Changing the intercooler o-rings - easy peasy!
 

Having finally identified that the whooshing sound and the slight 'oil leak' on the front-passenger side of my car was due to the intercooler o-rings being kaput, I decided to change them today.

I bought a pair of new o-rings off ebay (and later realised I'd bought them off Jules off this here forum) and followed the excellent instructions by Arctic here.

It took about fifteen minutes to do and was dead easy. Remove one jubliee clip and one 8mm nut, change the rings, then reverse the process. Done and dusted. :) Having read a number of different instructions on how to do it I was originally well and truly put off having to pull the whole bumper off! When I saw Arctic's somewhat easier instruction I decided that even a clumsy oaf as myself could do it, and I can. :)

I do have one question, though. When I pulled the elbow out the bottom ring was missing. I believe it has fallen into the housing on the intercooler. I did try to get my fingers in there to find it but I couldn't. Is it likely to cause any mischief in there?

I think it's worth noting that in Arctic's picture the area looks dry and fairly clean. When I did mine there is oil pretty much everywhere and I ended up covered in it by the time I'd finished. ;)

Hiya, did mine a few months back, covered in oil but quite happy I'd done the job myself. just saw another thread where they had failed soon after being replaced, it is important the hose pushes home with a thud. Can't see the missing ring being a problem, probably disintegrated! I can't resist re-checking mine soon even though car is running fine, same as yours CDT SE. Will check the pipe too in case of porosity.

Well, I don't know about a 'thud' but it's in as far it can with the bolt holding it in place. I can't really see how you could put it in any further (or not) since the bolt dictates where the elbow sits.

Another question I have is that on all the photos I've seen taken by people doing this job they have some sort of sensor between the intercooler and the EGR valve. Mine doesn't have anything like that?! It's just a hose between the intercooler and EGR pass-through that I put on. What is that sensor?

You are right can only be pushed in as far as the collar inside the intercooler the O-ring would have been inside maybe at the bottom , and the sensor is only on the CDTi models CDT has the hose going from the bend to the EGR

The sensor is the boost temperature sensor and was fitted to the facelift diesel in
regard to EOBD compliance.

All BMW Diesel engines used in the Rover 75 are CDTi and I am pretty sure the sensor was fitted to all facelift diesels.

Dave T

And some late pre facelifts like mine ;)

Thought i'd do this as i'm under there anyway, nice easy job.....Err not quite the thread has stripped on the 8mm bolt so turn as much as you like it's not coming out, looks like i'll be whipping the FBH out for a service as it'll give me enough clearance to drill or grind the ****** out..

theres a captive nut on the back that can spin in it's plastic hole, doing this with bumper off makes it easier to see and grip if it is spinning.