Leaks.

[jdstrickland]

My '05 3.0 leaks small drops, about the size of a quarter or half dollar. I'm going to pull the skid plate off or the bottom and look specifically at the right side front axle to see if the leak is the o-ring on the axle housing. I suspect it is.

Is this an easy job, or a royal pain in the a$$?

I swapped the entire suspension package on my E36, so I should have the tools for this job. I'm just not sure what I'm getting into since I haven't gotten a Bentley manual for my X5.

[admranger]

what kind of fluid is it? Oil, coolant, diff,... ?

[jdstrickland]

I'm pretty sure that it's Item 7 or Item 8 on this page, RealOEM.com - Online BMW Parts Catalog

I'm not really interested in diagnosing the leak, I can figure that part out easily. The only question is, what tips and tricks I might wish I knew when taking Item 14 off to get to Item 7, it that is indeed the leaking seal. I have looked up the front end leaks, and had recent service done on the driver side -- replaced the diff due to some nasty noises -- and the passenger side was leaking but I did not have them address it.

I'm pretty sure the o-ring is dried up and a leak has developed there. I need to investigate it, but that is the expected outcome of the looking around that I need to do.