Glad it worked out. Can we ask what was the total repair bill for the non-return valve parts, etc. before the split?

Glad to hear you got support on the fix.:thumbup: I'll continue to be the board's test case for non-fix of the non-return valve. :D

This job was not for the faint of heart. As per the work order
the process was as follows.

Support Engine, remove front Axle carrier, front diff, front driveshaft,
both axles, right side sw IVEL bearing and oil pan.
Installed new oil pump and gasket. S I assembled the
vehicle and topped of the power steering fluid and engine oil.
Test drove and looked for leaks. None found.

When this first happened I was quoted $2900.00 plus tax.
The final bill for this job came to $930.00 including tax.

The indy charged $790.00 for the inspection 2 and the rear
brakes.

Quick:

Great to hear, thanks for the follow up.

At that price, I think it was well worth doing. Your reasoned approach with the dealer paid off.

Replied to another post regarding this issue and thought I'd share my findings here as well. I found the same parts in my wifes newly aquired 2004 X5 4.4 with 60k miles when I did the first oil change last week.

Called Brian Jessel BMW here in Vancouver and explained the problem to the service department, quoting the service bulletin I found here. They looked into the issue and asked their mechanics. The response I got was that it was a very regular occurance and that they do not recommend doing anything beyond removing the parts and reinstalling the filter canister without them. They commented that there is no evidence of this causing any future problems and that they never replace the pump as a repair. If I chose to have the pump replaced, the parts and labor would be aprox. $3500 CDN.

My two cents....

My indy just found the "cap" piece in my canister last night. I've got 80k on an '04. Needless to say, I am distraught over this. :(

Don't be distraught. The potential for the problem has been around for years, and there is no count of how many have failed and it has never been detected. Do you know how long it has been in there? It may have been some time, or if the same person did the oil change as last time then it is likely only for one oil change interval.

If you don't have any tapping noises on startup, I suggest you make a decision on whether you fix it or leave it. Both approaches are valid. I would fix it myself on my own vehicle, but it wouldn't be costing me retail labour rates, so that isn't likely a fair comparison.

As discussed in this thread, this happened to my 2004 about 15k miles ago and I was also unhappy to find the cap! While I haven't got enough additional miles to prove that it's ok to skip this repair, I remained convinced that the x5 will suffer multiple other failure modes before a broken non-return valve causes an issue:D

I just found the cap doing my first oil change on my new-to-me X5. I was confused and now getting frustrated a bit with a potential for another big repair bill.

I might just go this path. Just unnerving.

In 2010, after speaking to BJ BMW mechanics and reading multiple posts on the issue, I decided to just monitor the sounds and watch for any signs or symptoms of wear as we continued to enjoy this fantastic machine. The X5 had just under 60k miles (U.S. car) at the time and now, nearly 5 years later has nearly 90k miles and is showing no signs of any problems related to the absent block-off valve. In fact, we've enjoyed 5 years of nearly trouble free service from it. Love the first generation X5, and my e39.