more bolts under the valve cover that can break. Once the valve cover is removed are they easily accessible.

Brad from the OC · 09-04-2012, 10:42 AM

I used this basic procedure provided by another poster.

0. Remove everything as if you where doing a spark plug job...
1 see if you can get the bolt high enough to grab it, do so if not you're drilling and tappin it
2, with the bolt up ( no more than 1/2 in)….
Remove the 2 bolts holding the air box; disconnect the front intake...
Unbolt the 3 bolts and 3 nuts...
3. Move it by gentle pulling the intake up, the studs will be a guide... The air box and throttle body will move with it!

4. Completely remove bolt, I you need to drill it, put rags over the intakes on the block.…
Easiest way to remove this bolt would be to use a left direction drill bit… in a drill going in reverse…

5 insert new bolt
6 then install everything back on the car

I was able to pull the front part of the intake manifold off to the side to access the broken bolt. New bolt cost about $5. No other parts needed.

Brad from the OC · 09-04-2012, 10:49 AM

BMW part number for the bolt 11 12 0 392 547

Denny347 · 09-08-2012, 07:40 AM

Be warned, I had this happen to mine. However, there were 2 more broken bolts under the valve cover that I had no idea about until the shop removed it to replace the one that I could see.

AM330i · 09-08-2012, 08:46 PM

Thank you for all the replys, This looks like a job I can handle myself. I have heard about the 2 bolts under the valve cover that could also be broke or possibly break in the future and I want to get this taken care of at the same time. Does anyone know if these 2 bolts are easily accessible once the valve cover is removed or is there anything that would be in the way.

Denny347 · 09-09-2012, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AM330i

Thank you for all the replys, This looks like a job I can handle myself. I have heard about the 2 bolts under the valve cover that could also be broke or possibly break in the future and I want to get this taken care of at the same time. Does anyone know if these 2 bolts are easily accessible once the valve cover is removed or is there anything that would be in the way.

They are right there once it is off.

AM330i · 09-15-2012, 03:23 PM

Well, I replaced the broken bolt that is visable and was very easy. I removed the valve cover to check the other bolts and found 2 out of the 3 are also broke. In order to get to these bolts the vanos units have to be removed. I talked to my local bmw dealer and they strongly advised me not to try removing the vanos and reinstall myself since they require special holding fixtues to get the timing correct. At this point im not sure what to do. has anyone had any luck with timing the cams with out the required tools or should I just take it to the dealer

jarettg · 09-26-2014, 10:40 AM

i took my 06 325xi in for a valve cover gasket replacement as it was leaking oil. the tech broke one of the engine bolts while removing it. bmw dealership tried charging me an extra 1.5 hours labor at $155 an hour to fix their mistake, on top of the $850 job to replace the gasket.

andrey_gta · 09-26-2014, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarettg

i took my 06 325xi in for a valve cover gasket replacement as it was leaking oil. the tech broke one of the engine bolts while removing it. bmw dealership tried charging me an extra 1.5 hours labor at $155 an hour to fix their mistake, on top of the $850 job to replace the gasket.

!!! wow
How did you detect this crap?

GreaseJunkie · 09-26-2014, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarettg

i took my 06 325xi in for a valve cover gasket replacement as it was leaking oil. the tech broke one of the engine bolts while removing it. bmw dealership tried charging me an extra 1.5 hours labor at $155 an hour to fix their mistake, on top of the $850 job to replace the gasket.

More like "wow, it's a used car with mileage on it" if he broke it taking it off, it was probably over torqued or crossthreaded to begin with. It's not the mechanic's fault. Although 1.5hrs is high unless it required drilling and tapping.

I found 3 broken valve cover bolts when I changed mine last week. All 3 came right out, but I was defiantly concerned. I made sure to replace all of the bolts while I was in there.

09-03-2012, 11:50 PM	#1
AM330i First Lieutenant 90 Rep 386 Posts Drives: 08 535xi 11 328xi Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Rochester, NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2023 BMW M440 [0.00]	2006 330 "head bolt" broke I noticed oil drops on my garage floor where I park my car. So I looked to see if I could figure out where it was coming from. The left side of the engine is all covered with oil and then I found the head of a bolt laying on top. The bolt that broke is the one that is near the oil filter. I am trying to decide if I want to try and fix this myself or try and use my aftermarket AUL warranty. Has anyone made this repair themselves and if so how difficult or easy was it and how involved was it.
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09-04-2012, 10:42 AM	#5
Brad from the OC Private First Class 15 Rep 153 Posts Drives: 325Ia Alpine White Join Date: May 2006 Location: Southern California iTrader: (0)	I used this basic procedure provided by another poster. 0. Remove everything as if you where doing a spark plug job... 1 see if you can get the bolt high enough to grab it, do so if not you're drilling and tappin it 2, with the bolt up ( no more than 1/2 in)…. Remove the 2 bolts holding the air box; disconnect the front intake... Unbolt the 3 bolts and 3 nuts... 3. Move it by gentle pulling the intake up, the studs will be a guide... The air box and throttle body will move with it! 4. Completely remove bolt, I you need to drill it, put rags over the intakes on the block.… Easiest way to remove this bolt would be to use a left direction drill bit… in a drill going in reverse… 5 insert new bolt 6 then install everything back on the car I was able to pull the front part of the intake manifold off to the side to access the broken bolt. New bolt cost about $5. No other parts needed.
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09-04-2012, 10:49 AM	#6
Brad from the OC Private First Class 15 Rep 153 Posts Drives: 325Ia Alpine White Join Date: May 2006 Location: Southern California iTrader: (0)	BMW part number for the bolt 11 12 0 392 547
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09-08-2012, 07:40 AM	#7
Denny347 Major 347 Rep 1,076 Posts Drives: 2008 M3 E90 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indianapolis, IN iTrader: (0)	Be warned, I had this happen to mine. However, there were 2 more broken bolts under the valve cover that I had no idea about until the shop removed it to replace the one that I could see.
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09-08-2012, 08:46 PM	#8
AM330i First Lieutenant 90 Rep 386 Posts Drives: 08 535xi 11 328xi Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Rochester, NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2023 BMW M440 [0.00]	Thank you for all the replys, This looks like a job I can handle myself. I have heard about the 2 bolts under the valve cover that could also be broke or possibly break in the future and I want to get this taken care of at the same time. Does anyone know if these 2 bolts are easily accessible once the valve cover is removed or is there anything that would be in the way.
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09-15-2012, 03:23 PM	#10
AM330i First Lieutenant 90 Rep 386 Posts Drives: 08 535xi 11 328xi Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Rochester, NY iTrader: (0) Garage List 2023 BMW M440 [0.00]	Well, I replaced the broken bolt that is visable and was very easy. I removed the valve cover to check the other bolts and found 2 out of the 3 are also broke. In order to get to these bolts the vanos units have to be removed. I talked to my local bmw dealer and they strongly advised me not to try removing the vanos and reinstall myself since they require special holding fixtues to get the timing correct. At this point im not sure what to do. has anyone had any luck with timing the cams with out the required tools or should I just take it to the dealer
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09-26-2014, 10:40 AM	#11
jarettg New Member 0 Rep 8 Posts Drives: 2006 325xi Alpine White Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Saskatchewan iTrader: (0)	i took my 06 325xi in for a valve cover gasket replacement as it was leaking oil. the tech broke one of the engine bolts while removing it. bmw dealership tried charging me an extra 1.5 hours labor at $155 an hour to fix their mistake, on top of the $850 job to replace the gasket.
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