Time to get started and found this

[Court M3]

First pic is after I took off the valve cover which covered with silicone around the edges. Engine clean inside except for the oil in the spark plug recesses :(

Also how did you get rid of all the rust on the cylinder head?

[bmwpower]

You mean on the block? The head shouldn't be rusted, it's aluminum. :)

Sand blast...carefully?

[surebimmer]

Oil in the spark plug holes mean you need to replace the valve cover gasket.

Sandblast the block to get rid of the surface rust. And then paint the block your fav. Color.

[PiercedE30]

+1 to what has been said. Oil in the plug holes is from the VC gasket. Take some rough grit sand paper to the block if you don't have access to a sand blaster.

[BDSax]

oil in the plug holes is no big deal. on the block, use Navel Jelly found in walmart or any auto parts store. look at my m50 thread to see what it did.

[1990m3]

I used a wire wheel attachment on my drill to clean off the block.

[surebimmer]

oil in the plug holes is no big deal.

Oil in the spark plug hole can short to coil and cause the spark plug not to fire. So oil in the spark plugs hole's can cause misfires. I guess that's no big deal to you. But a valve cover gasket is cheap and easy to replace.

[BDSax]

Oil in the spark plug hole can short to coil and cause the spark plug not to fire. So oil in the spark plugs hole's can cause misfires. I guess that's no big deal to you. But a valve cover gasket is cheap and easy to replace.

thats pretty much what i ment, what did you think i ment to leave it in there?

[surebimmer]

thats pretty much what i ment, what did you think i ment to leave it in there?

Ya I thought you we're saying that he should just leave it, and not fix the leak. My bad.

[gazellebeigem3]

I used a wire wheel attachment on my drill to clean off the block.

same. I also used a wire brush to access some harder to reach areas.

[Jason89i]

looks like a rebuilt head / newer vanos....but chains, cam towers look original. whats the story on the motor? jason

[Court M3]

got it used off a member from e30tech. 160k miles.