Upper Timing cover gasket in M60

[Alpinewhite]

Hi All,

My motor was leaking oil in the valve cover gaskets, and my indy fixed it ($400 if only I were confident enuf to do it myself then!!!). After this episode my motor is still leaking oil in the left (driver side - U.S.) head area. First I thought it is head gasket; but there are no other signs that are normally associated with it (coolant oil did not mix, no oil in the smoke). After doing some search in the internet and carefully examining it looks like oil is leaking from the upper timing cover area. It looks like many M60 and M62 owners faced the same.

To the Professionals. Have you guys done this job on a M60? What is involved in it, just gaskets or some parts to be replaced? Since I am going to do intake gaskets soon I want to club this work with it.

There has been a TSB even on this issue for 1995 530i; TSB title and number
110196 APR 96 Engine - Upper Timing Case Cover Oil Leaks

Thanks
Arun

[yaofeng]

It is a major undertaking if the timing cover leaks.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/yaofengchen/BMW_95_540/DSC_2713-1.jpg

Not that it will be anything slightly less on a V8 if it is from the power steering. Have you checked it yet? Where is the oil spot in your driveway?

[Alpinewhite]

Hi Yao,

Oil falls on the left engine mount. I am pretty sure it is engine oil (honey coloured when new).

Will the complexity of the issue be any less if it is upper timing cover? Because this is what seems to be the issue I am getting when I do a search for M60s

Thanks
Arun

[yaofeng]

There are a number of suspects more culpable than the timing cover if oil is falling on the engine mount. But without taking it apart it is all speculation. IMO removing the oil filter housing and the three connecting hoses (actually two flexible hoses and one hard line) will be much more easier to identify the culprit. See a few pictures below.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/yaofengchen/BMW_95_540/DSC_2834-1.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/yaofengchen/BMW_95_540/DSC_2597.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/yaofengchen/BMW_95_540/DSC_2714.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/yaofengchen/BMW_95_540/DSC_2739.jpg

[yaofeng]

I forgot to mention the two flexible hoses on the oil filter housing go through the driver side engine mount bracket to the engine block. Where the mount bracket meets the block the seal is provided by two o-rings.

Again it is also major undertaking but there are a number of suspect areas in addition to the PS system and oil filter housing connection mentioned.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/yaofengchen/BMW_95_540/DSC_2816-1.jpg
Two o-rings on the mating face between the engine block and the driver side engine mount bracket.

[Alpinewhite]

Hi Yao,

Your pictures are really very informative. I think the whole M60 community owe quite something to you.

I understand tackling any oil leak in this beast is going to be a complex one. I will take your advice and try to understand clearly where the oil is leaking from. I hope I will have more chance of finding the leak correctly when the Intake manifold is off.

Thanks
Arun

[gtopaul]

The timing cover leak is a pretty common one. Infortunately yours sounds like it's coming fron the drivers side, a little more difficult a job since you have to remove the oil filter housing. This just takes an hour or so to do in the shop. The gasket is way cheap so all the cost is labor. My 94 540 had the same leak when I bought it last year and I had one of our techs do it and it's been trobule free ever since. The gaskets come in pairs, left side & right side. If you had the passenger side that was leaking I'd send you the gasket free because I never used that one. If you do the repair yourself you'll see that when the timing cover is off the front portion of the head gasket is bared. Make sure you use some sealer on that before you put it all back together.

Like the others said above, make sure that's what's leaking and not something else. Get a can of brake clean and hose the area down real good, dry it off, and then see if you can positively see the leak.

Paul

[Alpinewhite]

Thanks Paul. I want to do the job myself.