P38A 2.5D cam cover

RangeRoller dt · Sep 17, 2019

I’ve been jinxed by @plumbfisher - never seen this problem until he told me about his, now I have it too

After a good run oil somehow seeps from the oil cap? It shouldn’t - it’s just a cap and shouldn’t be pressured??

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

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

Henry_b · Sep 17, 2019

crankcase pressure. Blow by

PCV issue?

Maybe.

Not Hip to the M51 myself.

RangeRoller dt · Sep 17, 2019

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

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

The cams in these are hard wearing so a little grubby in between but seem okay @145,000miles

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

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

Grrrrrr · Sep 17, 2019

That's clean. Mine was a mess with something not quite grease but thicker than oil!

RangeRoller dt · Sep 17, 2019

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

Henry_b · Sep 17, 2019

I've seen v8's dirtier than that..

Take a peek under a nice TD5 cover though!

Spotless!

Hmm

RangeRoller dt · Sep 17, 2019

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

RangeRoller dt · Sep 18, 2019

Maybe full on mjonlir is not the way to go.....

But no one can accuse me of copying anyone

Grrrrrr · Sep 18, 2019

Filler cap used to be yellow. Not sure if that is some EU convention.

RangeRoller dt · Sep 18, 2019

My filler cap was yellow (greeny cracked yellow)
I painted it to wind up plumbfusher, he didn’t want a new one as it’s black lol. The silver vht paint never cured so you get shiny fingers opening it

RangeRoller dt · Sep 18, 2019

Last June -

^^^ no leak

RangeRoller dt · Sep 19, 2019

Well it was one of them days - everything went too well - or so it seemed

...

Finished lacquering the cover

Fitted it and it went straight on no RTV needed!

I then realised I forgot to tighten the torx screws right up, so back off it came

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

Then for the test drive...

RangeRoller dt · Sep 19, 2019

So how did that go you say?

Terrible

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

Grrrrrr said:
That's clean

Grrrrrr said:
Filler cap

You said it matey!!

I drove off without putting the oil cap back on

F*****g oil everywhere! Black black and more black

I will get a betterer pic in the morning, for now I’m cheesed off

BUT! I do get to update my avatar photo so one good thing

Henry_b · Sep 19, 2019

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..

RangeRoller dt · Sep 19, 2019

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

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

fucmeitsandy · Sep 21, 2019

RangeRoller dt said:
So how did that go you say?

Terrible
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!!
View attachment 190045 I drove off without putting the oil cap back on
F*****g oil everywhere! Black black and more black

I will get a betterer pic in the morning, for now I’m cheesed off
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 .

RangeRoller dt · Sep 21, 2019

fucmeitsandy said:
ho ho ho , brilliant

If you like that check out my other freds. Always something

When I cock up ; I cock up spectacularly

marjon · Sep 21, 2019

RangeRoller dt said:
When I cock up ; I cock up spectacularly

But at least you admit it

Others might learn

J

RangeRoller dt · Sep 21, 2019

I do learn - they are always new (to me) mistakes

RangeRoller dt · Sep 21, 2019

Then I put it on here to warn others and give them an idea by seeing it, and show them what an idiot is capable of with Mar+Jon at his side

P38A 2.5D cam cover

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