CHANGING 3.0d breather assembly

[otas]

Hi guys, is there way of telling before dismantling what type of separator is fitted?
Just by looking at it after removing the engine cover, as the VIN no. does not seem to be reliable check what is there.
Someone who had both - old and new in the hand, who can tell what to look for?
Thanks for your help
otas

[wilkoturbo]

I did this on my 51 old style breather , but do I need to on a 56 reg!?:)

[Mrgee]

change ur breather every 20k if short journeys & every 30k if long trips mainly its only £19+vat if u have the modded breather which came out in 2005 if u dont u
can change to the new design for £40+vat


I was thinking the same Wilkoturbo. Not sure if the original post means that the mod that came out in 05, was actually also fitted to all manufactured cars in a certain month in 05, through to the last E53's built in 06, or that the mod came out as a part to be fitted to all E53's?

[storminmike]

Spotted this on EBAY -
BREATHER FILTER CRANKCASE OIL BMW E46 330d, E60 525d, 530d, X5 3.0d M57N Engines

supplied by Motormec

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BREATHER-FILT ... 5ae43779aa

Is it a pattern part as it comes in £44.35 is this cheaper than visting the dealer counter?

[shadrack]

dealer will be +/- a couple of quid so not worth getting pattern part

[Darnicmax]

Bazzyboy - just wanted to say thanks for posting this excellent how to. I did my breather assembly today on my 2005 (September) 3.0d X5 - and it had the old style housing and filter. Replaced it with the modified version supplied by my local BMW dealer. All went very well - just took my time I did the air filter at the same time too. Plan to change it every 12 months going forward now. Thanks for the article!

[bazzyboy]

ur welcome

[deadline]

Hi, new to the forum, not new to the bmw's and their problems.

I drive Opel Omega with the M57D25 and it has the same crank oil breather as the D30. Today I changed the old-style filter with the vortex one. The old one was unbelievably clogged and since I know the service history of the car - it hasn't been changed EVER. ~100k miles. The result is of course excessive oil in the air pipes. I read everywhere that not changing the filter frequently causes the turbo to fail or the variable geometry to get clogged. I don't experience those results so far, so is it possible the turbo to be 'half way there' or it's just "either ok or dead". What should I check and be worried about, even with the new oil separator.

Thanks.

PS. The way the official dealers "service" their cars is just unbelievable! They don't tell you that you should change such parts (or that they even exist) and than they rip you off with a new turbo. Un- f-ing -believable!

[jeegnesh]

June 2005 build and still had the old style breather, not anymore.

[storminmike]

Sorry to bump this but has anybody ever watched this YOUTUBE

Nice vid of how to remove the bits of tupperware covering the diesel engine
then the air filer
then change the breather

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LXBlUlgTjo&feature=plcp

happy to share

now I wonder if I can have the lappy under the engine bay

[storminmike]

Change the filter and breather on the 54 plate yesterday (reasonable weather)

My god you end up with a pile of plastic bits

Hardest bits
That feckin screw at the back. It's a bit cranked over at the 11 oclock position (looking from the front) and even with the whole microfilter under the windscreen bit out it's a right pain. You need long arms too. Good news was that once "cracked" I could undo it with my left arm down past filter under the washer bottle and the right arm over the top. Using the index finger of both hands in chopstick style meant I could unscrew it

Removing the last filter cover part. It was well wedged and took some wrestling, twisting (swearing) for it to come out. I tried the technique shown in the video and it sort of works but I deffo needed the micro filter big piece out of the way. Putting that back wasn't easy either as getting it to sit right seemed tricky getting it to sit in the grooves. I ended up knocking the oil filler rubber ring out as I wrestled it back into line.

All done ...now....mine was foam. A bit black but not too shabby

You need a good dose of bottle to do this though given the shear amounts of bit and bobs.

all together and no screws left over

[X5Sport]

Well done...

I know what you mean about that back bolt I ended up buying a set of flexible ring/ratchet spanners so I can get at the one on the E46 which still needs doing.

[storminmike]

[quote=""X5Sport""]Well done...

I know what you mean about that back bolt I ended up buying a set of flexible ring/ratchet spanners so I can get at the one on the E46 which still needs doing.[/quote]

The only surprise I had was when the old foam breather came out it left a bit of plastic behind that seemed to be a part of the old foam section. I didn't spot it right away as it was covered on oil and hiding in the chamber. I only noticed when I couldn't get the new one in for this obstruction....just plucked it out. I think some sort of flexi joint is really needed for sanity sake...even getting enough initial purchase on that back bolt on re-assembly isn't a doddle when doing it by feel....or trying not to drop a socket of allen key

I hadn't one of these 1/4 inch FLEXI but I would get one next time

It would compliment my ALDI allen sockets and ALDI ratchet spanners

[x555]

Nice one always very satisfying when tackling jobs and finishing them sucsesfully.
This has to be one of the best how to's on here.....great stuff
Ohh and yeah agreed about that nut lmao ....not easy

[storminmike]

[quote=""x555""]Nice one always very satisfying when tackling jobs and finishing them sucsesfully.
This has to be one of the best how to's on here.....great stuff
Ohh and yeah agreed about that nut lmao ....not easy [/quote]

Thanks

Stolen picture but...for reference the bit that got left behind was that shroud bit to the left side of the foam shown below.

It must have fell off




ps....I changed the bumper mesh grills on the wife's X5 too. They were broken, I purchased black, painted them silver (saving £50) and fitted...with the bumper pulled too

All this on a saturday morning....knackered today