Fluid is good. First thing I checked. And it is definitely noisier in the morning when cold.

At least you were monitoring your temps. Things could have gone south (or north for your temps ;)) in a hurry.

Suggestion, stop checking the outpost while driving. You might have seen the woman (man?) you hit and gotten to add a notch to your belt. :D

I swear I wasn't checking outpost.

I may have been eating a BLT....[emoji16][emoji1787]

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Replaced the OFHG today with the BavAuto Viton seal along with the vanos feed line with new hydraulic bolts and crush washers, oil pressure switch and oil temp switch chasing a small oil leak. It looked pretty oily on top of the power steering pump and in the waffles of the block. I'm not sure if this will solve it but if it still leaks, it will be the dreaded M54 oil pan gasket. At least this is done and can be eliminated as the possible origin of the leak below.

Fitted the reversing camera and changed the glow plug controller.


God that plug was a pain to get off the controller! Annoyingly I’ve got 4 glow plugs to change now I know the controller is working! And I think I need a new Thermostat as the car isn’t reaching operating temperature. So I’ll sort that when I do the plugs.

That’s next weekends job! Then I’ll be fault code free.......

@Overboost how long did it take to change that oil filter housing gasket I am about to do two of those in so I kind a like to have a job and how long it’s gonna take


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In short Andrew, only about 2-3 hours taking your time and cleaning as you go. Pretty easy. :thumbup:

M54 OFHG Replacement

• Remove center air intake housing
• Remove air filter housing complete with MAF and upper intake hose
• Remove engine fan with viscous clutch assembly with fan housing together
• Disconnect power to the alternator at the front charging/jump lug (thanks for the tip Andrew)
• Remove serpentine belt
• Loosen oil filter cap to drain oil from housing back into the engine
• Remove lower plastic splash shield
• Remove alternator and upper serpentine belt idler pulley
• Remove power steering pump (2 bolts in front, 1 in rear from bottom)
• Disconnect wiring connections from oil pressure and oil temperature sensors
• Disconnect the vanos supply hose from vanos
• Remove 6 bolts holding the OFH to the engine (use a box lid to place the different length M8 bolts so you know where they came out)
• Remove the OFH (serpentine belt tensioner comes off with it)
• Clean and inspect seal and groove
• Replace OFHG, oil pressure and oil temperature sensors, and vanos hose (not required but advised while it is apart)
• Clean engine waffle area
• Reassemble in reverse order

All in all it took about 2 hours to have everything back in place running and another hour checking for leaks, reinstalling the lower splash shield and cleaning and putting away the tools :thumbup:

+1 on the glow plug controller connectors - total PITA to get off!!

I changed all six glow plugs and the controller in one go - less screwing arond, since it seems most owners end up where you are - going in there twice.

Hint: Do the plugs on a warm engine. From operating temp, start removing the tupperware etc. By the time you get at the plugs, it's about the right temp. Hit them with some penetrating oil, give them about 10 minutes and then use a torque wrench set to no more than about 10ft.lbs higher than the torque setting used to install them. Hopefully, they come out easliy. :thumbup:

Yeh I managed to get the controller out without touching the manifold. Wasn’t as hard as some other BMWs it seems. These X5s have so much space everywhere compared to the Saloon/Touring models!! So I don’t feel too bad! Got a whole set of 6 on order now so I’ll do all of them when I do them. Got the thermostat and a gasket set too.

I’ll do the thermostat and then take it for a drive and check it comes up to temp alright and then start on the plugs.

Defiantly going to be gentle with them, they shear off just looking at them!! At least there is no DPF to not regen when the glow plugs are broken and I live in Cornwall so it barley gets down to freezing.

I’m hoping that the last guy in there used a Tq wrench!

Glow plugs are used for more than just cold starts - they are part of the emission control systems etc. and are activated at other times too...