2013 X5 35i LCI E70 Engine Ground Strap Location

[NorthCountryGuy]

Guys,
Searched, Googled, and removed plates/panels under the vehicle and I can’t find this thing. Have been around many an engine, but not BMW.
Thanks in Advance
Craig

[TwinSnailz]

Try look near the front differential

[NorthCountryGuy]

I found an old post which makes mention of accessing the engine ground point through the driver wheel well by the driver’s side motor mount.
Can someone confirm this.
Thanks

[NorthCountryGuy]

Bump

[NorthCountryGuy]

In my searches I found mention of two engine earth cables in the section on removing the engine wiring harness in the new.tis manual. It makes mention of one cable on the lower crankcase and the other at the rear of the cylinder head. I was under the car the other day and had all the under panels off, but I could not find the ground cable.
Anybody have any guidance on this...
Thanks again.

[NorthCountryGuy]

Bump 2.
Qsilver, help...

[msan]

From what I researched, try taking off the driver's side front wheel and remove a couple plastic panels and you should see it by the engine mount. It should be a braided metal strap about 8 inches long. If its corroded it will be greenish or blackish in color.

This was for an x5 35d but it should be similar in that the strap is usually from the block to the chassis in a location that is the shortest run possible.

https://www.xbimmers.com/forums/show...2&postcount=14

Please report back with pics if this helps!

[NorthCountryGuy]

Originally Posted by msan

From what I researched, try taking off the driver's side front wheel and remove a couple plastic panels and you should see it by the engine mount. It should be a braided metal strap about 8 inches long. If its corroded it will be greenish or blackish in color.

This was for an x5 35d but it should be similar in that the strap is usually from the block to the chassis in a location that is the shortest run possible.

https://www.xbimmers.com/forums/show...2&postcount=14

Please report back with pics if this helps!

Thanks.
Do appreciate it.

[msan]

Standing in front of the engine of my 2012 x5 35i N55 this is what I see. I'm guessing the part number is 12427565100 just from matching up the markings on the partially visible sticker label.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...e/12427565100/


real oem

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...41#12427565100

[NorthCountryGuy]

msan,
That is very good of you.
Now I can readily assess and form a plan of attack. Wheel well would appear to be best avenue.
Thanks again.

[NorthCountryGuy]

Forum should thank msan for taking those pics. Nowhere in Search (even on bimmerfest search) or Google could be found a definitive pic of where this ground strap is located. New.tis and real.oem were not helpful either.
Now a Search for engine ground on a E 70 has data.
Thanks to msan...

[NorthCountryGuy]

Did change out the engine ground strap today and it was a BEAR...

Driver’s wheel had to be removed. Wheel well arch and rear wheel well cover had to come off. This is just to undo/redo one attachment of the strap to the chassis frame.

The engine end of the strap attaches to the engine via a small tab or appendage just above the hemi axle. It is deep and CAN NOT BE GOTTEN TO FROM BELOW.
The air filter housing had to be removed. The diagonal stabilizer bar had to be moved. I removed the most lateral bolt and rotated it out of the way. All the trim above the brake fluid reservoir had to be removed. Once this done you could now get a finger tip on it. I had to pull out my Porsche service covers and was horizontal in the engine bay. To make it even more difficult the small engine appendage was just a tab with a hole - not threaded. So one has to manage to get the bolt through the back end and hold it there while turning the nut on top - this is a one handed 3 finger maneuver. Once tightened I was able to get a small closed end socket wrench on it. My forearms look like I wrestled 2 bobcats.

I took a couple of pics. Note the degradation of the strap. I was having no issues, but my experience with a 32 year old Porsche makes me well aware to keep ground points as good as they can be.

[NorthCountryGuy]

Add: I abraded both strap attachment areas (best I could on the engine side) with steel wool. Treated the bolts and both contact areas with Deoxit as well.

[NorthCountryGuy]

Note the pics where the strap is shiny silver are what a new strap looks like.

[Movado750]

I have the n63 4.4 V8, engine and I believe the strap is in a different location can anyone confirm? I had a new engine installed and it throwing all kinds of modules and faults. It starts and runs but goes into reduced power mode. I took it for a quick spin around the block and it was flashing headlights, all kinds of shit was blinking, and it ran like shit.

[zoom750]

On the S63, it's in the same location: driver's side engine mount. So, the N63 should be the same.

If you suspect that the ground strap is missing, you could try connecting a jumper cable from an engine bolt to the chassis to confirm that's the problem.