M5 E39 Rear Main Seal Repair

Had to take the clutch out back in 2011, because rear main seal leaking. Made a video on how to do it, because back then YouTube was quite empty. Fixed the rear main seal, repair is at 110,000 miles.
Dinan clutch is from 38,000 miles and the Dinan clutch is still in the car at 178,000 miles.

Video: M5 E39 Rear Main Seal Repair

Writeup: M5 E39 DIY Rear Main Seal

The front end of the car jacked up by the subframe, so you can simultaneously slide 2 jacks under the front of the car.

Found my instructions manual for the E39 BMW M5. Easy directions.

The guibo bolts were impossible do get loose, so the Gubio ended being cut apart. Original Guibo was ripped as well, so a new one was going in for replacement anyway.

Transmission-to-engine bolts in consecutive order

Engine is supported by jack-stands, so the engine would not end up resting on the steering linkage when the transmission is removed.

To remove the transmission, the jack was used. The center of gravity is on the oil pan bolt. The transmission weights in at about 110 pounds / 50kg.

Here you see the transmission mounts being removed.

The transmission removed, clutch pressure plate is showing in darkness.

Getrag 6-speed transmission for BMW E39 has landed!

Here the core of the Flux Capacitor revealed.

Check out the glowing pins in center of Flux Capacitor due to the extreme heat produced of the burst of up to 1.21 Gigawatts of power when the drive is engaged through the Getrag 6-speed transmission to the rear wheels.
Normally glowing occurs only above 88 miles per hour.

Note also that this is exactly the same thing that Hans Solo & R2D2 has to fix on the Millennium Falcon when their warp-drive fails.
(This is the clutch pressure plate if you don’t speak in BTF or R2D2 languages)

The close-up of dual mass flywheel with the metal gears for the starter motor.

The clutch after 75,000 miles of my driving. Going in for another 75,000 miles… actually until the rear main seal has to be replaced again.

BMW special hex tool utilized to remove the flywheel.

Clutch and flywheel sitting on the ground.

The rear main seal and surrounding areas, quite dirty.

The rear main seal and surrounding areas, now a little cleaner.

The transmission on the floor, with the Guibo still attached.

Cleaning up the mess from the salt-flats

Close-up of rear main seal area. Note the oil happened to be PERFECTLY level with the top of the oil pan. This was by chance, but the oil was extra high up since the car has the front tilted upward with the front wheels in the air. You can see the reflection of the crank-shaft in the oil.

Putting on the gasket for the rear main seal. The bottom has no gasket since the oil pan steel gasket isolates it there. Just make sure to put some oil on the finger and coat the oil pan gasket lightly so it’s not dry when installing new rear main seal.

The underside bolts of rear main seal are being screwed in.

We are done with what we came for, its down-hill from here.

Appropriate torque is being used to tighten the flywheel. The torque specs can be found on Vantaam5’s DIY:
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e39-m5-e52-z8-discussion/150054-clutch-change-diy-pics.htm

BMW special tools to tighten the self adjusting clutch (springs).
Since I have no vocab available for these tools I will call the circular tool “Spring-tool” and the clamp-type looking one “Pressure-tool”.

BMW special tools along w/ the clutch pressure plate and clutch disc.

The differential shown here, obviously leaking. This is next project, since we didn’t have time for the diff while fixing rear main seal.

Shown is a close-up of BMW/Dinan self adjusting clutch and clutch pressure plate.
Note the 3 springs on the pressure plate. If these springs are not re-tightened during re-install of a used clutch, chances are the clutch will slip once driven. The tools illustrated above will be used for this purpose. To my best knowledge this is also ought to be done on a new clutch to prevent any chance of slipping.

Also note that the clutch-centering tool is not inserted as it ought to be. We removed it so we could get more pics, and forgot to put it in, when taking the 2nd set of pics. (Yes we installed and removed the pressure plate 3x so we could get proper pics).

The clutch pressure plate with the spring-tool attached.
For further explanation watch the video.

Here is the pressure plate and clutch being engaged by the pressure-tool.

Note the springs, they are now tightened.

Checking the oil in the transmission. The proper oil level is so the oil level is flush with the hole shown above when the transmission is sitting on a level surface.

Pic: Swinging by TruSpeed Motorcars in Newport Beach and BMW dealer and to pick up more parts, screws and bolts. Best of my knowledge is to get replace all the bolts and screws that you removed, including the throw out bearing (clutch release bearing). So did I at least. When the M5 needs attention; unless I’m under my M5 in my driveway, it is on one of these lifts.

At the stealership while picking up parts:
I have no idea which M5 that sign is referring to. Maybe the one driven by the unicorn or the flying pink elephant.

Life-time BMW fluid sign visible. Clearly not obey by me.

World Wresting Championship in Transmission vs. Humans : Finally the humans win.

Heating the exhaust bolt to get it out. Heating did not help. Hammer did not help.

Cut it off with a Dremel and then destroyed 4 metal drill bits to drill it out. Real SOB this one.

5:10 AM. The car is almost ready, worked throughout the night.

Re-setting all Check Engine Light / Service Engine Soon / SES codes that popped up during repairs and running car with no exhaust or oxygen sensors.

Run to the top of the mountain at sunrise, to test if clutch is slipping. No slip in the clutch after it was warmed up @ WOT in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th.
Job well done.

2020 Update on Clutch

Still running the same clutch on the car almost 10 years after the Rear Main Seal repair. The Rear Main Seal is still not leaking. Car got Dinan clutch and flywheel at 38,000 miles, the Rear Main Seal was repaired at 110,000 miles, now the car has 180,000 miles and the clutch still grips great. Considering the beating the car and clutch has gotten, my opinion is that people who complain their clutch goes out between 5000 and 20,000km, simply do not know how to clutch the M5.