[antonmn]

REPLACE the bolts, or replace the gasket!

The previous owner "tightened" the bolts of my n54 and broke 8 of them. Ruined the weekend I went to change my gasket. THEY EASILY BREAK!

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by antonmn

REPLACE the bolts, or replace the gasket!

The previous owner "tightened" the bolts of my n54 and broke 8 of them. Ruined the weekend I went to change my gasket. THEY EASILY BREAK!

They aren't meant to be tightened more than once.

Mine leaks a little bit. Like less than 1qt in a year.. not worth the headache.

Many of these cars are now over 10 years old - most are well over 100k miles and many are at 200k. Get over it. Old cars sometimes leak. It doesn't really hurt anything (for the most part).

[BravoJohny33]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

They aren't meant to be tightened more than once.

Mine leaks a little bit. Like less than 1qt in a year.. not worth the headache.

Many of these cars are now over 10 years old - most are well over 100k miles and many are at 200k. Get over it. Old cars sometimes leak. It doesn't really hurt anything (for the most part).

Pretty much this.. I know how it is to want to keep things 100% on the car but the oil pan gasket is just not worth it. So much money to fix something that could be fine for years. Could be fine until you decide to get rid of the car.

[WingerRed]

I just got a diagnosis from my indy on my 135i of a leaking bed plate. I had gone in for an OFHG since that is what the dealer diagnosed about 6 mo. ago, but my shop didn't think the leak was that bad (they did find a different leak in the oil pressure relief valve, which they fixed) so they cleaned it up and said to come back and they'd take a look at it. They said the OFHG was still clean so no leak there (thanks dealer). I lost about .5 qts over the 6 months. Quoted $5,800! Anyone else heard of this. Might live with the leak and carry a quart in the trunk.

[smass]

Originally Posted by brads2002

What engine holder did you use and did it work well?

Thanks

This is the one I used https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-l...bar-96524.html

Got it for $55 with one of their coupons.

[SwissCheeseHead]

Glad to see some of these posts, since I just took my car to the dealership yesterday for the airbag recall and they said I was leaking oil. Instead of telling me where, they suggested that I replace the oil filter housing gasket, the valve cover gasket, and the oil pan gasket, all to a tune of $4000. Considering gaskets are cheap and both the VCG and the OFHG can be done with basic tools...I just laughed it off and put it on my list of things to do LATER. But glad to see that others here have put off the oil pan gasket. I didn't see anything since my last oil change just about 3K miles ago...

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by WingerRed

I just got a diagnosis from my indy on my 135i of a leaking bed plate. I had gone in for an OFHG since that is what the dealer diagnosed about 6 mo. ago, but my shop didn't think the leak was that bad (they did find a different leak in the oil pressure relief valve, which they fixed) so they cleaned it up and said to come back and they'd take a look at it. They said the OFHG was still clean so no leak there (thanks dealer). I lost about .5 qts over the 6 months. Quoted $5,800! Anyone else heard of this. Might live with the leak and carry a quart in the trunk.

A bed plate is the lower half of the engine block. I'd think to solve that leak would require engine removal....

[WingerRed]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

A bed plate is the lower half of the engine block. I'd think to solve that leak would require engine removal....

Yeah, that's my understanding. Car has 60k on it so I am a little pissed that this could be the case. I need to do some more research to see if I have any recourse. This seems like such a rare leak since I have hardly seen anything about it on any of the forums.

[galahad05]

Originally Posted by WingerRed

Yeah, that's my understanding. Car has 60k on it so I am a little pissed that this could be the case. I need to do some more research to see if I have any recourse. This seems like such a rare leak since I have hardly seen anything about it on any of the forums.

I'm not sure I understand what's happening? Are they saying that the engine mating surfaces are leaking?!? The block to head?

EDIT: Okay, found some info. I didn't realize that my N54 (I guess the N55 as well?) is a two-piece block construction. Cool.

[BravoJohny33]

Originally Posted by WingerRed

Yeah, that's my understanding. Car has 60k on it so I am a little pissed that this could be the case. I need to do some more research to see if I have any recourse. This seems like such a rare leak since I have hardly seen anything about it on any of the forums.

You might as well sell the car then pay out that kinda money because on top of that you are going to run into bad water pumps, control arms and shocks/struts around 100k.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by WingerRed

Yeah, that's my understanding. Car has 60k on it so I am a little pissed that this could be the case. I need to do some more research to see if I have any recourse. This seems like such a rare leak since I have hardly seen anything about it on any of the forums.

I'd have a conversation with BMW N.A. if indeed the bed-plate to block mating surfaces are leaking. That is purely a manufacturing defect. The engine block design and assembly should be of such robustness that mating surface should never spring a leak.

[WingerRed]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I'd have a conversation with BMW N.A. if indeed the bed-plate to block mating surfaces are leaking. That is purely a manufacturing defect. The engine block design and assembly should be of such robustness that mating surface should never spring a leak.

I will do that.

[AnShk]

anybody found torque specs for the bolts??

I plan to buy new set of bolts and exchange one by one while changing oil.

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by AnShk

anybody found torque specs for the bolts??

I plan to buy new set of bolts and exchange one by one while changing oil.

Here you go.

• 8 Nm + 90 degrees (M8 x 26)
• 8 Nm + 180 degrees (M8 x 92 & M8 x 112)

See link here:

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...l-sump/5YCO2Mo

(it's for a 328, but it looks like N52 and N54/55 torque values are the same)

[whyzee125]

Originally Posted by ArcticRik

Got mine done by an Indy for $600... Don't pay stealership pricing

Wow! When and where? That's a great price.

OP, most n54s have an oil pan gasket leak id it hasn't already been replaced. It's nothing that needs to be done asap unless you're losing a lot of oil.

[ArcticRik]

Originally Posted by whyzee125

Wow! When and where? That's a great price.

OP, most n54s have an oil pan gasket leak id it hasn't already been replaced. It's nothing that needs to be done asap unless you're losing a lot of oil.

last year while I lived in KC, a BMW tech who did work on the side or if his garage at home

[mike sevel]

Novice DIY'er here with minor oil pan leak. So E90YYC sez you can replace the pan bolts one at a time with new pan bolts. Then tighten to 8 NM 90 +8 NM 180. Why two different specs?
Any further risk of leaks by removing the old bolts temporarily? As second thought, best to remove bolts when pan is mostly empty after draining it for an oil change?
Advice welcome.
Mikey

[hassmaschine]

They are torque to yield. So you torque the pattern twice to an initial value (snug, essentially) and then turn them a set angle, which sets the 'stretch' of the bolts.

[lche059]

Originally Posted by AnShk

anybody found torque specs for the bolts??

I plan to buy new set of bolts and exchange one by one while changing oil.

did you do it? does it help with the leak?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by lche059

did you do it? does it help with the leak?

It doesn't help. The pan gasket gets hard and brittle upon years of heat cycling and has no compression left once it starts leaking.

[AngeloF15]

I have a 2012 X5 N55 that is also developing a leak where the bell housing meets the oil pan. Some background info, bought the truck with 100k on it no leaks. 5k later water pump went. After wp repair noticed the oil leak. Not sure if this is a coincidence or result of high temps from failing wp. Took it back to the dealer and they said either opg or rear main seal leak. I then removed skid plates cleaned all the oil below. Then i changed the oil and added 2 cans of liqui moly oil saver. 400 miles later the leak persists. Couple half dollar size drops on driveway. Checked vcg ofhg and looked ok. Engine is very clean all around. 3 mths later I rechecked the leak and can now see that there is oil coming from an exposed section of the opg. I guess this issue is worsening but at least I know for sure that the opg is leaking instead of wasting money on the rms. I am in North Jersey and was wondering if anyone had a good bmw shop with experience in changing x5 opg. Any suggestions on a different additive would be welcome as well. Thank you all.

[philgli]

Originally Posted by AngeloF15

I have a 2012 X5 N55 that is also developing a leak where the bell housing meets the oil pan. Some background info, bought the truck with 100k on it no leaks. 5k later water pump went. After wp repair noticed the oil leak. Not sure if this is a coincidence or result of high temps from failing wp. Took it back to the dealer and they said either opg or rear main seal leak. I then removed skid plates cleaned all the oil below. Then i changed the oil and added 2 cans of liqui moly oil saver. 400 miles later the leak persists. Couple half dollar size drops on driveway. Checked vcg ofhg and looked ok. Engine is very clean all around. 3 mths later I rechecked the leak and can now see that there is oil coming from an exposed section of the opg. I guess this issue is worsening but at least I know for sure that the opg is leaking instead of wasting money on the rms. I am in North Jersey and was wondering if anyone had a good bmw shop with experience in changing x5 opg. Any suggestions on a different additive would be welcome as well. Thank you all.

Also if your valve cover gasket is leaking, it often leaks off the back corner, where you cant see. then runs down the block to the oil pan, etc.

That is what is happening with mine...