BMW X5 4.4i E53 Transfer Case Rebuild DIY
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2015
- The failure of the transfer case on an E53 is a pattern failure. It's not a matter of if, but when you will experience this failure. For some people, the chain inside the case will stretch to the point of causing the cogs to skip a tooth. For others, like us, the splines on the gear that drives the front driveshaft will fail and get chewed up, which means you'll either have to rebuild the case or buy a new one.
In this video I present an overview on what was necessary to remove the transfer case from the vehicle and I then take it back to my shop to dissect it and determine what the exact failure was. I then take you through the process of replacing the chain, if that is your failure, and finally I get it back in the car. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Just a tip for anyone else doing this repair: When re-inserting the driveshaft onto the new/repaired transfer case, be sure to use grease or lube on the splines of the driveshaft. This is the main factor in why this guy had a stripped transfer case (the lube had dried up, water had seeped in and rusted out the splines). Technically speaking the correct thing to use would be Loctite 660 or 638 but any type of heavy grease would be better than none at all
Very nice video Jason and I really appreciate all your responses. Outstanding efforts to show us great and informative videos. Thanks
Finally a video that shows the symptoms before the repair is done.
I miss all of your videos! Hope you’re doing well man, cheers
“Surmising.” Summary. Summarizing. Learned more then mechanics today.
Great videos man! Always very informative, keep them coming!
Thank you for putting this video..hit a question maybe you can guide me to the right direction... X5 4.4 transmission is slipping but no codes. Drain fluid no metal, change filter..still the same...any advice
Thanks again for a great video. I am working on 2005 BMW x3. I just replaced the front drive shaft, as I was doing so I noticed the output flange was very easy to simply slip out of the transfer case and oil would pour out. As I rotate that same output flange, there is a grittiness sound to it and it is not super easy to turn , but I can turn it with one hand fairly easily. Does this sound normal or am I dealing with a defective case?
does the input shaft and output shaft spin separately do you remember from rebuild i know front and rear shafts spin together but rear shaft spins while holding the input
I have no power to the front wheels and I also have the 3 warning lights on-would a bad transfer case like yours cause this problem ? Otherwise car has power to back wheels and running ok. It started when I came to a stoplight and when I started to go there was a loud grinding like noise and car wouldn't go forward. I put it in reverse and backed up, but then when I put it back it drive it acted normal. Drove 400 miles home and still ok, but when we put it on a rack and put it in car with car running the front tires wouldn't spin; It's a 2008 bmw 328 xi. Thanks
Pro-tip on this. you can fill the case with fluid before installing. it only take a little over half a quart. it is really hard to spill it when installing. saves a hassle at the end.
Great video.
Excellent video thanks 🙏🏾
Another great video! Old as shit, but still helpful today.
If you have an automatic transfer case and want to make it for a manual trans its that posible by just changing the shaft or its imposible to do ?
Question(My 2007 x3): My transfer case was changed to a used one and it removed the ABS/Brake/4x4 lights from being on. Now I hear a scratching sound from the back that was NEVER present before. Do you have a professional opinion what could be happening or what could be checked?
Could this cause a sudden failure? Have the same vehicle. Was at a stop sign, hit the gas, BANG, couldn't move anywhere and all I heard is that whirring that you demonstrated in the video. The thing that gets me is that PARK does not engage. It goes into Park, but the vehicle will still roll. Since the parking mechanism is on the output shaft, and the shafts out of the transfer case don't move, I can only reason that this is where the failure is.
50sKid, first, great videos you post. Thorough, detailed confidence builders for us non-pros. Question on the E53 transfer case... Is this a pattern failure on the 3.0l models as well? Or is it the increased torque of the V8 that strips it out? Your thoughts? Thank you!!
Late to reply, but it is a pattern failure on the 3.0l M54 engines as well. Source, I work in a BMW shop.
I have BMW X5 2002 3.0i e53 m54 i want to know where is the transfer case actuator gear
Everything cool except for the fact you did complain how difficult to remove or messing up with some bolts... probably using good quality tools will solve some of the troubles to remove the transfer case an for ending perform a better and faster job without troubles or any other not desired consequences... at the end thanks for sharing this video you did yourself a good job thank you..
I have a 88 325ix and the front driveshaft has a shallow engagement, so people use a e53 quibo or add washers. I also lube the splines every two years with molykote driveshaft grease. I'll have to start doing that on the x5, it hasn't been serviced in 20 yrs!
Brilliant. Thanks a lot.
I guess you said as much, but there was nothing really wrong with the transfer case. All that was needed was to replace the front driveshaft spline with a one inch longer spline which will engage the very deep splines in the drive gear. The original front drive shaft has a ridiculous engagement depth of about 3/4" and only that amount of the spline is slightly damaged on the drive gear. I speak from experience and a $500 tow job to get my car home. I got the new longer spline from www.tcbmwx5.com/#products and paid a machine shop to cut off the old spline and put the new spline on the front drive shaft. (You can probably get a better price than what Stephen shows on his web site--at least I did. He's a nice guy and I am just a customer recommending him.) Oh, it's been over a year since I did my front drive shaft and all is good and solid.
Oh and as you said, this is a VERY common failure and I would never own another E53 without preemptively replacing the front drive shaft spline--there may be no warning it is about to fail. I actually had about two years of warning though, but I didn't know that's what it was--occasionally when driving by a wall at low speed I could hear a faint squeak...squeak...squeak coming from under the car. This squeak was the dry spline shaft flexing or moving in and out of the drive spline--and there was a faint deposit of rust around the front of the transfer case. Eventually the splines wear down on the drive shaft but not so much on the drive gear. So all you have to do is replace the drive shaft spline and not the drive gear.
You are a hard worker and I appreciate your videos..as a race engine builder ..some professional advice...buy some tools
I bet you cant assemble an engine with his tools but he can
Say my 325xi 1st gear rumbling noise when I drive this is automatic don't know if it's the diff bearings or driveshaft flex disk and carrier bearing but when I drive 20+ miles it drives good any idea what it could be
It could be either of those things. driveshaft flex disc or carrier bushing are most likely. Easy to replace. Search for my Rear Main Seal video and you'll see what it looks like to get the driveshaft out.
A transfer case was change on my 2004 X5 3.0I but then now the Speedometer is not working and I have the Trifecta on the tachometer, Speed sensors were checked n that is not the problem, do you have any idea how to fix this issue? or maybe you can fix it for me, thanks.
Can you fix my 2015 328i xdrive..I have the same problem..
Where are you located I need some work done on my 08 x5 4.8
I may have missed it but Did you explain what could cause the output gear to be stripped ???
The output gear is not stripped, the splines of the driveshaft are. This was made much more complicated than necessary. I just had this happen, exact symptoms,(03 4.6is). Bought the repair piece on eBay for the front shaft, cut welded and back in in about an hour.
Hey I'll like your help so I send my x5 to fix the transmission and now I'm having a problem with the 4x4 and stability light is coming on and is making a really loud noise under like clack clack clack can u help me please
What is RTV?
Hello, Juan here, I have a problem with my wife's 04 BMW X5 3.0i, the 4x4 light is on, I did some research and it looks like the problem was the transfer case actuator gear, I when ahead and replace it but, the light still on, do you have any idea on how to fix that? I'll appreciate all the info. Thanks
I know it's been a year since your comment but I wanted to respond so others who has this same issue can see what to do in case they have the same problem. It usually means steering angle fault. Usually nothing even having to do the drivetrain at all. BMW does this purposely to scare the hell out of you and you get gouged into repairing or getting a whole new transfer case or transmission. All you have to do is start up your car and turn your steering all the way from side until it stops and then all the way to the other side until it stops. Keep doing this two or three times or until you see the 4x4 light goes out then you can stop. It is so simple. This resets the steering angle and the light will go off. This is criminal that they even do this and should be a class action lawsuit if you ask me. You most likely didn't even need to replace the actuator gear at all. You took it out. If the gear was good no need to replace. If it was worn or melted then obviously needs to be replaced. If the 4x4 light is still on after turning the steering wheel several times from one side to the other then it's not a steering angle problem but something else obviously more major.
Before spending money on expensive random fixes best to get a good code reader that reads BMW manufacturer codes not generic codes. It will tell your problem without guessing and wasting time and money. Perhaps you fixed it with the gear actuator. In any case it won't just go away. You will have to clear the codes. There are any ways. Some is to leave the battery disconnect for a certain amount of time and then reconnect and the lights should go out. Using a code scanner tool to reset is the best and easiest way. If it goes away and stays off then you're problem has been fixed. If it comes back then you obviously haven't fix the real issue and need to find the problem and fix that and reset code again until lights stay off permanently.
Can you help me my x5 4.4 2001 is in trans safe mode and it has engine tick 2 codes read camshaft sensor and auxiliary fan could you please help
You need a scan tool that can read codes from the transmission module, such as BMW Creader or INPA. Check out my BMW scan tools video.
How many miles are on your car? Is it an M62 or M52? Are you overstating the failure rate of the case? I'm considering a 3.0 X5 as my next car.
Oh, 100k mi. Damn that sucks to have a failure like that at 100k.
Just realized the title says 4.4i. I am not a smart man.
Heh, well you have to understand that I don't work for a BMW shop or dealer and I can't give you statistics, but it's a common enough failure that people sell 1" longer splines for you to weld onto your old stripped drive shaft. It's a known problem.
Bro you have to reply lol I need help please my x5 I know I can fix it myself I fixed the t cases and idk if the retransmission is bad but the car won’t move any more I had a mechanic work in my axle and the left axels shaft wasn’t in all the way
Is this NV125?
Good job kid
Heads up: Install 1" longer front driveshaft. FIXED. Also heavy grease in front output shaft.
Where can people purchase that driveshaft?
+50sKid Cobra Transmission out of Florida. cobratransmission.com/
damn, I like it without the mufflers on :)
Me too, but I don't think the neighbors do lol
Bonjour à tous. Svp quelqu'un peut-il m'aider en me disant comment baisser le volume du lecteur DVD de la X5 ? Quand je tourne le bouton prévu que ce soit dans les deux sens, le volume augmente plutôt au lieu de baisser
can u drive without replacing it, mine is broken but it doesn't make any kind of noise nor there is any problems with acceleration. it just had the 4x4 abs and brake sign. please me know they cost a lot to replace.
You cannot drive when this problem happens, the car will not move. Your problem is something else. Error in the DSC system. You likely have a bad wheel sensor. Replace all 4 of them as they are not that expensive and that will probably solve your problem.
@@50sKid Hi, not sure if you are still around. I have this problem and the car does not move. What I don't understand is why the rear driveshaft would not get any power. From what I understood about these transfer cases, the rear driveshaft should have a permanent connection to the input, and the front driveshaft is only on the "side" with a clutch. Is this incorrect?
@@djd829 Try removing the ABS fuse/relay then disable traction control (it will probably error anyway with the relay removed). If the BMW is anything like our Australian Ford Territory (same transfer case) and same awd design it uses wheel speed (at axles) to determine slip so it would apply the rear brakes if the front axles aren't rotating which would be why you aren't moving.
@@brettus9115 Thanks, I have since figured it out.
I was wrong in that the rear driveshaft does NOT have a permanent connection to the input shaft. The transfer case is a planetary gear setup where the input shaft is attached to the planetary carrier, the front shaft is attached to the sun gear, and the rear shaft is attached to the ring gear. This means that if any of the shafts become "free floating", the whole transfer case will functionally fail, including the ability to put the vehicle in park.
In my case, the failure was almost the same as in the video, except the splines on the front driveshaft itself stripped off at the transfer case interface. The transfer case splines were still fine. New driveshaft, everything works great again.
@@djd829 Thanks for clarification as my brain struggles to comprehend! Even though I've seen our Aussie awd in action on 2wd dyno's nobody could clarify for me what was done to run the vehicle like this....almost like it was "secret squirrel" or something!
The Aussie Ford version also doesn't have the spline stripping issue as it uses a CV on the front output shaft so about the only issue is stretching of the chain but they are still ridiculously strong.
Quite raspy sound without mufflers.. =)
Selam.Cevaplarmısın lütfen? x5 4.4lt e53 kullanıyorum.2003 model.Araç belli bir süre hareket ettikten sonra dururken 1.vitese düştüğünde sallantı oluyor Aynı zamanda ilk harekette drive 'd'konumuna aldığımda yine aynı şekilde sallantı oluyor.Cevap bekliyorum lütfen
Oque pode estar ocorrendo o tremor um dos fatos pode ser os coxinhos do motor ou suporte do Cardan traseiro
@@cabelinho563 suporte do cardan traseiro ? What is?
@@mevlut10yildiz60 então no meio do Cardan traseiro tem um suporte pra manter ele alinhado,pode ser um dos fatos
@@cabelinho563 thank you amigo ❤
merci
USE PLASTIC WHEEL REPLACEMENT FOR YOUR TRANSFER GEAR ACTUATOR wheel!!!
NEVER USE METAL ONE!!! Metal one causes interference issues with the magnetic postioning sensor inside the actuator, causes all the errors, is very heavy and not well cut!
There's a reason why BMW chose plastic. USE PLASTIC! Plastic one costs 1/3 less and practically lasts 10+ years.
I WENT THROUGH HELL DIAGNOSING MY CAR AFTER I REPLACED THE PLASTIC ONE WITH METAL. USE PLASTIC!!!
Cheers. I was about to order metal one till I saw your post! Ordered plastic carbon fibre one. Thanks a million. 🙂👌
hi...is e53 2000 4.4i worth buying
No
Jason Buenviaje you are better of with skateboard
Lol, that shit eating grin when you fired it up without mufflers..
On a more serious note, i've been thinking about getting a X5 for my wife. I'm betting that you are the one doing all the work on your buddies X5 there, would you suggest the vehicle, or abstain from purchasing one?
:-D Actually I would suggest it, yes. Not a whole ton of problems with it, aside from all the typical BMW engine issues one usually has. But as far as the body goes, the transfer case is the biggest pattern failure.
What are the symptoms leading up to this failure?
You have no splines left on the input shaft
My x6 is whinning very bad 08 plate 3.0 td
My drive shaft also broke off and bend
Please come back to TH-cam!
Ryobi impact 1/2. 200$ max ;)
No gasket in between the transfer case interesting.
BTW, copper anti seize and aluminium cover? No no 🤯
Great vid but a couple of comments:
1. ATF is not the correct fill for the BMW transfer case. There is a special fluid part number 83 22 0 397 244, BMW call it "Power Divider Oil" it is 75W. ATF is much thinner and while it will work for a while, it will not give the film strength required for long life of the transfer case.
2. When using RTV to seal the case, do not tighten down the bolts until after the RTV is cured otherwise you will expel all but a very thin film of RTV and the joint will likely leak after a while. The RTV tube has the correct procedure for sealing the joint and it's important to follow it.
That's for models produced from 2/2005 with the X-Drive transfer case. This video is on the NV124 transfer case which takes plain old ATF Dexron III
Incorrect. Prefacelift takes ATF III
You mentioned that ATF oil is in the transfer case. I have a spec sheet that recommends Synthetic GL4 SAE 75W Not ATF. Perhaps thats the case of the failure. Lubricity stresses
That is correct,thats what my owners manual states on an 05 x5!
@@randallstewart8487 Wrong. This video is about a pre-facelift transfercase.
@@darek4488 Thanks for the correction,just looked it up ATF Dexron III is required 2000-2003 [NV 125]! 2004-2006 X Drive [ATC500] Power Diveder Oil TF0870 SAE 75W-GL-4! Stated by BMW Service Manual,depends on the year and type of Transfer Case!
The atf is so liquid 😂it goes anywhere... Is has to be sealed everywhere
Bro please come check my car out it’s just like these it’s a 2003 4.4
Glad your not a real mechanic