IS YOUR BMW V8 BURNING OIL? IS YOUR BMW SMOKING?
Many BMW drivers that own a 545i, 550i, 645i, 650i, 745i, 745li, 750i, 750li, X5 made between ’03-’10, or any BMW with the V8 N62 engine, experience excessive smoke coming from the exhaust tail-pipe following a lengthy idle. This is due to worn valve stem seals and it’s one thing that all owners of these vehicles fear.
Most people ask how they can prevent this from happening. Unfortunately, it cannot be prevented, but regular oil services every 5K miles will prolong this repair. When you see smoke with a blue hue coming from the exhaust within 10-15 minutes after the car is started, it’s time to replace your seals. Most dealerships charge upwards of $10,000 to replace the valve stem seals. As a BMW specialist, we can do it for much less. And if you are not sure about the valve stem seals being a problem on your car, just start it up and let it idle for 10 minutes or so. Then put the pedal to the metal and watch for smoke from behind the car!
FIXING THE PROBLEM
The great news is that we have special tools we can use as independent BMW specialists to cut down on cost and keep the car reliably on the road. And once it’s fixed, it’s fixed! There are 32 seals (4 for each valve) that get replaced to improve rough idle conditions, alleviate smoke, prevent oil consumption, prevent damage to the catalytic converters (a very expensive repair if they are damaged), and correct some (specific) check engine light faults.
The other great news is when replacing the valve stem seals, other oil leaks and future coolant leaks can be corrected at the same time for a fraction of the price, saving you even more money on repairs! This includes replacing the valve cover gaskets and resealing VANOS solenoids.
This is only one of many specialized repairs we can perform as BMW specialists. Have any questions? Contact us office to speak with a Service Advisor about your BMW.
