BMW S54 Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Kit — 11127832034

Properly reseal the top of your S54 with our BMW S54 Valve Cover Gasket Replacement Kit. This complete service kit includes the main valve cover gasket, all six spark plug tube seals, and all 15 rubber valve cover grommets needed to reseal the valve cover on one S54 engine.

Valve cover gasket leaks are extremely common as these engines age. Years of heat cycles cause the original rubber gasket and seals to harden, shrink, and eventually lose their ability to properly seal the valve cover.

On the BMW S54 inline-six, oil commonly leaks from the lower, exhaust side of the cylinder head. When that oil reaches the hot exhaust manifold, it can produce the familiar burning-oil smell associated with a failed BMW valve cover gasket. 

Complete Kit — Everything You Need

This kit includes the major rubber sealing components that should be replaced when removing and reinstalling the S54 valve cover:

• 1 Valve Cover Gasket
• 6 Spark Plug Tube Seals
• 15 Rubber Valve Cover Grommets

BMW's parts catalog specifies one 11127832034 perimeter/profile gasket and six separate spark plug tube seals for the S54 valve cover. The cover also uses 15 rubber mounting seals in total. 

BMW Part Number

Main valve cover gasket replaces:

11127832034

Why Do S54 Valve Cover Gaskets Leak?

The valve cover gasket is continuously exposed to engine heat, oil, and repeated heating and cooling cycles. Over time, the rubber loses its flexibility and becomes hard and brittle.

Once the gasket can no longer conform to the sealing surfaces, engine oil begins to seep past it.

Common symptoms include:

• Burning-oil smell from the engine bay
• Burning-oil smell entering the cabin
• Oil leaking down the exhaust side of the engine
• Visible oil around the valve cover
• Smoke from oil contacting the exhaust
• Oil collecting in the spark plug wells
• Oil contamination around ignition coils
• Increased engine oil consumption
• Rough running or misfires in more severe cases

Don't Forget the Spark Plug Tube Seals

The six spark plug tube seals are just as important as the outer valve cover gasket.

When these seals become hard and begin leaking, oil can enter the spark plug wells and collect around the spark plugs and ignition coils. Leaving this condition unaddressed can contaminate ignition components and potentially contribute to rough running and misfires.

Our kit includes all six seals, allowing you to properly reseal every spark plug tube while the valve cover is removed.

15 New Valve Cover Grommets Included

Don't install a fresh valve cover gasket and reuse decades-old rubber grommets.

The S54 uses 15 rubber sealing grommets at the valve cover mounting points. These grommets are subjected to the same heat and aging as the main gasket and can become hard, flattened, or cracked over time. BMW's S54 valve cover arrangement uses 13 of one rubber seal design plus two additional rubber seals, for 15 total. 

This kit includes all 15, allowing you to refresh the complete valve cover sealing system at once.

Perfect for an S54 VANOS or Valve Adjustment Service

The S54 valve cover must be removed for several common maintenance and repair procedures, including VANOS service and valve clearance adjustment.

BMW S54 valve adjustment service requires access underneath the valve cover, making this gasket kit a smart item to have on hand whenever you're performing that maintenance.

If the existing gasket has already been through years of heat cycles, there's little reason to reinstall old hardened rubber after you've already done the work to remove the valve cover.

Important Installation Note

Make sure all remnants of the previous gasket and sealant are completely removed from the mating surfaces before installing the new gasket.

Both the valve cover and cylinder head sealing surfaces should be clean, dry, and free of old gasket material, oil, and debris before reassembly.

A small amount of oil-resistant high-temperature RTV should be used only at the appropriate seams where the VANOS/timing cover meets the cylinder head, not around the entire gasket.

S54 Fitment Guide

This kit fits BMW models equipped with the S54B32 3.2-liter inline-six engine. The primary applications are the E46 M3, late-production Z3 M, and E85/E86 Z4 M.

Important Z3 M Fitment Note

Earlier North American Z3 M Roadsters and M Coupes were equipped with the S52 engine and use a different valve cover gasket.

This kit is specifically for the later S54-powered 2001–2002 Z3 M Roadster and M Coupe.

Replace It While You're Already in There

Whether you're fixing an existing oil leak, performing a valve adjustment, or rebuilding the VANOS system, removing the S54 valve cover gives you the perfect opportunity to refresh the entire sealing system.

With the main valve cover gasket, six spark plug tube seals, and all 15 rubber grommets included, this kit gives you the parts needed to properly reseal your S54 without reusing old, heat-hardened rubber.