New guy with BIG oil leak.
 

Hello all new to this site and new to BMWs as well. Just recently had the opertunity to buy a 2005 x5 4.4. It has about 120k miles. Seems pretty loaded and I’m sure I will use this site as I work out some of its issues. It has a few minor issues such as the sun roof won’t open, aftermarket radio that I would like to put back to stock and some other minor cosmetic issues that I will be addressing in the future. Then it has a big problem the alternator gasket is shot. I am tackling this project now and I’m at the point of unbolting the tcase and can’t get a wrench on the lower rear bolt. I’ve disconnected drive shafts and top engine mount but no matter what I try I can’t get enough room to get a wrench on it so any guidance would be appreciated.

Do you have a Bentley repair manual? If not you need one if you plan to wrench on your vehicle yourself. You post is about an oil leak so why are you removing your t-case? Is it a seal at the trans?

I’m sorry not the tcase. It is the lower rear bolt on the front diff.


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is it me or is oil leaks a problem in the E53? i had an issue with mine several times

Box end wrenches and angled crows feet are what made this job possible without taking off any suspension pieces, axles, or engine mounts. Still a very tight fit.

The oil gasket behind the alternator mount seems to be the most prevelant oil leak.

That's a nasty leak. $4 part and about 5 hours labor to change it. It's nothing too difficult but if the power steering is attached like the M62 motor I recently worked on pay close attention to the crazy back bolt.

My car had absolutely no sign of an oil leak at 130,000 mi. but had an explosive leak from the oil filter seal.

Most oil leaks are not terrible to solve on the e53. Even the big ones like oil filter housing or the ugly one: Alternator bracket which is a gawd awful leak but no cost all time to repair


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Thanks for all the replies I got it fixed. I will have to say this is by far the worst thing I have ever done to a car. But it’s done.


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New guy with BIG oil leak.
 

That's just about the worst diy fix on an e53. It will be a cake walk to work on after you started with the beast of repairs


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So why did you have to take off the front differential to fix a leak? Was it an oil pan leak?

Didn’t take it off. Had to rotate front diff to get to the bottom bolt of the alternator bracket.


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