[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by 850CSi

Thanks, I appreciate that.

I guess what I was asking is why your mechanic didn’t seem to think replacing the whole pipe would be a big deal. Doesn’t it require removing the intake? Or is there another way to get there that I’m missing? (does anyone know if it might be possible just by removing the air filter housing?)



...

As for my leak I left the car in my folks’ garage for the week. In some instances I was hesitant to torque the pan bolts the full 90 past 8nm. I’ll go back next weekend and try re-torquing. I did use some Permatex black on the pan-to-gasket surface — does anyone know how that might affect the amount of torque needed to get a full seal? Perhaps I should’ve waited longer before filling the engine with oil?

You can replace the oil return hose without removing the manifold. On a lift it is easy. On jackstands, a little more difficult.

The hose comes off the bottom of the CCV can. If you remove the guard plate covering the fuel lines it gives you plenty of room to work.

[Pohsib]

Originally Posted by 850CSi

Thanks, I appreciate that.
As for my leak I left the car in my folks’ garage for the week. In some instances I was hesitant to torque the pan bolts the full 90 past 8nm. I’ll go back next weekend and try re-torquing. I did use some Permatex black on the pan-to-gasket surface — does anyone know how that might affect the amount of torque needed to get a full seal? Perhaps I should’ve waited longer before filling the engine with oil?

I meant to double check those torque values in my Bentley manual. Assuming that 8nm plus 90 degrees is correct, I would go ahead and tighten to that spec assuming I had confidence in my torque wrench. It might be worthwhile to see if you can borrow a high quality one if you don't own one. The reason I'd go ahead and tighten to full spec is because I've read on here somewhere that the bolt stretches slightly when you tighten it up. I assume that's a necessary part of making sure the bolt stays in place. As long as the Permatex didn't squish into the holes in the block, it shouldn't have any effect on the torquing of the bolts. That said, if you've used Locktite blue, it might not be that critical anyway. In the interest of disclosure, I am not an engineer (undergrad in Biochem) and this is all merely speculation.

I guess you could weigh the downsides of not having a fully tightened bolt (possible leaking) versus possibly having to tow the car to a shop and having them extract a broken bolt.

[850CSi]

Thanks guys. I went ahead and torqued the bolts a bit more in that lower rear corner. I found that I probably applied a little too much permatex to that part of the gasket, and there was just a tiny bit of oil seeping through.

With that said, I think most of the oil I saw on the ground wasn't coming from within the pan but rather from a spill I was filling the car back up -- I thought I had gotten it all but I noticed that a decent amount had dripped onto the exhaust, which was confirmed when I held my breath and started the engine, which worked fine!

So the good news is I think I solved (or at least reduced by an order of magnitude) my oil leak.

The bad news is that while it feels a bit smoother with the new mounts there is still a lot of vibration (and no codes that would suggest anything amiss), so now to figure out the culprit there... My crank pulley does look pretty awful so maybe that's part of the equation.

[850CSi]

One suggestion for anyone that is going to do this job... (again from a noob DIYer and it shows)

I know from reading through the thread that at least one other individual used ramps. I did it on my Kwik-Lift. But this job is probably much easier if the front suspension is not bearing any weight. Once unbolted, my subframe did drop enough to do the job, and I was able to create enough room to get the pan out & back in by using my engine hoist to lift up the engine substantially, but things got a bit hairy from there when we realized that was lifting the front part of the car up with it, and pushing the wheels forward (the car drives fine but I was left wondering if I damaged my suspension). It was also a struggle to get the subframe back up and in place when I was finished.

If you're like me and don't like working under jack stands (and don't have access to another kind of lift), I would suggest just biting the bullet and paying to get the job done.

[Pohsib]

Originally Posted by 850CSi

One suggestion for anyone that is going to do this job... (again from a noob DIYer and it shows)

I know from reading through the thread that at least one other individual used ramps. I did it on my Kwik-Lift. But this job is probably much easier if the front suspension is not bearing any weight. Once unbolted, my subframe did drop enough to do the job, and I was able to create enough room to get the pan out & back in by using my engine hoist to lift up the engine substantially, but things got a bit hairy from there when we realized that was lifting the front part of the car up with it, and pushing the wheels forward (the car drives fine but I was left wondering if I damaged my suspension). It was also a struggle to get the subframe back up and in place when I was finished.

If you're like me and don't like working under jack stands (and don't have access to another kind of lift), I would suggest just biting the bullet and paying to get the job done.

Congratulations!

Also, I think that's good advice. At the time, all I had were my dad's metal Habor Freight ramps. So I had to do what some other fellow in this thread did and back up on those ramps. I used jack stands for the front. Since this was my first ever project I was a little claustrophobic. So I stacked some 8" x 8" PT beams under the car and then add a couple pieces of 2" x 10" wood I had around so that they were almost touching the frame just back of the jack stands. This definitively gave me more confidence to crawl under there and do the job.

I wish I knew how to share photos on here because I took a couple "beneath the block" selfies.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by 850CSi

Thanks guys. I went ahead and torqued the bolts a bit more in that lower rear corner. I found that I probably applied a little too much permatex to that part of the gasket, and there was just a tiny bit of oil seeping through.

With that said, I think most of the oil I saw on the ground wasn't coming from within the pan but rather from a spill I was filling the car back up -- I thought I had gotten it all but I noticed that a decent amount had dripped onto the exhaust, which was confirmed when I held my breath and started the engine, which worked fine!

So the good news is I think I solved (or at least reduced by an order of magnitude) my oil leak.

The bad news is that while it feels a bit smoother with the new mounts there is still a lot of vibration (and no codes that would suggest anything amiss), so now to figure out the culprit there... My crank pulley does look pretty awful so maybe that's part of the equation.

Been down that road with the harmonic balancer. It's probably your dual mass flywheel starting to go out.

[850CSi]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Been down that road with the harmonic balancer. It's probably your dual mass flywheel starting to go out.

I think you might be right about that.

I started a thread here with more details and so as not to continue diverting this thread's attention!

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...4#post25572214

[Knuppel]

I just fixed leaks in VCG, vacuumpump, oil cooler, and Vanos valves.
But I'll probably leave the oil pan gasket to the pro's. Being under the car that's on 4 jackstands, whilst having a 500kg engine dangling above me gives me goosebumps already.

Could go to a DIY garage but they charge by the hour, and i'd have to keep the car there for a day, which costs more that bringing it to the BMW-specialist garage, who charges €350 for the whole job.

[Plasmid_Boy]

Hi,
First time posting here. I signed up for the forum just to say thanks to OP for the DIY.
I am in the process of changing the pan gasket. It seems more complicated having the AWD components in the way, but I am taking slow to avoid messing anything up. I am still waiting for the gasket/bolts kit to come.
The tow hook went in only couple turns, so I ground it down to clear the lip of the cylinder head.

Cheers!

[Plasmid_Boy]

I got all the bolts around the pan off and the pan is now loose, but there is something between the pan and the transmission preventing the pan from coming off (all the bolts are removed and the pan wiggles around but won't come completely off). Is there a specific way the pan needs to be wiggled to get out? Thanks!

[Plasmid_Boy]

I got it off and cleaned up.
Hope that this would be helpful to someone.
The issue was that the two semicircle protrusions at the rear of the pan went back past the sheet metal plate in the transmission so the pan can’t be removed straight down. And the pan can’t be moved forward enough to clear the sheet metal. To get it off, I removed a round plastic plug (about 2 inches diameter) at the rear of the oil pan and used a screwdriver to push the sheet metal past the pan protrusions. Not sure if this is specific to the 2011 328 xdrive or if I was doing something wrong/unnecessary but I will upload a couple of pictures for reference in case someone encounters the same scenario.

[PhaseP]

I had made a DIY for X-drive, although mine is manual transmission.
Maybe this is what held you, the pan on the front gets caught up at this A/C or coolant line at the front, I had to get it free:

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...88&postcount=6

I don't remember 2 inch round plug, do you have auto transmission?

[Plasmid_Boy]

Originally Posted by PhaseP

I had made a DIY for X-drive, although mine is manual transmission.
Maybe this is what held you, the pan on the front gets caught up at this A/C or coolant line at the front, I had to get it free:

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...88&postcount=6

I don't remember 2 inch round plug, do you have auto transmission?

Yes, I read your DIY, it is of great help and thank you for that. I did clear the front tube as you suggested, but the hang-up was at the rear in the transmission. I have an automatic. I have attached couple of pictures showing where it got hung up and the plastic cap.

[Plasmid_Boy]

I have done a few things that I don't recall seeing them mentioned before, so I am listing them here hoping that it might become helpful to someone in the future.

1. I had to remove the power steering pump to gain access to a bolt on the coolant line (hard plastic line) running across the front of the subframe. The bolt is hidden behind the subframe and under a group of various tubings (trans oil cooling line and steering fluid lines). Even after removing the PS pump, the bolt is still hidden but doing so provided space to put a rachet down there and remove the bolt by feel.

2. I removed the axles from the wheel hub/knuckle instead of taking them out with the hub attached. It seemed easier to me and I wanted to replace the axle nuts to avoid them seizing up in the future. On a related note, recommend removing the subframe, axles, and differential when doing this job. Even after I removed them, it was still a struggle to wiggle the pan out and then back on, so I imagine it would have been more difficult had they not been removed.

3. There was a corrosion spot the pan that was rough to the touch and higher than the surfaces surrounding it (discolored spot in the picture attached), so I lubricated it with WD40 and scraped with a razor blade until smooth to the touch. I then lubricated the new gasket with silicone grease (see picture) and secured it on the pan with zip ties before mounting it back onto the engine. I also lubricated the o-rings and seals with silicone grease before installing them into the differential and pedestal.

[Knuppel]

Having the car on 4 jack stands makes me uneasy. Is it possible to do this job by jacking up the front and placing 2 jack stands only?
And do the wheels have to be aligned afterwards?

Will be working on a 320i manual.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Knuppel

Having the car on 4 jack stands makes me uneasy. Is it possible to do this job by jacking up the front and placing 2 jack stands only?
And do the wheels have to be aligned afterwards?

Will be working on a 320i manual.

This is my pet peeve. The safest way to work on a car IS on four jack stands with one under each lifting block on the rocker panels. Use 4 flat-top jack stands. Having the car on just two stands leaves the car (a) tilted on the front stands, which places a force sideways (i.e. forward) on the stand and makes it more prone to being kicked out from under the car; (b) keeps a set of wheel on the ground, which can let the car roll if the parking brake releases and the wheels are not chocked.

I have a 2-post automotive lift. The car sits on all four of the lift blocks, 6 feet off the ground. You need to understand, with the car on the 4 lift points it will not move nor fall. You are not strong enough to push a 3,500-pound car off 4 properly placed jack stands. If your concern is the plastic lifting blocks will fail under the pressure of the car being supported on them, they won't fail. The plastic lifting blocks are designed to support the weight of the car while it is sitting on 4 jack stands (or on a lift like in my garage). They key is to use the correct type of jack stand, which is a flat top stand. If you don't have a flat-top stand, then put something in between the head of the jack stand and the lifting block so the pressure is evenly distributed over the walls of the lifting block.

[Knuppel]

I have 2 jackstands from which i cut the head off just like these:


I also have the rubber jack pads. Think i might buy 4 flat top stands and use the pads.

Would you change the gaskets from the mechanical pump and maybe the thermostat (€40), even if not leaking, or leave all as it is?

[519.E82]

Originally Posted by Plasmid_Boy

Yes, I read your DIY, it is of great help and thank you for that. I did clear the front tube as you suggested, but the hang-up was at the rear in the transmission. I have an automatic. I have attached couple of pictures showing where it got hung up and the plastic cap.

I think i may be having the same problems as you were maybe. That stupid cap keeps popping out, does it need to go in a specific way, or can i leave it out entirely? I also may have slightly bent the MLS gasket between the oil pan and transmission and that may be fighting me to, even after bending it back as best i could.

Edit: i looked at the diagram on realoem and your photos and realized mine may have been in backwards, wasnt sure since it fell out when the pan came out

[dylim]

Just finished doing this on my 08 e90 328xi. I've wanted to do this since several years back, but kept delaying it, until my cv joints were leaking and control arm bushings were bad, so I had to do it. Thanks to everyone in this thread!!

Three questions:
1. Does the plastic cap like thingy on the oil level sensor matter? Mine was broken, not sure if I broke it while wiggling the oil pan down or not. The cap was found in the pan, in 3 pieces, see pic:



2. I found a small black o-ring on my driveway as well (!), it's like the small one for the oil filter cap, but black instead of green. Any idea what that's for?

3. Is 1/8 gap between the diff/pedestal and cv axle normal? 1/8 inch of the silverish part of the diff/pedestal is showing, but no matter how hard I hit the axles, the gap remains.

Also, some how in my bolt set, I had 33 bolts, and also ordered the slightly longer one separately. So in the end, I had 6 bolts (4 small, 2 long) left.

Cheers,
D

[PhaseP]

Originally Posted by dylim

3. Is 1/8 gap between the diff/pedestal and cv axle normal? 1/8 inch of the silverish part of the diff/pedestal is showing, but no matter how hard I hit the axles, the gap remains.

Sounds about right.

Also, some how in my bolt set, I had 33 bolts, and also ordered the slightly longer one separately. So in the end, I had 6 bolts (4 small, 2 long) left.

I did this long time ago, but I think there were some extra left over. What had perplexed me at the time, the number of bolts I had removed was one less than the number of bolt holes at the gasket. It had taken me a while to realize that one of the bolt holes at the gasket had no corresponding hole at the pan and so was not really used as bolt hole.

[dylim]

Originally Posted by PhaseP

Sounds about right.


I did this long time ago, but I think there were some extra left over. What had perplexed me at the time, the number of bolts I had removed was one less than the number of bolt holes at the gasket. It had taken me a while to realize that one of the bolt holes at the gasket had no corresponding hole at the pan and so was not really used as bolt hole.

Thanks PhaseP ! I removed the control arms again today to see if I can get the cv axles in a bit more, but couldn't. And then I tried to pull them out by hand, and felt some clicking, and couldn't get them out either. So, I guess I'll go out for a test drive later

I did start the engine yesterday, and the oil level sensor seems happy. Looks like the plastic cap is not crucial. In any case, I can always replace it easily later.

The black o-ring, still not sure where that came from, but I'm not going to worry about it for now.

EDIT: went to the dealer for alignment. Seems like they didn't do much to the front (pretty in spec), but adjusted the rear quite a bit.

[jacobniell]

I am not sure but did you all also unbolt all the arms to the wheel hub or did you just remove the subframe with it all connected?

Thanks for the help, I am about to try out this DIY