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Thread: How to refill the liftgate pump on an E60 - Tailgate not opening fully

  1. #76
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Location
    Minneapolis
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2008 BMW 535xi Wagon
    Just wanted to say this thank you so much for this thread! I finally have a working trunk again!

  2. #77
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Napa, Ca
    Posts
    1,796
    My Cars
    1987 M6
    Woohoo!

    Jose
    1987 M6
    Livin the dream!

  3. #78
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    Estonia
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    E61
    Hi, I did also the refill for my reservoir with AeroShell fluid 41. Now my tailgate only opens by holding the button on keyfobe and closes by pressing the button on the tailgate. I can´t open the tailgate with handle or by the button in front of the car, and i´ts not closing with the keyfode or button inside. What can be the reason, do i need to reset the tailgate system somehow?

  4. #79
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    Syracuse, NY
    Posts
    5
    My Cars
    318Ti, F800ST, 911, 9-3
    This guide worked great. One comment though, 1/4" ID silicone tube is too large. It would not seal around the suction line. I would recommend going with 3/16" ID.

    I was able to get to the pump cup without having to remove too much crap. Replaced the factory one-time use clamp with a stainless steel worm gear style. Problem solved! Tailgate working great.
    126824425_806771356547512_4754359569297605683_n.jpg

  5. #80
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2008 BMW 535
    Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread. I drilled a small hole in the top of the reservoir and used a needle to inject Shell 41 then sealed with a panhead sheet metal screw. No need to remove anything. Works great.shell41.jpg

  6. #81
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    BMW 325Xi Wagon
    SUCCESS! This was such a time and $$$ saver, I thought I'd try and contribute my experience. Sincere thanks to all the original posters!!

    Same thing many were seeing - loud, straining sound when the tailgate button was pressed. It would often unlock but not open at all, open halfway and stop, sometimes fight through and get most of the way open but was NOT happy about it based on the sound.

    So I set to work researching and found this string. I started by ordering the recommended oil which I found on Amazon for $19 for a full quart: Royco - 756 Hydraulic Fluid, Mil-PRF-5606H


    As others have mentioned, this is more than enough for the fix so you'll have plenty left over. I made a small hole in the top that I could cover easily with duct tape to keep for later (hopefully never!).

    1121201152.jpg

    Before I chose my final strategy, I pulled the side panel apart as described in this string. It was pretty easy, pull the left side door, unscrew 4 screws to remove the rack that holds telemetry, amp, and a slew of fuse holders. You are left with a fabric flap covering the pump assembly in the last pic:

    1121201124a.jpg1121201128.jpg1121201128_HDR.jpg

    I pulled that fabric back and secured it with a bungee, exposing the pump assembly. See the next post, I can only add 5 images and tried to delete a few but it seems I'm stuck...
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by lowellbarrett; 12-07-2020 at 01:52 PM.

  7. #82
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    BMW 325Xi Wagon
    NOTE: Apologies on the picture rotation. It looks upright in my editing but for some reason comes out sideways when I post. I know that is annoying!

    Here is a pic of the fabric pulled back and the nearly empty reservoir.
    1121201131a.jpg


    The fact that it was nearly empty was promising! I also got a good look and decided rather than fiddle with the strap holding it on and trying and pull the reservoir off, I'd go the route of drilling a small hole and trying to fill it that way:

    1121201403a.jpg

    I took a small screw and cut a small piece of inner tube as an extra measure to seal the hole:

    1121201417.jpg

    Forgive me for not having pictures of this, but I tried to use a brake bleed kit from my mountain bike first but the diameter was too big. So I ended up using a large-gauge needle that fit onto the same syringe and simply pulled the plunger, filled it, and squeezed it in. Word of caution - if you are using a needle like this you will break the syringe if you try and draw the fluid into the syringe through the needle. Pull the stopper and fill it from there instead. It took a full 3 syringes full, then I cycled the door 20x or so and saw bubbles in the fluid likely as it pushed the air out of the lines as it replenished, which dropped the level back down so much that it took a 4th syringe full to top it off.

    1121201430_HDR.jpg. 1121201418.jpg

    All full, I cycled again many times and while at the top of the run the tailgate wanted to droop just slightly at first. Again, I think this was due to air still in the lines. It has since stopped and is working like new, presumably it just needed to work the remaining air out over time.

    Good luck. AWESOME fix, thank you guys so much for the help and info. I hope my experience helps others as well.
    Last edited by lowellbarrett; 12-07-2020 at 01:56 PM.

  8. #83
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2006 BMW 530xi 6spd Wago
    Just wanted to say thanks for this! My tailgate was barely working at all. Lifted it up manually, opened the left side, moved the carpet and there was the reservoir, low on fluid. Little bit sticky in there, but not bad. I think because I have the 2006 CIC system, I didn't have any technology to move, just carpet.

    Drilled very slowly into the reservoir so no plastic would get in there, grabbed a syringe and filled up with Royco 756.
    IMG_20201224_112247.jpg
    Only thing was I my syringe was too big to fit into the size hole I wanted to drill so I had to very tightly tape a basketball pump needle to get it to fill! lol
    IMG_20201224_112241.jpg
    Used a small sheet metal screw and some weather stripping to seal up the reservoir and it's been working fine now! Was hauling presents all day!
    Drilling it is super easy as the plastic is really brittle. Super easy project once you get the fluid. Thanks for all yalls help!

  9. #84
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Napa, Ca
    Posts
    1,796
    My Cars
    1987 M6
    Hey peoples! I just refilled the reservoir again. Looking back in this post, November 2019 was my last fill. Looks like I am having to refill once-a-year now. I managed to order a new main seal for the pump, and will definitely post up once I replace the seal. Hopefully it works out great, and I can share the part number so everyone can order the right seal.

    Jose
    1987 M6
    Livin the dream!

  10. #85
    Join Date
    May 2021
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    535xi Sportswagon

    Great description, but....

    Quote Originally Posted by DaHose View Post
    Hey, everyone. I just fixed a tailgate problem that I thought would be worth writing about. My wife and I bought our family a 2006, 530xi sport wagon earlier this summer and it started having problems fully opening the tailgate when it got cold this winter. On top of that, the pump seemed a bit noisy altogether when we got it. I did a bunch of looking around to get information, and decided the problem was most likely a pump low on fluid. I opened up the rear/left side compartment and sure enough the bottom was sticky, under the pump was sticky and you could see a pinkish film on the bottom of the pump assembly. The fluid level was definitely low and I decided I would tackle the job of filling it.

    I found a number of recommendations online and the best one seemed to indicate a couple hours worth of pain in the butt to unscrew the bracket with the whole pump assembly, fill it upside down and go through a whole process of adjusting the level until things were right. Well, I came up with a MUCH simpler process that I think would take about 30 minutes now that I can provide a parts list and straightforward procedure.

    First, you need to gather the following parts. A can of Royco 756 oil, a marinade injector, two sections of 1/4" tubing and a 2" hose clamp.

    Attachment 620909

    Open the tailgate of the car, open up the left side panel and pull back the inner lining reveal the pump and the reservoir. Notice that it has a non-reusable clamp holding the reservoir to the pump. Use a pair of wire cutters to take off the clamp. I grabbed one edge and just opened it up. Now you can use a plastic tool to pop the reservoir off the pump body.

    Attachment 620910


    You can then use the marinade injector with a small piece of the tubing on it, to suck out any oil left in the reservoir. Once the reservoir is empty, you can just tilt it and slide it out WITHOUT REMOVING A SINGLE MOUNTING BOLT FOR THE PUMP ASSEMBLY!!


    Attachment 620911

    With the reservoir removed, carefully put the longer sections of 1/4" tubing on the two siphons sticking out of the pump body. Notice how the one on the left (closer to the main pump body) has all the air bubbles? That is the overflow. Put both hoses into an empty container and close the hatch. That will drain out any fluid left. If any comes out of the pickup hose, drain out the line. Now leave the overflow hose in the dirty oil container, and put the pickup hose into a container filled with plenty of hydraulic oil. You will now cycle the liftgate open/closed a few times. It will refill with fresh oil and you will get extra coming out of the overflow, creating bubbles. Cycle as many times as necessary to make sure the overflow has fresh oil in it.

    Attachment 620912

    The system has now been primed and is ready to be refilled and closed up. Take off the pieces of tubing from the pump and slip the reservoir under the pickup/overflow tubes. Let the reservoir rest flat on the panel below the pump, and there is enough gap between the edge of the reservoir and pump to slip in the end of the 1/4" hose. Fill the reservoir with fresh oil, using the injector. I added 53cc of oil, but I think that was a bit much. I recommend 50cc instead. When you have added the oil, just carefully lift the reservoir up and clip it back onto the pump.

    Attachment 620913


    Finish by securing the reservoir with the new, reusable screw clamp and you are done. Close everything back up and revel in having refilled the pump so quickly and easily. If you refill and it leaks out again really quickly, then your pump might need new seals. When I was researching the pump issue, I came across a web site from someone who can rebuild our pumps for $300. http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/en/b...gate-pump.html From what I see on my pump, I bet rebuilding is just a matter off popping off the square plate at the bottom of the pump and replacing a bunch of O-rings.

    Well .... hope this post is helpful to some of you out there.

    Jose

    Jose
    This description/directions are really good. So good, I have been tempted to try this fix myself, as the lift gate on my vehicle sounds like it’s doing the same. However, my question: Is the pump/hydraulic assembly located in the same place in the 2008 (535xi SportsWagon) model? In peeking behind the left center panel with a flash light, all I am seeing are bundled wires. The panel looks like it will be a bear to completely remove, and I am trying to save myself the time (and cussing) if that’s not where the pump/hydraulic assembly are located. Can anyone advise? Thanks in advance.

  11. #86
    Join Date
    May 2021
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    535xi Sportswagon
    Hello, I realize this thread is old, but I still have my 2008 model (535xi Sportswagon). Did you find the hydraulic pump in the same location described by dahose? I have “peeked” behind the carpet panel, using a flashlight, and can’t see anything but bundled wires. However, I am wondering if the hydraulic pump and reservoir are further up beyond the wires that I am visualizing. I hate to yank the carpet panel away if I am not looking in the right spot. Thanks in advance. - Rache’

  12. #87
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Issaquah, WA
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    2006 BMW 530xi
    Update after having done this a couple times on my 2006 530xi:

    1. First time Jan 2019
    2. Second time Dec 2022
    Lasted about 4 years before I had to do it again. It appears it was leaking out the back of the reservoir, perhaps I didn't tighten the screw clamp tight enough.

    This latest time, my updated notes:
    1. After loosing the hose clamp, I pushed on the reservoir enough to create a small gap at the top and was able to insert a small screwdriver blade in the gap and wedge the reservoir down. Then worked all the way around and lowered it.
    2. I lowered it just enough to expose the slits at the top of the reservoir, then used the syringe with needle to add about 45-50ml of fluid, inserting into one of the small slits at top.
    3. Sealed it back up, ran the tailgate a few times, and back to normal.

    Hoping I get another 4 years before I need to do it again.

  13. #88
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    25,402
    My Cars
    F90 M5; E36 M3 Turbo
    I need to do this on an 08 E61 535xi we gave to a friend a couple of years ago that I am still maintaining. The rear hatch needs a little human assistance when going up.

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