Well, that is amazing.

If you do the pan, don't you have to pull the halfshafts? If so, that opens a "since I am already here and it's apart..." can of worms.
So you took the whole subframe off, motor mounts and all? Took the entire driveline along on that little skid you made?

I wonder if it would be an easier process to do this on a 3.0.

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2001 E53 3.0 5pd