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Thread: Finally replaced the M60 valve cover gaskets...

  1. #11
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    Oh Jeff, it seems your enthusiasm is as diseased as mine. Mine came up good, after careful examination, I think the threads in the castings just don't withstand years of having the nuts over-tightened. Perhaps if bad just get some slightly larger studs and re-chase the threads to suit, you should be fine. Drilling the mounting holes on the coil packs a little should be okay, as per the covers and earth straps, etc. Yes it'd take time, but then the problem is gone forever.

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  2. #12
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    Almost out of heli coils. Tightening the coils back up and 2 more 'cracked'. Never had the issue with Nikka. Have not read about it on the net so it must not be a well known issue. I scraped the groves the gaskets go into, lots of magnesium residue. Used spray tack everywhere and so far it stopped leaking.

    95 E34 530I V2.37
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  3. #13
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    Default Lets do the "new" 540 M60 valve cover gaskets

    Lets do the "New" 540 valve cover gaskets before I dive into the trans issue. I figure if I make everything good I am committed to this $600.00 car and trans issue. I will let the pics do the talking with comments. Magnesium valve covers are quite interesting. Apparently the "corrosion" keeps going kinda like a rotted tooth. Some say you can fix it with baking soda and water AFTER you remove the rot. I read into grinding magnesium and was looking into a major fire that couldn't be put out until I got to the kids wanting magnesium grindings to 'make' fire. Looked like I can grind the rot out with glasses and a respirator. Die grinder would be fine but I didn't have the right bits so I opted for the little one with variable speed (can't think of it right now). Edit: Dremel! Variable speed thing with round bits.

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    The above were before I messed with it

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    I guess this is how a totally nuked magnesium part becomes so messed up

    I think one of the first things you do with a M60 is inspect the loose oil pump bolts and the valve covers. These leaked a little oil, enough to do the gaskets but not too major. Enough for me to practice on doing the job right. Glad I checked things out. Besides it looks good from the engine view. The hard (pass side US) has not been completed due to darkness, mosquitoes and that is the hard side to do but hopefully complete tomorrow.

    This is one I picked up at the local pull a part. Looks like it was welded and was on fire but I think it is just magnesium corrosion Name:  VC Sevier gone.jpg
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    Last edited by 632 Regal; 05-30-2017 at 05:35 AM.
    95 E34 530I V2.37
    ===========
    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

  4. #14
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    Good stuff. Yes I think that some covers are definitely worse than others, perhaps at age some of the worse ones just disintegrate.

    Yea don't tell em about the damn mozzies! All the mozzies in my street probably wait for me to come home, and fly under my car to roost- jic I go to do something before the light goes!
    Last edited by genphreak; 03-27-2018 at 12:05 AM.

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  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by genphreak View Post
    Good stuff. Yes I think that some covers at definitely worse than others, perhaps at age some of the worse ones just disintegrate.

    Yea don't tell em about the damn mozzies! All the mozzies in my street probably wait for me to come home, and fly under my car to roost- jic I go to do something before the light goes!
    Fun didn't last long even with double sealing the things. I really don't want to go through all this effort again but just not proud of smelling burnt oil every day after a stop... I mean how many times must you do a proper repair before it works?
    95 E34 530I V2.37
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  6. #16
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    6 months since then. Replaced the covers with non rotting ones just so I stop buying these gaskets. Made sure these were good all around with no little porous areas or anything. Yep, leaking again but only the drivers side this time. I suppose I can reuse the gaskets but I want it done for more than 3 or 4 months. Either I'll get cheap Chinese gaskets or glue them up. Glue... hmm.

    This time I will fill the grove with gasket sealer, probably something like Holomar or Permatex ultra. Just ridiculous. I hope cleaning the oil up doesn't ruin the paint job. This isn't rocket science and even if I couldn't figure out how to bend a paperclip I should have got lucky at least once... I am wondering now, These Victor Reinz gaskets I been buying. Think these Ebay guys are selling me cheap gaskets and calling them Victor? They do not come in victors packaging either.

    To be continued.
    95 E34 530I V2.37
    ===========
    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

  7. #17
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    It doesn't look like the gasket is being squeezed down enough. I glued it up pretty good and if it starts leaking again I will double up the washers. Can't really tell if its the grommets, gaskets or both. I'm probably paying premium prices for cheap Chinese gaskets, no numbers or markings on anything.
    95 E34 530I V2.37
    ===========
    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

  8. #18
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    real Reinz gaskets will come in Reinz packaging with a caution that says part should be installed by certified mechanic. Thereby voiding any warranty if you DIY.

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by 632 Regal View Post
    It doesn't look like the gasket is being squeezed down enough. I glued it up pretty good and if it starts leaking again I will double up the washers. Can't really tell if its the grommets, gaskets or both. I'm probably paying premium prices for cheap Chinese gaskets, no numbers or markings on anything.
    Does the rubber soften or harden in places?

    With these gaskets, the rubber should do all the sealing. Using a sealer as well should is not necessary (and is the way the factory does it) as all the surfaces are machined and dead flat. A thin smear of non-synthetic grease (or oil) is a good idea so the gaskets do not grab as the parts expand and contract in service, this reduces the wear and deterioration of the rubber gasket surfaces which, apart from age, chemical attack and temperature, is the main life shortener.

    On M60 they were rubber, not viton. However with synthetic oil, viton is required to get a reasonable service life.

    Later on in e38/39 production the M62 may have been given viton gaskets, or may have been updated during late production or in warranty period (as BMW did with M54) but M62 gaskets are unfortunately, different to accommodate the VANOS mechanisms. Maybe Shogun knows better than us?

    Cheap replacements could be a rubber copy. I've found the M50/52/54 ones to be mostly okay. Recently using the Meyle ones though, they seem good so far. But def. worth comparing with a new set of factory gaskets. Remember the bolt washers need to be replaced oftentimes- not just to seal, but also to apply pressure evenly and allow the gasket to seal. I always torque them and if some are old, the resulting seal can be very poor given some time. Sometimes there is a mixture of old and new washers, some can apply more pressure than others- a recipe for failure.

    TL/DR: If using an form of synthetic oil, your newly installed gaskets will be attacked 24x7 from the inside, so always use a high temp grease on top, bottom and internal surfaces.
    Last edited by genphreak; 03-27-2018 at 12:29 AM.

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  10. #20
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    The material seems to be fine, I think the rubber bolt washers are not as thick as they should be and not squeezing down as they should. As I tighten the acorn nuts down they are only pressing down about the last turn. I have looked at pictures to compare and these washers seem thinner. All that sealer I used only lasted a couple days before the smell of oil returned. I will double up the washers today until I can get a real set of gaskets.
    95 E34 530I V2.37
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    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

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