BMW M52TU / M54 Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Kit

Stop one of the most common oil leaks on BMW M52TU and M54 engines with our Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Kit. Manufactured by a high-quality OE supplier, this kit includes the valve cover perimeter gasket and spark plug tube seals needed to properly reseal the cylinder head cover.

BMW M52TU and M54 valve cover gaskets are notorious for becoming hard and brittle after years of heat cycles. Once the gasket begins to fail, oil commonly leaks down the exhaust side of the cylinder head, creating a mess around the engine and potentially producing a burning-oil smell or smoke as oil reaches hot exhaust components.

The spark plug tube seals are another common failure point. When these seals deteriorate, engine oil can collect inside the spark plug wells around the ignition coils and spark plugs. Left unaddressed, this can contribute to misfires, ignition coil problems, contaminated spark plug boots, and premature ignition component failure.

If you're already removing the valve cover for a VANOS rebuild, timing service, spark plug replacement, or other engine repair, it's an ideal time to replace these aging seals.

Kit Includes

• Valve Cover Perimeter Gasket
• Spark Plug Tube Seals
• High-quality OE supplier components
• Direct replacement for the original BMW gasket set

Replaces BMW Part Number

11120030496

BMW lists 11120030496 as a cylinder-head-cover profile gasket set and notes that it superseded the earlier 11129070990 gasket set.

Common Symptoms of a Leaking Valve Cover Gasket

A failing M52TU/M54 valve cover gasket can cause:

• Oil leaking down the side of the cylinder head
• Oil leaks around the exhaust side of the engine
• Burning oil smell
• Smoke from oil reaching hot exhaust components
• Oil collecting around the spark plugs
• Oil contamination around the ignition coils
• Engine misfires
• Increased engine oil consumption
• Visible oil residue around the valve cover

Because these engines are now decades old, valve cover gasket replacement should be considered a normal maintenance repair rather than an unusual failure.

Important Installation Note — RTV Required at Key Areas

When installing the new gasket, we recommend using a small amount of high-temperature black RTV at the specified transition areas and half-moon sections at the front and rear of the cylinder head.

Do not coat the entire valve cover gasket in RTV. The sealant should only be applied at the appropriate joints and transition points where additional sealing is required.

Always clean the cylinder head and valve cover sealing surfaces thoroughly before installing the new gasket.

Perfect for a VANOS Service

The valve cover must be removed for many M52TU and M54 VANOS repairs, making this an excellent preventative-maintenance item to replace while you're already there.

If the existing gasket is old, hardened, or showing signs of leakage, reinstalling it can mean taking everything apart again shortly afterward. A fresh valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seals allow you to properly reseal the top of the engine during your VANOS service.

Fitment Guide

This gasket design is used across BMW's M52TU and M54 Dual VANOS inline-six engine families. Note that BMW part number 11120030496 is the later BMW part number and is cataloged from 09/2002, superseding 11129070990, so production-date-specific OE numbering can differ on earlier M52TU/M54 applications.

BMW's catalog confirms applications for chassis including the E46, E39, E60/E61, E65/E66, E53, E83, and E85, while model and production-date availability varies by market.

Engine Fitment

Compatible with applicable versions of:

• M52TUB20
• M52TUB25
• M52TUB28
• M54B22
• M54B25
• M54B30

Important Fitment Note

BMW used different part-number revisions during M52TU/M54 production. BMW 11120030496 is cataloged as the later replacement gasket set beginning 09/2002 and supersedes 11129070990.

If you're selling this aftermarket OE-supplier kit as compatible with all M52TU and M54 engines, we recommend customers verify their engine code and production date before ordering, particularly on early-production vehicles.

Fix the Leak While You're Already in There

Whether you're chasing an existing oil leak or already have the valve cover removed for a Dual VANOS rebuild, replacing the valve cover gasket and spark plug tube seals is inexpensive preventative maintenance that can save you from doing the job twice.

Keep the oil inside the engine and out of the spark plug wells with a fresh, high-quality OE-supplier gasket set.