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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > General E90 Sedan / E91 Wagon / E92 Coupe / E93 Cabrio > SHEARED bolt on Oil Filter Housing, Oil Leak? Indy sheared one of my bolts?!?!?



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      11-14-2018, 11:53 PM   #1
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Exclamation SHEARED bolt on Oil Filter Housing, Oil Leak? Indy sheared one of my bolts?!?!?

I had my Oil Filter Housing Gasket replaced by an indy under my extended warranty about 1 1/2 months ago. Since then I have been having some issues with my oil. I figured it was just burning quicker than normal. Made sure I was getting an accurate reading on the sensor and topped it off. Although today I had my 2nd +1qt warning. Did so, everything all groovy.

Decided to inspect the OFHG to see if there were any active leaks, and noticed that one of the Aluminum bolts was completely sheared. And there was oil pooling up further past, and what looks to be the head of the bolt. But I can barely see down there so I am not sure.

The last people to be inside my engine bay was the indy I went to. Is it possible they sheared it and never told me? Surely this can't happen on it's own. Additionally, is this the source of a leak? It would make sense considering if it was it would be a very slow leak.

Seems like a major issue and now kind of freaking out over it, a real bummer. How much money would I be paying for another indy to fix this? Do you think it's feasible to DIY? Thanks guys.

PICTURES:




Red Arrow is where the oil is pooling up and looks to be a bolt head inside.
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      11-15-2018, 12:47 AM   #2
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https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...lt_Testing.htm

I located this article that address the specific bolt. I think that I am still going to call the shop because I am quite irritated that the shop I have put over $5,000+ through didn't notify me about this. I would like them to repair it and compensate me if I can get them to, even though it has been a month and a half.
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      11-15-2018, 02:40 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fritzer View Post
This was never mentioned to me after I picked up the car, nor was it on any of the documentation I received. I'm going to call the indy tomorrow, but I'm worried that if they tried to pull this over on me, they might tell me to pound sand. In which case, I might take it to small claims court or something.

This is besides the fact that my wiring harness holder that clips above the engine by the cabin filter was completely snapped. But I figured that could have just been wear and from my driving. Really lost on what to do here guys. Any help is appreciated.
Not sure if you have much leg to stand on. Is it part of the OFHG? If it is, ok, go in and be nice about it and have them inspect/address. Always better to take a friendly stance first — if you're a good customer they'll be more likely to help. Pull the 'tude and they'll be defensive for sure.

If it isn't, all they did was just miss it and not try to up sell you. Maybe they never cleaned up after the repair. But if it's part of it, the parts and workmanship are usually expressed as warranty statements on your invoice so check that out...they may have no issue with doing the repair at all.

Did you inspect with them after the repair? Always a good idea — I once saw half my intake disconnected when they opened the hood to let me inspect the repairs they did.
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      11-15-2018, 05:33 AM   #4
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Likely they did not replace the one time use bolts. Are replacements listed on your bill? If not, well.
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      11-15-2018, 06:33 AM   #5
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That doesn't look like oil filter housing bolt location. see this article and where the 3 OFH bolts are and the gasket replacement procedure

https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...eplacement.htm

https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...mall/pic04.jpg

https://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tec...mall/pic05.jpg

It looks like you are missing a cylinder head bolt head right next to your red arrow.

The aluminum bolts snap off by themselves. I had one snap off on my oil pan. I work on my own car so I know that I didn't snap it off.
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      11-15-2018, 08:09 AM   #6
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I would def go back. Be firm and professional. Its very hard to believe that bolts shear by themselves unless you stress them and weaken.
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      11-15-2018, 08:41 AM   #7
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That bolt is not being touched during the OFHG repair.

So not sure what leverage you will have.

Ask them for extraction and replace the broken bolt. Doesn't seem like its that big of a job.
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      11-15-2018, 09:21 AM   #8
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First figure out cause of your leak. Then you can address next steps from there. Everyone on here is always so quick to mention legal action. It's part of owning cars, shit will break.
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      11-15-2018, 12:41 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozzie335i View Post
Likely they did not replace the one time use bolts. Are replacements listed on your bill? If not, well.
The OFH bolts are not one-time-use aluminum. They are steel and can be reused. The cylinder head is aluminum and the OFH is aluminum. Steel does not react with aluminum as it does with magnesium, which is why the OFH bolts are steel. BMW uses aluminum bolts for items that bolt to the magnesium engine block, because steel bolts will have a galvanic reaction with the magnesium. The '06 N52 uses aluminum bolts for attaching the magnesium valve cover to the aluminum cylinderhead because the valve cover is magnesium. The later N52 with the plastic valve cover uses steel bolts to attach the valve cover to the aluminum cylinder head.

The OP's engine has a broken head bolt, which the N52 is well known to have a problem with. The fractured head bolt has nothing to do with the OFHG repair and is just coincidental that he noticed it post replacement of the OFHG. The repair is quite easy and just requires extraction of the bolt shaft and replacement. There are two head bolts under the valve cover at the front of the head at the timing case that also can break in a similar fashion.
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      11-15-2018, 12:49 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
The OFH bolts are not one-time-use ...

The OP's engine has a broken head bolt...

The fractured head bolt has nothing to do with the OFHG repair...
Thank you for adding some common sense to this thread.
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      11-15-2018, 12:57 PM   #11
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Fritzer, relax, just go back to your Indy (if you like him) and have him fix the headbolt under your extended warranty. It's a common problem with the N52. A good shop can just extract the broken bolt and replace it with a new headbolt. I'd make sure he's done one before; if he's a BMW Indy, I'm sure he's seen a car with it before.
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      11-15-2018, 12:59 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mad1stgen View Post
Thank you for adding some common sense to this thread.
It pays to have us long-time owner, old farts around. Just sayin'
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      11-15-2018, 01:11 PM   #13
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I stopped reading at $5000. It's 2011 328i. what were they doing?
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      11-15-2018, 06:09 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by feuer View Post
I stopped reading at $5000. It's 2011 328i. what were they doing?
I've only ever taken it to them for servicing/repairs, when I don't do something myself and would prefer a shop to do it I've taken it to them 90% of the time. A good amount was warranty work so I just paid my deductible and called it a day. New battery, starter, etc. Lots of money has been given to them on my behalf is what I meant, I have given them a lot of business over my ownership of this car.
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Last edited by Fritzer; 11-15-2018 at 11:49 PM..
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      11-15-2018, 06:10 PM   #15
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That looks like one of the aluminum bolts for the valve cover. Those Bolts are very easy to break if you over torque them. Those are one time use only so I would follow up with the shop.
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      11-15-2018, 06:23 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
Fritzer, relax, just go back to your Indy (if you like him) and have him fix the headbolt under your extended warranty. It's a common problem with the N52. A good shop can just extract the broken bolt and replace it with a new headbolt. I'd make sure he's done one before; if he's a BMW Indy, I'm sure he's seen a car with it before.
You're right. Sorry, last night I was worn out and near delirious so my initial posts are filled with inaccuracies and don't necessarily make sense...

Your assessment is correct. Initially I was under the impression that they had removed those bolts for the VCG, for some reason it never occurred to me how far past the valve cover they were. I spoke to a mechanic at another independent shop and he said that specific head cylinder bolt is known to break, which Efthreeoh and others confirmed as well. There are additionally three more inside the valve cover that may brake, which has me worried but the VCG was just replaced so I don't know if I should check under there or not.

The mechanic I spoke to said he could tap it out and replace for $110-$165 depending. I wonder if that's a good price. Haven't talked to the original shop about what they would charge. I feel confident that I now know how simple of a job it is that I could do it myself, I might ask the mechanic if I could shadow him while doing it if acceptable so I can learn and have it be properly done.

Besides all that, it's pretty straight forward. Remove Engine Cover > Remove Intake Manifold > Extract/Replace Screw > Replace Manifold and Engine Cover.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sd335i2007 View Post
First figure out cause of your leak. Then you can address next steps from there. Everyone on here is always so quick to mention legal action. It's part of owning cars, shit will break.
The leak has slowly been happening over the period of two months. Considering I located the head of the bolt sitting in a pool of oil I think that may be the culprit. I hope I'm not wrong. Going to check underneath when I do an oil change in the next couple of weeks.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolf 335 View Post
That bolt is not being touched during the OFHG repair.

So not sure what leverage you will have.

Ask them for extraction and replace the broken bolt. Doesn't seem like its that big of a job.
Correct, I was misinformed. That bolt just sheared on it's own, which seems to do frequently on the N51/2 from accounts I've heard.
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      11-15-2018, 06:32 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HockeyStyx21 View Post
That looks like one of the aluminum bolts for the valve cover. Those Bolts are very easy to break if you over torque them. Those are one time use only so I would follow up with the shop.
This is what I thought as well at first. However from what I understand the valve cover bolts are in fact steel. The Cylinder Head Bolts, which is what the sheared bolt in question is, is made out of aluminum.
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      11-15-2018, 07:32 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HockeyStyx21 View Post
That looks like one of the aluminum bolts for the valve cover. Those Bolts are very easy to break if you over torque them. Those are one time use only so I would follow up with the shop.

Okay, for the sake of accuracy if anyone reads this thread...

On the N52 ANY bolt that touches magnesium is aluminum and one-time use. If you get a fresh N52 (these many years after production) you'll see the aluminum bolts were marked with blue paint on the head; BMW has since dropped that marking protocol. So any bolt that threads into the magnesium engine block is aluminum and must be replaced with a new bolt if removed during a repair or service procedure. Any bolts that don't bolt into the magnesium engine block, or do not touch magnesium (i.e. like the plastic valve cover used starting in 2007 for the 328i) are steel bolts and are reusable. The valvecover bolts for the 2006 N52, which uses a magnesium valvecover are aluminum; same for the oil pan bolts, aluminum.

The OP's car is a 2011, so it has steel valvecover bolts.
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      11-16-2018, 07:22 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fritzer View Post
The mechanic I spoke to said he could tap it out and replace for $110-$165 depending. I wonder if that's a good price. Haven't talked to the original shop about what they would charge. I feel confident that I now know how simple of a job it is that I could do it myself, I might ask the mechanic if I could shadow him while doing it if acceptable so I can learn and have it be properly done.

Besides all that, it's pretty straight forward. Remove Engine Cover > Remove Intake Manifold > Extract/Replace Screw > Replace Manifold and Engine Cover.
Fritzer if you look it up on YouTube, you will find some great videos that show how to extract broken bolts with various methods. Drilling it out is very easy, and you can easily make a guide for the drill bit so that you don't damage the threads .

If you're not up to the challenge then take it to the shop, but I feel like this would be a waste of money. He should not be charging you more than $50 to take that out.
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      11-16-2018, 10:17 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolf 335 View Post
Fritzer if you look it up on YouTube, you will find some great videos that show how to extract broken bolts with various methods. Drilling it out is very easy, and you can easily make a guide for the drill bit so that you don't damage the threads .

If you're not up to the challenge then take it to the shop, but I feel like this would be a waste of money. He should not be charging you more than $50 to take that out.
Everything is more expensive in California. Although maybe he is charging me too much, can anyone chime in?

Yeah I was honestly thinking about doing it myself, also I could clean out the side of the engine from all the oil and sludge built up. I honestly don't think anyone has ever cleaned down there. Too paranoid too just spray because of all the hoses.
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      11-16-2018, 10:22 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fritzer View Post
Everything is more expensive in California. Although maybe he is charging me too much, can anyone chime in?

Yeah I was honestly thinking about doing it myself, also I could clean out the side of the engine from all the oil and sludge built up. I honestly don't think anyone has ever cleaned down there. Too paranoid too just spray because of all the hoses.
Have you ever seen what a Midwest car goes through? Spray away homie.
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      11-16-2018, 10:25 AM   #22
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Since those bolts are aluminum, they shouldn't be in that tight. I've heard of people spinning out broken valve cover bolts by hand or with a vice-grip.

I'd try to find a reverse rotation drill bit and see if you can slowly spin it out then just screw in the new bolt.
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