You need to fix the rear main seal properly and don't even consider putting stop leak into the engine?

@Scott a N20 should need LL-14 FE
01 was approved somewhere around 2001, 04 about 2004, aso - therefore a newer engine would require an oil of the time it was build.

Note: there also was a "LL-01 FE" which is not compatible with LL-01
FE must be something like "Fuel Efficiency".

Where did you get that info from because since I said I'm getting it.....

Stuff costs money, something I don't have much of.

Do some research with regards to bimmers with oil leaks and using stop leak. This product softens the seals and BMW engines have a lot of them. Its not a good idea and will probably cause more harm than good. This next time around that you have to change the rear main seal you are going to want to check the condition of the cap. Do you know if the rear main seal was changed as a whole system which includes the gasket, metal mounting cap with rear main seal inserted and new bolts? Some people take the cheaper route by picking out the old seal and installing the new seal. In the process of picking out the old seal sometimes they nick the journal of the cap and this causes the leak. Whats even worse is when someone nicks the crank journal and at this point the engine has to come out to fix or replace the engine. When BMW replaces the rear main seal they sell and install the whole kit that includes the integrated mounting cap with rear main seal and gasket. This way you stay away from nicking critical components when trying to replace just the seal. By yours being done twice and the same problem exists someone did not do something correctly or failed to see the cause of the real leak. But what ever you do not use stop leak. Perhaps you may want to consider selling the X and finding something a little less expensive to maintain and care for.

Appreciate the advice but you shouldn't care how others maintain their car. Go ahead and do a search and see how much I've done/replaced to it in the last 4 months but good try on saying I don't care for it.

ps no where is it stated it's been done twice...

I would have thought the same thing. But the BITOG guys (who research and debate oil all day long apparently) swear that the N20 was added to both the LL01 and the LL14 test spec; something about the N20's direct injection engine needing an additive to keep soot/carbon off the exhaust valves/stems. I'll do some additional research and see what I can dig up.

Strange :)

I love direct injection. My '06 Passat 2.0T was one of the first to use it if I'm not mistaken. Took me a while to understand the loudness was normal lol.

I love it too, but the early implementations are really prone to carbon buildup.

My 12 A4 is a perfect example. At 70k miles, I had to pull the intake and decoke the exhaust ports, valves/stems and guides. The amount of carbon buildup was shocking. For 13+ VW/Audi installed a second injector to keep the valves clean.

:iagree: with David. This is not rocket science