Replacing Camshaft Seals?

[GOT8SPD]

Hi ya'll,

My BMW is leaking oil pretty bad, and I think it's coming from up top. I wanted to replace these two seals but i'm not sure how difficult it is going to be and if i needed any special tools?

The two seals are behind the cam shaft gear...


Part #5 and part #8 is what i'm looking to replace.


The back story is, my car had a leak where i'm losing around 3 qt of oil over a 3000 mile period. I found that my oil pan gasket was shit, so that got replaced. I also replaced my valve cover gasket and the 4 rocker plugs as well. I used all OE BMW parts. Now it looks like i'm leaking even more oil than before and I suspect its coming from the front of the engine.

I also have a leak BEHIND the engine, but i'm not sure what it's coming from? iwantspeed has told me that there's no seals back there, anyone have a picture?

[MoreMayhem]

Did you clean up the front of the engine before taking that picture? Mine was filthy from a camshaft seal oil leak. Or maybe yours is leaking so much oil that dirt doesn't have a chance to stick; it just gets washed off!
Anyway, it is pretty easy to replace. I followed the Bentley and a couple guides I found here and other places online. Front of the motor has been clean since, and many fewer oil drops on the floor of the garage.

[GOT8SPD]

Thanks for the input MoreMayhem. That was actually a photo I jacked from another thread. I just wanted to show the area that I was talking about.

I used to have a leak that would drip a few drops over night, but now it's losing so much oil that it drips down the front of the engine and then while driving, the oil slings backwards and gets all over my steering rack and it looks like it slings back to my cat on the exhaust!

[catech11]

remove 2 bolts, remove plate, take out o-ring and seal(can push it out but don't knick the edges), clean, reinstall with new seals

done.

[GOT8SPD]

While I have everything apart in front of the car...should I look at replacing any other seals that are easy to access like the camshaft seal?

[MoreMayhem]

The only other oil seals on the front are the crankshaft and intermediate shaft seals, I think. They're not as easy as the camshaft oil seals, but if they're leaking they've got to go too. Might as well do the oil pan gasket also, if you do those seals.

[GOT8SPD]

I've already done the oil pan gasket...I thought that was going to fix everything but apparently i have a leak somewhere else. I just don't want to take the front end apart and replace the camshaft seal and then turns out it's other seals that are leaking

[estoguy]

It's an easy job if you're already doing the timing belt. Use your hold belt to hold the cam gear in place.

[turbo55]

While I have everything apart in front of the car...should I look at replacing any other seals that are easy to access like the camshaft seal?

Not right at the front of the engine, but could be worthwhile changing the oil filter housing gaskets and seals while you're at it.

[MoreMayhem]

Oil filter housing gaskets is a good idea to look at too, and pretty easy to replace. If your car has an oil cooler, inspect the soft lines and fittings for leaks too.

[GOT8SPD]

OK so 4 months later, i'm finally doing this job. I have a question that is some what puzzling.

Part #8, the O-ring seal...as I'm taking everything apart, the engine actually doesn't even have part #8? is this even possible?

I put in a new camshaft seal part #5, does O-ring seal #8 go AROUND housing #4 (there was no seal there before), or does it go INSIDE the cylinder head, and then the camshaft seal housing butts up against seal #8.

AGAIN...when removing everything, o-ring seal #8 is not found. I don't know if this job has been done before and the previous owner didn't put it back in or what.

Thanks in advanced!

[crappycoco]

Looking at the diagram it should seat on part #4 - between the side that's facing the engine and the engine. Maybe the previous owner didn't put it there, which would explain your huge oil leak =)

[GOT8SPD]

Looking at the diagram it should seat on part #4 - between the side that's facing the engine and the engine. Maybe the previous owner didn't put it there, which would explain your huge oil leak =)

Actually...the diagram shows no information that the o-ring seal is seated over part #4. I think that it actually goes inside the cylinder head and that the o-ring seal seats directly behind the . If it's seated over part #4, then it will get "smashed/squished" as the part is tightened on to the cylinder head.

[101]

The o-ring definitely seats in a groove on part #4. Use a light coat of engine oil and move the seal housing (part #4) back and forth slowly while using light pressure to reinsert it into the cylinder head and it will stay in place.

Double check to make sure that the old o-ring is not adhering to the inside of the cylinder head. As crappycoco said, if that o-ring was indeed missing that would explain a large oil leak.

[87E30VERT]

I'm doing this job right now.