My mini needed a new valve cover due to PCV valve failure. I ordered a new valve cover (Aftermarket) and installed it. Now I have a large oil leak at the back of the engine, I can’t figure out where the leak is coming from there is a little oil on the front and rear left corner but nothing like the amount of oil I’m seeing. Any suggestions on what else to look for?

 

This is a timely question for me as well - I had a PCV failure last week, I have a Mini-OEM valve cover ($$$) arriving tomorrow. Is there a guide on order of bolt tightening & torque specs for the valve cover? RMM - maybe your torque specs or gasket sealing is causing the new oil issue?

 

I found the following torque spec on line of 10NM and this sequence.

When I idle the car I don’t see any leaks until I drive if for 10 min then there is about a cup of oil all over the back of the engine.

 

So I reinstalled the original valve cover tonight and no leaks, I was talking to a friend and he suggested the possibility that the after market valve cover has a defective PCV valve in it and it’s not allowing the crank case gases to escape and creating to much pressure in the engine causing oil to blow out, which seems like a reasonable explanation.
So I ordered and OEM cover from Mini Parts Direct. Long story short do not buy aftermarket.

 

Hi, what is the link to that website? I have found a few results and not sure which one to "trust".
TY!

 

I ordered the OEM valve cover from https://www.minipartsdirect.com/
I installed it last weekend, so far no leaks or oil blowby.

 

For what it's worth, ECS tuning has an OEM cover+gasket+hardware as well, with 2 year warranty. I installed mine and everything works perfectly.
ECS tuning - R60 Valve Cover

 

I just installed the Mostplus branded one from Amazon. It's $76 USD and fit like OEM.

 

It was the Amazon one that caused all of my issues. So I recommend to Stay Away. On the bright side, Amazon did take it back. But did not refund the countless hours I spent cleaning up oil.

 

right on, ty!

 

Yep, we have these options:

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Sit...h/11127646552/

 

"the" amazon one... There are dozens on there. can you be a bit more specific?

For example I got this "the amazon one": https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B091BT6DR2
And it installed like butter and just got home from a weekend road trip without issues.

So unless you're going to pay the $350+ for the Genuine MINI one, then any other brand from Amazon or anywhere else (no disrespect to ECS--I go there first for my parts), then why not save yourself some coin?

 

I got the same one and that was the one that caused the issues, The fit and quality were not the same as the factory. I also believe all the other versions on amazon come from the same Chinese manufacture by looking at the markings.
.

 

Interesting.

Also I noticed your tightening order was different than in the factory service manual (same: torque to 10 nm / 7.5 ft-lbs / 88.5 inch-lbs):
(yes the image below is weird, but that's what in "11 12 000 Removing and installing/sealing cylinder head cover (N18)")
edit: oh it's not weird, just missing the PCV cover...




No idea how sensitive the valve cover is to tightening order but I just thought I'd throw it out there.

 

Great information here I have looked all over for a manual where did you get yours?

 

Technically the manual is not available.

It used to be freely available here: https://www.newtis.info/

But sadly now it is not. I'm not sure if you can still sign up, but it can't hurt to use the feedback link.

Beyond that, you can go through the incredibly complicated process of finding a complete windows virtual machine preloaded with every bmw software out there (it exists...) and spin it up on your own host, but ... yuck.