Transfer Case Compatability (3.0/4.4 2000-2003 NV125)
 

I'm finding conflicting information online about transfer case interchange between the 3.0 and 4.4 transfer cases from 2000 to mid 2003.

Some places seem to list them as interchangeable between the 3.0 and 4.4.

Others seem to indicate a difference between the two.

Cobra doesn't list two different ones in their listings, neither does this Ebay seller:

BMW x5 Transfer Case 2000 2003 Remanufactured 1 Year Warranty 100 Tested | eBay

Yet some online parts catalogs list two different versions for them:

http://www.partswebsite.com/bmwparts...20145&fl_id=43

Can anyone confirm one way or the other with certainty?

I have a 4.4, but finding a re-buildable core from a 3.0 seems quite a bit easier.

Thanks!

Seeing that the 3.0 uses a GM trans and a 4.4 uses a ZF trans, I don't think that you can just swap them out. Perhaps some of the internals may be the same but the case itself is probably not the same.

This is why I asked, "Can anyone confirm one way or the other with certainty?"

For future reference, if anyone runs into this issue in the future: The NV125 is used in both the 3.0 and the 4.4 (00-mid 03), and are interchangeable.

My issues are taken care of, but I still wanted to get to the bottom of this, as transfer cases out of the 3.0 (even though the same) are seemingly much easier to find.

Base on Realoem the transfer case with the following part number will work on 3.0 and 4.4 X5 Part No. 27107504568.

However there is another part number for 3.0 X5 which is not listed for a 4.4 X5
Part No. 27107504567 this is good for 3.0 vehicles up to 10/2003

so it appears that your 3.0 X5 00-03 transfer case will NOT work on a 4.4 X5.

According to several sources (including Cobra Transmissions), the 3.0 and 4.4 (Both NV125) are completely interchangeable and are the same part.

I have both versions sitting here in front of me (NV part numbers 44138-4.4 and 42924--3.0) and they are identical from the outside.

I'm tempted to open the new one up to check them internally, but between A) Losing any warranty on the part, B) the plethora of listings for these stating that they fit "All X5 models 00-003" C) Cobra Transmissions stating that they are the same, I'm going to forgo that.

Edit: Note: I did see a few places listing the different part numbers as I stated in the first post.

Another note to this:

If you search for NV's part number (Google "X5 42924" ) you'll find a lot of results for used units stating that they came out of '00-'03 4.4 X5s (this is the part number found on the one out of the 3.0 that I have sitting in front of me), as well as some pulled out of 3.0s.

The original one out of my 4.4 is NV part number 41438

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ing/image1.jpghttp://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ing/image2.jpg

I just searched through Real OEM and I'm getting the same part number for the 4.4 and 3.0 (the 27107504568 that you mentioned).

I'm not quite sure I understand exactly what you're stating in your post, however. You're stating that that part number will work, but then below you state "so it appears that your 3.0 X5 00-03 transfer case will NOT work on a 4.4 X5."

The other note is that 10/2003 (the part number 27107504567 you list), if correct being for a 10/2003 production date, is a 2004 Model year X5, which is of course different than the 2000-2003 model years.

The 27107504567 is from year 2000 up to 10/2003 for a E53 3.0, but not for a E53 4.4. So if you purchased a 27107504567 Transfer Case it is not compatible with a 4.4 X5 per Realoem. If you look at the picture you posted there is some physical difference between the two transfer cases.

Edit, it appears that the 27107504567 transfer case is for a X with a manual transmission, and since none of the V8 engine X came with a manual transmission it looks like this transfer case is for a 3.0 with the manual tranny.

Exactly.

No, there actually isn't. Please note the differences that you are seeing.

Yes, the 5-speed may be a different unit, but the Auto trans units are all the same 3.0 vs. 4.4.

Look at the driveshaft area and you will see that one has two large circular castings and the other doesn't have these circular castings.

Good catch. You must have been great at "Where's Waldo". ;-)

But I'm talking about functional differences. Those bosses are not used on the X5 application.

Just looked at the OEM representation and the bosses are present on those.

I'm curious if that slight casting difference may be the differentiation between the NV part numbers "41438" and "42924".

The cases differ only in those 3 bosses (one isn't well seen in the photos).

The original has "41440" cast on that half of the case. The replacement (without the bosses) is "42926".

The other half of both cases has the same "27731" cast into it.

I'm surprised that no one seems to readily know the differences between these, although I mainly deal with cars that people "willingly" tear into. My goal with this one is to prevent having to do that again. :swear:

I have to admit that all of the horror stories everyone that you come in to contact with who have worked on these kind of made me cringe when I brought it home, but so far it hasn't been that bad to work on. The ABS module was probably the most annoying so far (simply from the limited space to work) but the t-case was surprisingly simple, and the front diff/front suspension stuff wasn't worse than much else out there.

Had I known that the 3.0 (auto--I'll preface this time) was the same, I certainly would have bought a local one and just sorted through it (seals/bearings/chain) as opposed to buying a re-man. I had the original apart to the point of removing the output shaft (note in the picture that the previous hack that worked on this thing "solved" the spline issue by welding a spline section onto the output of the t-case) and back together in about 15 minutes. The front diff would have taken about 30 minutes to repair (pinion shaft bearings had too much play), but the splines on the input for the companion flange are seized (they may have shifted).

I actually had a machine shop give removing the companion flange a try--towards the end, after giving them the "okay" to give it whatever they could, they had it cherry red and 20 tons of pressure on it and it still didn't budge.