E30 318i M40: Camshaft and valve condition

I whipped the rocker cover off to check if there was a dropped valve or broken spring that might be contributing to the poorly idle, but no such defect found. In fact, this has to be one of the cleanest top ends I have ever seen. Nice!

E46 Clubsport: Nathan's split rubber + other issues.

More big spending as the Clubsport gets back on the road with a new MOT, starting with 4 new Maxxis tyres for the refurbed split-rims. It's been running a bit rough, but as he started it for the first time in a month it ran a bit worse and began producing a lot of white / blue smoke from the exhaust. Fearing the head-gasket he started dismantling and found it was just one of the profile-gaskets in the rocker-cover [16 in the bottom diagram] was split and hadn't seated in the head properly the last time it was replaced and was allowing oil to spill down into the chamber and was causing the smoke. This, he assures us, is a common problem in 6-cylinder BMW petrols and had nothing to do with any 'engine-weld' products he may have also added. Never the less, with a new rubber-gasket the smoke has ceased. During the job he found the rubber intake hose was also split in two places, clearly contributing to the lack of smooth acceleration suffered since he got it, so he treated the 330 to a new one of these as well.

The MOT threw up borderline high emissions, which was waved, and both front lower ball-joints were knackered. These are usually replaced as a whole control-arm, so that's what was done and finally the Clubsport is back on the road, looking and sounding as it should with better pull and a really raspy vanos exhaust note. Next up comes replacing the lower bumper splitter sorely missing from the front end.

E60: Removing Acoustic Engine-Covers for 6-Cyl. Diesels [525d, 530d, 535d]

Engine Acoustic Covers:

1. Remove the five screws holding the main engine-cover using a 5mm allen-key or male-hex socket and lift it off. The screws are located one either side at the front and rear and the fifth next to the PAS fluid cap.

2. Remove the left and right pollen-filter from the plastic panels by popping off the metal-clip and undoing the plastic nut with the arrow a 1/4 turn using a 13mm socket.

3. Disconnect the wiring connector for the 'bonnet-open' switch, located on the left hand plastic heater-duct in front of the pollen-filter.

4. Remove the left and right plastic air-duct panels from the back of the engine-bay under the windscreen by undoing the plastic nuts with the arrow a 1/4 turn using a 13mm socket. The nuts are located one either side under the pollen-filter and one in the middle joining both panels.

5. Remove the strut-brace by undoing the bolt holding on either side holding it to the suspension turrets and the two in the middle using an E12 double-hex or star socket.

6. Remove the two screws holding the rear engine-cover, one either side, using a 5mm male-hex socket or Allen-key and lift it off.

Air-box Housing / Air-Filter Inlet: