Return to X5 after 6 week hiatus

[VegyBS]

Can anyone guess what's going on here  ::)

[X5Sport]

Gearbox?

[davesavage257]

Timing chain and tensioners/guides?

Dave
2003 BMW X5 4.6iS Auto
2007 '57' Saab 9-3 Aero 2.0T Auto

[fenj66]

diesel model air filter change! 

[KGB BORIS]

id say timing chain replacement too or something around that  area.

[VegyBS]

Main timing chain guide went, car sounded like a rickety diesel! It had done 107K.

Ended up replacing the chain, the 3 guides/tensioners, the chain tensioner, every gasket that became available during the strip down, some o-rings, and air con belt. Also replaced the N/S arm as it was knocking.

A couple of pennies change from £600 in parts alone, and that was with a BMW employee 20%/30% discount, too. £260 on the cam locking kit and about 22 hours work over 6 weeks.

Fair to say the BMW has cost a fair bit in 13 months, but it's still worth it. Should be good for another 100-150K and I intend on having it for the next 6-8 years.

[jaynana]

[quote="fenj66"]
diesel model air filter change! 
[/quote]

)

[X5Sport]

Now the pic is there it looks like you have been trying to extricate a lamppost from the front of the car!  Open heart surgery would have been the next best......

[VegyBS]

I certainly have a more intimate relationship with the car now I've seen it's insides like this.

[LooneyLeon]

[quote="VegyBS"]
Can anyone guess what's going on here  ::)


[/quote]

Oil separator replacement?

[Smeeagain]

could be pdc sensor or headlamp bulb ......... 

[LooneyLeon]

Seriously though with how complicated these things are its totally amazing any of them work at all.

[X5Sport]

And is possibly why too few BMW 'Technicians' know how to fix them.... >:(

[Greydog]

Sadly most of the major Marques dealerships stopped fixing things and went to replacing parts almost as soon as diagnostics became available (My more recent experience Volvo, Range Rover, Mercedes) These days they have technicians not mechanics.
Diagnostics say failed part response change the whole part, if it doesn't cure the problem change another part, normally at the customers cost.
Before diagnostics they would have taken the thing apart to find out what had failed and why then change it if it could be repaired.
How many expensive replacements are carried out through dry joints on PCB boards as an example

[X5Sport]

Exactly.  I warned my Dealer when my E53 was playing up that any parts changed whilst they did 'fault finding' work other than the actual failed part would be at their expense and they would have to justify the lot.  Strangely enough I then began to get sensible phone calls from their chief tech and looked at things from 1st principles rather than 'change and hope'.

It possibly saved me a small fortune!

Richard