Z4M Crank Rod Bearing Shells

abidK · Post by **abidK** » Sat Nov 21, 2020 7:02 pm

Guys

As promised please see pictures taken by James during the service and bearings change. He has mentioned that the car is in great condition otherwise which is reassuring.

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GuidoK · Post by **GuidoK** » Sat Nov 21, 2020 7:08 pm

Oh that's interesting.
They removed the entire subframe and have modified an old subframe to support the engine just from the side.
Quite a different approach from the BMW prescribed special tools.

Mr Tidy · Post by **Mr Tidy** » Sat Nov 21, 2020 8:46 pm

abidK wrote: ↑Sat Nov 21, 2020 7:02 pm As promised please see pictures taken by James during the service and bearings change. He has mentioned that the car is in great condition otherwise which is reassuring.

Looking at those photos you must be quite relieved you got them replaced.

R60BBA · Post by **R60BBA** » Sat Nov 21, 2020 10:48 pm

Thanks for posting the photos mate, but those images are quite concerning with the shells down to the copper at just 26,000 miles?!

Just goes to show that you never really know with these engines and that doing the rod bearing service is worth it from a peace of mind perspective.

Happy M motoring

Vanne · Post by **Vanne** » Thu Nov 26, 2020 8:08 am

Those pics are from bearings with 26k miles on em? holy s**t!!! i did mine at 140k miles, and yours are in waaaay waaaaay worse shape than mine were...

mr wilks · Post by **mr wilks** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:43 pm

Just received some Millers oil for our F11 service due over xmas & with it came a very readable 7-8 page magazine for those unsure as to whether a change of oil brand / spec is beneficial .
I know there are many forum guys who are already Millers fans but for those owners who think they have had their bearing shells done & are using Bmw recommended oil so no need to worry here's a excerpt relating to why Millers Nano is about the best you could choose for any engine & especially one that fails under severe heat cycles https://www.millersoils.co.uk/nanodrive/ worth a read for any car owner .

Simon 3.2M · Post by **Simon 3.2M** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:04 pm

mr wilks wrote: ↑Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:43 pm Just received some Millers oil for our F11 service due over xmas & with it came a very readable 7-8 page magazine for those unsure as to whether a change of oil brand / spec is beneficial .
I know there are many forum guys who are already Millers fans but for those owners who think they have had their bearing shells done & are using Bmw recommended oil so no need to worry here's a excerpt relating to why Millers Nano is about the best you could choose for any engine & especially one that fails under severe heat cycles https://www.millersoils.co.uk/nanodrive/ worth a read for any car owner .

Interesting read - might be worth switching to it on the next oil change.

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Tue Dec 15, 2020 10:33 pm

So Miller Nanodrive is an ester based oil...Nanodrive = esters?

AndyBeech · Post by **AndyBeech** » Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:06 am

Nothing against Millers, but wouldn't touch the Nanodrive stuff on an S54 personally:

https://forums.m3cutters.co.uk/threads/ ... il.196588/

If it ain't broke....

mmm-five · Post by **mmm-five** » Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:25 am

Never used anything other than the OE Castrol Edge in mine...and mine (2nd engine) lasted 140,000 miles before the bearings went, and never used a drop of oil between services either.

But I'd also warn against using a 'better' oil and then skimping on servicing thinking it will last for twice as long.

Use any decent brand that matches the OE specs and change your oil & filter twice as frequently as the schedule recommends...and after every track day.

Jon2215 · Post by **Jon2215** » Wed Dec 16, 2020 11:30 am

Not the first time I’ve heard Miller Nano has caused cam follower flatting.
Castrol edge 10w60 in mine every time

john-e89 · Post by **john-e89** » Wed Dec 16, 2020 12:33 pm

Another big

for Castrol edge, nothing else I’ll use.

Martin BMW · Post by **Martin BMW** » Wed Dec 16, 2020 12:46 pm

I've owned several high millage BMW's mostly with the infamous N47 engine. I won't touch any mass produced off the shelf oils. I stared using Morris oils about 12 years ago who are a very good Uk manufacturer with good racing oil pedigree. This is the only thing I can put down to never having any engine faults on any of my cars even when up to 150K miles on the original turbo.
Always change my own oil minimum of once yearly or about 12K miles.
Also another watch out is that the regulations for claiming an oil is fully synthetic actually allow for only a proportion of that oil to truly be fully synthetic so many are not!

john-e89 · Post by **john-e89** » Wed Dec 16, 2020 5:01 pm

Martin BMW wrote: ↑Wed Dec 16, 2020 12:46 pm I've owned several high millage BMW's mostly with the infamous N47 engine. I won't touch any mass produced off the shelf oils. I stared using Morris oils about 12 years ago who are a very good Uk manufacturer with good racing oil pedigree. This is the only thing I can put down to never having any engine faults on any of my cars even when up to 150K miles on the original turbo.
Always change my own oil minimum of once yearly or about 12K miles.
Also another watch out is that the regulations for claiming an oil is fully synthetic actually allow for only a proportion of that oil to truly be fully synthetic so many are not!

A post that might make one want to ask many questions....

Why wouldn’t you touch off the shelf oils..?
Have you a vested interest in Morris oils..?
Evidence of Morris being a very good manufacturer or is that just an opinion..?
How do you know you wouldn’t have had any engine issues on another oil..? Eg, I only use Castrol but I’m not saying another brand wouldn’t have prevented any engine issues either.
Which oils are not fully synthetic which claim to be..?

These are some questions that could be asked..... I can’t be bothered personally....maybe someone else will...

99ron · Post by **99ron** » Fri Apr 02, 2021 5:23 pm

Just had mine done at excellent local indie RBM as part of the special offer Ross ran over the winter, along with engine mounts. At 82k mine didn't look that bad at all just tiny amounts of copper starting to show. Would have been fine into 6 figure mileage I would think but glad i have had it done for piece of mind. I always get the oil temp up before seeing more than 3K rpm and change the oil every year, which is usually around 2k for me. The Z is a keeper so something i will not have to worry about in the future. Great service as always from RBM.

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