Elring VCG Failure

[duperdog]

Just need to vent. Did valve adjustments in 2020 and replaced VCG with Elring kit and it's already leaking after 7k miles around almost the entire valve cover. So far no significant drop in oil level so it's more an annoyance from the smell.

Ok, thanks for listening. Ordering Genuine BMW replacement, but not all the other seals/grommets are available as genuine. Is it ok to use OEM for those?

[Irhase46m3]

Just need to vent. Did valve adjustments in 2020 and replaced VCG with Elring kit and it's already leaking after 7k miles around almost the entire valve cover. So far no significant drop in oil level so it's more an annoyance from the smell.

Ok, thanks for listening. Ordering Genuine BMW replacement, but not all the other seals/grommets are available as genuine. Is it ok to use OEM for those?

Had the same issue, except mine failed at 5k, started leaking behind the block where the two half moons are.

ordered a bmw gasket, maintained the same seals gormmets from the elrig kit, all is well. Been 3k miles now since the change.

hope this helps!

[usdmej]

my elring failed prematurely as well

[y2k_o__o]

Had the same issue, except mine failed at 5k, started leaking behind the block where the two half moons are.

ordered a bmw gasket, maintained the same seals gormmets from the elrig kit, all is well. Been 3k miles now since the change.

hope this helps!

how many miles did it take to get rid of the smell after the BMW Genuine gasket?
I am on the same boat.. Geniune gasket + elring grommet and seal ( I also ditched the elring VCG)
but still have the burning smell after 120miles

[cobra]

Yup mine leaked too.
Got a new one and was SUPER DUPER careful installing it and used more sealant than normal. Holding up so far, but only been about 1k miles.

[Slideways]

how many miles did it take to get rid of the smell after the BMW Genuine gasket?
I am on the same boat.. Geniune gasket + elring grommet and seal ( I also ditched the elring VCG)
but still have the burning smell after 120miles

If it leaked oil on the the header/cats, then that will need to be cleaned with soap/degreaser. Good time to clean the engine bay.

[jet_dogg]

Man that's brutal.

[c watson]

This happened to me more than once. The mechanics kept saying “elring is OEM”. I didn’t get it right until an OEM from the dealer part was ordered and installed.

[Xmetal]

Just need to vent. Did valve adjustments in 2020 and replaced VCG with Elring kit and it's already leaking after 7k miles around almost the entire valve cover. So far no significant drop in oil level so it's more an annoyance from the smell.

Ok, thanks for listening. Ordering Genuine BMW replacement, but not all the other seals/grommets are available as genuine. Is it ok to use OEM for those?

If you can't find BMW seals/grommets, make sure to use a quality substitute. I cheap out with aftermarket grommets from ECS the last go around with Genuine BMW VCG thinking it shouldn't leak from those grommet areas. Guess where my oil leak came from other than the VCG? So, it's all BMW OE VCG seals/grommets for me from now on.

This happened to me more than once. The mechanics kept saying “elring is OEM”. I didn’t get it right until an OEM from the dealer part was ordered and installed.

This may be true for some models, but definitely not for the S54. Here's how my scenario went:
BMW gasket/grommets - No leak
Valve adjustment using Elring kit - Leak after a couple thousand miles.
Replaced it with a BMW gasket/grommets - No leak

KAIV who did my valve adjustment had done lots of these and he basically said that those Elring kits are a hit or miss. Some leak and others don't...not sure what's the correlation.

[WestBankM4]

Is it true you can remove the OEM VCG and reuse it again after a few thousand miles if you're opening the valve cover prematurely to replace/fix something?

[bmwfnatic]

Is it true you can remove the OEM VCG and reuse it again after a few thousand miles if you're opening the valve cover prematurely to replace/fix something?

Of course

[Kdubski]

Had my motor out in 2020. Used an elring head gasket kit for seals and gaskets, that includes the VCG. Within 3k miles startes to leak so much I was getting oil on my garage floor. Made me sweat thinking it was a much bigger problem than it was!

Switched to genuine bmw and leak free since.

[usdmej]

Is it true you can remove the OEM VCG and reuse it again after a few thousand miles if you're opening the valve cover prematurely to replace/fix something?

yea the BMW vcg is now made out of viton rubber and is considered a lifetime (reusable) part. personally i'll probably swap with new next time the valve cover comes off. my bar is set low at leak free operation, i dont' want to push it beyond that.

[ChapterM3]

OP sorry to hear this, Elring clearly has issues with these VCG's - had the same thing happen to mine, as well as many others who chimed in about the same thing in this thread - https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...-gasket-solved

[Chas3n]

I'll add to the data point of failed elring VSG within 2,500 miles/2 years

Checked mine last night as I occasionally smell a light oil burn. It's seeping.

Ordering an OE one and being done with it


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