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3.0d M57 / N E53 PCV crankcase breather oil separator valve

Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:46 pm
by jmhc
After lurking & reading & purchasing, via auction (another story) we (she) have a 52 (august) 3.0d Sport X5 in titan silver, black heated leather, Xenon dip, after market head unit.

Learning from your good selves, THANK YOU ALL, I could not see a definitive answer to the older M57 & newer M57N breather assembly.

3.0d M57 / N  E53 PCV crankcase breather oil separator valve.

I changed ours last night from the older Felt cartridge throw away type to the vortex model.  Parts were purchased from GSF in Shrewsbury.  12th March 2015.

You do NOT need to buy the whole assembly just the vortex bit.  As this includes ALL o-ring & seals see pic. below.  You do NOT need to remove the Air filter.  I was replacing ours.

OIL TRAP CRANKCASE BREATHER  Part No : 013BM0080  Costing £22.62 retail.
http://www.gsfcarparts.com/013bm0080

Here is one on ebay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BREATHER-FILTER-CRANKCASE-OIL-BMW-E46-E60-E61-E65-E66-M57-M57N-11127799367-/281251434611?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&fits=Car+Make%3ABMW%7CModel%3AX5&hash=item417be45073

Simply remove the felt cartridge & discard safely & responsibly.  Clean up breather, I used paraffin followed with brake/carb cleaner & let it dry off.

The FULL assembly with the vortex & seals  is this BTW.  I got both just in case & will return this unused part today.
ENGINE BLOCK BREATHER  Part No : 013BM0030  £46.80 retail.
http://www.gsfcarparts.com/013bm0030

As mentioned above you do NOT need to buy the whole assembly at £47 just the vortex bit at £23.  As this includes ALL o-ring & seals see pic.

Haggle if buying.

The Standard (Old Style) WHOLE assembly using the replaceable, throw away, might clog-up felt cartridge filter is this.
ENGINE BLOCK BREATHER  Part No : 013BM0060  £46.80  retail
http://www.gsfcarparts.com/013bm0060

Again you DO NOT need the whole assembly, unless damaged, if keeping this type, just the replaceable cartridge like this on ebay.  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E46-E39-X5-330D-CRANKCASE-OIL-BREATHER-SEPARATOR-FILTER-11127793164-A758-/201264251911?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2edc48c407  at £8 near as.

Replacing the soiled cartridge filter with a new one would be a daft idea from all I have read here & elsewhere.  IMO.  The vortex type oil separator being the common consensus for a long term solution to the adverse effects of pressurisation leading to possible turbo seal failure.  If you right click on the picture & "View Image" you can see the whole picture.

Removed  Breather top view.
Image

Removed Breather bottom view.
Image

Oil Separator & ALL seals which I fitted to Breather removed from car.  Slip the o-ring on to the breather & push the Oil Separator on & re-fit all to vehicle.
Image

Box Label from above Oil Separator.
Image

Engine bay, Injector loom loose & Air box top removed, which others have mentioned does NOT need to come off & is a bit of pain.  I was changing the filter to though.
Image

Engine bay wide shot. Dark, raining & no flash apologies. Note all engine covers removed. Washer bottle unbolted (removed low water sensor wire first !) and hung out of the way.  Webasto Aux heater bolts & wires removed to allow centre cabin air filter assembly to be removed. This may not be needed if you do not have the little silver fuel-cooling radiator & filter visible bolted to the side of the Webasto heater.
Image

This shows the angle I used to remove the air filter housing lid. It is the same fro re-fit.  Again not needed if ONLY changing the Breather.
Image

It occurs to me that there MAY be a case for fitting the FULL kit, opinions please.  The circular section on the breather with the nipple & hole, has a spring loaded valve to admit air & pressure equalise.  I guess if this, the spring or seal was not good there would be a case for changing it ALL???

I was going to add this to the following thread but did not want to barge in as it were, hence the new post.  I hope this is OK & of some use.  http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,11088.45.html

Cheers,

JMHC

Re: 3.0d M57 / N E83 PCV crankcase breather oil separator valve

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 11:43 pm
by X5-D-Sport
I replaced my old felt filter unit with a Vortex version 8 weeks ago...
I noticed oil... lots of it running in the air intake pipe where I fitted an EGR blanker kit thingy pipe replacement some time ago...

The oil was pooled in the bottom on the pipe... and lots of of it, fresh too...
I think Im lucky the engine didnt do a runaway on the oil...

The vortex replacement has removed ALL oil traces escaping, and appears to be doing its job admirably...
Oil consumption of the engine has ceased as a result  :D


Incidentally, for the extra few pounds ££ and all the damned the agro in getting at the Oil Seperator to get the lid off... and then discover the rubber seals wont re-seal properly on the lid/cap...
Id suggest getting the whole kit with the lid and both fresh seals...
:blink: :blink:
Regards to all.

Re: 3.0d M57 / N E83 PCV crankcase breather oil separator valve

Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 11:29 am
by X5Sport
Defo do the whole kit.

Re: 3.0d M57 / N E83 PCV crankcase breather oil separator valve

Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:48 pm
by andym3
I done the whole kit a few weeks ago! Thought as the vortex doesn't need replacing it would be worth replacing it all!  8)