How to Replace Turbocharger on BMW 3.0L Diesel (E60/E39/E46/E90/etc.]

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Removing and refitting the turbo itself is not a difficult task, but the mass of other parts that need removing to access it makes this a reasonable amount of effort.

You will first need to remove:

Engine covers. [5mm Allen]

Air inlet ducting and air-filter. [5mm Allen]

Inlet manifold. [10mm + 11mm Hex]

Injector pipes. [17mm open-end wrench]

Injectors. [8mm Hex]

Rocker cover. [10mm deep-Hex]

Turbo to intercooler pipe. [10mm Hex + T30-Torx]

Airbox to turbo pipe. [5mm Allen]

EGR to exh.-manifold pipe. [T45-Torx + 7mm Hex]

Exhaust-manifold. [10mm deep-Hex + 12mm deep-Double-Hex]

Front engine-undertray. [8mm Hex]

Engine reinforcement-plate. [16mm Hex]

Exhaust vibration-damping rods. [13mm Hex]

Remove the two nuts holding the down-pipe/cat to the back of the turbo using a 17mm wrench and work the down-pipe back off the studs.

Remove the banjo-bolt that attaches the turbo oil-feed to the block using a 14mm wrench, remove that end of the oil-feed pipe and loosely screw the banjo-bolt back in a few turns to stop any oil leaking from the block. Put some cloth against the block under the pipe to catch any drips and remove and retain the 2 copper washer-seals as they are easily misplaced.

Reach under the turbo, locate where the lower oil-return pipe enters the rubber-hose to the sump and loosen off the upper jubilee-clip using a 6mm-Hex socket or flat screwdriver if you can get access. Let the jubilee-clip slide down the rubber hose.

Slide off the rubber-hose that runs to the waste-gate on the turbo.

Make sure the turbo's weight is supported, remove the two bolts holding the turbo-bracket to the block using a 13mm wrench and lift the turbo out, carefully sliding the lower oil-return pipe out of the rubber-hose.

**Ensure all oil-feed pipes etc. are swapped over to the new turbo**. Lower the new turbo into position, sliding the lower oil-return pipe back into the rubber-hose and loosely refit the two bolts.

Tighten the jubilee-clip on the oil-return hose and refit the oil-feed hose back on to the banjo-bolt, making sure the copper-washers are in place either side.

Place the exhaust vibration-damping rods back in place to locate the down-pipe and loosely refit the 13mm nuts.

Refit the neck of the down-pipe to the back of the turbo and tighten the 17mm nuts.

Place the exhaust-manifold over the studs on the cylinder-head and manoeuvre the turbo into a position where the bolts holding it to the manifold can be fitted. It can be trick to do while keeping the gasket aligned. Turn the three manifold-to-turbo bolts using a 12mm deep-Double-Hex (12-sided) socket until the manifold is seated, but do not fully tighten them.

Lift the turbo to take the weight off the manifold and fully tighten the two bolts holding it to the block using a 13mm wrench. They are a pain to get to but it is doable, also a lot easier with someone else lifting the turbo.

Replace the twelve copper-nuts that hold the exhaust-manifold to the cyl.-head and tighten them using a 10mm deep 6-sided socket, as they strip easily with 12-sided ones.

Tighten the three bolts holding the manifold to the turbo using a 12mm double-hex [12-sided] socket.

Re-connect the rubber vacuum-hose to the waste-gate.