Loose head nut?

[e34.535i.sport]

Hi there, long story short i popped the bonnet just now to find one of the head nuts had a small pool of oil around it, and its not the first time this has happened... checked around the head and everything else is fine (gasket looks sound - no choco milkshake or oil loss etc), so i tightened the nut up about half a turn (maybe less).

With hind-sight i'm hoping it was ok to do this due to the torque of the but and whatever - if i'm honest i know very little about the engine and its workings, so did i do the right thing? If not any advice on what i should do next?

Thanks guys.

[DaveVoorhis]

Sounds like you tightened a valve cover bolt. The head bolts are under the valve cover. It should be fine, but if it continues to leak it's probably time for a new valve cover gasket.

[whiskychaser]

Hi there, long story short i popped the bonnet just now to find one of the head nuts had a small pool of oil around it, and its not the first time this has happened... checked around the head and everything else is fine (gasket looks sound - no choco milkshake or oil loss etc), so i tightened the nut up about half a turn (maybe less).

With hind-sight i'm hoping it was ok to do this due to the torque of the but and whatever - if i'm honest i know very little about the engine and its workings, so did i do the right thing? If not any advice on what i should do next?

Thanks guys.

Think what you mean is the cylinder head cover cap nuts. Stand to be corrected but you normally start tightening in the middle and work your way out. Sure someone can put you right on the torque but meanwhile I dont think you have anything to worry about

[e34.535i.sport]

The cylinder head nuts sound like what they'd be... They're on the top of the head about 6 or 8 of them?

I just tightened the one, as the others seem fine... The one i tightened wasn't very tight, i could do it with a stubby 3/8" ratchet so i'll have to check out the torque spec's on these ones. Anyone happen to know them?

Thanks peeps...

[DaveVoorhis]

Yup, you've definitely tightened a valve cover nut. You can't see head bolts without removing the valve cover.

[e34.535i.sport]

Hey haven't been able to check on this for a while as i've been off the road for a while with coolant hose issues! Thats sorted now so i took her out for a spin today and it felt amazing. However, got another tiny pool of oil so i let her run and wiped the pool away. The oil was seeping very very slowly through the bolt above the washer which i though was unusual? Is this a headgasket problem as i don't have any choco milkshake stuff in the oil and the coolant seems ok (only changed it recetly though)...

Please help i'm worried.

I want to tighten the valve cover nut more as it seemed loose but i don't want to make things worse...

[e34.535i.sport]

Its one of the number 6 nuts that goes through closest to where number 1 and 5 are...

[DaveVoorhis]

That's a valve cover nut. Your valve cover gasket (#5 in the diagram) is starting to leak. It's easy to replace, and it'll be a good opportunity to adjust the valves and inspect the valve train for sludge and wear.

[whiskychaser]

Hey haven't been able to check on this for a while as i've been off the road for a while with coolant hose issues! Thats sorted now so i took her out for a spin today and it felt amazing. However, got another tiny pool of oil so i let her run and wiped the pool away. The oil was seeping very very slowly through the bolt above the washer which i though was unusual? Is this a headgasket problem as i don't have any choco milkshake stuff in the oil and the coolant seems ok (only changed it recetly though)...

Please help i'm worried.

I want to tighten the valve cover nut more as it seemed loose but i don't want to make things worse...

As you can see the link cant work like that but I'm certain its not a head bolt. What you are looking at is just a cover over the camshafts. If there is room, try putting a fibre washer under the steel one. That should stop the oil seeping. If the nut keeps working loose, clean it and the bolt threads, put on a drop of locktite and tighten again

[e34.535i.sport]

As you can see the link cant work like that but I'm certain its not a head bolt. What you are looking at is just a cover over the camshafts. If there is room, try putting a fibre washer under the steel one. That should stop the oil seeping. If the nut keeps working loose, clean it and the bolt threads, put on a drop of locktite and tighten again

Hey does this link work:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.d...82&hg=11&fg=15

Its the top diagram one of the nuts on there... Is that what you imagined?