P38A 2.5D cam cover

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RangeRoller dt

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Trapped inside my head @ LZ asylum
I’ve been jinxed by @plumbfisher - never seen this problem until he told me about his, now I have it too :mad::(

After a good run oil somehow seeps from the oil cap? It shouldn’t - it’s just a cap and shouldn’t be pressured??:confused:
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I thoroughly cleaned out the black plastic valve from the cover into the intercooler duct as Grrrrrr suggested, this stopped it initially but now it’s back.
My next step is to remove the cam cover to clean out the gauze filter in there - this is usually the part people skip when changing the gasket.

This an early 1995 DT - other models may vary slightly but principle is the same
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I’ve removed the intercooler duct and plastics, there’s also 2 brackets above the exhaust manifold to detach before removing the cover, they are only 2x 10mm bolts. I left the black valve on and removed it via the grommet as it’s easier to take out later and avoid snapping the plastic insert
 
The cover has 10x E-10 bolts holding it on. E-bits are the female version of a torx bit.

The back two are a nightmare to access just take your time - gently Bentley ;) it’s advisable to start from the corners and work inward in diagonals when loosening to avoid uneven stress to the cover - reverse operation to tighten. Once the bolts are out a few gentle taps with the base of your hand or something SOFT (not a metal hammer!) while pulling it and it will ease off to reveal the shinies :):cool:
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i knew before hand that this is a nightmare to install due to the access near the bulkhead, in all fairness was terrible to even get it out :oops:
The cams in these are hard wearing so a little grubby in between but seem okay @145,000miles
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Now for the dirty bit - clean everything off and underneath the cover there is a panel held on with 12x T20 torx screws - this is what we want out
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Once screws are removed the panel will come out - be prepared for black everywhere! There is another gasket inside (stuck on right of panel in pic) and a mesh filter. I don’t know if a replacement filter is available but should be fine if you clean it out thoroughly and replace in one piece
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There’s a thin layer of ‘grime’ all over. It comes off with a scrub. Doesn’t look 25yrs worth?? Think that diesel mix I added for the oil flush has been working it’s magic in there, was much dirtier looking when I looked through the cap when buying the vehicle.
The gasket has definitely been renewed at some point, it’s marked BMW and came off in one piece in good condition so il be reusing it. Is better than a new Br**part OE for sure

There’s a paper sticker label on the back end of the cover too
 
Yes it’s clean enough that it makes me wary, surely should be dirtier but looked 25yrs old on outside when I had it? Hopefully il get chance to polish it up, like I did the inlet manifold, before I put it back on :) used to be green/black
 
Well it was one of them days - everything went too well - or so it seemed :rolleyes:...

Finished lacquering the cover
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Fitted it and it went straight on no RTV needed! :)
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I then realised I forgot to tighten the torx screws right up, so back off it came :eek::oops:
Second go it did not go on so easy. The half moon kept catching between the cam/metal inner tray and getting stuck :( Little rtv helped. So was finally back on all clean and glistening
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Then for the test drive...
 
So how did that go you say? o_O

Terrible :D
My FIP is slowly dying, even turning the wheel when stationary, the revs drop - this is what Wammers warned me about in the beginning. It cut out :(

So I cooled it down with my bottle then proceeded....was a strange whirring noise
That's clean
Filler cap
You said it matey!! :eek::rolleyes::oops::(
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I drove off without putting the oil cap back on :eek::eek::eek:
F*****g oil everywhere! Black black and more black

I will get a betterer pic in the morning, for now I’m cheesed off :mad:
BUT! I do get to update my avatar photo so one good thing :)
 
It spat that much out!

WOW.

I viewed a 2001 DHSE before getting my D2 and upon removing the oil cap it vomited a good 1/4 of a litre of oil at me..

Bastard thing..
 
Hard to tell in the dark. It’s not so clean, taken a year to get the black out from the roll over. Just as I thought it looked nice

Gives me something to do :rolleyes:
It does pull a little better with the cam filter cleaned out. I think it was spitting oil from where the gasket is inside the cover - when I took it off the torx screws at the front near the cap were loose and that’s where the inner gasket is. I hope...we’ll see :)
 
So how did that go you say? o_O

Terrible :D
My FIP is slowly dying, even turning the wheel when stationary, the revs drop - this is what Wammers warned me about in the beginning. It cut out :(

So I cooled it down with my bottle then proceeded....was a strange whirring noise


You said it matey!! :eek::rolleyes::oops::(
View attachment 190045 I drove off without putting the oil cap back on :eek::eek::eek:
F*****g oil everywhere! Black black and more black

I will get a betterer pic in the morning, for now I’m cheesed off :mad:
BUT! I do get to update my avatar photo so one good thing :)

ho ho ho , brilliant .
Sat here now with bishops finger dripping out of me nose . Mrs looking at me like I've shat myself .
 
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