Crankcase breather removed as per BMW tech bulletin (?)

[ArthurSleep]

Hi all, I've had my '55 plate 3.0d in for a Inspection 2 at a local BMW specialist last month.
A few of the usual things to be done.

I asked them to check the breather as it was on my mind after reading a thread about it on here a while back.
They did & reported it was badly clogged. Instead of a replacement, they told me BMW's latest advice (via a technical bulletin) was to remove them altogether in E53's. Which they did.
I had a look on here but couldn't see anything mentioned regarding this.
Can anyone shed any light or confirm the above. Not what I was expecting. See attached pic of the paperwork that came back from the garage.

[X5Sport]

Interesting.  I assume they remove the actual breather and refit just the cover then?

I thought the idea of it was to remove oil from the fumes, but if not then what is it doing, and why fit it at all if it appears that it isn't needed?

The wording is a little ambiguous and it would be handy to get a look at the TSB for that.....

Richard

[fenj66]

thats interesting!
i replaced my foam type with the newer sort without issue. although the newer sort didnt look like it did much anyway, just a hollow tube.
might be worth finding a bmw indie and getting their thoughts..

[ChrisLux]

I was talking to an Indy about this on Monday and they told me that if you order a breather for an E53 from BMW now , it comes only with the breather body but NOT with the toilet roll shaper filter that normally fits
around it , yet if you order the same for an E39 then you get the toilet roll in the pack too .

[LincsX5]

Anyone got access to this TSB? I was going to do my breather and air filter this weekend but will hold off until I've seen further info.

[khuram-23]

i am in the same boat, i want to do my air filter and have read a few threads so i am thinking of replacing the breather but not sure if i need to order the case or the vortex part and just swap it out?

any part numbers from bmw would be appreciated.

thanks

[Caesium]

Its just the top, it bolts on to the existing housing.

The existing separator assembly is removed and discarded, I think this is what the stated procedure is referring to.

[khuram-23]

thanks for that will be at the garage this week for service so will pick it up, hopefully not too expensive.

[ArthurSleep]

Bumping this back up.

Can anyone shed any light or direct me to where I can view this BMW tech bulletin?

[Caesium]

You shouldn't need the tech bulletin to change the breather for the updated one, it's a very simple job.

No offence but if you need to refer to the bulletin, them maybe leave the job for someone else?

This is all based on the assumption that the breather mod is the updated housing lid, as this procedure is essentially a removal and discarding of the original lid and replacement with an updated version.

Unless anyone knows of any other procedure

[fenj66]

i didnt think OP was thinking of attempting this job himself, merely asking for some sort of confirmation that the dealer wasnt talking absolute bullshit ( as they most often do!!) and actually had a genuine bmw guidance plan to remove it in the first place. something i wouldnt mind being privvy to also. 

[John]

I went to my local BMW dealer yesterday to buy a crankcase breather kit/thing, I was given what I believe to be the "old" style thing with toilet roll type filter etc, I do hope I havnt been ripped off...... :'(

[X5Sport]

That's the old version.  You need the vortex one.

Richard

[John]

will the old version do a turn til next time I change/clean it etc?

[X5Sport]

Yes.  It should last several thousand miles with no issues. 

I changed the one on my '04 E53 when it had about 46k miles on it.  It wasn't looking good by then though.

R