Engine - Engine Oil Separator Freezing Concerns

SI B 11 08 03
Engine

July 2010
Technical Service

This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI B11 08 03 dated March 2009.

[NEW] designates changes to this revision

SUBJECT
Oil Separator - Cold Climate Conditions

MODEL
E39 (5 Series) all with M54 engine
E46 (3 Series) all with M54 engine
E53 (X5) all with M54 engine
E60 (5 Series) all with M54 engine
E83 (X3) all with M54 engine
E85 (Z4) all with M54 engine

SITUATION

Certain areas of the US experience extremely cold climate conditions during the winter months. A small number of vehicles in the above-listed Series have experienced problems ranging from leaking or broken valve covers to complete engine failure.

CAUSE

Moisture accumulating in the engine oil separator; hose to oil dipstick guide tube; or the orifice in the dipstick guide tube can freeze. When this occurs, depending on the position of the internal valve, it may either cause high crankcase pressures (stuck closed) resulting in valve cover leakage and/or breakage, or cause an oil hydro-lock condition (stuck open), which could result in engine damage.

CORRECTION
Replace the crankcase vent valve, crankcase vent hoses, and dipstick guide tube.





1. Replace the oil separator and hoses (1) with the new insulated style (2).

2. If the vehicle is already equipped with the new insulated crankcase ventilation valve and hose, only replace the dipstick guide tube with the part number from the list by model below.

3. If the vehicle is not equipped with the new insulated crankcase ventilation valve and hose, replace those parts with the updated style and replace the dipstick guide tube with the part number from the list by model below.








[NEW] PARTS INFORMATION





[NEW] WARRANTY INFORMATION
Covered under the terms of the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty or the BMW Certified Pre-Owned Program.