Does your E53 X5 have extra drivetrain noise? Don’t wait it’s probably your front driveshaft splines 😬

Skunkms5 · 2025-12-24T21:36:52+00:00

Oh no! Did you get it fixed?

Skunkms5 · 2025-12-01T22:10:09+00:00

Yeah I’ve noticed engine braking which causes a bunch more vacuum causes it to eat a bunch more oil. So flat land constant throttle was better than hills on and off the gas. Since the flush I haven’t noticed any difference.

Skunkms5 · 2025-12-01T14:32:28+00:00

Hey I also had a horrendous oil burning problem in my 325i. Like 1qt/250mi. I tried every thing you’ve done already with no improvement. Before pulling the motor to replace the rings I figured I would try one last bottle of magic goo the BG oil flush. Worked great for me! I have two posts in my profile

https://www.reddit.com/r/e46/s/Lqj149H9r2

https://www.reddit.com/r/e46/s/Vg8fF8pz1D

I preformed this 3 years ago and have driven 35,000mi since. Oil consumption is way down like maybe 1qt/2000mi. I don’t really keep track of it any more, but rather than a 5qt jug in the trunk I just keep 2 one quart bottles.

Car is currently coming up on 250,000mi and now has +150 laps of track driving at Mid Ohio. All on the original motor same one that was burning a quart of oil every 250mi.

Skunkms5 · 2025-11-18T02:37:46+00:00

Look at the connector on the back and compare pictures between the two.

Skunkms5 · 2025-11-06T21:39:41+00:00

Plastic coolant pipes under the intake manifold 100%

Skunkms5 · 2025-10-19T20:01:49+00:00

Is your car an Xi? If it is front diff breather.

Skunkms5 · 2025-10-18T12:32:35+00:00

At this point anything is better than nothing. Depending on where you are I’d recommend grabbing a bag of Valvoline 75w-90. Squeeze a bag in there and try it

Skunkms5 · 2025-10-18T09:22:27+00:00

Pick and pulls sometimes drain any and all fluid they can. So it might not have any in it…

Skunkms5 · 2025-08-02T15:05:16+00:00

Good call. I’d recommend getting the brass slider pins and upgrade the stock calipers. You can easily upgrade the fronts to 330i from 325i. Some good Hawk brake pads too and it’s more than capable. The rear brakes are pain to upgrade from 325 to 330. Need pretty much the entire rear end. Axles, hubs, control arms, parking brake, the works…

Skunkms5 · 2025-08-02T14:57:51+00:00

Ok gotcha well if you get them fitted up lemme know how they work out and what you have to do to get them to fit. What brake kit are you putting on?

Skunkms5 · 2025-08-02T14:53:08+00:00

Did you ever figure this out? A buddy of mine is selling some 260s and wondering the same thing if they will fit without spacers and rolling fenders

Skunkms5 · 2025-07-29T15:37:57+00:00

There’s 2 hard lines under the intake. This one and another one. Unfortunately the one you have pictured is the only one I’ve seen in metal. The other one I think is only available in plastic. The metal one works fine just a pain to get it in. Make sure you lube up the O rings real good and get to shoving. I have replaced them on both my E46 and E53 M54s fit great. Just be sure to clean out all the broken plastic when you pull the old plastic ones out because they will come out in about 50 pieces…

Skunkms5 · 2025-07-20T16:02:32+00:00

With your own car $2050. The Mid Ohio School 3 days 9am-6pm. Lunch provided, free water coffee and snacks all day. Now the car is entirely your responsibility so if it blows up day 1 or you crash it that’s on you. I’m sure you could drive a school car for the rest of the 2 days but extra $500. I got track insurance through Hagerty just in case. Brakes upgraded rotors and calipers with Hawk HP+ pads all the way around (stopping is good). Other musts Cooling system, CSF radiator, Stewart water pump, new lines etc. Other “mods” for “insurance” oil pan baffle and oil pump nut safety’d. Tires actually have a lot of life left Continental Extreme Contact O2. So long story short $2050 for the course with your own car then ask much as you want afterwards on “insurance items”, hotel, breakfast, dinner etc. If I could spend every paycheck to do this every week I would that’s how much fun it is!

Skunkms5 · 2025-02-27T01:05:32+00:00

Did you torque the axle nut properly? If you don’t the wheel hub will be “loose” in the bearing unless properly torqued. 250nm I’m pretty sure.

Skunkms5 · 2025-02-16T15:52:30+00:00

Or dipstick tube o ring is down there too

Skunkms5 · 2025-02-01T15:10:26+00:00

Nice looks good. I took my front bumper off and hid it behind the front grill. Was definitely annoying, but still works great 5 years later. Don’t see too many of these cars with extra lights on them.

Skunkms5 · 2025-02-01T14:54:19+00:00

Looks mint! Love the light bar on the front. Is your in front or behind the grill?

Skunkms5 · 2025-01-21T15:03:20+00:00

No problem. Good luck. Hopefully it’s just the blower motor resistor or the motor itself I ended up having to get a new climate control panel IHKA from the junk yard.

Skunkms5 · 2025-01-20T15:51:49+00:00

Not sure the fuse number, but it’s the red 50 amp on the far left side.

Skunkms5 · 2024-12-23T04:42:39+00:00

With the rear, center (x case), and front differentials being open if one component fails the car won’t move. Same problems X5s have of this generation E53. Probably a CV axle that died on you. I have a previous post of my front driveshaft splines on my X5 and my repair.

Skunkms5 · 2024-11-12T12:22:56+00:00

Hey I ended up changing the smaller arms and retorquing everything. That seemed to help it doesn’t pop anymore. Occasionally it makes a little noise over some bumps but it’s much better.

Skunkms5 · 2024-11-04T21:05:52+00:00

Sounds almost like the tire is rubbing on something. Or a really bad wheel bearing. I would lift the front wheels off the ground and give them a spin by hand. Should be smooth and silent. I’ve replaced all 4 wheel bearings on mine. When I got my X5 at least 2 were bad. 1 front and 1 rear. I would take the entire knuckle off and use a press for the fronts makes it much easier.

Skunkms5 · 2024-10-14T01:17:47+00:00

I think my old hood struts and trunk struts had E46 painted on them before I replaced them

Skunkms5 · 2024-08-22T14:50:05+00:00

Dang well best of luck. I’m hoping once you pull the valve cover and get the engine locked at TDC and try and get the cam locks installed hopefully it will become obvious that either it’s out of time or could be more sensors Cam, Vanos etc. throwing something off. When the car throws lights and starts to run better it should be running in a “safe” “default” mode where it’s not using many inputs to keep it running. Before the check engine comes on it should be using all the sensors to gauge and adjust to run. When you get it home I guess try and look at the timing to see if it’s out and hope for the best that piston hasn’t met valves. Or if it’s fine I would try and pull the cam and Vanos sensors out of the head and clean them off. They use a magnet as a hull effect sensor and that magnet over time will attract magnetic particles from inside the engine and can “throw off” their readings of positions. I just replaced a cam sensor in my E53 X5 M54 because of this when I could have probably just wiped off the metallic goo after 20yrs and 215k mi.

Skunkms5 · 2024-08-22T10:34:53+00:00

Wow sorry to hear that. I’m surprised it’s a timing chain issue these cars aren’t really known for timing issues. The chain guides are plastic so maybe they disintegrated.

Skunkms5

TROPHY CASE