XSeries-forum

Sorry another question -
is it worth buying a new breather & oil separator or is a new separator/filter on its own a good enough change? (using original breather) 

[quote="andym3"]
[quote="X5Sport"]
That one is no good.  It's for the 2-litre engines not the 3-litre units.  It looked wrong in the picture so
I checked it on Realoem.  E53 not listed at all, only cars with the smaller engine.

Richard
[/quote]
This is title of ad - BMW 320D 330D 520D 525D 530D 730D X3 X5 MODIFIED CRANKCASE BREATHER FILTER KIT

Think they need to re-do that title if it the wrong one!

Where is everyone on here buying theirs? 
[/quote]

I bought my crankcase breather from Andrew pages they only listed 2 different types .

Mine came from bmw and was £61.


Insight electrical ltd.    &.  Bristol soundsystem hire

does any one have, or share a diagram of where this filter actually lives on a 2004 facelift Diesel engine please ?

Right here:

Engine front is to the right.  Image taken from over the washer bottle.  Yellow marked bolts are the fuel injector control rail and red are the four that hold the breather in place.  All is hidden below the engine cover.  Air filter runs in the trough along the left side (bottom in the picture).

Just to add that it's the same for the pre-facelift! 

WOW... that's well disguised then...

So, can it be removed or checked without removing the air filter / cover ?  Looks like it may be possible ?

In theory, as mine is a 2004 vehicle, it will have the modern separator that does not need replacement parts ?

GB

Mine is a 2005 model and had the old style filter fitted

You can change it without removing the air filter, but you do need to get the engine covers off.  TBH as pretty much all of the bits needed to get at the air filter also need to come off you might just as well do it too.

Richard

Im wondering if it is possible to fit an external oil seperator, as I have used these on a Porsche & a Mugen Honda... and they seperate the engine fumes & oil better than any OEM unit... but can the crank case gasses be piped externally, or it the design totallydedicated to moulded parts ??

Ive removed my EGR unit & fitted a straight thru part... bit noticed traces of oil lightly puddled in the intake pipe work...
So it seems possible I may also have an early version of the oil seperator fitted too !!

You would need to build a bespoke system as everything is moulded inside.  Given the price of the new design and the fact you never need to change it again, is it really worth the effort of going bespoke?

Richard

Hi Richard,

If there was simply an Input & an Exit pipe, then I would consider it....
But as you say, if its all moulded & the modern part works, then excellent... will go with it.

Will yank it to pieces this weekend & see whats going on in there.

Regards again
Grant

is it worth changing the filter housing when changing the filter?  :-[

[quote="andym3"]
is it worth changing the filter housing when changing the filter?  :-[
[/quote]

The vortex type filter consists of a plastic moulding built into the removable top of the housing, you just take out the bolts and replace the top part of the housing, there is no filter in the vortex one, it then never needs to be touched again.

I see a lot of the filter housings being sold with the filter I just wondered why?
When I changed the filter on the last service (standard not vortex) I couldn't see why people changed the housing!  :-[