I have the worst luck!

[mikes123]

Originally Posted by Doru

You can see if the sealing sleeve is leaking just by crawling under the car - it's in the back, pass side corner of the tranny and up.

Concerning the misfires, you said you owned a few BMW's before. So do I (I still have them). I know 100% that for the inlines, when the car wasn't run for a while, and if it'sparked in a cold environment, you can get the misfires, and then the CEL lights up. Then, you turn off the engine and re-start, and the car acts like nothing ever happened. It might have something to do with engine management, and it cuts off fuel supply, then once the engine is re-started, and the cylinders are bit warmer, they don't act anymore. Weird but true. Maybe the v8's have something similar going...Never happened to my X

Well the misfire did go away after I parked the X in the garage and turned my little electric heater on to warm it up. I went ahead and swapped coils 4 and 8 for 7 and 3. I just need to let it sit in the cold for a couple of days and see if it comes back.

[mikes123]

Originally Posted by Chad800xt

I recently had to rebuild my 5spd zf trans, I did the removal and reinstall myself. Pretty easy if you have done this sort of work before, nothing out of the normal.
Took me about 4 hours to take it out and about 4 back in, drinking beer and not rushing. Costs were $1200 for parts and fluid (all zf factory parts and fluid, seal kit, steels and friction disks) torque converter was expensive at $700 and I payed a local shop $900 to perform the overhaul. Hope this gives u a little insight

Ok multi-quoting for me is not working for some reason. Glad you shared this. That is not too bad. Last year I removed the transmission in my e39 M5 to do a clutch job and change out the RMS. I also have removed the transmission on my previous B5 S4 which was even more difficult, so I might give this a shot. Depends on how much it will save me. Do you have to replace the torque converter? Was it bad or is it just necessary to replace if you are rebuilding the transmission?

[mikes123]

Originally Posted by David.X5

I've called ZF (they have a US office - Connecticut I think) asking about the tranny for a 4.4i. The guy said list was $3600 but almost instantly offered it for $3k. That's with the torque converter and filled with factory fluid. They require a rebuild able core be returned.

Not such a bad deal. Mine has been behaving (knock on wood) since a fluid/filter change.

Thanks for sharing that too. Big price difference from what BMW charges.


And no extended warranty, the previous owner had one but it only had a month left so it wasn't worth to transfer it.

[Ismael.Girado.1]

Well, i finance a 2008 X5 4.8 and i ran into a head gasket leak as well as a coolant leak. Always have to put coolant in on a regular basis. Oil about once every two weeks. I was told about thermagasket. Wanting to see if anybody can give me some positive and true experience with the thermagasket kits please. Bmw wants me to pay $6100.00 for the repair, i really don't have that. So i was told about THERMAGASKET. Looking for positive imput and if i shoulld risk trying the THERMAGASKET.

[David.X5]

You should start a new post as this is a new topic. Unless you are a marketing-spam-bot.

I don't know anyone that believes in those "miracle" sealants. They often are the kiss of death as it makes a proper rebuild even more expensive and unlikely.

I would start by trying to find a reputable independent shop. That cost seems high for just head gaskets. Definitely worth another opinion.

And, remember, you have bought a very high performance vehicle. Expenses like that are likely to happen from time to time. If it is financially impossible for you, probably should look for a lower maintenance vehicle.

[X5rolls]

Good luck, hopefully the new fluid and filter are the fix foe many miles.

Originally Posted by David.X5

That was rebuilt by ZF... I don't think you can get new ones from anyone - I am pretty sure the $7k (tranny+TC) dealer units are rebuilt also.

I was happy to hear this, too, - I am not looking forward to such an expense, but at least I know that I don't have to worry about the cost of the tranny causing me to junk the car.

I didn't do it in the end, as the filter&fluid change solved my problems, so I don't know how they deal with the different versions and computers, etc.


I just looked up the phone number I saved. My memory wasn't exactly correct - I spoke to a US based "ZF authorized distributor". They did not answer email. They were helpful on the phone.

Eriksson Industries, division of Wentworth Engineering Inc.
146 B Elm Street
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
800-388-4418
860-395-0047 Fax
[email protected]

[mikes123]

Originally Posted by Doru

Mike, here are my thoughts - sorry if I repeat what other members suggested (I didn't read through the answers).

I noticed you have GT1, by the screenshots. Now, go into TIS and see how to replace the air bags (rear). I know I did it a few months ago. BMW is very peculiar about how to remove the air lines and how to re-install them. You said the air bags are new. So my take is that whoever changed the airbags, either over tightened the air lines (TIS mentions 4 Nm if I'm not mistaken, which is very little - and if the nut is over tightened, it might leak) and you might need to replace some parts (minor $$$), or when re-installing them, the air lines were dirty, and the smallest amount of debris will do it. So you need to open the TIS, and inspect the air connections. Inspect thoroughly #15 and #2 in this diagram

Bingo! I suspected this might be the issue before you mentioned it, but when you replied I went out today since it was a little warmer and checked that fitting (#15) and saw this after I sprayed it with soapy water.

image by MikeandGabby, on Flickr

It looks like the bubbles are coming from the bottom of the nut.

So will I need to just replace part #15?


Or will I need to replace the reservoir and/or line as well?

[itscoo2pyopants]

Beautiful x5 and good luck with the repairs. Sounds like you are already solving some of the problems. Things come up but it's nice to have a community to get advice from. Makes owning these types of vehicles fun and affordable

[bcredliner]

Mike123

What you need buy depends on where it is leaking. I suggest doing the soap test again to pinpoint the leak. Start at the base. If no leak there move up to the hose nut and then test where the hose goes into the nut. Most likely place it is leaking is at the base of the nut. I suspect the O ring is distorted because the nut is too tight. You may be able to loosen the nut and then secure it again with less torque to cure the leak if that is the case.

[upallnight]

Looks like whoever did the job forgot or lost the compression fitting that goes into the plastic line and they screwed the fitting and plastic line back into the reservoir. Look at item 15 in your diagram it shows two pieces, the fitting and the compression fitting that goes on at the end of the plastic line.