Transfer Case Actuator potential free fix!

Originally Posted by pburnett

I agree 100%. I'm optimistic now, but the true test would be winter, and unfortunatly, as the poster who did the fix is in Puerto Rico, we may not see it. I recommend finding some loose dirt or gravel roads and make the xDrive work. Then, we will see if it truely is possible to delay buying a new actuator.

Ah, yeah. I missed his location on the first pass... Not much snow down in Puerto Rico, huh...?

Your suggestion is probably a good one, though: find some gravel, sand, or loose soil. Next heavy rain shower should give some indications as well...

Let us know how it pans out, "dannyy06!"

Hi,

Excellent post. Can I ask, is this something I need to be aware of on my 2005 330xi sedan?

Chuck

Just took it to another test in a big hill near still working fine i will keep posting if something happends

wow sounds great!! im going to try this fix in a couple of days..will keep you guys posted.

well, twice now (in 2000 miles) I get a clicking sounds from under the car when I turn the engine off. Some kind of loud clicking, like a diesel truck turning off engine - kind of noise.

No lights at all. I am wondering if it's the precursor or this actuator failing? 61000 miles on the car , and looks like about 2 years in a snow region.

Originally Posted by charlesberry

Hi,

Excellent post. Can I ask, is this something I need to be aware of on my 2005 330xi sedan?

Chuck

Yup...same transfer case. Or at least very similar...

Crenninger
The clicking sound its the transfer case actuator in my case it started at 66000 miles with the clicking sound then one time all light came up (ABS, Brake and 4*4) turn off the engine and they where gone for a while the came back again. The actuator its around $800 but if you want you can do this fix and it works mine stillworking fine since i did it. Its only been three days but i will keep posting if anything happens.

thanks, I am due for transfer case oil change anyway, when I am in there, I'll take the actuator out and check things out.

If I see a worn gear, I'll turn it some and hope for an other 60k.

I quickly looked this weekend while doing the oil change and quick question

To get the actuator out, do you need to remove the cross-member, exhaust and shield?
or can you get it out without taking these apart?

thx

It works!! i tried it today. no more lights. the gear on my actuator was worn pretty bad. i have about 2 inches of good splines left, lets see how long it lasts.
I'm waiting on some rain so i can test it on a grassy hill. ill keep you guys updated.

takes about 5 min to get the actuator out. two electrical plugs and 4 bolts..

Not sure why, but according to this earlier thread, even an indie shop charges about $300 for R & R of the actuator (and twice that at a dealership):

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=515960

If there is some substance to needing to update the ABS computer when the transfer case and/or actuator is replaced,
I could see 1 hr. min. for R & R, plus 1 hr. min. to connect up to the computer plus time to refresh s/w.

Wonder if that computer update step is really needed to configure a new actuator?
And if it is needed at all with the quick fix?

Its a lot of work to get the transfer case out but the actuator sits right on top and is easily removed.

Originally Posted by styllzs

Its a lot of work to get the transfer case out but the actuator sits right on top and is easily removed.

I believe it is, just asking if the crossmember under the transfer case needs to be removed or not to take the actuator out.

For sure the heat shield needs to be removed at least partially to get access to the back of the actuator to remove the electrical plugs.

No need to remove the crossmember or heat shield. my car is an 05 x5 i dont know if its the same for an x3.

i took the car today on a steep grassy hill that was soaked from rain. everything worked great no lights. I hope it holds up during the winter.

Originally Posted by crenninger

I believe it is, just asking if the crossmember under the transfer case needs to be removed or not to take the actuator out.

For sure the heat shield needs to be removed at least partially to get access to the back of the actuator to remove the electrical plugs.

The second time around i took off the crossmember just to have more space and is easier to remove the actuator but you can do it without taking it out. But its not hard to take the crossmember and you will have the space to work freely.

Originally Posted by dannyy06

The second time around i took off the crossmember just to have more space and is easier to remove the actuator but you can do it without taking it out. But its not hard to take the crossmember and you will have the space to work freely.

thank you.

Originally Posted by styllzs

i took the car today on a steep grassy hill that was soaked from rain. everything worked great no lights. I hope it holds up during the winter.

Thanks for the info. I'm glad my little inspection seems to be helping!

Originally Posted by Supercourse

Not sure why, but according to this earlier thread, even an indie shop charges about $300 for R & R of the actuator (and twice that at a dealership):

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=515960

If there is some substance to needing to update the ABS computer when the transfer case and/or actuator is replaced,
I could see 1 hr. min. for R & R, plus 1 hr. min. to connect up to the computer plus time to refresh s/w.

Wonder if that computer update step is really needed to configure a new actuator?
And if it is needed at all with the quick fix?

Like I said in the first post of this thread, I installed a new actuator. I didn't do a configuration with a computer, it was simply plug and play for me. Its been a couple weeks since I did the replacement, and we have had some serious rain, and I have had no issues yet. It shouldn't be needed at all if you attempt the quick fix. For all the computer knows the same stuff is there, it just isnt't throwing error codes anymore.

Excellent thread pburnett

My '05 is only at 51K and I'll remember this little trick if I run into the problem in, oh, say 15K more miles or so.

Mercedes G500's have a similar problem - an expensive actuator is disabled by an inexpensive gear. On those cars, the actuator cycles thru every time you start the car, so even if you never use AWD, the part wears out eventually. On the Mercedes the ignition won't work at all if the unit does not cycle correctly, meaning sometimes you have to try starting the car a number of times before the unit orients correctly. There are a few remanufacturers that will do the units fairly cheaply, and some people have reported success in finding the $20 gear instead of the $700 unit. Might be worth looking into as far as the X3 goes.

Originally Posted by timfitz63

OK. Engineer here. Not quite following your description of the gear reversal and how that 'fixes' the problem, so maybe I'm missing something critical, but:

I don't think reversing (or simply rotating, if that's what you're suggesting) the exposed white gear 180 degrees will correct the problem. Yes, that could re-position a 'good' portion of the black gear onto the worm gear, but regardless of how the gears are positioned, as all of them turn, the black gear will rotate until its worn portion reaches the worm gear, then it stops turning again. This will happen within one rotation of the black gear.

Based on the wear that you highlighted on the black gear, I think it would have to be replaced -- if one can find the part...

The gears do not rotate all the way around, just a subset of degrees. That's why the gear wears out in one spot and the fix works.

I would like to thank the author of this thread. My wife's x3 had the three dash lights on and was quoted 1400 to do the repair. I did the fix mentioned here two days ago. I have spent the past two days driving my wife's suv " like I stole it" to see how well the fix works and if I could get the warning lights to come back on. Well I'm happy to say I couldn't get them to illuminate no matter how hard I drove the truck(even some freshly rained parking lots and getting the back end to kick out did nothing) the truck functioned as normal as the day she got the truck as memory serves.

Well done, "pburnett!" It's looking more and more like this quick-fix is a winner!