sfcacique

I just replaced the gaskets on my Oil Filler housing and Oil Cooler gaskets in my 2010 e61 535iXT with N54 engine. I'll post the links I primarily used below, but here are some notes I want to pass on.

1. The N54 procedure is a more than a bit more complicated than the N52 or M53. Pay CAREFUL attention to the DIY posts/Videos. They help a lot, and you will avoid some pitfalls if you follow them. Some of the videos don't even have oil cooler inlets so appear much easier than the procedure is.
2. This is MESSY. You can mitigate some of the mess, but it will still be messy. Be prepared to pre-place absorption mats, have plenty of paper towels to wipe up minor spillage and stuff into leaky oil hoses. You will end up cleaning the immediate area which will further dirty up the areas below.
A. Pre-Cleaning (and post cleaning) the engine area is highly suggested. If these gaskets are leaking, or even if one is, there will be a lot of oil and gunk. I failed to do this and regretted it many times. I did not expect so much oily, dirty gunk to be underneath from such small gaskets. My valve cover is also leaking minimally, it appears.
B. I drained the oil and coolant "completely".
I. As in, I removed the lower coolant hose and let it drain for about 20 minutes. I did not have any coolant left in my housings.
II. HOWEVER, I seemed to have oil come out of anything that "used" to have oil in it. A little in the housing, but the oil hoses leaked for a long time, and they were always being nudged. I had removed them from the radiator also. Probably a mistake. I replaced the O-rings on both sides of both hoses. Just a habit, as mine seemed to be fine. I don't like to skip a step to save a buck fifty.
3. Your radiator hoses are in danger. The top hose to the cylinder head seems to have been broken inside the housing BEFORE I disconnected it. (Much easier to reach that lower bolt holding the housing on if you remove The upper radiator hose on the driver's side that connects to the oil cooler housing had plastic peel/break off inside. The snap-lock connection needs to be cleaned inside and out, probably should replace your O-rings. I kind of hate those hoses...
4. My car (2010 BMW e61iXT / 535) has just under 100,000 miles. It suffered a catastrophic failure of the electrical water pump two years ago. Emergency situation required local dealer service. Dealer did not replace thermostat. Minor overheating was experience. NO symptoms after the water pump was replaced.
5. I suggest, and did (am) replacing all my coolant hoses, thermostat, overflow tank and cap. 100,000 is a good milestone. The hoses did not seem to be bad on the outside or to the squeeze tests. I am ALSO replacing my serpentine belt, tensioner and two drive pulleys. Just preventive as oil probably did get on the belt/pulleys. That belt being sucked through the front seal is not high on my wanna experience list.
6. I also loosened my intake manifold to get to that "hidden" bolt. I considered replacing the intake manifold gaskets, but did not as I expect to return soon to do some walnut blasting. I did remove and clean the throttle body housing. Pretty gunked up, but cleaned out in about 15 minutes. Replaced the o-ring/gasket.
7. TOOLS, besides the eTorx that you definitively need, the stubby wrenches mentioned are probably a very good idea.

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...=938455&page=2


Good luck. I am retired, and comfortable leaving half started projects over days as I research how others did it, so my duration is not normal. Those that said they did this in two hours much have much better facilities, tools (as in tractor beams, multi-flexible self-driven rachets , laser lighting around corners...) and have lesser engines and drive trains than AWD twin turbo'd N54 535.