2005 x5 4.8is engine whine all the time.

[SlickGT1]

Originally Posted by Budget M3

Same symptoms as I am having. It sounds like it is coming from underneath my feet. Torque converter makes sense, too, since it is spinning with engine speed, even in park or neutral.

Is it possible to replace the TC without touching the transmission (or is the labor about the same)? Is it even wise to replace only the TC or will that just amplify any hidden transmission issues? I found a source who will rebuild my trans and include a new TC for a reasonable price so am tempted to just bite the bullet and do both at once. However, I am conflicted about spending that kind of $ on a truck that has almost 200k on the clock. This would be an easier decision if I did not like this vehicle so much--luxurious, comfortable, tough, towing capacity, etc.

No you have to remove the trans to do the torque converter. Which will involve removing a lot of stuff. The labor to drop the trans is quite high, so my logic is telling me to get the rebuild at the same time if it comes down to dropping the trans.

I'm confused as well. Other than this stupid whine, everything else seems fine. So I sort of don't want to mess with it for now. I also have a feeling that any trans shop I go to, will tell me whatever they want to get the business. Don't really know any shops around Brooklyn / NYC that are reputable. My previous cars were 3 series and Lexus. Both never had any issues with the trans, so this is new territory.

I am going to hold off for a bit as far as going to a trans shop. I'm going to do more research before I go. And will just pay attention to the noise to see if anything changes.