[MidtownMike]

Just found this "upgrade" for the plastic cracktastic OE OFH via a local supplier at € 299. Has anybody tried it? Is this a rebrand of the Chinese aluminum OFH which are available on AliExpress for 40-50 euros, or is this an original higher quality product?

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EIGnRFQ

https://a.aliexpress.com/_ExGl6Rw

[MidtownMike]

'Sup y'all? Nobody knows anything about ÜRO Parts quality?

Aluminum OFH sounds like a well needed upgrade, but ÜRO sounds like urologist, so just to make sure they don't poke an oily finger in your sphincter and milk your money prostate for some rebranded Chinese crap and fancy YouTube videos.

[F32Fleet]

Avoid URO.

[MidtownMike]

Originally Posted by F32Fleet

Avoid URO.

I respect your opinion/advice bro.
Care to elaborate?

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by MidtownMike

I respect your opinion/advice bro.
Care to elaborate?

They always seem to be the cheapest and afaik they're not an OEM supplier for BMW.

[inkatouring]

The URO part is likely higher quality than the cheap Chinese knock off. The review in one of the links you supplied says it's low quality and at that price how can it not be? URO is not the best of the aftermarket manufacturers but not a blanket "to be avoided" as some say. If mine failed, I'd use the URO replacement over OEM BMW plastic or the Ali knock off. My 2 cents.

[MidtownMike]

Originally Posted by F32Fleet

They always seem to be the cheapest and afaik they're not an OEM supplier for BMW.

BMW OEM oil filter housing is made out of plastic and often cracks, mixing oil and coolant or leaving owners stranded. This is why I am interested in a quality aluminum upgrade. The fact that it's not OEM is not necessarily bad, as plastic OEM parts are often flimsy. I would be interested to understand more about the quality, whether URO manufactures this part themselves and whether anyone knows how it compares to Chinese aluminum OFH which sell at 1/6th of the price.

[MidtownMike]

Originally Posted by inkatouring

The URO part is likely higher quality than the cheap Chinese knock off. The review in one of the links you supplied says it's low quality and at that price how can it not be? URO is not the best of the aftermarket manufacturers but not a blanket "to be avoided" as some say. If mine failed, I'd use the URO replacement over OEM BMW plastic or the Ali knock off. My 2 cents.

Thanks man for chiming in.
The Chinese parts have been around for ages and the URO part only very recently as far as I can tell. That made me wonder who knocked off who, and whether URO might just be buying the Chinese parts and selling them at a huge markup.

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by MidtownMike

BMW OEM oil filter housing is made out of plastic and often cracks, mixing oil and coolant or leaving owners stranded. This is why I am interested in a quality aluminum upgrade. The fact that it's not OEM is not necessarily bad, as plastic OEM parts are often flimsy. I would be interested to understand more about the quality, whether URO manufactures this part themselves and whether anyone knows how it compares to Chinese aluminum OFH which sell at 1/6th of the price.

Ya I can understand why you would want a metal replacement. That being said I've been told that gaskets last longer when used with plastic parts and have you confirmed whether BMW has revised the housing for your engine?

[Billfitz]

If there is no OEM aluminum OFH then there can't be an aftermarket aluminum OFH from an OEM source. I'd be less concerned about who makes it than the warranty.

[MidtownMike]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

If there is no OEM aluminum OFH then there can't be an aftermarket aluminum OFH from an OEM source. I'd be less concerned about who makes it than the warranty.

While warranty is something to consider, warranty only covers the replacement of the part, and not the cost of the labor/time involved in replacing it, the coolant, oil and flush you might need if it fails, the flatbed truck you might need and the rental car while your F30 is incapacitated, and the lost time in which you could have done more fun things. This is why I am also concerned with the quality. My F30 is my one and only daily driver and I don't have my own heated workshop.

[space_2001]

My family and I all have B58 powered vehicles and don’t really have issues with the OFH on the engines.

Are you just being really conscious because I don’t think this part will fail castrophically like you’re implying. I know some of these plastic parts and that may seem concerning, but they are plastic for a reason.

Just because something’s metal doesn’t make it automatically better.

It’s difficult to cast the complex shape while retaining the integrity of every oil and coolant channel. Which is probably the reason they went with a plastic molded solution designed to withstand heat.

People often forget that B58’s run extremely hot by design and more so than most engines. The plastic components are designed with this in mind.

[Billfitz]

It takes faith in their product to offer a warranty, and the longer the warranty the more faith they have. Or just get the OEM product knowing from experience that it will fail.

[MidtownMike]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

It takes faith in their product to offer a warranty, and the longer the warranty the more faith they have. Or just get the OEM product knowing from experience that it will fail.

That may be true, but imagine you buy Chinese parts for 25-30 squid at a quantum discount and you sell them for 300 squid a pop. That means you can replace it 9 times under warranty and still make a profit. Would it be a problem for you to offer a lifetime warranty?
What I mean to say is that warranty isn't everything. Making a fancy video and giving a lifetime warranty isn't necessarily going to make the product any better if it's crap to start with.

[montr]

Originally Posted by space_2001

My family and I all have B58 powered vehicles and don’t really have issues with the OFH on the engines.

Are you just being really conscious because I don’t think this part will fail castrophically like you’re implying. I know some of these plastic parts and that may seem concerning, but they are plastic for a reason.

Just because something’s metal doesn’t make it automatically better.

It’s difficult to cast the complex shape while retaining the integrity of every oil and coolant channel. Which is probably the reason they went with a plastic molded solution designed to withstand heat.

People often forget that B58’s run extremely hot by design and more so than most engines. The plastic components are designed with this in mind.

My B48 OFH failed and dropped all the coolant on the pavement. Had to wait for 2 hours for the car to be towed to the dealer. Repair took 2 days and over $3K. It is a common occurrence for car over 50K miles according my SA. The plastic OFH get weak over time and fail.
The same thing happens to me previously with the plastic coolant hose, it failed but it was a small leak. The car was under warranty at that time. A year later, BMW issued a recall for that hose.

[MidtownMike]

Originally Posted by montr

My B48 OFH failed and dropped all the coolant on the pavement. Had to wait for 2 hours for the car to be towed to the dealer. Repair took 2 days and over $3K. It is a common occurrence for car over 50K miles according my SA. The plastic OFH get weak over time and fail.
The same thing happens to me previously with the plastic coolant hose, it failed but it was a small leak. The car was under warranty at that time. A year later, BMW issued a recall for that hose.

This proves that there clearly is a use for an upgraded OFH made from better materials. The question remains: does ÜRO offer the quality that doesn't leave you stranded or is it a rebrand of a low quality item?
I wish a well known German brand would make a heavy duty metal one.

[LA430]

When I had mine replaced I was looking into the metal one and the only thing I read somewhere was the mating surfaces may not be as flat as you need.

But I’m sure you could clean it up if needed and just check the flatness. I’d roll the dice on it.

[amancuso_]

Here is one by manufacturer "Rein" That FCP Euro is pushing. https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...g-rein-heu0115

[MidtownMike]

Originally Posted by amancuso_

Here is one by manufacturer "Rein" That FCP Euro is pushing. https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...g-rein-heu0115

Thanks! Seems like "Rein" is not available in Europe, which makes me doubt if they are a manufacturer. From the looks of it, it could also be a trading/marketing brand that sources parts from various manufacturers, imports in the US and prints a German sounding name on the box for profit$$$.
As far as I can tell, all these aluminum OFH (ÜRO, Rein) could be from the same factory in China that also sells via AliExpress, and there are some bad reviews on those.

It may seem as if I'm being uptight about this, but there is quite some hassle and labor involved in replacing OFH, and I want to make sure that the replacement part will hold up well, and won't leak, warp, crack or worse and that I won't have to replace it in the next years. Warranty only covers sending a new part and not all the labor, repatriation of the vehicle and fluids etc.