Valve Cover/PCV Confirmation/Question

luplup

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Dec 16, 2017
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Hello everyone, thanks in advance for your help.
I am looking to replace my valve cover and gasket.
I will be purchasing the fcpeuro oem valve cover kit.
In the description it says...
"Product Information
Genuine replacement valve cover, comes with gasket, bolts, and integrated oil separator

If your BMW's valve cover is cracked it will need to be replaced. This Genuine replacement valve cover from BMW is the best choice. Used valve covers can be had for less but you are never guaranteed their condition. This valve cover also features an integrated PCV oil separator that cannot be replaced separately."

I can still upgrade to a RB PCV valve with this cover right?

Sorry for the silly question, I wanted to make sure before pulling the trigger. Thanks!
 

1and1

Specialist
Dec 28, 2016
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I did :)

Nice & easy to swap while you have the VC in your hands and in the air conditioned house! Encourage getting a spare hose too in case you break the release tabs...
 

luplup

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Dec 16, 2017
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Thanks everyone for your replies.

@1and1 - I think I recall coming across a nice diy you made on 1addicts for the 1m rep front bumper.

@twinturbos - does the M18 aluminum vc happen to work with PR coils? All the photos I've seen are with stock or R8 style coils.
 
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doublespaces

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Plug your head ports while the valve cover is off.

I've changed this thread to question format, please select a best answer when you're finished.
 

twinturbos

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Thanks everyone for your replies.

@1and1 - I think I recall coming across a nice diy you made on 1addicts for the 1m rep front bumper.

@twinturbos - does the M18 aluminum vc happen to work with PR coils? All the photos I've seen are with stock or R8 style coils.
I believe they sell the bracket for R8/Stock or the bracket for PR coils.
 

derekgates

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You might also want to consider an M18 cast aluminum valve cover

You got me looking into this... As much as AN lines are sexy, I don't want to make some from scratch for my BMS and Mishimoto cans....

Is this a 'plug n play' setup for the 'OEM' cans:
1586977297143.png
?

How are you running this VC?
 

twinturbos

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You got me looking into this... As much as AN lines are sexy, I don't want to make some from scratch for my BMS and Mishimoto cans....

Is this a 'plug n play' setup for the 'OEM' cans:
View attachment 36842 ?

How are you running this VC?
Mine is going from the valve cover to the misfire race dual catch cans and then vents to air.
 
Oct 24, 2016
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If you want a VC that doesn't leak, and the best looking catch can upgrade on the market. We will have Cast VC's back in stock in about a week, and we always try to keep the catch cans in stock.

 

Omar@VaderSolutions

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+1 if its within your budget to get a metal valve cover i would do so there are two options out there but ive been having bad luck with M18 valve cover, fitment isnt the best

also for catch can set up check out

 

torbearfree

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Jan 2, 2020
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Since VTT was out of stock I bought an M18 valve cover. I really hope the fit is good. My motor is on an engine stand so I should be able to see how the fitment is. I still do not understand what I will need to fix the PCV problem.
 
Oct 24, 2016
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Since VTT was out of stock I bought an M18 valve cover. I really hope the fit is good. My motor is on an engine stand so I should be able to see how the fitment is. I still do not understand what I will need to fix the PCV problem.
We have heard just about all of them leak. This is from 3rd party reports, as we have no first-hand experience with them. We have Cast VC's on the way now in the new design to clear all single kits, even poorly designed ones like the Doc Race.
 
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martymil

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I personally run the VTT billet vc cover and fitment, strenght and finish is flawless, yes its expensive but you get what you pay for.

The whole PCV n54 is only good at stock boost levels, once your ramp up the boost it's useless and needs to be externalized to work reliably.

You have a lot of options available to you these days, set yourself a budget and pick accordingly.

One thing but, skimp on certain parts and it will bite you in the ass and you will spend double or triple chasing issues.
 
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derekgates

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I am derping on catch cans.

So, we can go with an aftermarket valve cover which gets rid of factory PCV and cyclonic separators. How does the catch can setup work? Normally you have high and low side; such as BMS and RB/Mishimoto...

@Chris@VargasTurboTech has posted up when I previously asked this:

I see dual catch cans but on the VC I see two ports... how is this 'returned'? Vent to atmosphere?


This fantastic car is also running the VTT VC and I only see two hoses as well.... again, vent to atmosphere?


With this in mind... if I had existing dual catch cans I would need to change them out? I would think adapting AN-8 or -10 would be doable to the catch cans, but would the return lines still be viable?


Sorry if this is dumb questioning...
 

martymil

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No dumb questions, you can easily reuse the old catch cans if you already externalized your PCV.

The only difference is connecting the two ports on the vc to your existing catch cans.

There are a number of threads on this topic and the return is plumbed back like it is now back to your rear inlet if you don't want to VTA.
 

doublespaces

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So, we can go with an aftermarket valve cover which gets rid of factory PCV and cyclonic separators. How does the catch can setup work? Normally you have high and low side; such as BMS and RB/Mishimoto...

I will oblige to respond although I have my own opinions on all of this. The confusion you are experiencing is unfortunate because its kind of unavoidable at this point.

When they say 'external pcv' what they mean is they are moving the cyclonic oil separators to the outside as you know. To do this, all that voodoo under the valvecover gets bypassed which is why aftermarket vc's don't need to have it. Its also the reason that plugging head ports is mandatory when you run an after market VC, because there is no PCV valve on that pathway to block boost from entering the crank case.

So as a very short review, in a normal situation when you're idling, the minimal blowby existing in the crank case is being sucked out by going past the pcv valve, and into the individual head port channels, into the head etc. This is the 'low side' operation. During boost, that process attempts to reverse, it goes up the individual head port channels, but the pcv valve blocks it from going any further so you don't pressurize the crank case with your intake charge.

When this gets 'externalized' what happens is instead of crank case blow by being sucked through the pcv valve toward those head port channels, the external PCV valve redirects that flow out a barb on the back of the VC. That goes to your low side can, and then from there it goes to the Throttle body back into the manifold, back into the engine. So instead of going through the head ports, it takes a long way around essentially and that is the externalization.

So when you run an aftermarket VC, it is assumed you are doing this already. By that I mean, plugging the head ports and sucking crank case blowby from one of those VC ports, into the tb etc. There is no magic inside the VC that requires there to be any sort of separation or compartments etc. The high/low side concept is nothing more than a "how does crank case ventilate from the VC" question. Does it get sucked into the engine via the throttle body through one port or does it get pushed out of another.


This fantastic car is also running the VTT VC and I only see two hoses as well.... again, vent to atmosphere?

Do not confuse VTA with PCV delete. You Venting To Atmosphere just means the crank case fumes are being expelled to the open air and not being re-ingested somewhere, except maybe your lungs. People tend to throw these terms around as they usually are done together but it isn't so. You can VTA the high side on a PCV setup, in fact I think most single turbo people do as there isn't a good place to recirculate it.

I can't see for sure, but if I were to guess, he's got a dual can setup from VTT. The hose on the VC closer to the firewall goes to one can and then outlets downward with a one way check valve going to the throttlebody or a port on the intake manifold. This is his 'low side'. He also has a vacuum break on the front of the VC, this acts as his flapper so he doesn't over-vacuum the crank case and cause the seal howling issue.

The other port off the vc runs to the other catch can and is VTA off that filter there. So this is a good example of a 'PCV setup' which is also VTA.


With this in mind... if I had existing dual catch cans I would need to change them out? I would think adapting AN-8 or -10 would be doable to the catch cans, but would the return lines still be viable?

If you have a dual can setup now with external PCV, the only thing changing is the fittings going to the valve cover and ensuring your head ports are plugged. So instead of the External PCV valve, the one with the nipple, you'd be replacing that with a normal 10AN fitting with a barb on it or whatever your hoses need. And if you've got a flapper valve hooked up to your other can, you'd have to make some fittings to convert 10AN to some 3/4 barb so you can put a hose over the flapper and then from the flapper run to your other catch can and then back into the inlet or VTA.

If you don't want to do hose conversion on the flapper, you can just run the 10AN from the VC directly to the catch can and VTA/Inlet and then you'll need to install the vacuum break on a third port of the VC.
 
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doublespaces

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Now, with all of that said, another option which isn't complicated and requires zero brains, is to just run one or both of those ports to a single catch can and the outlet would be VTA or go to inlet. Head ports plugged of course. So, you're looking at one hose, one can, no check valves. People can argue this all day, but I haven't found any issues with my precision 6266 in this configuration related to smoking etc, it seems problems arise with this setup on turbos that don't gravity drain very well for whatever reason.

People believe those gasses need to be reingested in the low side, but they don't. There is no logical reason for that, blowby just needs to get out no matter where to. The only benefit you can really have by keeping the low side is to aid poorly draining turbos so they don't smoke at idle. I've not see this issue from anyone I've spoken to that has a big single and a proper oil drain.

It is also worth pointing out, if you do suffer from the smoking and need the crank case vacuum, there isn't a good way to fix this problem so a low side PCV will likely need to be retained, although from where I stand that is just a bandaid.
 

martymil

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You can also run a 4 port catch can system and simplify the whole setup.

I'm testing this atm and is working perfectly.

Just figuring out options to make the whole setup budget orientated

It's basically the whole PCV system externalized in an easy one can setup that can be adapted to any vc setup you have and easily transferable
from a stock vc to any aftermarket setup when funds allow.

I just don't know why no one came up with this sooner.
 
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doublespaces

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You can also run a 4 port catch can system and simplify the whole setup.

I'm testing this atm and is working perfectly.

Just figuring out options to make the whole setup budget orientated

It's basically the whole PCV system externalized in an easy one can setup that can be adapted to any vc setup you have and easily transferable
from a stock vc to any aftermarket setup when funds allow.

I just don't know why no one came up with this sooner.

Someone showed me a photo of their setup the other day, normal two port can doing something similar with a few assumptions.