BMW valve stem seal replacement in Middle Village, Queens and Lindenhurst, Long Island, NY

If you own a BMW equipped with a newer V8 engine you may have heard of BMW valve stem seals leak. BMW has been known for award-winning engine designs for the last 20 years however certain repair and maintenance flaws have been revealed with real-world testing by owners like yourself. This article aims to help you understand valve stem seal leaks and if you need BMW valve stem seal repair.

What are the symptoms?

BMW v8 engines made after around 2004 have been plagued with a problem where the valve stem seals will leak over time. These engines can be identified by their designation and the “N” in the beginning of them such as the N62, N63 and N63TU engines that are equipped in BMW 5 series, 7 series, X5, and X6 models.

There are several symptoms and consequential problems that arise from stem seal leaks. One of the most common is higher oil consumption from the engine. You may find yourself needing to add oil to your engine. Much newer BMW’s will have an onboard indicator every time the vehicle detects low engine oil. Another common symptom is blue-white smoke out of your tailpipe. This indicates that oil is getting past your valve stem seals and leaking into the combustion chamber and burning up. When the leak is very bad, your vehicle may produce billowing smoke at idle or in traffic. You may also smell burning oil from your tailpipe and the smoke coming from the exhaust may smell.

Leaking BMW valve stem seals can have a snowball effect and cause consequential damage. One expensive repair may be your catalytic converters. As oil is being burned it must pass through the catalytic converters and eventually over time may clog them to the point of needing a replacement. This will cause the check engine light to illuminate. Due to the strict emissions standards, only quality BMW part replacements are recommended.

How do you replace valve stem seals and what are the costs?

Bad valve stem seals we first prevalent with the N62 engine. If you were to bring your BMW to the dealer, the process in repair would be to remove the cylinder heads off the vehicle and have a machine shop or a bench replacement of the valve train which includes the valve guides, valve stems, and seals. It is not uncommon to get an estimate of over $10,000 for the repair. At M-Spec Performance, we use special tools and “on the car” valve stem seal tools which cut down the cost by more than half for our clients.

If your BMW has an N63 engine, removal of the engine is needed. Luckily at M-Spec Performance we have performed numerous valve stem seal replacements and employ special tools to get the job done correctly and efficiently. We use specific toolkits that enable us to replace the valve stem steams without disassembling the cylinder heads. We also use a special engine table that makes removing and installing your engine in your vehicle safe and efficient.

The repair job for valve stem seal replacement will vary depending on what other work and consequential damage that needs to be addressed. What is for certain is that if you are in the Queens NY or Long Island NY areas, we will always save you money and give you a superior repair and service over the dealership.

What are common parts that are replaced in the repair process?

The parts may vary depending on the engine as well as specific to each individual vehicle due to differing wear. Some of the common parts that replaced along with the valve stem seals are the valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, vanos seal, and potentially secondary air parts. When we perform any service, a visual inspection is performed and the findings are recorded for our clients. If additional parts are needed at that time, we will recommend them.

I need help, I think my valve stem seals are leaking. What should I do?

BMW valve stem seals replacement is a very intricate operating that requires special knowledge and the right tools. Most general auto repair shops will have difficulty performing this job. Our recommendation is to seek out expert help from a BMW specialist. If you are in the Middle Village NY or Lindenhurst NY areas, we are highly qualified to help. Our technicians are specially trained to service your BMW. We have performed numerous valve stem seal replacements and have every special tool needed to get the job done correctly. You can also have peace of mind that we back our service with a 3 year or 36,000-mile warranty. References can also be given upon request for clients that have been happy with their valve stem replacement at M-Spec Performance.