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02-01-2023, 09:17 AM | #1 | ||||
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Our notes on Valve Cover refinishing
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Refinishing of S65 magnesium valve covers is becoming more and more popular, and is a needed option given the deteriorating state of the original 10+ year old parts in our cars. It often takes owners by surprise to hear that a valve cover gasket job isn't going to fix their leak problem. The issue that complicates such a seemingly simple practice is the magnesium material these covers are made of. Refinishing magnesium can be difficult in itself, but its long term prognosis can be less than ideal when certain aspects of the process are not considered. For this reason, we consider that not all refinished covers are created equal. The problem: Some BMW engines, such as the S65, were made with Magnesium covers for a variety of reasons amid BMW's Efficient Dynamics program, but these present challenges a decade after their manufacture. Magnesium is one of the lowest metals in the galvanic scale, acting as an anode to its surroundings. This means the covers breakdown and corrode rapidly compared to materials such as aluminum. This creates problems, even when simply attempting to replace gaskets on an original cover. Removing an original gasket almost always peels the coating away with it, exposing bare magnesium. New gaskets cannot seal against a pitted or corroded surface, or a bare magnesium surface so th results are persistent leaks, even after a gasket job. By now, all owners are likely going to observe the eyesore in their engine bay caused by failing valve covers. Leaks on the ground, grease in the engine bay, smoke and odor from the oil dripping onto the headers and burning off. The official BMW solution is to replace the valve covers at great cost. Many owners have tried to get around this by using excessive sealants, or painting the covers without understanding the root cause. Some entrepreneurs have caught on to the market need and attempted to offer painted covers as a side hustle, but never really addressed some of the critical concerns in the process. As a result, we see poor results in only a few thousand miles. The owners of these "refinished" covers below believed their covers were leak free until we showed them they were indeed leaking: Misunderstandings: S65 valve covers carry some specific misunderstandings about their function and design when discussing leak repairs or refinishing: Quote:
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The restoration process: Ideally, a restored magnesium component would be "pickled" prior to finishing, however that is impractical and cost prohibitive for small batches. Media stripping of the part immediately prior to coating is adequate to ensure good adhesion. Ultimately, the longest lasting solution to this issue is a brand new casting via purchase of a new OEM cover from BMW. Through years of trial and error and hundreds of refinished covers, we have determined what processes work and what doesn't. Here is an overview of how we refinish a used valve cover:
Installation in vehicle: Anytime a refinished cover is installed, we always recommend attention to detail and some additional considerations. First, cleanliness is key. No grease or oil can be present on a sealing surface. Remember always that a gasket sealing surface must be smooth. Prep any rough surface. As extra insurance in resealing refurbished covers, we usually recommend a slim bead of sealant in the gasket groove. O-ringed sealing surfaces should be smooth and glossy. The perimeter crush bolts are another topic. The rubber crush seals are not sold independently by BMW. We find that they are quite reusable as they rarely are found hard or brittle. However(!), when removed, the coating usually comes off with the grommet. The rubber grommets must have the remnants of the old coating removed from the rubber for it to be reused. Installer discretion is required and ultimately the seal longevity is determined by how attentive the installer is during assembly. Bonus Material: As visible as the covers are, we like to add a little attention to detail to the upper timing covers by blasting and vapor honing them for as-new appearance. These are installed on every job we do in our shop, but also offered on a core basis when we ship out covers. It's also the ideal time to upgrade the failure prone plastic VANOS spring cover caps with our Mporium CNC spring cups. From start to finish, it takes around 2-3 weeks for us and the coater to prep and refinish a batch of 20-30 covers. We've done these in many colors, including some fund unique coatings like hammered finishes. It's a lot of fun as it offers a certain degree of personalization. Last edited by deansbimmer; 03-29-2023 at 08:20 AM.. |
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02-01-2023, 09:48 AM | #2 |
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One word for deansbimmer's attention to 'all' of the engineering details, product quality, and overall craftsmanship = WOW! Thank you for painstakingly adding this information to the community and explaining what it really takes to do the job correctly - as well as provide a better than OEM solution IMO.
My valve cover gaskets were replaced in September '22 but I couldn't afford new covers. You are right, I am just beginning to see seepage again.. I now know where I need to come to get the job done correctly, though DFW is quite the long drive from Greenville, SC.. How much for a refurbished set without the core charge?
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02-01-2023, 11:23 AM | #3 | |
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02-01-2023, 04:31 PM | #4 |
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Echoing DrFerry , my 2022 gasket refresh only improved matters 90% with a trivial leak still occuring on the passenger side. will be interested when these come available as I'd like to do my Vanos covers, too.
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02-02-2023, 05:07 AM | #5 |
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nice, thats some really thorough work right there. you guys have all the equipment in-house? anytime you make a post like this its usually very educating, this one does not disappoint.
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02-02-2023, 08:36 AM | #6 |
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Looks stunning!
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02-02-2023, 08:47 AM | #7 |
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Great work deansbimmer !
Do you sell these covers overseas? |
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02-03-2023, 01:10 PM | #8 |
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Great write up and totally agree with everything! Thank you for your post!
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02-03-2023, 02:26 PM | #9 |
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Very good work as always!
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02-03-2023, 04:15 PM | #10 |
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Amazing post. That’s for posting the science in the process. I am getting mine through Mike BPMSport
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02-03-2023, 05:48 PM | #11 |
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Fantastic work and attention to detail as always.
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02-04-2023, 10:11 PM | #14 |
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Interested in a refurbished set without the core charge as I am not close to DFW
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02-05-2023, 04:16 AM | #15 |
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02-06-2023, 01:44 PM | #16 |
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Appreciate the details and transparency to these things. I'll keep an eye for that refurb sale link!
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02-06-2023, 06:41 PM | #17 |
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Work looks great! What's the price on a set of covers?
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02-16-2023, 09:02 PM | #21 |
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