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      05-07-2014, 10:15 AM   #111
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great! Troubleshoot, and that's how you become an expert!
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      05-16-2014, 07:34 PM   #112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by najin23
great! Troubleshoot, and that's how you become an expert!
Hi, How much should you tighten the strut bolts, and the fuel lines?
Assuming good and tight, but any further info?

I didn't see this answered in the thread.
Thanks.
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      05-20-2014, 10:54 PM   #113
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They protect the coils from heat.
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      05-20-2014, 11:01 PM   #114
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jklad View Post
Hi, How much should you tighten the strut bolts, and the fuel lines?
Assuming good and tight, but any further info?

I didn't see this answered in the thread.
Thanks.
Fuel lines are 17 ft-lb but you need a special tool that goes around the nut on the fuel line for the torque wrench to fit into.

The strut braces use torque to yield bolts (one time use and must be replaced).

Strut brace to chassis
stage 1 - 74 ft-lb
stage 2 - + additional 100*

Strut brace to strut tower
stage 1 - 30 ft-lb
stage 2 - + additional 60*
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      05-20-2014, 11:48 PM   #115
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Thanks for the info - I just did this repair and all went well.

I find it hard to believe everyone is replacing the strut star bolts each time they remove them, though.
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      05-22-2014, 06:05 PM   #116
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oil in heat shield / tray AFTER repair

After replacing the cracked valve cover (compl set) I have the following phenomenon - see below pictures -
After every drive I can see oil accumulating on the heat shield/tray on top of the turbos. I checked the Valve Cover / Gasket. All is dry.
Now I realized that the oil "bubbles" out of the fold of the heat shield/tray. The shield is bolted on only. Where the heck is the oil coming from ??? Any idea?

Picture 1:
.
Picture 2:
.

Heat shield - pos. 3 - part # 13717649693
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...75&hg=11&fg=45
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      05-23-2014, 12:58 PM   #117
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Updated suggestions for a 2009 N54

I did this job on my 2009 335i xDrive sedan last week. I found the tutorial very helpful, but I also found some items missing from both the tutorial and the Bentley manual. I'll add the caveat that I don't know if these will apply to any other years or models than my '09 N54.

First, people have been discussing replacing/not replacing the valve cover bolts. I talked to the dealer and they do not suggest routine replacement. The bolts on my valve cover are NOT aluminum, they're steel (put a magnet on one, and you'll see), even though they sort of look like aluminum bolts.

After following the Bentley manual I could not get the cover to come out. I found that loosening the fuel rail was required, and to get to the bolts holding the fuel rail I had to remove the air cleaner box (what BMW calls the "intake muffler"). This was beneficial in another way -- if provided additional slack in the cables which clip to the side of the box, which eliminated the need to disconnect any electrical connections. Thus, I also did not disconnect the battery.

My recommendation would be to remove the cabin air filter housing, the engine cover, and then the air filter box. At that point I stuffed the intakes with shop towels and gave the engine a good cleaning with some degreaser, which made checking for leaks after completion of the job a lot easier. Similarly, cleaning all the cavities on the top of head, once the valve cover was removed, will help me know if I have a leak in the future.

I had a lot of trouble with the new gasket falling out of the cover when re-installing, even after cleaning the groove carefully. I was going to use Permatex "High Tack" to hold it in place, but all I had was a spray can, so instead I carefully brushed a thin layer of Permatex "Aviation Form-a-Gasket" into the groove, which held the gasket in place nicely.

After torquing the valve cover to the spec I reassembled the engine enough (coils and injector/coil wiring) to get it running and then I ran it until it got up to operating temp. I let it cool (while reassembling as much as I could) and then re-torqued all the bolts. By running it with the cover and air cleaner out I had a much better chance of spotting any leaks, too.

[To be honest, I felt that the spec'd torque felt really loose (maybe the spec is for aluminum bolts) so I did some research on the torque specs for M6 bolts, and ended up torquing everything to 95 in.lb., which "felt" about right. I can't recommend anyone do anything other than what's in the book, but I've been doing this a lot of years, and decided to go with my gut on this one.]

The Bentley manual says to replace the bolts holding the strut brace, but none of the dealers in the Boston area had them in stock, so unless yours are better, plan ahead. I re-installed the old bolts while waiting for new ones to arrive.

With six new coils I ended up spending under $400 for the whole job. Like many jobs, doing it the first time took me a lot longer than it should; for example I spent at least an hour trying to finagle the valve cover out, once I decided to take out the air cleaner and loosen the fuel rail it was done in five minutes...
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      05-23-2014, 01:44 PM   #118
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adostrom View Post
I did this job on my 2009 335i xDrive sedan last week. I found the tutorial very helpful, but I also found some items missing from both the tutorial and the Bentley manual. I'll add the caveat that I don't know if these will apply to any other years or models than my '09 N54.

First, people have been discussing replacing/not replacing the valve cover bolts. I talked to the dealer and they do not suggest routine replacement. The bolts on my valve cover are NOT aluminum, they're steel (put a magnet on one, and you'll see), even though they sort of look like aluminum bolts.

After following the Bentley manual I could not get the cover to come out. I found that loosening the fuel rail was required, and to get to the bolts holding the fuel rail I had to remove the air cleaner box (what BMW calls the "intake muffler"). This was beneficial in another way -- if provided additional slack in the cables which clip to the side of the box, which eliminated the need to disconnect any electrical connections. Thus, I also did not disconnect the battery.

My recommendation would be to remove the cabin air filter housing, the engine cover, and then the air filter box. At that point I stuffed the intakes with shop towels and gave the engine a good cleaning with some degreaser, which made checking for leaks after completion of the job a lot easier. Similarly, cleaning all the cavities on the top of head, once the valve cover was removed, will help me know if I have a leak in the future.

I had a lot of trouble with the new gasket falling out of the cover when re-installing, even after cleaning the groove carefully. I was going to use Permatex "High Tack" to hold it in place, but all I had was a spray can, so instead I carefully brushed a thin layer of Permatex "Aviation Form-a-Gasket" into the groove, which held the gasket in place nicely.

After torquing the valve cover to the spec I reassembled the engine enough (coils and injector/coil wiring) to get it running and then I ran it until it got up to operating temp. I let it cool (while reassembling as much as I could) and then re-torqued all the bolts. By running it with the cover and air cleaner out I had a much better chance of spotting any leaks, too.

[To be honest, I felt that the spec'd torque felt really loose (maybe the spec is for aluminum bolts) so I did some research on the torque specs for M6 bolts, and ended up torquing everything to 95 in.lb., which "felt" about right. I can't recommend anyone do anything other than what's in the book, but I've been doing this a lot of years, and decided to go with my gut on this one.]

The Bentley manual says to replace the bolts holding the strut brace, but none of the dealers in the Boston area had them in stock, so unless yours are better, plan ahead. I re-installed the old bolts while waiting for new ones to arrive.

With six new coils I ended up spending under $400 for the whole job. Like many jobs, doing it the first time took me a lot longer than it should; for example I spent at least an hour trying to finagle the valve cover out, once I decided to take out the air cleaner and loosen the fuel rail it was done in five minutes...
I didn't put removing cabin because I figured that was common knowledge that it would have to be removed lol! I took fuel rail off. Don't think to much is missing though...hehe give over 20 of these the exact same way as guide. Be VERY careful using permatex as it could clog holes from head to valve cover.
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      05-28-2014, 03:58 PM   #119
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strut brace bolts

What are the part numbers for the strut brace bolts?
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      05-28-2014, 09:24 PM   #120
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grayghost69 View Post
What are the part numbers for the strut brace bolts?
M10 07146963730 $1.83 each

M12 07146954965 $3.50 each

Those prices are from getbmwparts.com
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      08-04-2014, 08:42 AM   #121
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Quote:
Originally Posted by allan View Post
After replacing the cracked valve cover (compl set) I have the following phenomenon - see below pictures -
After every drive I can see oil accumulating on the heat shield/tray on top of the turbos. I checked the Valve Cover / Gasket. All is dry.
Now I realized that the oil "bubbles" out of the fold of the heat shield/tray. The shield is bolted on only. Where the heck is the oil coming from ??? Any idea?

Picture 1:
.
Picture 2:
.

Heat shield - pos. 3 - part # 13717649693
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...75&hg=11&fg=45
Mines doing the same thing? Weird right?
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      08-16-2014, 06:06 PM   #122
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Quote:
Originally Posted by allan View Post
After replacing the cracked valve cover (compl set) I have the following phenomenon - see below pictures -
After every drive I can see oil accumulating on the heat shield/tray on top of the turbos. I checked the Valve Cover / Gasket. All is dry.
Now I realized that the oil "bubbles" out of the fold of the heat shield/tray. The shield is bolted on only. Where the heck is the oil coming from ??? Any idea?

Picture 1:
.
Picture 2:
.

Heat shield - pos. 3 - part # 13717649693
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...75&hg=11&fg=45
Same issues with my car. I changed the valve cover gasket and i still get oil accumulating in that same area. No visible crack on valve cover and can't seem to trace where the oil is coming from. Any one here have any idea?
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      08-16-2014, 06:07 PM   #123
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adevangel84 View Post
Same issues with my car. I changed the valve cover gasket and i still get oil accumulating in that same area. No visible crack on valve cover and can't seem to trace where the oil is coming from. Any one here have any idea?
Oil filter housing or oil cap.
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      08-16-2014, 06:20 PM   #124
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Quote:
Originally Posted by robc1976 View Post
Oil filter housing or oil cap.
I didn't see any signs of oil from the filter housing. Are you talking about the oil filler cap or the oil cap on the oil filter housing?
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      08-16-2014, 06:26 PM   #125
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adevangel84 View Post
I didn't see any signs of oil from the filter housing. Are you talking about the oil filler cap or the oil cap on the oil filter housing?
When oil filter housing leaks it's very hard to see and travels around the area your referring go. Oil filler can cab also cause this
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      08-29-2014, 04:21 PM   #126
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adostrom View Post
I did this job on my 2009 335i xDrive sedan last week. I found the tutorial very helpful, but I also found some items missing from both the tutorial and the Bentley manual. I'll add the caveat that I don't know if these will apply to any other years or models than my '09 N54.

First, people have been discussing replacing/not replacing the valve cover bolts. I talked to the dealer and they do not suggest routine replacement. The bolts on my valve cover are NOT aluminum, they're steel (put a magnet on one, and you'll see), even though they sort of look like aluminum bolts.

After following the Bentley manual I could not get the cover to come out. I found that loosening the fuel rail was required, and to get to the bolts holding the fuel rail I had to remove the air cleaner box (what BMW calls the "intake muffler"). This was beneficial in another way -- if provided additional slack in the cables which clip to the side of the box, which eliminated the need to disconnect any electrical connections. Thus, I also did not disconnect the battery.

My recommendation would be to remove the cabin air filter housing, the engine cover, and then the air filter box. At that point I stuffed the intakes with shop towels and gave the engine a good cleaning with some degreaser, which made checking for leaks after completion of the job a lot easier. Similarly, cleaning all the cavities on the top of head, once the valve cover was removed, will help me know if I have a leak in the future.

I had a lot of trouble with the new gasket falling out of the cover when re-installing, even after cleaning the groove carefully. I was going to use Permatex "High Tack" to hold it in place, but all I had was a spray can, so instead I carefully brushed a thin layer of Permatex "Aviation Form-a-Gasket" into the groove, which held the gasket in place nicely.

After torquing the valve cover to the spec I reassembled the engine enough (coils and injector/coil wiring) to get it running and then I ran it until it got up to operating temp. I let it cool (while reassembling as much as I could) and then re-torqued all the bolts. By running it with the cover and air cleaner out I had a much better chance of spotting any leaks, too.

[To be honest, I felt that the spec'd torque felt really loose (maybe the spec is for aluminum bolts) so I did some research on the torque specs for M6 bolts, and ended up torquing everything to 95 in.lb., which "felt" about right. I can't recommend anyone do anything other than what's in the book, but I've been doing this a lot of years, and decided to go with my gut on this one.]

The Bentley manual says to replace the bolts holding the strut brace, but none of the dealers in the Boston area had them in stock, so unless yours are better, plan ahead. I re-installed the old bolts while waiting for new ones to arrive.

With six new coils I ended up spending under $400 for the whole job. Like many jobs, doing it the first time took me a lot longer than it should; for example I spent at least an hour trying to finagle the valve cover out, once I decided to take out the air cleaner and loosen the fuel rail it was done in five minutes...
Can you tell me what e torx size the strut brace bolt on the firewall is?
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      08-29-2014, 05:40 PM   #127
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nydog View Post
Can you tell me what e torx size the strut brace bolt on the firewall is?
Im wondering what size this is too
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      08-29-2014, 11:12 PM   #128
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I found another DIY stating it's a e20


Update: I picked up a set of craftsman universal sockets last night for the E20 torx bolt. It worked like a charm with a breaker bar.

Last edited by nydog; 08-30-2014 at 04:55 PM..
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      08-31-2014, 09:21 AM   #129
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I landed up using a 14mm 12 pt socket.

Completed this diy yesterday, took me 12 hours but I was going preety slow.

Thank you for the bungee strap recommendation. I had about 10 to hold everything back. I had some issues with the gasket falling out but I eventually got it. I would reccommend putting the spark plug guides in the vcg when installing. I tried to put the sparkplug guides on the head and then line up the vcg holes with guides and wasnt able to get it to work. Also, make sure the injector and coil pack harness is well out of the way. Also, I was not able to do this without taking the passenger strut bar off.
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      09-09-2014, 08:56 AM   #130
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Maybe it was mentioned already, but, is the torque spec in INCH-LBS or FT-LBS?
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      09-09-2014, 12:25 PM   #131
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kel335i View Post
Maybe it was mentioned already, but, is the torque spec in INCH-LBS or FT-LBS?
Just stick with NM and you will never be in doubt.
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      09-09-2014, 03:28 PM   #132
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Strut brace to chassis
stage 1 - 74 ft-lb
stage 2 - + additional 100*

Strut brace to strut tower
stage 1 - 30 ft-lb
stage 2 - + additional 60*[/QUOTE]

Can anyone explain the stage 2? Does that mean an additional 100/60 ft-lbs after already torquing to stage 1 value?
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