XSeries-forum

2003 bmw x5 3.0d

i was woundering if i could get a little help on a few common places oil leaks appear.. orignially thought oil cooler was leaking but on removal it seemed to be coming under intake manifold ..  i have highlighted where it seems be wet .

https://imgur.com/a/k2r8q

One of the likely places is the orange gaskets that seals the inlet manifold and it’s running down the manifold to appear somewhere else.

Rocker cover/ cam cover Gasket ?

[quote="snrbrtsn"]
One of the likely places is the orange gaskets that seals the inlet manifold and it’s running down the manifold to appear somewhere else.
[/quote]

could well be .i have just ordered new gaskets " was ganna blank swirl flaps but turns out none on the inlet "

[quote="Horizon"]
Rocker cover/ cam cover Gasket ?
[/quote]

looks good on inspection apart from old gunk.. more fresh furthur down around the little tube pipes " above where cooler sits" .. do plan on having proper gander tomorrow

While you can i would change all the small vacuum pipes.

[quote="mark1989"]
[quote="snrbrtsn"]
One of the likely places is the orange gaskets that seals the inlet manifold and it’s running down the manifold to appear somewhere else.
[/quote]

could well be .i have just ordered new gaskets " was ganna blank swirl flaps but turns out none on the inlet "

[quote="Horizon"]
Rocker cover/ cam cover Gasket ?
[/quote]

looks good on inspection apart from old gunk.. more fresh furthur down around the little tube pipes " above where cooler sits" .. do plan on having proper gander tomorrow
[/quote]

The swirl flaps were fitted 2004 onwards , at that year, there were problematic reports of engines ingesting the flaps so always good to check. Whilst I dont  think it’s possible to tell with the SUVs the saloons, had downturned tailpipes to signify no flaps
The engines has few reports of cam cover gasket leaks, that fault is kept for the petrols

[quote="snrbrtsn"]
[quote="mark1989"]
[quote="snrbrtsn"]
One of the likely places is the orange gaskets that seals the inlet manifold and it’s running down the manifold to appear somewhere else.
[/quote]

could well be .i have just ordered new gaskets " was ganna blank swirl flaps but turns out none on the inlet "

[quote="Horizon"]
Rocker cover/ cam cover Gasket ?
[/quote]

looks good on inspection apart from old gunk.. more fresh furthur down around the little tube pipes " above where cooler sits" .. do plan on having proper gander tomorrow
[/quote]

The swirl flaps were fitted 2004 onwards , at that year, there were problematic reports of engines ingesting the flaps so always good to check. Whilst I dont  think it’s possible to tell with the SUVs the saloons, had downturned tailpipes to signify no flaps
The engines has few reports of cam cover gasket leaks, that fault is kept for the petrols
[/quote]

Sounds to sound harsh but that is fundamentally untrue, wrong and incorrect information. The E53 does not have swirl flaps. End of. never had. Search the forum

Correct.  Regardless of engine or year the E53 never had them.  The E70 onwards has them, as did the E83 X3.

Downward turned exhausts are primarily to do with the Euro 3 emissions standards that the E53 was approved to.

Looking at the image, & location if the oil, it appears it could even be overflow spill out from the power steering reservoir.
You also definitely have a collapsed small dia vacuum pipe there too.

The inlet seals seem intact, as the outer edge is clean, so it's not that.

Another possibility looking at the head being nice & clean & filthy below is a tinsy oil leak from the head gasket, but that is also rather unlikely.

As for my car, it is also smothered in oil around this area & gave the impression that it was over-flow/blow out of surplus oil from the power steering filler, which will always be blown backwards by the rad fan air blasting through the engine bay. the pwr steering pipes also often weep a bit, & so long as oil isn't dripping all over the place I would not worry too much...

But swap out those knackered vacuum pipes any way.