Hey R53'ers!

May you lent me your collective knowledge by answering some short queries?

1 - Is the MINI SST belt tensioner is required for oil pan gasket replacement?

2 - Can the oil pan gasket be replaced without removing the condensor and disconnecting the A/C lines?

3 - How high must the car by hoisted up?

The the serpentine belt, supercharger, pulley, damper, and A/C compressor have all been replaced.

Yet now the car is leaking oil.

This very thorough write up appears much more time consuming and may include procedures that can be omitted with some shade tree jimmy rigging.

Suggestions?

Thank you in advance!

 

It has been so long since i did mine I cant remember all the details. But I do know that I did not have to disconnect the AC lines. I only lifted the car high enough for me to work under it. Not too high. That write up you found seems overly involved.

Not too much help, good luck.

Nik

 

Are you positive it's the pan gasket? The Crank Position Sensor (CPS) o-ring is another culprit in mysterious oil leaks. It's in the front of the engine near the middle.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...on-sensor.html

 

Well, I be schooled! Need to check on that! Does the Oil need to be drained for the CPS O-ring repair?

 

Nope. It's high enough up that nothing will spill out when you pull it. If yours is like mine was, it'll be real dirty though!
Did the R&R on both mine and a friend's and it cured the mystery ooze on the engine.

 

In the write up it states to unclip the lines not disconnect them which will discharge the system. Unclip them and let the condenser hang to get it out of the way.

 

I read you used the "under engine with strap" method, with some difficulties getting the sensor out. How about the "top engine" method?

 

"top engine" works fine if you have an R50 (non-S) in the S, the supercharger is in the way, so you have to go from below. Book calls for service mode, but that's way more work than it is trouble getting the sensor out using the strap method, IMO.

 

You wrote on an earlier post that the job took you ten minutes with the strap method. Would you like to expound on your approach?

Off-Topic : BTW, my heart goes out to your community for the recent killings of two of Santa Cruz's finest. I attended UCSC, lived all over towne for 6 years until 2004, was even married there, and still have some life long friends on your side of the hill. So when such violence happens there, especially from transplants, it both angers and saddens me.

 

My original post:

Just replaced the CPS o-ring today. Used the under engine ratchet strap method (remove lower engine mount, replace bolt, use ratchet strap to pull engine back a couple of inches.) Worked pretty well, but couldn't for the life of me get the connector off the CPS. After attempting that for 30 minutes decided just to take the CPS off (10mm bolt) with the connector attached. Couldn't see the bolt through the filth, but could feel it. Even after getting the CPS out of the block, I couldn't get the connector off. Still was able to replace the o-ring and reinstall with the sensor attached.
Getting the bolt back in was a bit challenging, as I was working blind, but after finger tightening and working to tighten it with a variation of a long socket, then a standard socket with a short extension was able to snug it up.

That pretty much says it all. I recently replaced my AC compressor, so I'm getting used to being under there. More than a 10 minute job (someone else said that) but more arduous than difficult, just working mostly blind. pic gives you an idea where it is.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...82&hg=11&fg=10
I put it on ramps, remove the splash pan, and I removed the PS fan, though others have said there's enough room not to. You can gain a little room to work with the connected CPS by removing the wire from the clips it is in.

If you need any clarification, feel free to email (my username at yahoo) and I can talk you through it.

OT: Yeah, I grew up here, and we seem to have more than our share of nut jobs that show up.

 

So, I have the CPS o-ring. And will be wrenching this Sunday here in the city.

May I ask where you placed the strap and supported the engine? And which lower engine mount? Thanks in advance!

BTW - my 3rd Wharf 2 Wharf is confirmed!

 

For strap method, pull the lower motor mount (two big bolts, one horizontal, one vertical.) I can never get the mount out without removing the bracket on the engine, but others don't seem to have that problem. Insert bolt back into engine bracket and run strap over the front crossmember and through the engine side motor mount bolt. You may also need to remove the PS fan (two bolts.) Then cinch it up and go to it.