Retorque Valve Cover Bolts

[HTSS_TR]

Bought Lisle external torx socket last week to prepare changing thermostat for the E430.

This morning used it to tighten the valve cover bolts the first time in 12 years, there was a little sip of oil around the valve cover gasket on both banks, the gasket is original. Many bolts were so loose, some were needed to turn more than 2 rounds and some need 1 full round.

Clean the engine and check in 2-3 weeks to see if the oil sipping around the valve cover gasket will stop.

Will check the valve cover bolts once a year from now.

 

[stephen9666]

I agree with checking the bolts. I was surprised to find some of them totally loose on my girlfriend's Beetle when I replaced the gasket a couple months ago. It appears it was still the original gasket, so I don't think a shop had improperly tightened them. My guess is the gasket shrunk over time, allowing the bolts to loosen.

But, I replaced the valve cover gasket on my Nissan about six months ago and all the bolts were perfectly tight.

 

[mechtech2]

It's good you found this. it will probably make thigs much better.
But be warned about overtightening. Those bolts can strip or break, and you will kick yourself in the rear.

 

[Garak]

Same deal with the old Audi. When I changed the valve cover gasket, I removed all the nuts by hand!

 

[antiqueshell]

I know that the old "pressed steel" valve covers on water cooled VWs seem to have this issue as well.

I'm surprised that they didn't use a thread locking product like loctite. I'm not sure which would be the correct version for this because you need hi temp and when you want you need to be able to break the stuff if you need to remove the valve cover.

any suggestions?

I know there is loctite blue and red. any others?

 

[George7941]

Loctite blue is removable and the anaerobic compounds are good to 300F. I doubt valve cover fasteners will be subjected to temperatures above 300F.

 

[Trav]

Loctite wont help as the bolts don't actually loosen. Its the gasket compressing over time, the only thing Loctite will do is give you harder to turn "loose" bolts.

 

[The Critic]

Yeah, be careful with the bolts breaking.

I've heard that on the newer E90 BMWs, overtime the valve covers leak not because the gasket shrinks/fails, but because the bolts break.

Regardless, you may want to consider replacing the gasket and getting new bolts as it sure beats having to drill out broken ones.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Yeah, be careful with the bolts breaking.

I've heard that on the newer E90 BMWs, overtime the valve covers leak not because the gasket shrinks/fails, but because the bolts break.

Regardless, you may want to consider replacing the gasket and getting new bolts as it sure beats having to drill out broken ones.

I thought about replacing valve cover gasket couple years ago when I first saw the oil sip around the gasket, but it is a big job on the E430, a lot of stubs have to be removed to get to the gasket, part is not expensive but a lot of hours is needed.

The engine is washed and I will monitor the oil sipping around the gaskets, if the oil is still leak out then I may replace the gasket in summer.