MD-11 Driver

I have read all the DIY threads & understand how to remove it from the transmisson, but my question is how do you get it out from between the transmission & body? I have tried to slide just the new sleeve in between the transmission & transmission tunnel & the new one won't even slide in since the gap is too small. Do you remove the cross support on the back of the transmission or just take a pry bar & try moving the tansmssion a little to the drivers side? Any tricks would be greatly appreciated.

MD-11 Driver

Thought I would post a follow up for anyone interested in how to remove the sealing sleeve on a 08 550i/E60 car. The only way to get room between the transmission tunnel & the transmission is to drop the exhaust from the CAT's at each side of the transmission which allows you enough room to remove the heat shield on the drivers side & take the screws out of the heat shield on the passenger side. I wasn't able to remove the passenger side heat shield, but with it unbolted it allowed me room to remove the transmission cross member bolts. Once the cross member is removed it leaves plenty of room to get the old sealing sleeve out & re-install the new one. I was surprised at how much pressure it took to seat the new sealing sleeve completely so that the lock would go back in place. Don't force the lock, if it doesn't move freely back into the lock position then the sealing sleeve isn't seated all the way in the transmission. It will take two people or a jack to push the transmission back in place & re-install the cross member bolts. I did this on a friends lift & would imagine it would be pretty hard to do on a garage floor with the car up on jacks.

MD-11 Driver

Here is a link to most of the process, but was obviously doesn't work for a 08 550i as far as the process of getting the sleeve out from between the transmission & transmission tunnel. All other info is spot on.


https://5series.net/forums/diy-do-yo...-refill-88129/