2011 X5 V8 - Small oil drips from skid plate

[Steepcreeker]

Hello kind BMW people,

My X5 has started dripping a small amount of oil under the passenger side, just to right of center from the skid plate. I do not have any codes or alerts and haven't seen any oil level warnings. Thoughts here?

I will be bring into a shop as I have no way of lifting. Ideas on where to look first for the leak?

Thanks,

ps, I love my X5, 50i
130,000ish miles.

[TwinSnailz]

Vacuum pump seal(most common)
Valve cover gasket
Oil pan gasket(most common)
Rear main seal

[Colodano]

If you bring it to any shop that knows these vehicles whatsoever, they will know right where to look. If they don't, you should not be bringing your vehicle to them.

[Sophisticated Redneck]

I have the same X5 and getting under it is super easy - 4 car ramps and a low profile creeper, around 100 dollars total. There is enough ground clearance where you can drive up on all 4 ramps at the same time. So just for 100 dollars and a few minutes, you can check out your own ride....even if you don't work on cars, it can help greatly on not getting worked over from a shop.

Check out everything mentioned above and make sure it's not the oil filter housing leaking which is on the passenger rear side. A VERY tricky thing about the N63 and S63 engines is the appearance of a rear main seal leak when it's actually the turbo return lines to engine block connection leaking, this causes oil to collect in the engine valley and run out the rear weep hole....which trickles down right over the rear main seal...

Don't get me wrong the rear main seal can go bad too but if you take it in and they want to do the rear main seal, have them borsecope the engine valley to make sure it's not the turbo oil return housing before they charge you for the rear main.

[Steepcreeker]

Originally Posted by TwinSnailz

Vacuum pump seal(most common)
Valve cover gasket
Oil pan gasket(most common)
Rear main seal

Thanks for the tips. Will keep in mind.

[Steepcreeker]

Originally Posted by Colodano

If you bring it to any shop that knows these vehicles whatsoever, they will know right where to look. If they don't, you should not be bringing your vehicle to them.

Got it!

[Steepcreeker]

Originally Posted by Sophisticated Redneck

I have the same X5 and getting under it is super easy - 4 car ramps and a low profile creeper, around 100 dollars total. There is enough ground clearance where you can drive up on all 4 ramps at the same time. So just for 100 dollars and a few minutes, you can check out your own ride....even if you don't work on cars, it can help greatly on not getting worked over from a shop.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/RhinoGear-11909ABMI-RhinoRamps-Vehicle-Ramp-Pair-12-000lb-GVW-Capacity/19526658?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=2222222222701756342 1&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=60968599608&wl4=pla-87559257888&wl5=9029121&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl1 0=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=19526658&veh=sem&gclid= EAIaIQobChMIpJz6m7Hx5AIVFx6tBh1dxgllEAQYASABEgIxyv D_BwE[/url
Something like these?

I know my way around a vehicle but this is the nicest and baddest ride I've owned. My other vehicle is a 1995.5 Tacoma with 238,000 miles. I want to stay in my lane.

Originally Posted by Sophisticated Redneck

Check out everything mentioned above and make sure it's not the oil filter housing leaking which is on the passenger rear side. A VERY tricky thing about the N63 and S63 engines is the appearance of a rear main seal leak when it's actually the turbo return lines to engine block connection leaking, this causes oil to collect in the engine valley and run out the rear weep hole....which trickles down right over the rear main seal...

So, get under it. Remove skid plate and inspect. Any beta on location of...
Vacuum pump seal(most common)
Valve cover gasket
Oil pan gasket(most common)
Rear main seal

Originally Posted by Sophisticated Redneck

Don't get me wrong the rear main seal can go bad too but if you take it in and they want to do the rear main seal, have them borsecope the engine valley to make sure it's not the turbo oil return housing before they charge you for the rear main.

Thanks for your time here. Appreciate the help on this vehicle. I love my X5!

[Ryan5034]

Go underneath and take off the silver skid plate. It's like 6 16MM? bolts.

Where the engine meets the transmission there are some rubber plugs covering up some inspection holes. This is called the bell housing. Remove the rubber plugs. Look in there with a flash light. If there's oil all over inside then you have either a rear main seal OR the turbo oil cover which leaks into the valley and down the rear of the block in to the trans bell housing. Use the boroscope as previously recommended to inspect for the turbo oil cover. You would start this up top under hood, starting under the alternator.

If it's dry and clean then check out the other advice given here.

Also consider before making any determination, you may want to clean everything up and dry it all off real good. Then start engine and look for leaks. Be careful of moving parts. Use the e-brake, or chock the wheels. :-)

FWIW, my X5 V8 had rear main, turbo cover, and vaccuum pumps leaks at 90k.