DIY - Engine Partition Replacement
 

Summary:
The engine partitions main purpose is to protect vital components mounted within the engine compartment and direct water away from getting inside. Over time the heat produced by the engine breaks down the material causing them to fall apart and allow water to pass directly onto the top of the engine. In some cases this has caused shorting of electrical components putting your vehicle into limp mode and/or having to get it towed. Typical replacement timeframe ranges between 50-80k miles but can happen sooner in warmer climates. It is recommended to replace immediately to mitigate potential issues.

Below is a short video I have put together showing how easy the replacement process is.

Difficulty Level: 2/10

Parts Listing:
Left Bulkhead Partition - 51717169419
Right Bulkhead Partition - 51717169420
Center Bulkhead Partition - 51717169421

Thanks for posting...I'm going to have to do this in the next several months.

Thank you! I replaced mine with the help of this video. Is that you OP?

Yep that is me in the flesh. Glad to hear this has helped. If anyone wants a vid one something specific, let me know as I may be able to put something together.

How about windshield washer pump replacement? Valve cover gaskets? I'll attempt both within the month.

What does this partition REALLY protecting?

Prevents water from entering the engine bay and then shorting out electrical components. Sounds exaggerated but surprisingly it isn't.

Just checked my local stealerships and these parts range from $70-$90 each.. Smh and I need all 3! I ended up ordering from BMW of South Atlanta and my total came out to $166 including shipping and a few screws that I might need...

This might be the cause of my lock/unlock chirp volume to be super low whenever it rains...

It seemed to lower the cabin noise a bit on my 4.8i. There is a recall on this if you have a 6 cylinder.

I got mine from FCP Euro with a lifetime replacement guarantee. Won't have to worry about them breaking ever again.

I have a 6 cylinder. Can you post the recall? Thanks!

SIB 513411

I remember it being listed on NHTSA web site, but it may just be a service action.

Sorry, I'm a noob at this. What's the difference between a recall and a service action? Will the dealer replace it for me for free?

I'm not seeing anything on the NHTSA Website.

Free would be good...

I e-mailed the service tech at a BMW Dealer here in town I know pretty well...this is his response: "Hello Arby1028, hope you are doing great. I know exactly what you are talking about, but have never seen them covered out of the factory warranty (not even CPO warranty covers this)… not sure where they are getting this info from."

My understanding last I checked was that BMW was performing a "fix" not a replacement which involved basically gluing broker pieces together with a certain adhesive.

That's just putting lipstick on a pig IMHO.

Couldn't agree more. I can't imagine BMW's cost being more than $50 in parts and 10min in labor. Seems ridiculous to not just replace....hence why I did my own with all new parts.

Changing mine right now and found a lot of water in the driver side compartment...must've been at least 2 gallons just sitting there... Also, my main partition in the back is broken. The 2 screws that the center partition is supposed to attach to is no longer there. Sucks. But it'll be held on to the left and the right partition, so hopefully it'll be fine...

Any pictures and by the main partition do you mean the center piece?

It's behind the center piece that attaches to the actual firewall...

Hey guys just called my service adviser and it is not covered under the warranty :(

Just replace them and be done with it.

Updated original post with part#s and short description.

Thank you!! Ordering the parts now....

Where are you ordering from and how much?

I was going to order from Tischer Bmw online but my local dealer gave me the same discount so I went and picked them up today in person. The new ones look more sturdy. Price $160 out of the door.

And on already :) Thanks to the Socale39 for the great video again !!

Awesome. How bad wee your pieces upon removal?

Hey bud, it's funny because I had seen your video right after I washed the engine last week and did not notice anything. Then Friday morning I did plugs/coils and that's when I saw them. They were all broken but the rubber strip was holding them in place perfect hence I could not notice them. I believe the new ones are redesigned because they seemed stronger than the flimsy ones I took out. Hopefully they will last :) Believe it or not, the hardest part of the job was putting those two little rivets in place. The ones they go one on each side. Had to spray the pins with some wd40 to slide them back in place. Overall a simple job.
Thank you again for the detailed video :thumbup:

I just noticed mine yesterday when I was adding my usual mid-oil change quart of oil and some washer fluid. Hopefully Ill be able to do it next week. We are going to be experiencing heavy rain for the next couple of days here in Illinois. I used some gorilla tape to seal everything up in the meantime.