Valve Cover Gaskets - Problems

[lrosie89]

Is replacing the VCG on a 2009 BMWxi twice a common occurance? Evidently, when I had bought the car in Sept of this year, the dealer had already changed one out in June and didnt tell me. I found out when I brought it in to get the oil leak/smell checked at a different dealership closer to my house. So, it will have been done twice on Tuesday. Just wondering...

[Zchild]

No it's not a normal occurrence, I change out my VCG every 100,000 miles as preventive maintenance, sounds like a symptom of another issue...

[mcoupemindy]

In my un-expert opinion, this is not a valve cover gasket problem. Valve cover gaskets don't just "fail", they get brittle over time and heat cycles. No reason one on an '09 should be replaced twice at this point (or at all).

Sounds to me like this may be a crank case pressurization problem which is causing the VCG's to leak oily combustion smells past the rubber seal.

[lrosie89]

Well, they just changed the vcg and we will see what happens. Now, I can tell you that the cars transmission seems a little out of wack...when I accelerate and then decelerate quickly ( I drive in lots of traffic up and down the 95 corridor) it sometimes bucks. I have no idea if that is the right word for it, but it feels like the transmission is "slipping". Even when I pull out of my driveway and go up the big hill by my house.... So, I have no idea. We will see what happens, but for now, it seems as though the oil drip and smell has gone away. Thanks for your help and I will keep your thoughts in mind as I go forward. - Lori