Alternator Bolt Torque Spec_ E53 Water Cooled

[Millmo]

Does anyone know what the torque specs are for the water-cooled alternator on a 2003 e53 4.4L?

I just broke my second lower timing chain cover...

[Henn28]

They are M6 8.8 so I think the go in at 7.5 ft lbs, if I recall. Don’t have my Bentley book in front of me. Not very much at all tho. A little loctite never hurt either.

[noodlesandsam]

TIS calls for Purple Locktite - the lightest duty. I did them by feel on mine ( e38 M73 - Essentially the same part ). I put a new gasket in ( $6.50 at fcpeuro ), and no other sealing agent. no issues in 3000+ miles

[Henn28]

Just checked my Bentley bible and it calls for 10 NM (7.3 ftlbs) for M8 bolts at 8.8 grade.

[Millmo]

Awesome, thank you!

[Millmo]

Originally Posted by noodlesandsam

TIS calls for Purple Locktite - the lightest duty. I did them by feel on mine ( e38 M73 - Essentially the same part ). I put a new gasket in ( $6.50 at fcpeuro ), and no other sealing agent. no issues in 3000+ miles

Next question: does that gasket get pinched between the mating faces? Or does it slide down the walls of the alternator body?

Curious because it stands up rather than laying flat like a washer. The gasket that came with the alternator is too tight to lay flat (like a washer) on the mating faces so I dabbed it with super glue to get it to lay down…

[EODguy]

Originally Posted by Millmo

Next question: does that gasket get pinched between the mating faces? Or does it slide down the walls of the alternator body?



Curious because it stands up rather than laying flat like a washer. The gasket that came with the alternator is too tight to lay flat (like a washer) on the mating faces so I dabbed it with super glue to get it to lay down…

Uhmm...

Superglue eats/degrades many plastics, oil based substances or causes brittleness. If you see any whiteness or similar discoloration you may as well start over with a new gasket.

Sent from my SM-A730F using Tapatalk

[X5chemist]

Use Form-A-Gasket sealer instead. A little bottle can be found at parts stores. I like to dab non threaded areas of bolts. Any mating flat surface where a gasket will seal too. Works great on valve covers.

[Millmo]

Originally Posted by EODguy

Uhmm...

Superglue eats/degrades many plastics, oil based substances or causes brittleness. If you see any whiteness or similar discoloration you may as well start over with a new gasket.

Hmmm. I appreciate your feedback, but I'm not sure your statement is accurate. Have you ever used an o-ring splicing kit? You use superglue to splice the ends together. The whiteness is the hardened glue. But I will consider replacing considering

I believe the answer to the original question is that the ring gets pinched between the mating faces. I see on some alternator images that some alternators (like the original that came off the x5) have a small round o-ring that sits in a tiny groove. The oring that came with mine is like this:

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-bosch-pa...hoCdZ4QAvD_BwE

[Millmo]

Originally Posted by X5chemist

Use Form-A-Gasket sealer instead. A little bottle can be found at parts stores. I like to dab non threaded areas of bolts. Any mating flat surface where a gasket will seal too. Works great on valve covers.

Will do! Thank you.