Any alternatives to the Royco 756? Hard to find.
I looked around and found this cross-compatibility listing.
APPROVED DOMESTIC COMMERCIAL FLUIDS FOR MIL-H-5606 Manufacturer’s Designation: PQ 2890/2863/2903/2905/2950/4140/3808/4328
Mobil Aero HFD Stauffer Aero Hydroil 500
Brayco 757B/756F/756ES/756E
Brayco Micronic 756ES
TEXACO Aircraft Hydraulic Oil 15/TL-10711
Cheveron Aviation Hydraulic Fluid D PED 5225
Penreco Petrofluid 4606/4146/4607
Royco 756C/756D/756E
Castrol Hyspin A
Aeroshell Fluid 41
Jose
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
Huge thanks for this! HUGE!
I'm really lucky to have found this post via another post on BimmerFest. I had searched previously and came up empty handed. My last visit to the dealer I had them look at it and they said they would need to replace the hydraulic cylinder...over $5,200 for the estimate. They had just sent out an email for pre-Memorial Day service discounts and I was about to pull the trigger when I made one last search.
Previously the liftgate seemed to be catching upon opening, made a loud noise, and then dropped back down. It would often take 2-3 attempts to open, and sometimes lifting it slightly by hand while opening seemed to help. Based on that, I wasn't sure whether it was hydraulics or something happening with the locking mechanism. But then it was also making a much louder noise while opening.
At this point, I thought it was worth the try, as long as I didn't do any additional damage!
So, the net of all this:
1 additional hour of research
1 quart of Aeroshell Fluid 41 from Amazon for ~$22
1 marinade injector from Menards ~$6
1 2" clamp (could probably get by with one size down) from Menards ~$2
left over aquarium air hose (previously paid for)
~2 hours of work
And so far it's opening fine and sounds much quieter.
Some notes:
Again, I might go with a slightly smaller hose clamp.
If the tubing is a little small, put a pair of needle nose pliers in the end and "stretch" them a little bit and they'll slide on much easier and further than otherwise.
For flushing the hydraulics, be sure the hose is well covered and cover your feed container... my hose was curling up a bit and it sputtered some, spraying some hydraulic fluid inside the car...not a huge mess but one more thing to clean up.
I forgot to get and didn't have a strap wrench, but I pried it off carefully with a smaller screwdriver. I don't think it was overly tight, but it is a very cramped space and you have to pull it off fairly evenly.
The hardest part was actually removing the original clamp. It is hard to get to and to really leverage anything, at least with what I had. Mostly tried to pry it up a little bit with a small screwdriver (careful not to damage anything in the process) and some pliers (squeezing and twisting the crimped part), until all of a sudden it just gave way.
Beyond that, it was all very straight forward as mentioned. It sounded too simple, especially after the quote I got, but I think that was a full replacement of the entire system.
Cheers!
WOOHOO!!!! Yet another win for the DIY warrirors!
I fully expect you to use some of that moolah you "saved" to have a full steak dinner with all the trimmings and adult beverages, and toast the mighty power of the BIMMERFORUMS!!!!
It is REALLY satisfying to know we are all benefiting from some good old fashioned collaboration, and ingenuity. I will toast your triumph at dinner tonight.
Jose
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
This is a great thread and original post...thank you DaHose. I have a 2010 E61 with all the same symptoms. This method worked like a champ!
A few additional suggestions/tips on this method.
Definitely 3/16" ID tubing worked on the waste and pickup tubes. Also worked on the marinade injector (without attached needle) I bought from Bed Bath and Beyond.
Do NOT try smaller that a 2" hose clamp. 1 3/4" did not work (yes found out the hard way when auto parts guy gave me the wrong size).
A small strap held with vice grips does indeed make a good strap wrench!
Before removing the reservoir, I made an alignment mark using a permanent marker so it was just easy to line it back up again on reassembly.
I used binder clips to hold the hoses in place in the waste and pickup containers...helps keep that curly end of the tube right where you want it in the bottom of the container.
Thanks to all for this thread!
Steve
Hello again to anyone reading this thread. It has been just a couple days more than 1 year since I the last refill, and I had to top up my reservoir again this month.
I looked, and E61 pumps are still around $250, so I can't justify buying a spare to figure out exactly which seal is leaking, but I'm still not driven to replace seals. Yearly refills are acceptable to me.
Putting the paper towel down to catch the spillage is AWESOME! Do not omit that step.
Jose
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
Hello- new to the forum but very helpful!
Just refilled the reservoir on my 2007 e61 wagon (it was way down) and now the tailgate will only occasionally close when I hit the button and when it's closed is just opens a few inches! Any idea what went wrong? It was not doing this before the refill- then it was just occasionally stopping halfway up.
Any help would be appreciated!
Kuzbayne
A guess would be that the system needs priming to get air out, and the early stopping is confusing the position sensing.
Try cycling the liftgate open/closed a few times, pushing it all the way open by hand if it stops early.
Jose
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
Hi guys, I´m new to this forum, but facing a faulty tailgate opening, and also faulty closing. When I push the button near driver legs or directly on the trunk, tailgate starts to open but stops after few seconds - and this time is never the same - sometimes it´s 3 secs, sometimes 5, and occasionaly the trunk opens fully. Very annoying I must say. Closing is the same - sometimes stops in the middle during the process, sometimes closes fully... Is it due to low hydraulic liquid level? Video attached - sorry for low quality, small son on my hands and quite dark outside, but I´m sure you´ll get the idea.
Thanks in advance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ngphtQFl78
Last edited by Kiski; 12-22-2018 at 01:18 PM.
I would definitely start by checking the fluid level. It's kind of loud, which is another indicator of low fluid. You can use the button to get it open, then push it fully open to work on things. It really is a fast/simple fix. Get a really short screw for the fill hole you drill into the reservoir, and have the oil, clamp, and syringe on hand. I could do it in 20 mins. now.
Jose
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
Fluid level checked, it´s just a few milimeters below the "+" mark...
That level is about right, so I don't think the problem is fluid. There are position sensors on the liftgate, and the you can adjust the fully open position in iDrive. Verify it isn't set to a low open.
Jose
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
I don´t think that would cause this. Just because the trunk occasionaly fully opens...
Another satisfied customer! Thanks DaHose! I'm going to go skiing with my saved money.
Woohoo! Have a hot buttered rum for me.
Jose
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
I think we might need to consider this option a bit more. This is the official BMW "small parts kit" that was used by the dealer to top off mine. BMW dealer and RealOEM did not originally have a picture of what the kit was comprised of. Seeing that the kit does include enough fluid to fill the pump, and various O-rings/seals seem to be part of the screws, etc this might be a good choice to use for a longer fix. BMW Part #51-24-7-163-663, I BELIEVE
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...s/51247163663/ has it for $106+. eautoparts has it cheaper and FCP was a bit more. I'm sure the prices fluctuate and different sources also have it.
My failing tailgate has been a pain for a long time. Well not anymore! Thanks DaHose for the write-up and pics; pretty straight forward and easy to follow. My reservoir was almost empty and had a small amount of dirty sludge in it. Got it cleaned, primed, and refilled and just like new.
Right on, jonesdavide!
sfcacique - The parts kit you show looks to me like it's just the clip that holds the hoses, the nuts that mount the bracket, the vibration isolators, a new drain plug for the reservoir, and some oil. I don't see o-rings to re-seal the pump. Given the price on the kit, I don't find value there. Just get a hose clamp, the oil to refill, and have at it.
Jose
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
I have yet another update for this thread. I just refilled my reservoir again, and it seems to have been about a year once again. This isn't so bad, but I do think I would like to try and find new seals for the pump. I found one thread that talks about rebuilding the pump, and finding a seal for the main piston, however no part number was provided.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...mp-leak-repair
It really looks like we can replace that main piston seal without removing the pump at all. If I can actually track down what seal we need, I will put the part number in this thread.
Jose
Last edited by DaHose; 11-16-2019 at 03:50 PM.
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
Let us know what you find out about the pump seals. I also have a slow leak and need to fill up every 6 months or so. My leak seems to be coming from the bottom plate of the pump body so I think the leak is an internal seal.
Removing the interior trim panels was a big hassle (This was first time doing this and it took hours!), but instructions and photos were really helpful. Thank you. The tailgate of our 2010 535i is working Now that we've done it, I think it will go much faster next time, which it sounds like will be a regular maintenance task.
We used BMW's hydraulic fluid for convertible tops. Small bottle ~ U.S.$32
Still a bit worried about the leak. Like BostonJon's, the leak appears to be from the bottom plate. Might give the folks at Top Hydraulics - https://www.tophydraulics.com/ - a call to see what they can tell me about the BMW tailgate pump.
Last edited by rincat; 01-02-2020 at 10:12 AM.
Thank you DaHose! Perfect instructions, took about 30 mins, most of which spent on removing the reservoir off the pump, rest was easy peasy.
Woohoo! Another beer fund rescued!
Joze
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
Love my M5 Touring but this boot operation has been winding me up for years. Finally got a price £2,000 for parts. Tried to inverse pump but i was worried about taking so much trim off and to be honest I couldn't when I tried.
Now I know how this takes 20 mins. I didn't bother draining, just topped up the reservoir.
Thanks again
It's awesome how this thread keeps helping people!
Yay for DIY!!!!!
Jose
1987 M6
Livin the dream!
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