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Thread: Gear oil BMW SAF XO & XJ substitutions ?

  1. #1
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    Gear oil BMW SAF XO & XJ substitutions ?

    I'm told the Land Rover LNR 7591 is the same(XO) Castrol made product but it is also a captive product so priced accordingly.
    Castrol "Syntrax Long Life" has been suggested.
    I've never noticed anything peculiar about BMW diffs so I'm thinking any synthetic 75-90 should do.
    Thoughts from the cognoscenti?

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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    Unless it's a limited slip diff, there's just big gears and bearings in there, it should be fine

  3. #3
    dworthy's Avatar
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    Pretty much anything that meets the GL-5 75w-90 should work. Of course if you have a specific brand you like to use, just go with it.

    Here is the Product Data sheet from Castrol when it supplied SAF-XO fluid to BMW.
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    As I suspected. Thanks, gents.
    Mrs. Ross' trusty old E39 is getting some love this weekend, figured to do a comprehensive fluid service too.E39 refresh Jan 2019 002.jpg

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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    nice! that looks like a whole host of good times right there!

    perfect time to be indoors too - you have snow coming up that way too, yes?
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

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    Quote Originally Posted by shadowpuck View Post
    nice! that looks like a whole host of good times right there!

    perfect time to be indoors too - you have snow coming up that way too, yes?
    Yeah, I'm just clickin' my heels.
    OH BOY! Look at what else I get to do!E39 OF housing leak 001.jpg

    Ol' Silver has served us well, 245k worth so far.
    This will be it's third comprehensive suspension O/haul. Tired of cleaning up after the Valdez so it is getting every damn hose under the hood and some gaskets.
    Just returned from fetching gear oil, some DOT4 and 12 bottles of Liquid Wrenchfluid service 001.jpg

    Yes, snow is coming. The forecasters are all revved up, 6"-10" and making noises about end of days or something like that.
    Last edited by ross1; 01-18-2019 at 03:26 PM.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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    nice rust proofing on the engine there....

    i see you've selected the most important component - wrench/lubricant - wisely.

    haha - i'm an amateur weather nerd so been following all the models carefully. we're expecting snow here too....
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by ross1 View Post
    Yeah, I'm just clickin' my heels.
    OH BOY! Look at what else I get to do!E39 OF housing leak 001.jpg

    I'm about to finally get out there and deal with that same gasket on my X5/M54. I picked up five cans of brake clean. Hope that does the job. LOL
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    Quote Originally Posted by MauiM3Mania View Post
    I'm about to finally get out there and deal with that same gasket on my X5/M54. I picked up five cans of brake clean. Hope that does the job. LOL
    I hope yours is less of a mess than mine which has been leaking for a very long time.
    What you see in that picture is after doing my best at the quarter(Ha!) carwash.
    Order the VANOS hose while you're at it

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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    Yes, Ross, I really have to say that this is the worst OFHG leak I've ever seen....and I have seen a LOT. I'm quite sure that you don't have enough beer. Quick, before the storm arrives!

    EDIT:
    Been looking at that further; most OFHG leaks also send much more oil rearward. What's it look like under the crankshaft seal?
    Last edited by bmwdirtracer; 01-18-2019 at 08:27 PM.

    Chris Powell
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    That leak has been neglected for an embarrassingly long time. Funny though how paying for a new concrete floor can up the urgency.
    I was able to clean the easily accessible portions of the engine so the crank seal area won't bear witness. The OFH gasket was rock hard and the obvious place it wasn't sealing correlates with the mess so I'm hopeful this will cure it. If something weeps a bit later I'll live with it, any more and it'll be engine out for a total re-seal. Fingers crossed.
    Thanks, Chris, for your concern regarding an adequate lubricant stock but no worries, there is plenty whiskey for when(not if) the beer runs out.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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    Chris, et al, what do you think of this:
    - thoroughly clean the OFH and block with brake clean
    - put a very thin bead of high temperature RTV on the OFH
    - let the RTV completely set up for an hour
    - assemble?

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    let's discuss important matters - what's sitting on the whiskey shelf?
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by ross1 View Post
    I hope yours is less of a mess than mine which has been leaking for a very long time.
    What you see in that picture is after doing my best at the quarter(Ha!) carwash.
    Order the VANOS hose while you're at it
    I've owned this vehicle for only two months but already, the second multi-layered, corrugated fiberboard absorption device has reached 100% soak level.

    Waiting another week for a hose is not an option. Hoping for the best.
    04M3 TiAg 69k slick-top 3 pedal
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    Quote Originally Posted by shadowpuck View Post
    let's discuss important matters - what's sitting on the whiskey shelf?
    mechanic's helpers 001.jpg

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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    Quote Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini View Post
    Chris, et al, what do you think of this:
    - thoroughly clean the OFH and block with brake clean
    - put a very thin bead of high temperature RTV on the OFH
    - let the RTV completely set up for an hour
    - assemble?
    My wonderful friend:
    Not in a million years.
    I remove the OFH, pick out the old gasket, clean everything completely, carefully install new rubber gasket, and put it back together. I almost never use RTV with a rubber gasket, except for the tiny amount at front and rear of M54 VCG's.
    Were you suggesting leaving out the gasket? They're only about six bucks. I have half a dozen in my own personal gasket collection, and I'd be glad to send one to anyone who can't afford one.

    Chris Powell
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    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

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    Quote Originally Posted by bmwdirtracer View Post
    My wonderful friend:
    Not in a million years.
    I remove the OFH, pick out the old gasket, clean everything completely, carefully install new rubber gasket, and put it back together. I almost never use RTV with a rubber gasket, except for the tiny amount at front and rear of M54 VCG's.
    Were you suggesting leaving out the gasket? They're only about six bucks. I have half a dozen in my own personal gasket collection, and I'd be glad to send one to anyone who can't afford one.
    Not only is this almost certain to fail as this seal is under pressure but any bits of silicone that break loose are going directly to places where they can do great harm.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by ross1 View Post
    well done, sir. carry on!
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

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    Chris, my friend, no the new gasket goes in the OFH. I realize it has a job to there. My thought is the thin RTV bead on the outer part of the OFH would be a barrier so that oil can’t paint the left side of the engine.

    Ross, but since the oil in the vicinity of the RTV is under pressure wouldn’t any RTV that flakes off be forced out of the OFH+engine gap?
    Last edited by MarcoZandrini; 01-20-2019 at 08:46 AM.

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    There are several chambers in the housing under differing pressure sealed by that gasket so the potential for internal leakage exists.
    RTV in oiling systems is just a bad idea. A chunk can block an oil passage with predictable consequences. If you propose just a tiny film that is even more likely to break free.
    The OFH sealing isn't the best design but I can live with doing that service every hundred thousand miles or so.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  21. #21
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    If the oil gets through the gasket, no amount of RTV is going to stop it.

    Chris Powell
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    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
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    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

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