Air/Oil Separator Valve on an M60...Major PITA?!

[Gearhead]

I'm working with a local BMW independant shop on advice and parts at thier cost (it's amazing what some delivered donuts and beer will get you). Anyway, I've been puffing oil smoke intermittently, using more oil than normal and my CEL keeps popping up with O2 sensor codes even though I just replaced both sensors. My buddy George tells me this is most likely the air/oil separator PCV valve thing. That his 7-series was doing the same thing and that was the fix.

Not wanting to press my luck too much, I started searching around realoem and came up with this http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...91&hg=11&fg=15 See #1

In typical fashion, this can't just be under the intake manifold. Nope, it's under the driver's side timing chain cover. There, under the larger cam gear... http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/photos/99277687-M.jpg

Have any of you replaced this? If so, what am I facing here? Any help is greatly appreciated!

Oh, and maybe I'll FedEX you some donuts too...

John

[MBXB]

The infamous "cyclonic valve" thing!
It's on the back end of the intake manifold.
Majjor PITA to access.

A well covered topic right here:

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19451

plus numerous other posts regarding funky idle issues with the V8s.

[Gearhead]

Hey Ramon, thanks for the feedback and the pics. So, let me get this straight... The "Cyclonic" valve thing (using highly technical jargon here) is the unit at the rear of the intake maniflod, but there's also and air/oil separator unit under the drivier's side valve/timing chain cover. (see my first link above). Which one is it that's at fault here? Do I need to replace both? When yours went bad and was covered under warranty, which did they replace. Obviously when you did your own it was the part on the manifold.

Again, thanks!

[MBXB]

Gearhead,

Both times it was the valve on the rear of the intake manifold.
I've never replaced my air/oil separator.

The part that went bad was No 3 in this diagram:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...98&hg=11&fg=40

Oil Separator is #1 in this one.
I replaced 7, 8, 9 and 10. O rings were hard and brittle.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...91&hg=11&fg=15

As far as the separator going bad, I'll defer to more experienced members of this board.

Ramon

Hey Ramon, thanks for the feedback and the pics. So, let me get this straight... The "Cyclonic" valve thing (using highly technical jargon here) is the unit at the rear of the intake maniflod, but there's also and air/oil separator unit under the drivier's side valve/timing chain cover. (see my first link above). Which one is it that's at fault here? Do I need to replace both? When yours went bad and was covered under warranty, which did they replace. Obviously when you did your own it was the part on the manifold.

Again, thanks!

[winfred]

i've done a ton of those bastard plates on the intake, i've yet to see the vapor separator in the timing cover go bad yet (the engine would need to be one solid lump of sludge) i've gotten good and quick at them through repetition but for a shade tree first timer id suggest clearing a weekend, get the plate the 4 double gaskets on the bottom and the seals for the front and back of the intake, most people don't do the one on the front and it's usually leaking

[MBXB]

Here's Ferret's thread with pics of a dissected plate:

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37032

Hey Ramon, thanks for the feedback and the pics. So, let me get this straight... The "Cyclonic" valve thing (using highly technical jargon here) is the unit at the rear of the intake maniflod, but there's also and air/oil separator unit under the drivier's side valve/timing chain cover. (see my first link above). Which one is it that's at fault here? Do I need to replace both? When yours went bad and was covered under warranty, which did they replace. Obviously when you did your own it was the part on the manifold.

Again, thanks!

[Gearhead]

Thanks Winfred... that's what I needed to know. Ramon, thanks too for you help and the great links.

I'm still scratching my head wondering why the hell there wasn't an update to such a POS design of this part. Anyway, i know what i'm doing Sunday, so I'll post afterward and let you know how it goes.

[winfred]

did one last week, doing one tomorrow and probably doing one monday (if i don't do it after the one tomorrow, installing a motor in a e38 and taking care of it before i install the motor) all v8s the first one i do tomorrow they were told by another shop that the engine was shot, not the first time i've gotten that one