Dropped the pan and found this!?!

[MatRacer]

Juste removed my oil pan to get it fixed and found what really looks like head bolt washer and a unknown plastic part broken from something... I did a head gasket job on this engine so lets say that the whasher could be from that job...but what about the plastic part? what could it be?

[ForcedFirebird]

Piece of the valve cover gasket that goes over the spark plug hole and center bolts.

EDIT: Part # 11120034107

[MatRacer]

It seem hard for a gasket... there is also a metal insert in it. It's made of plastic... nut rubber

[ForcedFirebird]

It seem hard for a gasket... there is also a metal insert in it. It's made of plastic... nut rubber

Envoyé de mon SM-G903W en utilisant Tapatalk

Yeah, that's what happens to those interior gaskets with heat cycles and being soaked in oil - they get rock hard and leak. That is the piece of the gasket that goes around the center bolts. Seen it more times than I can count in all the 24v engines. They are very hard to scrape/chip off and pieces fly everywhere.

[MatRacer]

Yeah, that's what happens to those interior gaskets with heat cycles and being soaked in oil - they get rock hard and leak. That is the piece of the gasket that goes around the center bolts. Seen it more times than I can count in all the 24v engines. They are very hard to scrape/chip off and pieces fly everywhere.

Than makes sense !

Regarding the head bolt washer, I lifted the valve cover and it looks like the washer from the front right bolt is missing... so I must have dropped it when installing the head bolts... lucky it did not damage anything...

Now, can I just remove the bolt and put it back with the washer? Should I use a new bolt? Since it's a bolt located on the corner, does it cause any additional concern removing it?

Thanks!

[ForcedFirebird]

Seeing that BMW had a head bolt recall and required the bolts to be changed out one at a a time in proper sequence, and it's a corner bolt, you probably will be fine to change it out and put the washer back in. Technically the bolt should be replaced, but don't believe you can purchase a single.

[MatRacer]

Yeah, I will have to buy a set...

Thanks for the good info!!!

[Matt-B]

I also had a friend discover 1 of these, and he had lost his drain plug, so so needed 1 of those rubber temp plugs, and that had similar rubber bits. but most likely its gasket

[M3PO]

Fun oil pan surprises are the best! Last time mine had a zip tie and timing time guide shrapnel lol

[Todd Black 88]

That's nothing!
A buddy works for BMW and he has pulled a belt out of the oil pan of an X6!


Twice!

Apparently it gets sucked in through the front oil seal.

[IceWhite]

^Common on the N54 motors.