Has anyone done this job on a E53 4.8 with the oil cooler.

Mine has a very very slow leak (not losing any measurable amount of oil, just some drops) but I want to tackle this before the gasket let’s go on the way back home after I’ve been snowboarding all day.

Here’s a pic: https://xoutpost.com/1114744-post25.html

This is a right hand drive vehicle without “servotronic” steering and it doesn’t have the fancy water cooled alternator neither.

Been there done that on my '08 4.8i. Yes, very difficult...there were moments when I thought I would never get the last bolt out. But, persistence and tool creativity paid off in the end. Just something all of us V8 owners know we have to do sooner or later.



FWIW, it was difficult on my E60 545i as well due to having active steering components blocking access.

I need to replace the oil cooler thermostat gasket in my 2007 e70 4.8l. Also while I am there I would like to get the valve cover and upper timing cover gaskets replaced as well. Does it make the thermostat gasket job easier to have the valve cover removed? Thank you.

No, it doesn’t because the alternator bracket is accesssd from below the car or through the wheel well and requires removal of the alternator. It hasn’t anything to do with the top of the engine.

I see. Thanks for your reply. My car has adaptive drive. Will this make it harder to reach the thermostat bolts? And in this case what's the best angle of attack, top, bottom or wheel well?
Thanks.

Were you able to do this? How was it?

So this is my problem. The PS pump can't be pulled out since the bar in the bottom is in the way. Did anyone remove the high pressure line going to the PS pump (yellow arrow)? I know the instructions on this thread had no mention of it unless I missed it. Any tips are appreciated.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9ug73e0ur0...image.png?dl=0

I ended up taking this to an indy BMW mechanic. It was $850 for part and labor.

Same here. It was a real bitch of a job and I couldn’t easily reach the bolts. And I was under time pressure.

Shop said they dropped the subframe. Don’t have the tools / jacks etc to do that at home easily.

Shop did it in less than 7 hours. They didnt say how they did it but it was done same day. Dropped it off at 9 am they called me at 4 pm to pick up the car. I was surprised but hey whatever :)