[Socket]

Do you need to remove the intake manifold to get to the last bolt that holds the OFH in place?

[feuer]

Originally Posted by Socket

Do you need to remove the intake manifold to get to the last bolt that holds the OFH in place?

Not completely remove, just pull it away enough to clear the etorx bolt coming out. I have done many with charge pipe still attached.

[Socket]

Originally Posted by feuer

Not completely remove, just pull it away enough to clear the etorx bolt coming out. I have done many with charge pipe still attached.

Thanks

[j.t.]

Originally Posted by Gunn353

Finally got around to doing this today. It took me exactly 1 Hour and 23 Minutes. Follow the instructions and everything should go smoothly.

Notes:
-You don't need to drain the coolant.
-You don't need to take out the airbox - just the piece that mounts onto the front with 2 hex/torcx/star screws.
-You don't need to remove the intake manifold.
-IF you choose NOT to take these things off (like I did) I recommend using a ratcheting 8mm box-end wrench. using a normal box end wrench will take forever unless you remove at least the intake manifold.

Again, following the original DIY is still the best way to do this, but it can easily be done within a couple hours without removing anything but the housing itself....and the front piece of the air box.

Thank you all for your suggestions and for the original post, it helped a TON!

Is it necessary to bleed the coolant? What if I don't do that last step, wouldn't the engine just naturally work the air out?

So did you bleed out your coolant when you completed this job?

[profenx]

I think you could just run the water pump procedure. Opening the OFH will allow air to get in the system anyways. I chose to pull out the under carriage and drain about 3/4 gallon. Poured it back in (had coolant changed 8 months ago) and ran the water pump.

[Meeni]

Originally Posted by j.t.

Is it necessary to bleed the coolant? What if I don't do that last step, wouldn't the engine just naturally work the air out?

So did you bleed out your coolant when you completed this job?

Yes, it should be bled, you put air pockets in the system by opening it. The bleeding procedure is automatic, and very simple, no reason not to do it.

Put the car on a battery charger, put ignigion on, engine off, press gaz until you hear the water pump do a gurgling noise, just like a typical dishwasher. Wait 10/15 minutes until it stops making noise, you're done.

[Bimmer Pleaser]

Valve cover gasket started leaking a few month ago; then about a week ago I started getting cylinder misfire resulting in rough engine idling. Upon inspection of spark plug found a lot of oil in the well.

Just managed to remove the cover to replace the gasket. Questions: Can someone please tell me which one of the studs shown below is positive and which one is ground? As you see I disconnected two positives and one ground so two positives +12V go on the same stud. First image are positives, second is the ground and third image show the studs.

I posted this to Bimmerfest but no had no luck in getting responses.

Thank you

[bvanderhaar]

I did this at ~90K miles and had to do it again at 120K - coolant was being lost (had to top off twice within 10K miles) and oil leaking around the engine like last time. It's easy if you get that bolt under the intake (start there). Removing the cover underneath the car and draining coolant took longer than removing the bolts/replacing the gasket/re-torquing the bolts.

I was super careful last time to remove the gasket and clean up the metal surfaces thinking a good, clean mount/seal would prevent it from happening again. It didn't help. Just keep replacing the gasket.

[profenx]

Originally Posted by bvanderhaar

I did this at ~90K miles and had to do it again at 120K - coolant was being lost (had to top off twice within 10K miles) and oil leaking around the engine like last time. It's easy if you get that bolt under the intake (start there). Removing the cover underneath the car and draining coolant took longer than removing the bolts/replacing the gasket/re-torquing the bolts.

I was super careful last time to remove the gasket and clean up the metal surfaces thinking a good, clean mount/seal would prevent it from happening again. It didn't help. Just keep replacing the gasket.

Wow! 30K miles? That just sucks. Ya would think it would last maybe 60K. My original one lasted 112K miles. When I changed it the oil loss was very little.

[bvanderhaar]

Originally Posted by profenx

Wow! 30K miles? That just sucks. Ya would think it would last maybe 60K. My original one lasted 112K miles. When I changed it the oil loss was very little.

It did take 3 years for the 30K to accumulate - still not ideal. It didn't look as bad as the 90K one, but the oil was leaking bad, if not worse. I wonder if the the northern weather makes it worse (Michigan). Really not impressed with the gaskets on this car right now - my oil pan gasket is also leaking progressively worse. Jealous of those like you that have things failing at higher mileage.

[profenx]

Originally Posted by bvanderhaar

It did take 3 years for the 30K to accumulate - still not ideal. It didn't look as bad as the 90K one, but the oil was leaking bad, if not worse. I wonder if the the northern weather makes it worse (Michigan). Really not impressed with the gaskets on this car right now - my oil pan gasket is also leaking progressively worse. Jealous of those like you that have things failing at higher mileage.

Yeah all the gaskets seem to eventually fail. Next one is my oil pan gasket also. I’m lucky they all lasted 100K. At least this one seemed pretty simple. Will be easier the second time around!

[Jagaer]

Figured I might as well replace my leaking OFHG while replacing the PCV Heater, since the Intake Manifold was already off.

Leaky OFHG



Performed a coolant flush at the same time, glad I did, as the coolant didn't look like it was in the best shape.



Few more pics before it was cleaned up an re-installed.







Changing the OFHG out when the intake was already off was trivially easy since there is nothing blocking access to the three bolts or two wires.
I did remove the lower coolant pipe to get the socket on the lower bolt. The bolt could have been removed without taking off the coolant pipe, but since this seemed easier since the coolant had already been drained.

[GoDores]

I replaced the OFHG this weekend along with a couple other jobs on my N52 328xi. No codes or other obvious problems but there was plenty of oily grime around and below the interface between the OFH and head. I noticed the following:

I had to loosen the intake manifold. I was able to get an 8mm box end wrench on the third bolt but had no way to apply any torque to it. Getting the manifold off was much easier than all the time I spent trying to remove the third bold without it. IIRC it's 6 8mm bolts to get the cabin filter cover off, two more bolts and a few flexible tabs to get the undertray off, 4 5mm Allen bolts to take off the engine cover, and then 4 10mm bolts and 3 nuts to loosen the top of the manifold. It just took a strong tug to move it an inch or so off the head and then it was easy to get the correct E-Torx socket on the bolt with an extension.

I also couldn't see how to remove the bolt closest to the front of the engine without disconnecting the coolant hose held in with two 10mm bolts just to the left and under the OFH. Don't know why BMW chose to put it in from the back side, but there's no clearance to get a socket on it in that orientation. That caused the biggest problem I had, which is that the O-ring that seals that hose failed without me noticing when I put everything back together. After the first drive I had a pretty big coolant leak from that connection, and when I tried to reseat the hose, the O-ring came apart completely. The part number is 1153754527 and I would definitely have a new one on hand if I did the job again, but I learned firsthand today that a 1 1/4" OD / 1" ID / 1/8" thick O-ring from the plumbing department of a hardware store works as a substitute. After ~40 miles that 59¢ ring hasn't leaked. I ordered an OEM replacement but I'm not going to put it in unless I get a leak from the substitute.

I did it at the same time as a scheduled oil change so I didn't have to worry about losing any oil. I also drained the coolant just to have one less thing to worry about, and coolant and distilled water are cheap. I scrubbed the OFH really clean inside and out and it makes the engine bay look much better than when it was coated in grime.

[Mashman]

Originally Posted by GoDores

I replaced the OFHG this weekend along with a couple other jobs on my N52 328xi. No codes or other obvious problems but there was plenty of oily grime around and below the interface between the OFH and head. I noticed the following:

I had to loosen the intake manifold. I was able to get an 8mm box end wrench on the third bolt but had no way to apply any torque to it. Getting the manifold off was much easier than all the time I spent trying to remove the third bold without it. IIRC it's 6 8mm bolts to get the cabin filter cover off, two more bolts and a few flexible tabs to get the undertray off, 4 5mm Allen bolts to take off the engine cover, and then 4 10mm bolts and 3 nuts to loosen the top of the manifold. It just took a strong tug to move it an inch or so off the head and then it was easy to get the correct E-Torx socket on the bolt with an extension.

I also couldn't see how to remove the bolt closest to the front of the engine without disconnecting the coolant hose held in with two 10mm bolts just to the left and under the OFH. Don't know why BMW chose to put it in from the back side, but there's no clearance to get a socket on it in that orientation. That caused the biggest problem I had, which is that the O-ring that seals that hose failed without me noticing when I put everything back together. After the first drive I had a pretty big coolant leak from that connection, and when I tried to reseat the hose, the O-ring came apart completely. The part number is 1153754527 and I would definitely have a new one on hand if I did the job again, but I learned firsthand today that a 1 1/4" OD / 1" ID / 1/8" thick O-ring from the plumbing department of a hardware store works as a substitute. After ~40 miles that 59¢ ring hasn't leaked. I ordered an OEM replacement but I'm not going to put it in unless I get a leak from the substitute.

I did it at the same time as a scheduled oil change so I didn't have to worry about losing any oil. I also drained the coolant just to have one less thing to worry about, and coolant and distilled water are cheap. I scrubbed the OFH really clean inside and out and it makes the engine bay look much better than when it was coated in grime.

It's actually pretty easy.

With the other 2 bolts removed you can use one hand to pull the housing away while you turn that bolt, that way the head of the bolt never extends towards the coolant hose.

I use a ratcheting wrench and back the bolt up until I can't back it up anymore, and then I pull the housing away from the block being careful to ensure nothing drains from the housing into the block passages - it's important to clean out the housing as much as possible to prevent leakage. Then there is plenty of room to remove the bolt. When reinstalling the housing you obviously need to do this bolt first.

If you remove the housing this way there is no need to drain the coolant.

[delmarco]

Originally Posted by Mashman

It's actually pretty easy.



...I use a ratcheting wrench and back the bolt up until I can't back it up anymore, and then I pull the housing away from the block...

What size wrench did you use? I just bought a "recommended" 3/8 size (size 10mm I think) ratcheting wrench and it did not fit. It was way too loose over that bolt.

[Mashman]

Originally Posted by delmarco

What size wrench did you use? I just bought a "recommended" 3/8 size (size 10mm I think) ratcheting wrench and it did not fit. It was way too loose over that bolt.

I use this - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For the bolt under the manifold, I use a 1/4 E10 socket on a 1/4 extension and 1/4 universal swivel.

The only thing difficult about this job, at least on the N52, is making sure not to drop the bolt under the manifold.

[lefy]

Hi I have a 2005 325ci and have to replace the oil filter housing gasket. Do i have to remove the fan and the alternator? do these instructions apply to my model?

thanks

[profenx]

Video looks good. I don’t think I needed to remove that passenger side coolant hose. Used a small ratcheting e wrench. Maybe you could use a torque wrench if it leaks every year. Also I think it has to be 1/4 socket and extension with the swivel cuz 3/8 or biggger probably won’t fit. Might be worth mentioning. I’ve had mine on for a year already and no leaks. I think it should last at least 40K/4 years.

Anyone in the Bay Area need to do this? I’d like some more practice and could help out 😀

[tpe92]

Is the coolant flush mandatory after doing this operation? I've changed the gaskets and lost some coolant during the process. I've only topped it up.

[profenx]

I didn’t flush my coolant. I recently changed mine a half year before due to water pump. When I drained it the coolant looked fine so I just put it back in and ran the water pump.

[stephanporsche]

I recently replaced mine and found it extremely easy. Maybe an hour tops from start to finish. Hard to believe dealerships charge so much for this.

[bluewater328]

Originally Posted by stephanporsche

I recently replaced mine and found it extremely easy. Maybe an hour tops from start to finish. Hard to believe dealerships charge so much for this.

You laced it to an engine brace to do this? Replacing motor mounts/oil pan at the same time?