Thanks for the fantastic comments guys! As I have 8 BMWs in my family that I collect, restore, and maintain, I spend a LOT of time on the various forums at bimmerforums, but rarely get responses with the level of detail and enthusiasm for mundane things like this! So glad I signed up for xoutpost.com! Aside from my '01 X5 in my sig, I also maintain my wifes '15 X1, and my dad's '07 X3. I'm surprised I haven't signed up sooner.


Anyways, you all have given me a lot to think about for this coming Sunday, and my two new ACDelco seals just arrived a few minutes ago. The seal I destroyed came in a different baggie, but appear to be identical to these new ones. The seal I messed up got torn in the center ring BTW, hence my initial belief that it was the shaft that was giving me the problem (keeping in mind I was using the crappy seal insertion tool with a small orange plastic hammer). I will be sure to take a close look at the shaft before the next round of fun. Can't wait to call this one good and then powerwash all the damn ATF off the driveway so my wife stops yelling! I have a pan under it now BTW, and not surprisingly, it leaks about the same rate as with the old seal, no more, no less!

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2005 BMW E53 X5 3.0i Sport (Sterling Grey) w/ full OEM Aero
2001 BMW E53 X5 3.0i Sport (Oxford Green) SOLD

2006 MINI Cooper S R53 JCW Checkmate (Space Blue) w/Aero
2006 MINI Cooper S R53 JCW (Space Blue) w/Aero
2006 MINI Cooper S R53 JCW (Space Blue)