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Thread: 4.8is Differential Problems. Help!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Lexington KY
    Posts
    9
    My Cars
    745li, X5 4.8is

    4.8is Differential Problems. Help!

    I bought a 2005 Bmw x5 4.8is from Chicago this week and turned out it has some issues. No Warranty. I jacked it up in the air and put it in drive to hear where the clunking noise was coming from. Turned out it was from the front differential. I took it out and opended it up and sure enough all the gears where destroyed! After I felt like something stabbed me in my back I got a idea to check the ratio. Someone put a 4.10 in the front and a 3.91 in the back. The original is a 3.91. Someone tried to go the cheap route. I got online and called every junk yard trying to find a diff. with a 3.91 ratio 2005 x5 model. No luck. The only savable pice is the case. I called the dealer in my city and every one within a 150 miles away no on stocks it. Why is that? No one has it in stock and its 4 days out. Im trying to give it to my wife for Christmas and I cant get the part. Is there anyone out there that knows where or how i can get this part? Can i buy the gears and fix it myself. Someone please help!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    burkittsville, maryland
    Posts
    551
    My Cars
    135is, 335i, 1999 328is
    Quote Originally Posted by nabil517 View Post
    I got online and called every junk yard trying to find a diff. with a 3.91 ratio 2005 x5 model. No luck. ... I called the dealer in my city and every one within a 150 miles away no on stocks it.
    Probably why the PO installed the 4.10. You could always do the same just to deliver it for Christmas, then swap it out later.

    I saw a couple of 3.91 LSDs in the classifieds - not sure if that will work. Wish I could help you more. Good luck...
    Got it, thanks...
    - Search the forum first
    - Check REALOEM for part numbers

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    Fort Lauderdale, FL.
    Posts
    95,176
    My Cars
    2020 X3M Competition
    Try diffsonline.com...
    Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by hundreds of engineers that get paid thousands of dollars for something you bought at Pep Boys because your buddy who doesn't have a job told you it was 'better'?!?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    2,758
    My Cars
    E36 M3
    Have you called the place you bought it from? Usually used car places will have atleast a 30 day warranty of some sort or they can atleast work with you to get a replacement.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Lexington KY
    Posts
    9
    My Cars
    745li, X5 4.8is
    I bought it as-is but gave a good price for it. But i didnt expect it to be that much damage. I am chasing the company that inspected it and told me nothing was wrong with it and charged me 200 dollars for nothing. The rest of the car is great and I paid 21000 for it with 75000 miles (2005). I got it abour 8000 under retail. so I think I cam out alright even with the fixes. But the dealer told me there was nothing wrong with it and I bought it via intenet and I tshould have bought a extended warranty for the 2500 dollars. I do alot of my own work and know how to usually find parts for cheap but for some reason I cant find this one. Also the air suspension is in acitve, I checked all fuses and all are good. The passenger side is leaning both front and rear air bags. The inside button does not light up at all. NO green light on the height adjusment. Has anyone came across this issue? I found a compressor for it on ebay but i dont want to replace it if its not it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    Fort Lauderdale, FL.
    Posts
    95,176
    My Cars
    2020 X3M Competition
    Check the system for leaks... use a spray bottle with water/soap to see if the airbags have leaks. If the compressor is not running, that would be my first replacement if the fuses are in good shape. The compressor can burn out if it is constantly running to compensate for leaky bags.
    Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by hundreds of engineers that get paid thousands of dollars for something you bought at Pep Boys because your buddy who doesn't have a job told you it was 'better'?!?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Lexington KY
    Posts
    9
    My Cars
    745li, X5 4.8is
    Im pretty sure its the compressor becuase the light isnt even on. I am going to try to test it. Do you know if there is more then one fuse for it. I looked under the glove box but there isnt a layout for the fuses in the trunk. Thanks for all your help.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    Fort Lauderdale, FL.
    Posts
    95,176
    My Cars
    2020 X3M Competition
    You may want to grab one of these...

    http://www.amazon.com/BMW-X5-E53-Ser...2939163&sr=8-2

    It will greatly help your efforts.

    (Unfortunately, no, I don't know if there is more than one fuse).
    Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by hundreds of engineers that get paid thousands of dollars for something you bought at Pep Boys because your buddy who doesn't have a job told you it was 'better'?!?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Longwood, FL
    Posts
    5,884
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    '93 E30, '01 E46 Mtec I
    Wait, did you buy it in 2005 or just now?
    IF MY CAPS OFFEND YOU, BLOCK ME.
    AND IF YOU NOTICE THE FIRST LETTER OF EACH WORD CAP'ED...... IT'S DONE AUTOMATICALLY BY THE FORUM BECAUSE I TYPE IN ALL CAPS.BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS DO THIS, LIKE WHEN I QUOTE OTHER POSTS.AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT, REFER TO FIRST SENTENCE IN MY SIG.







  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Lexington KY
    Posts
    9
    My Cars
    745li, X5 4.8is
    No i just bought it now.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2005 BMW x5
    Hey man did you ever find a differential? Same thing happened to me so now I'm running the differential without any gears, and I can't find any differentials anywhere!!

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