scottalexander

I was just trying to identify the oil leak around the oil pan gasket (from 2010 528i N52k).

It appears there is a bolt missing close to the oil leak.

See picture below.

Can anyone confirm that this bolt screwed itself and there should be a bolt in that hole?

dingolfing

That is not a bolt hole (at least not for that side). And you can tell no bolt goes in that side because there is a triangular strengthening beam so close to the hole that no bolt head would be able to clear it.



The pic below has a slightly different transmission but you can see that on the opposite side of the hole is an external torx bolt that secures the transmission bell housing to the engine oil pan. I guess the manufacturer considered it easier to just drill the hole all the way thru.