Rocker cover / valve cover questions

7461 Views 14 Replies 6 Participants Last post by mini-nz, Nov 17, 2020

Mr.Whippy

Discussion Starter · Aug 3, 2019

3

Cleaning up the bits I've removed today to refit later after I've done the cam chain change. - Just have some questions re. the valve cover.

First of all - What's this gizmo on the rear edge of the rocker cover and should it have anything connected to it ? (mine hasn't)

Second - I noticed the support ribs on the inside of the cover have been damaged slightly by it pressing / rubbing against the top of the cam chain top guide. The old guide itself is not visibly damaged. Is there supposed to be physical contact between the chain guide and the cover ? Seems like poor engineering to me...

Lastly - The top plastic section with the Mini emblem on it - can it be removed if required or is it permanently fixed to the lower section ? I tried to unclip it but it seemed pretty tight so I didn't want to force it in case I broke something I shouldn't.

Cheers - Dave.

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mike1967

· #2 · Aug 4, 2019

Mr.Whippy said:
Cleaning up the bits I've removed today to refit later after I've done the cam chain change. - Just have some questions re. the valve cover.

First of all - What's this gizmo on the rear edge of the rocker cover and should it have anything connected to it ? (mine hasn't)

Second - I noticed the support ribs on the inside of the cover have been damaged slightly by it pressing / rubbing against the top of the cam chain top guide. The old guide itself is not visibly damaged. Is there supposed to be physical contact between the chain guide and the cover ? Seems like poor engineering to me...

Lastly - The top plastic section with the Mini emblem on it - can it be removed if required or is it permanently fixed to the lower section ? I tried to unclip it but it seemed pretty tight so I didn't want to force it in case I broke something I shouldn't.

Cheers - Dave.

the valve on rear of rocker cover is a pcv breather it has a tiny spring in it and a rubber valve that preload on the spring is set to work with the high and lower pressures from inlet manifold to open and close, when these fail it can make car run badly idle jumps around and also can effect the fueling trim in the process as it lets in unmetered air flow in to the inlet manifold that has already been counted by the maf ie at wrong time etc,
the n14 turbo engines are prone the most to top guide moving or snapping off just because the way they are made, and are the most common to snap off the top guide as well when chain rattle, i would say the broken bits of rib are down to either a past top gude failure or you just caught yours in time,, what i would now do for piece of mind is drop sump and check in bottom and oil pick up filter for the bits of plastic, if cant find them then chances are its had a top guide failure before you owned it,, i have seen them on hard driven cars fail 24k they have seen them 80-100k rattling light hell but still no broken,
as for the mini badge i believe they are bonded on with stuff like tiger seal, if at some point you come to sell the car someone might see no badge and effect a sale from past experience
what i see in your pics is all in very good condition

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Mr.Whippy

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 4, 2019

Ta very much - It wasn't the badge I wanted to remove - it was the plastic section it sits on. Just want to clean it all out properly inside - if it's possible. It looks like it might unclip from the main rocker cover itself like the spark plug lead cover does but I don't want to force it if it's supposed to be one piece.

Will be having the sump off and the vanos solenoid out to clean & check for bits before I run it again. Thanks for the advice.

As for the PCV breather there - Should it have anything connected to it ? Because there's nothing obvious on my car that looks like it should connect. The main PCV hose that goes to the throttle body in the corner of the rocker cover is present & correct - it's just that gizmo behind the mini badge looks like it should have something on it but it hasnt.

Cheers again - Dave.

mike1967

· #4 · Aug 4, 2019

normally have two pipes one from inlet pipe at turbo,new cars have a heater on it then another that goes down behind the engine to inlet manifold its possible to pull that plastic part off and reveal the pcv valve thats the bit showing at back but they do snap off the plastic holding tabs, unless they have updated the system or someone has done a delete and catch can somewhere

Mr.Whippy

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 4, 2019

Thanks Mike -
No catch cans yet - will be fitting them once I've done the cam chain & the walnut blast.

Yes, I have the 2 hoses, one going to the turbo inlet from the LHS of the rocker cover, one from the rear RHS corner going to the throttle body. Will be putting catch cans in both of those - but I'm concerned about this little doodad in the middle of this photo - The round bit with the "spokes" moulded into the top and a stub pipe poking out below - it looks like it should have a pipe or something connected to it. ??? Should it be open to the atmosphere ?

I'll hold off removing that cover for now but can the PCV valves be repaired once the cover is off or is it a complete new rocker cover required if they start playing up ?

Cheers - Dave.

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mike1967

· #6 · Aug 5, 2019

trouble is and i have tried many times cant just buy the rubber part and the clips snap off and once again not found anywhere that sells that either so yep new rocker cover tends to be the sure way of fixing a faulty pcv valve, i would still ask at main dealers see if they list a repair kit maybe things might have changed, do same at peugeot citroen main dealers as well as same engines in 207 208 308 gti or same ages

Mr.Whippy

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 7, 2019

Thanks Mike.

But should there be something connected to that little stub pipe in the photo or is it normally left open ?

Dave.

knt

· #8 · Aug 7, 2019

Mr.Whippy said:
Thanks Mike.

But should there be something connected to that little stub pipe in the photo or is it normally left open ?

Dave.

Mines Like that N14 factory JCW i.e. as pictured.

Mr.Whippy

Discussion Starter · #9 · Aug 9, 2019

knt said:
Mines Like that N14 factory JCW i.e. as pictured.

Thanks knt. Puts my mind at rest.

knt

· #10 · Aug 10, 2019

Looks like this when you buy a replacement and need to remove the pull ring.

www.outmotoring.com

Valve Cover: N14

:

www.outmotoring.com

Mr.Whippy

Discussion Starter · #11 · Aug 10, 2019

Cheers.

MiniR55clubman

· #12 · Aug 18, 2019

If I remember correctly, I think that outlet behind the mini badge with the round spoked chamber is a pressure relief valve, so if the pcv clogs up then it can be forced open to release pressure before any leaks start.

I have seen some photos of someone who took apart a valve cover with a faulty pcv, the top cover and more smaller panels are glued on to the pcv chambers of the valve cover. I think they wanted to try and repair it.

ssashton

· #13 · Sep 6, 2019

I've still got that pull ring on my valve cover.. could it be causing a problem? I got the cover as a replacement for an original that did not have the doodad there. I figured it was meant to be plugged-up as nothing connected with it. Thought maybe N18 had some pipe to connect and the cover was dual compatible.

knt

· #14 · Sep 6, 2019

N14 & N18 different valve covers.

mini-nz

· #15 · Nov 17, 2020

Do all genuine covers have the BMW code on them? I have a replacement and suspect it is fake.

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