It has a little leak...

[tmleadr03]

If it doesn't show up on the dipstick don't worry about it. Are you sure he doesn't have the oil slick system activated?

Nope. Reasonably common on the newer V8s from BMW. The alternator bracket has an Oring on it that plugs a useless hole in the side of the engine block. And it leaks.

[Gman]

Nope. Reasonably common on the newer V8s from BMW. The alternator bracket has an Oring on it that plugs a useless hole in the side of the engine block. And it leaks.

Wow. That sounds like an amazingly bad idea. What happened to those amazing engineers over in Bavaria?

[jerrymrc]

Wow. That sounds like an amazingly bad idea. What happened to those amazing engineers over in Bavaria?

They actually have been at it a long time. Rocker arm shafts that wear like brake pads, heads that crack if you look at them wrong and many other things I remember from the old 3.0.

[tmleadr03]

They actually have been at it a long time. Rocker arm shafts that wear like brake pads, heads that crack if you look at them wrong and many other things I remember from the old 3.0.

The high dollar repairs all come from the v engines. Their straight 6 is stout. Though my experiance is from 1997 on for repairing them.

[tmleadr03]

Wow. That sounds like an amazingly bad idea. What happened to those amazing engineers over in Bavaria?

Ok, so after getting it all the way apart I know why they did this. They ran out of room for oil cooler lines to bolt to the engine block. So on vehicles like this one with an oil cooler they pass the lines through the alternator bracket. If the vehicle doesn't have an oil cooler it just blocks the hole.

Still stupid hard to get out. Especially for what it pays. Motor mount and bracket bolted through the alternator bracket. Have to support the engine, drop the sub frame to get that out. Some of the bolts you can only touch with your fingers after you break them free no matter what combination of universals and extensions you use.