I can't find the oil leak
 

I have 03 x5 3.0 that has oil leak that is dripping onto the cataletic converter. I replaced the valve cover casket but it is still leaking at the back of the motor. It's not the valve cover, I put my hand back there and there is no oil. Does anyone have thought?
Tom

OFHG.

^It's a very common leak point. But it wouldn't leak onto the header/catalytic converter.
Maybe it just residue oil from the old leak. Did you use the RTV at the half moon section in the back? Did you torque the last bolt to spec? What brand of VCG as some cheap aftermarket one has poor quality.

Also if you didn't replace the 15 grommet seals for the bolts on the VC you might be leaking from one of those as well.

There are a few metal plugs that screw in to the cylinder head on the back. I had to replace them on my old 330ci. I wish I still had the part numbers, but don't.

Look on REALOEM at the cylinder head blow up. You'll see what I'm talking about.

Also, when you replaced the VCG, did you put a bit of RTV Sealant on the corners of the gasket mounting surface before installing?

whats ofhg?

Oil filter housing gasket, but its on the front of the engine.

Thanks for all the input, I will go and recheck the gasket again. I didn't use rtv. So let me go back in a try again. I will let you all know.

If the leak was sever enough and not much clean up done after the repair, it will still drip for a few days, although it would decrease over time. RTV must be used at the half moons and at the front of the engine at the seam where the upper timing cover attaches to the head. You don't need much RTV to get it sealed either. Also, peel off the old RTV that should still be there.

I can't think of any other sources of an oil leak that would drip onto the cats.

Where is the oil separator on those engines?