Help! Need some good advice!

jedbriant · 01-13-2018, 10:31 AM

Hi there!

I am not very knowledgeable and have only recently managed to afford my first BMW which is an E90, 320i 2008.

I have had a few teething problems which have now led to a bad smell (awful burning smell) which I think I have figured out is down to a leaking rocker cover gasket. I have now purchased a new one from BMW for £30 and am looking for someone to fit this. I was advised by a friend who is quite good with cars to be careful with who to allow to do this as it's a bigger job than alot of rocker covers. Would this be about right? I have been quoted £70 incl VAT from an independent mechanic and also want to know if this is a fair price?

A side question to this - I am also looking at having the windows tinted slightly, possibly 30%. I have found a kit on ebay (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-3-SER...UAAOxyUrZS0tqd)

I can ask my mechanic to install this or possibly do it myself but is buying tint like this off of ebay a big no no?

Hope you can give me some advise, i definitely need it!

Cheers
Jed

bluePropeller · 01-13-2018, 06:16 PM

Hi if you are comfortable with around an hour work, using socket wrenches (10mm for rocker cover) mostly. A power screwdriver with a socket extension will help you undo the bolts a lot faster after they are loosened using the wrench. You can definitely do this yourself. However be careful you don't loosen the fuel injector brackets, these don't need to be removed. You can find a youtube guide online or use workshop manual (google it). seeing it done first will give you some confidence in doing this yourself. just don't over tighten a nut a break a bolt. they are only there to hold a gasket in place so don't need to use a lot of force to tighten them

jedbriant · 01-14-2018, 09:15 AM

Really? An hour? I was told this is a huge pain in the butt job even by a mechanic?

bluePropeller · 01-18-2018, 08:03 AM

Once you'be done this before it just a mayyer of undoing some bolts using an wrench and then electric screwdriver to quickly undo them. Undo the battery negative. Spanners for undoing the fuel rail. A star hex to undo the petrol pump. And thats it. Once you start to indo the engine covers then you'll realise its not much else to do. Have a look at some tutorial videos on youtube and you'll see the whole process.

El Cheapo Loco · 01-18-2018, 11:34 AM

£70 for a valve cover job? That must be a mistake... Anyhow, the valve cover itself on the e9x is nothing special. But getting to the cover itself is a lot more difficult/tedious than most cars. It's a 4-6 hour DIY job. And you will also want to replace the eccentric shaft sensor gasket and VVT motor gasket at the same time.

I would not recommend doing DIY tint unless you have done it before. It's very easy to get lint and dirt trapped inside the tint. Getting the rear glass with the heating element thoroughly cleaned is also a pain, if not impossible for a novice. And then there's the unknown quality of the tint itself. Low quality tint will develop bubbles after a few years. This is better left to a reputable shop.

01-13-2018, 10:31 AM	#1
jedbriant Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: BMW E90 320i Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Dorset iTrader: (0)	Help! Need some good advice! Hi there! I am not very knowledgeable and have only recently managed to afford my first BMW which is an E90, 320i 2008. I have had a few teething problems which have now led to a bad smell (awful burning smell) which I think I have figured out is down to a leaking rocker cover gasket. I have now purchased a new one from BMW for £30 and am looking for someone to fit this. I was advised by a friend who is quite good with cars to be careful with who to allow to do this as it's a bigger job than alot of rocker covers. Would this be about right? I have been quoted £70 incl VAT from an independent mechanic and also want to know if this is a fair price? A side question to this - I am also looking at having the windows tinted slightly, possibly 30%. I have found a kit on ebay (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-3-SER...UAAOxyUrZS0tqd) I can ask my mechanic to install this or possibly do it myself but is buying tint like this off of ebay a big no no? Hope you can give me some advise, i definitely need it! Cheers Jed
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01-13-2018, 06:16 PM	#2
bluePropeller New Member 9 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2008 318i Edition ES Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: London iTrader: (0)	Hi if you are comfortable with around an hour work, using socket wrenches (10mm for rocker cover) mostly. A power screwdriver with a socket extension will help you undo the bolts a lot faster after they are loosened using the wrench. You can definitely do this yourself. However be careful you don't loosen the fuel injector brackets, these don't need to be removed. You can find a youtube guide online or use workshop manual (google it). seeing it done first will give you some confidence in doing this yourself. just don't over tighten a nut a break a bolt. they are only there to hold a gasket in place so don't need to use a lot of force to tighten them
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01-14-2018, 09:15 AM	#3
jedbriant Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: BMW E90 320i Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Dorset iTrader: (0)	Really? An hour? I was told this is a huge pain in the butt job even by a mechanic?
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01-18-2018, 08:03 AM	#4
bluePropeller New Member 9 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2008 318i Edition ES Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: London iTrader: (0)	Once you'be done this before it just a mayyer of undoing some bolts using an wrench and then electric screwdriver to quickly undo them. Undo the battery negative. Spanners for undoing the fuel rail. A star hex to undo the petrol pump. And thats it. Once you start to indo the engine covers then you'll realise its not much else to do. Have a look at some tutorial videos on youtube and you'll see the whole process.
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01-18-2018, 11:34 AM	#5
El Cheapo Loco douchebaggo 186 Rep 972 Posts Drives: stick Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: CA iTrader: (1)	£70 for a valve cover job? That must be a mistake... Anyhow, the valve cover itself on the e9x is nothing special. But getting to the cover itself is a lot more difficult/tedious than most cars. It's a 4-6 hour DIY job. And you will also want to replace the eccentric shaft sensor gasket and VVT motor gasket at the same time. I would not recommend doing DIY tint unless you have done it before. It's very easy to get lint and dirt trapped inside the tint. Getting the rear glass with the heating element thoroughly cleaned is also a pain, if not impossible for a novice. And then there's the unknown quality of the tint itself. Low quality tint will develop bubbles after a few years. This is better left to a reputable shop.
	Appreciate 0 Quote