New member from Kuwait

[Riba]

First of all let me introduce myself. I will take the liberty to copy a part of my introduction from another forum, as I am planning to make xoutpost my home. Seems to be more technically inclined.

I am originally from Croatia, but relocated to Middle East a while ago. Owning an european car here is a bad idea as the dealers love to charge you arm and leg for parts and service (gas cost is not an issue though), so being a DIY person I am planning to rely on myself, and with the support of the community forums such as this one it can even be an enjoyable experience.

Got a 2004 X5 3.0 with 100.000 miles on it and so far I am very happy with it:



Had two issues to sort out which I expected with a car of that age. First one was AC which died on me. That can be a bit of a problem in Kuwait. Based on what I read here I was already suspecting the auxillary fan (it was running erratically), but it turned out it was a leaky AC hose from compressor to condenser. Found a good shop which fixed the hose (as they local dealer had none in stock (!) ), replaced the O rings all around and the AC is nice and cold now. Just as AC was fixed, a rattling noise was coming from the front of the engine and they AC guy said he thinks it was the radiator fan clutch. Fortunately it wasn't - it was the alternator bearings. Pulled the alternator out by following the instructions found here, replaced the bearings and it is already back in. Let me tell you, working on this car is a pure joy compared to the Volvo I already own. Every single task on Volvo engine turns out into a project lasting several days filled with cursing. Everything is much more accessible here.

As usual when joining a forum as a new member I spent a few weeks reading to avoid asking questions that are already answered, but I do have a possibly stupid one. While working on the alternator I found out that I have leaks on the two hoses that run from the lower left side of the radiator towards the back of the vehicle. Is this the transmission fluid cooling line? Should I fix this asap, and is this something I can tackle myself? I am attaching two photos that illustrate the problem. Thanks to all who made this forum such an useful resource.

[Joshdub]

Welcome! Nice running boards. Your X5 looks nice.

[Riba]

Originally Posted by Joshdub

Welcome! Nice running boards. Your X5 looks nice.

It looks nicer on the photo than it really is. Sand dulls the color quickly.

As for the running boards - unfortunately "looking nice" is the only thing those are good for as they are positioned in such a way that makes them useless for getting in and out. They are mostly just in the way, at least from my experience.

[upallnight]

Most likely the o-rings for those connectors are shot. You will need to get a special tool to compress the connectors so that they will release from the radiator.

Here's how the special tool looks like.

[J.Belknap]

It is the transmission cooling, and you'll want to address that issue soon. Proper fluid levels are important and BMW TIS procedures must be followed when refilling the transmission. Basically, it involves warming up the fluid.

Welcome to the forum.

Oh, and how much is 1L of fuel where you are?

[four.8is]

Originally Posted by J.Belknap

Oh, and how much is 1L of fuel where you are?

I'm guessing water is more expensive than fuel in Kuwait

[bmw540san]

Dobro dosao,

I believe you know what that means as I'm originally from Bosnia (not to far from Karlovac). I've lived here in USA since 1996.

You probably know by now about realoem.com as that can help you to order those o rings for those leaky lines.

I'll be visiting Biograd Na Moru this summer. You anywhere close to it judging by your screen name?

[Riba]

Originally Posted by upallnight

Most likely the o-rings for those connectors are shot. You will need to get a special tool to compress the connectors so that they will release from the radiator.

Thanks for the tip! I think it is not just the O-ring, as the leaks seem to originate at the point where the flexible part of the hose connects to the rigd one. I'll probably need new ones.

Originally Posted by J.Belknap

It is the transmission cooling, and you'll want to address that issue soon. Proper fluid levels are important and BMW TIS procedures must be followed when refilling the transmission. Basically, it involves warming up the fluid.

Thanks for confirming my guess! I'll fix it as soon as possible.

Originally Posted by four.8is

I'm guessing water is more expensive than fuel in Kuwait

I believe a gallon is around $0.40, and yes, that makes it cheaper than water. At some point I had a car that was leaking coolant, and I used to top it up with water. I fixed it when I realized that I am spending more on water than gas per mile.

Originally Posted by bmw540san

Dobro dosao,

I believe you know what that means as I'm originally from Bosnia (not to far from Karlovac). I've lived here in USA since 1996.

I'll be visiting Biograd Na Moru this summer. You anywhere close to it judging by your screen name?

Hvala! I actually have family there, but living (or used to) up north in city of Rijeka.

[Joshdub]

Damn that is cheap gas. Meanwhile over here I get excited when I save 20 cents a gallon with rewards points to drop it just under 4 bucks.

[Riba]

Originally Posted by Joshdub

Damn that is cheap gas. Meanwhile over here I get excited when I save 20 cents a gallon with rewards points to drop it just under 4 bucks.

On the other hand, there is no fun way to consume it. All the roads are straight, and whichever direction you take you will hit a border within an hour.

I guess closest thing to have some fun while driving is to get a proper 4x4 and hit the desert.