XSeries-forum

As I said in my intro I will have many things to ask about so here are two.
1. The key. Although the grand masters at ze factory say the key has a lifetime battery and will recharge the 2 that I got with the car don't seem to have even one tiny bit of life and don't want to recharge. Can they be opened or what is the usual procedure and please don't say go along to my not so local dealer (170km away) and pay $409 AUD for a new key. :-[

2. There is a rather large leak of oil coming from the right side of the engine. I have so far made no attempt to even have a look but thought I might as well ask as there could be a standard answer and some known reason. Any ideas will be gratefully received.
I am a fitter by trade and do all my own work including auto transmissions and differentials so nothing is beyond me I just consider it to be all nuts and bolts.

Firstly welcome to the forum.

MMMMM an 8 series yum yum. I did think of the cam covers as there is not much else down that right side that will leak oil. Had to change them on the M60 in my now defunct E32.
I have been fiddling with the keys to get them apart is there any special way. I can get a blade in between the two hales where the key ring goes but not wanting to be too brutal I haven't managed to get them apart yet.

This article on a outpost (US Xdrivers equivalent - sort of) might help.

I think you have to get a little ‘brutal’...

https://xoutpost.com/articles/x5/miscel ... b-e53.html

I used a dremel with a thin diamond disc to cut my key open.
Don't cut too deep as you could damage the board inside.
Easy job with a soldering iron to change the battery plenty for sale on the bay.
Epoxy resin to put it back together.

Rocker cover gaskets tend to leak, although if you haven't noticed any oily vapours or smells coming from that side of the engine then chances are it's not this as usually the oil burns off on the manifold and you can see it.

You've also got all the oil filter housing and associated lines on that side of the engine - the o rings on these fail (I've got mine to do possibly this weekend).

Then other culprits are the front timing chain covers, the vanos solenoid seals and potentially also some kind of power steering leak.

My M54 engine had the usual oil leaks from the rocker box as well as a breather pipe from the rocker box down to the crankcase.

It also had the sump gasket leaking. This meant the front subframe lowered and a new gasket fitted.

I had the same issue when I picked up the car, the chap said only one key worked and assumed it was a flat battery.
All I did was re-pair the key to the car and used it for a few days and it’s been ok for the past 12 months, try the reset procedure here http://bmw-key-replacement.com/bmw-key- ... amond-key/ - you never know, it worked for me!

[quote="V8 00USH"]
Rocker cover gaskets tend to leak, although if you haven't noticed any oily vapours or smells coming from that side of the engine then chances are it's not this as usually the oil burns off on the manifold and you can see it.

You've also got all the oil filter housing and associated lines on that side of the engine - the o rings on these fail (I've got mine to do possibly this weekend).

Then other culprits are the front timing chain covers, the vanos solenoid seals and potentially also some kind of power steering leak.
[/quote]

Now that you mention it there is no smoke so the oil filter seems like a good candidate.
Thanks all for the key info between that and the oil leak it should keep me off the streets for a while.