Hole in my Valve Cover

Bmill160 · Mon, Jul-23-2012, 07:16:21 PM

I was driving home from work the other day and turning into the high school where I coach on the side, and I started blowing white smoke behind me and from under the hood. I popped it out of gear and pulled over immediately and shut the motor off (smoke is never good...)

When I lifted the hood, there was oil spatter all over the inside of the engine bay. I keep my engine detailed so it was very quickly obvious where the oil was coming from. A portion of the VCG was protruding from its seat and I was assuming (and hoping) that I just blew the VCG.

I had the car towed to a local high end sports car dealer and when we took the cover off, we found a large hole had been ripped in the valve cover right above the timing chain. Has anyone seen this before or have any ideas why it would have happened?

From some reasearch, I'm seeing either VANOS hub tabs being ripped off or a similar failure. We don't know the extent of the damage yet but I wanted to reach out for advice. We've owned BMW's forever and this is my second M, but this should NOT happen...

Bmill160 · Mon, Jul-23-2012, 07:24:46 PM

Here is the picture...

Hrvat · Mon, Jul-23-2012, 07:28:05 PM

Looks like your cam bolts backed out or vanos tab broke off. Hopefully you pulled over right away and your engine isn't toast

Post 50 http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthrea...+change&page=5

intelone · Mon, Jul-23-2012, 07:32:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hrvat

Looks like your cam bolts backed out or vanos tab broke off. Hopefully you pulled over right away and your engine isn't toast

Post 50 http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthrea...+change&page=5

Yes sir, that's the thread right there.

Bmill160 · Mon, Jul-23-2012, 08:01:48 PM

I didn't throttle after I saw the smoke, just coasted about 100 feet to the first safe spot. It didn't throw the check engine light or sound funny or anything. I didn't even hear a bang when it happened, nothing out of the ordinary except the smoke.

An engine should not just instantaneously blow like that without warning and with proper maintenance..

I'll update as soon as I hear..

timsev · Mon, Jul-23-2012, 08:05:48 PM

good luck man. Looks like you may have caught it in time. If so, you just dodged a bullet and you need to buy a lottery ticket.

COOKi3 · Mon, Jul-23-2012, 08:12:18 PM

Deffinitly update us and let us know if the tabs were broken. Goodluck

///M3Fresh · Mon, Jul-23-2012, 08:17:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hrvat

Looks like your cam bolts backed out or vanos tab broke off. Hopefully you pulled over right away and your engine isn't toast

Post 50 http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthrea...+change&page=5

Quote:

Originally Posted by intelone

Yes sir, that's the thread right there.

Have either of you guys taken the VANOS or the cam gear bolts off an S54 and looked at the parts your claim to be failing?

It could be the Exhaust hub tab(s) that might have broke and cased this. I highly doubt it is the Cam gear bolts as they dont have anywhere to go. If they do I would image (when all 6 break, all at once) it would cause much more serious damage than that. Also his sproket is still in place, therefor at least once cam gear bolt in on there and the ones that broke (if any that did) are trapped behind the intake hub.

Either way OP sorry to hear this, keep us updated!

Firstboost · Mon, Jul-23-2012, 08:22:23 PM

I theorize a broken exhaust hub tab that got caught in the timing chain, caused the chain to jump/snap and hit the valve cover causing it to break.

deadlysyns · Mon, Jul-23-2012, 08:26:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firstboost

I theorize a broken exhaust hub tab that got caught in the timing chain, caused the chain to jump/snap and hit the valve cover causing it to break.

+1,

you will probably need a another engine.

Mon, Jul-23-2012, 07:16:21 PM	#1
Bmill160 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 16 In the garage: '01 BMW ///M3 Reputation: 0 Location: Columbus	Hole in my Valve Cover I was driving home from work the other day and turning into the high school where I coach on the side, and I started blowing white smoke behind me and from under the hood. I popped it out of gear and pulled over immediately and shut the motor off (smoke is never good...) When I lifted the hood, there was oil spatter all over the inside of the engine bay. I keep my engine detailed so it was very quickly obvious where the oil was coming from. A portion of the VCG was protruding from its seat and I was assuming (and hoping) that I just blew the VCG. I had the car towed to a local high end sports car dealer and when we took the cover off, we found a large hole had been ripped in the valve cover right above the timing chain. Has anyone seen this before or have any ideas why it would have happened? From some reasearch, I'm seeing either VANOS hub tabs being ripped off or a similar failure. We don't know the extent of the damage yet but I wanted to reach out for advice. We've owned BMW's forever and this is my second M, but this should NOT happen...

Mon, Jul-23-2012, 07:28:05 PM	#3
Hrvat Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 151 In the garage: '02 BMW ///M3 Reputation: 0	Re: Hole in my Valve Cover Looks like your cam bolts backed out or vanos tab broke off. Hopefully you pulled over right away and your engine isn't toast Post 50 http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthrea...+change&page=5

Mon, Jul-23-2012, 08:01:48 PM	#5
Bmill160 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 16 In the garage: '01 BMW ///M3 Reputation: 0 Location: Columbus	Re: Hole in my Valve Cover I didn't throttle after I saw the smoke, just coasted about 100 feet to the first safe spot. It didn't throw the check engine light or sound funny or anything. I didn't even hear a bang when it happened, nothing out of the ordinary except the smoke. An engine should not just instantaneously blow like that without warning and with proper maintenance.. I'll update as soon as I hear..

Mon, Jul-23-2012, 08:05:48 PM	#6
timsev Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 545 In the garage: '04 BMW M3 Reputation: 0 Location: St. Louis	Re: Hole in my Valve Cover good luck man. Looks like you may have caught it in time. If so, you just dodged a bullet and you need to buy a lottery ticket. __________________

Mon, Jul-23-2012, 08:12:18 PM	#7
COOKi3 Waking up a neighborhood near you Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 590 In the garage: '05 BMW M3 Convertible Reputation: 0	Re: Hole in my Valve Cover Deffinitly update us and let us know if the tabs were broken. Goodluck __________________

Mon, Jul-23-2012, 08:22:23 PM	#9
Firstboost Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 452 Reputation: 0 Location: East Bay	Re: Hole in my Valve Cover I theorize a broken exhaust hub tab that got caught in the timing chain, caused the chain to jump/snap and hit the valve cover causing it to break. __________________ 2006 M3 ZCP Tiag AA Gen 6 ~ KWV1 ~ Custom DME w/CSL SMG ~ ST60 CURRENT 2001 S2000 W/F22 - Full Race GT30/J's Racing/Mugen/WORK XSA/AEM EMS 395RWHP 274TQ SOLD

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