VTT Cast Valve Cover
- Thread starter DASN54
- Start date
Nice job openly attacking a customer instead of helping. I don’t see any attack on VTT from the OP other than communicating disappointment. This is the typical CHEAP VTT response.
Are there any type of install instructions provided with this cover? Torque values and procedures? This cover is very different from the oem so what would be the purpose of taking it to a qualified Bmw tech for install ??
OP - Be glad it’s just a VTT cast valve cover and not a set of blown GC’s hanging off the side of your block. Write it off and move on. Better companies with better products and support.
Last edited:
I've personally installed the first billet and 1st cast one in oz myself to check the quality of the product, still running today and no cracked vc's or any sort of leak or weep, the rest I let my mechanic install these as its 3x cheaper to let him do it for me than me taking time away from running my company.
There is nothing wrong with the vc's or their quality, if you want oem fitment go buy the plastic rubbish because no aftermarket billet or cast rocker cover uses factory bolts.
It comes down to experience to install these and any mechanic worth his weight in gold will be able to install one of these without to much hassle without cracking the rocker cover or having it leak.
I don't live on the forums like most, I do have a company to run so I'll get around to answering questions when I can
There is nothing wrong with the vc's or their quality, if you want oem fitment go buy the plastic rubbish because no aftermarket billet or cast rocker cover uses factory bolts.
It comes down to experience to install these and any mechanic worth his weight in gold will be able to install one of these without to much hassle without cracking the rocker cover or having it leak.
I don't live on the forums like most, I do have a company to run so I'll get around to answering questions when I can
So, you’ve installed one of these cast valve covers and MAYBE seen 3 more, but you think you know the quality of them? Unless they’ve only made and sold half a dozen, you can’t statistically know the true quality based on your extremely small sample size. Now, I’ll give you that this failure doesn’t mean they’re all bad either, but the failure and the obvious design flaws doesn’t look good.
As for the previous cast parts you said you were involved with, what were they and what exactly was your involvement? Did you design them, spec the alloy, did they go through cmm, how many pieces, what was the scrap rate, did you do any of the machining, what?
I'm in no way taking sides because I was not there for the install, but that crack does look like it was from the result of overtightening that head of the seat bolt. I could be completely wrong though. Could have been their prior to powdercoat and just handtightening could have caused it. I feel too far ahead to try a different vc or go back to stock. A little sweat doesn't bother me too much, as long as there's no leak down.
Last edited:
I see no oil blow by in/around my oil cap breather, MAYBE a little residual inside on the rubber, so no leaking or blow by. AWCR1MC, could you possibly have a crankcase pressure issue? I'm not saying you didn't install the external pcv correctly, but if you did then you will get a lot of oil blowby by not having a correct external pcv. If you have a correct pcv setup, it was most likely the bolts backing out. I've have a few bolts back out a little, and just retightened them. I check them every now and then and lately they have all been tight. AWCR1MC, I hope you get it figured it man!
At the time the head ports weren’t plugged yet and I wasn’t running the billet dual CC, so having a crankcase pressure issue is definitely a high probability. I was going to see if that was the issue when reinstalling the VC, then I found the crack. Welded the crack today and smoothed it out so there’s no way oil will leak from there this time around.
Going to try and close everything up tomorrow and see if I can fire her up. Got some thread lock and another new gasket, so let’s hope it all works out! Will report back and let you guys know.
Attachments
I literally had the same problem with VTT where a defective product was blamed on me. The flapper delete fitting and the throttle body pcv adapter did not fit. He claimed it was my fault. Meanwhile the PCV Delete fitting I got from AC fits like a glove and does not pop off. I bought a -8 orb fitting to just put in the intake manifold to replace the silly throttle body adapter. $120 down the drain.
@martymil im starting to think you stopped posting because all of the credibility you were trying to exude has vanished? When are you going to answer any of the number of questions above about your amount of involvement with making cast parts you said you had?
Then answer the question. If you don’t answer the questions, everyone on here will know you’re just full of shit. If you answer them and it shows you don’t have any real relevant experience, then we’ll all know you’re at least honest. If you have real experience then you’re opinions might gain a little credit.
Well, I’m not calling you stupid or saying you’re full of shit. I’m asking you to back up your assertion that you have experience with casting and that’s why you’re knowledgeable about casting. Yet you keep refusing to give background info detailing exactly what your involvement was. The only person hurting you here is you...
You can call me a retard if you want. I’m not claiming to have experience with stuff that I don’t. So, at the very least, I have integrity.
This is 100% of your problem.
None of the cast or billet covers have provisions/separation of the PCV air like stock does. The PCV and flapper won't work. All you'll do is pressurize the crankcase until you block the ports off.
maaaybe if you had 2x -16 lines on the VC and the ports not blocked you could get by. but I even doubt that's enough flow.
That much oil sprayed all over, VC was under pressure, doesn't take much.
And knowing that, there can be a case made for that pressure also breaking the cover. I see it very clear that the crack is after the powder was applied. Had it been before it would have flowed into the crack slightly, be a little build up ridge, spiderweb.
Look at the pic I've attached.
The stock cover has the ports running through it. So air can pass through.
The VTT cover blocks them off. So that means the gasket around the ports now has to hold back that pressure. If it's stock boost, maybe it'll hold (I doubt it though). More than stock, it's going to piss oil everywhere; as you're seeing.
I looked over everything I could find, their site and the adverts/discussion on other forums. I didn't see any mention of needing to block the ports and I find that to be a grievous oversight on their part. Though maybe it's mentioned with the CNC cover, I didn't look into that one.
I also want to point out that both the stock cover and the VTT one have a similar design for a TQ sleeve on the cover. The problem with the VTT is the gasket thickness/protrusion. This may have been an oversight, maybe they used a smaller gasket for the initial design, maybe something shifted with the mold ... maybe they just didn't understand the gasket didn't need to be that thick. I can't say.
But you don't want the VC to contact the head directly. That will cause it to heat even more than it already does .... similar to what's been found with the fuel rail and phenolic.
Attachments
Ya, after I read into plugging the head ports I was thinking it could’ve been the culprit. The ports are plugged now, so we’ll see if everything goes smooth this time around. The funny thing is there was no mention of plugging those ports until I bought their dual catch cans. There should definitely be an alert/option to add the kit when buying the valve cover versus the billet Cc’s....I was told that there wouldn’t have been enough pressure to crack the VC and that the only reason it happened is from over tightening. I’m still confused as to how the crack came to be, since I know I barely torqued it down.
I put the new gasket on the VC and tightened it down, but not as much as the last time. Got the fel-pro gasket this time around, since it seems to be a bit thicker and more robust. Will finish installing the diff tomorrow then I can finally take it out for a spin.
@martymil still waiting for you to answer the questions about your involvement in making cast parts in the past. I can keep asking this in this thread and asking for your experience in every other thread I see you post in until you either answer or stop posting all together. I’d prefer you just answer so we can all be on the same page about what you have experience with and what you don’t since you are always making statements like you know everything and have decades of experience doing it all because your son is a lawyer and you own a business...
@The Convert
I don't give a shit and yes I'm so embarrassed buahahahaha.
How little you know what I have done or accomplished but I don't need to blow my own horn as I'm not looking for acknowledgement.
As far as I'm concerned your not worth my time and effort on a publicity whore like you.
You been set to the ignore list.
I don't give a shit and yes I'm so embarrassed buahahahaha.
How little you know what I have done or accomplished but I don't need to blow my own horn as I'm not looking for acknowledgement.
As far as I'm concerned your not worth my time and effort on a publicity whore like you.
You been set to the ignore list.
Last edited:
