I'm beginning to think it is the valley pan gasket and they just see the coolant leaking down through the bell housing... I'd ask for the shop foreman to confirm the diagnosis before you approve the work done as you suspect the valley pan and/or rear coolant accumulator manifold, neither of which calls for transmission removed.

Here's a link to the rear coolant accumulator, which should be removed to do the valley pan anyways. It goes from the back of one head to the other.

RealOEM.com * BMW E53 X5 4.4i COOLING SYSTEM PIPE

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X5 pics

RIP 4.6is.....

2003 4.6is