Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.
Another Rod Bearing Story
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 7:47 am
Another Rod Bearing Story
As my car trotted over 100k I'd always pondered swapping the bearings out. The guy I regularly take my car to can be a bit funny about certain things and he told me that it wasn't really something I should worry about. But obviously reading all the bad stories got me worried as I'm hoping to hold on to the car and not sell it.
So at 116,000 and due for an oil change I booked my 2006 M Roadster in for rod bearings, oil change, valve adjustment, and vanos exhaust hub upgrade.
I just got the car back this morning after dropping it off on Monday and for one am very glad I decided to upgrade the vanos part, as one of the tabs had snapped off on my OEM original piece. Its probably some sort of a miracle it never took out the timing chain. I religiously warm the car up properly before giving it the message but I must say I drive the car as intended when conditions allow.
I'm hoping the photos of my bearings attach okay. I've been doing oil analysis reports since 70k and they never really picked up any copper in the oil. I bought the car on 42k so perhaps this wear could have occurred before my ownership? I somehow doubt it.
I went with the WPC treated OEM bearings which should hopefully see me good for another 100k at least. I figured if these are better that the OEM ones they should last longer. But I admit I don't know too much behind the science.
Upper bearings are on the right, lower bearings on the left. And a close up of the worst one.
So at 116,000 and due for an oil change I booked my 2006 M Roadster in for rod bearings, oil change, valve adjustment, and vanos exhaust hub upgrade.
I just got the car back this morning after dropping it off on Monday and for one am very glad I decided to upgrade the vanos part, as one of the tabs had snapped off on my OEM original piece. Its probably some sort of a miracle it never took out the timing chain. I religiously warm the car up properly before giving it the message but I must say I drive the car as intended when conditions allow.
I'm hoping the photos of my bearings attach okay. I've been doing oil analysis reports since 70k and they never really picked up any copper in the oil. I bought the car on 42k so perhaps this wear could have occurred before my ownership? I somehow doubt it.
I went with the WPC treated OEM bearings which should hopefully see me good for another 100k at least. I figured if these are better that the OEM ones they should last longer. But I admit I don't know too much behind the science.
Upper bearings are on the right, lower bearings on the left. And a close up of the worst one.
- Attachments
-
- 20220513_110038.jpg (128.25 KiB) Viewed 1123 times
-
- 20220513_110013.jpg (112.96 KiB) Viewed 1123 times
- Mr Tidy
- Legend
- Posts: 23838
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:18 pm
- Location: North West Surrey
Another Rod Bearing Story
After seeing your photos you must be relieved you got those shells replaced!
Enjoy the next 100,000+ miles.
Enjoy the next 100,000+ miles.
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1677
- Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:36 am
Another Rod Bearing Story
That’s was a damn good call to do them!!
Sepang Coupe
Imola Roadster - For sale
Interlagos Coupe - For sale
Previous:
Stratus Grey Coupe
Titan Silver 3.0 Roadster
Carbon Black Coupe
Silver Grey MR
Silver Grey 3.0si Roadster
Maldives Blue 2.5
Sterling Silver 3.0 - twice
Imola Roadster - For sale
Interlagos Coupe - For sale
Previous:
Stratus Grey Coupe
Titan Silver 3.0 Roadster
Carbon Black Coupe
Silver Grey MR
Silver Grey 3.0si Roadster
Maldives Blue 2.5
Sterling Silver 3.0 - twice
- grannyknot
- Member
- Posts: 412
- Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2021 1:18 pm
Another Rod Bearing Story
Make sure you show those bearings to your to regular guy, he needs to stop saying that about s54's. Looks like you got them just in time.
2008 E86 M coupe
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto, Ontario
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 7:47 am
Another Rod Bearing Story
Bloody good idea.grannyknot wrote: ↑Fri May 13, 2022 9:10 pm Make sure you show those bearings to your to regular guy, he needs to stop saying that about s54's. Looks like you got them just in time.
All in all I feel very glad I spent the dosh. I'm just taking it easy for the first 500 miles or so. Not entirely sure its necessary with the WPC treatment but it can't hurt.
- tomscott
- Lifer
- Posts: 7475
- Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:26 pm
- Location: Manchester
- Contact:
Another Rod Bearing Story
TBH ive seen much worse at half the milage!
They've done pretty well, im worried about mine at 73. Good to see that these lasted another 40k!
They've done pretty well, im worried about mine at 73. Good to see that these lasted another 40k!
- GuidoK
- Lifer
- Posts: 3171
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:37 am
- Location: all over the place
Another Rod Bearing Story
I think these look very very worn.
normal adviced interval for replacement is ~50k miles.
normal adviced interval for replacement is ~50k miles.
Z4 3.0i | ESS TS2+ | Quaife ATB LSD | Brembo/BMW performance BBK front/rear | Schrick FI cams | Schmiedmann headers+cats | fully polybushed | Vibra-technics engine mounts | H&R anti rollbars | KW V3 coilovers | Sachs Race Engineering clutch
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1114
- Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 10:32 am
- Location: Worsley Manchester
Another Rod Bearing Story
If you don’t change them
Price up the cost of a new crank and a set of rods as a minimum because if the bearing goes and the rod rattles around the crank it will be hard to recover the crank with a regrind and undersize bearings
Then you may as well change the mains as well
Then do you strip the rest of the engine to check for any other damage?
Is it worth the risk?
Price up the cost of a new crank and a set of rods as a minimum because if the bearing goes and the rod rattles around the crank it will be hard to recover the crank with a regrind and undersize bearings
Then you may as well change the mains as well
Then do you strip the rest of the engine to check for any other damage?
Is it worth the risk?
- Mr Tidy
- Legend
- Posts: 23838
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:18 pm
- Location: North West Surrey
Another Rod Bearing Story
That's not a risk I was willing to take, for the reasons outlined by PDJ.
Leaving them could prove expensive so I had mine replaced at 78K and when I saw the old ones was glad I did - although they weren't as worn as these!
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2016 7:47 am
Another Rod Bearing Story
Its certainly interesting seeing how worn they were. I've always used 10w60 oil changed every 5k and always wait until the cars at operating oil temperature before driving aggressively.
- Argenta
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1051
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2015 7:49 pm
Another Rod Bearing Story
Mine were worse, but yeah good job you did it. What was the comment from the garage?
"Errmm sorry mate..." ?
"Errmm sorry mate..." ?
- GuidoK
- Lifer
- Posts: 3171
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:37 am
- Location: all over the place
Another Rod Bearing Story
Plus the extra work.
And you have to have your car transported from wherever you are when it happens to a quality garage.
And your head gasket (head has to come off if you want to change a rod)
So suddenly a day's work has turned in a weeks work with at least 6 times the parts cost.
Z4 3.0i | ESS TS2+ | Quaife ATB LSD | Brembo/BMW performance BBK front/rear | Schrick FI cams | Schmiedmann headers+cats | fully polybushed | Vibra-technics engine mounts | H&R anti rollbars | KW V3 coilovers | Sachs Race Engineering clutch
- R60BBA
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1776
- Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:53 pm
- Location: London, United Kingdom
Another Rod Bearing Story
Meh, he’s right. They are not as much an issue for S54’s than they are for other M engines such as the S65.grannyknot wrote: ↑Fri May 13, 2022 9:10 pm Make sure you show those bearings to your to regular guy, he needs to stop saying that about s54's. Looks like you got them just in time.
Also, food for thought but a new engine from Munich is cheaper than doing preventative maintenance on rod bearings, vanos and headgasket. It also comes with warranty and in theory should last longer than a rebuilt engine.
I did the rod bearings on mine ~3 months into M ownership. I also get a compression test done every year to ensure the headgasket is healthy and get the vanos hubs checked at every inspection service (which works out as every 2 years for me). However if anything happens touch wood I will be going down the Munich route as most of these so-called issues whilst apparent are also blown out of proportion.
OP make sure you drop your oil after 1,200 miles, and just enjoy the car!
Current: 2002 E46 M3
Current: 2005 997 Carrera S
Gone: 2004 R53 Cooper S
Gone: 1998 E31 840Ci Sport
Gone: 2007 Z4 E86 3.0Si Sport
Gone: 2001 Z3 E36/7 2.2i San Remo Individual
Gone: 2015 F21 116d M Sport
Gone: 2012 A3 Sportback 1.2TFSI
Current: 2005 997 Carrera S
Gone: 2004 R53 Cooper S
Gone: 1998 E31 840Ci Sport
Gone: 2007 Z4 E86 3.0Si Sport
Gone: 2001 Z3 E36/7 2.2i San Remo Individual
Gone: 2015 F21 116d M Sport
Gone: 2012 A3 Sportback 1.2TFSI
- GuidoK
- Lifer
- Posts: 3171
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:37 am
- Location: all over the place
Another Rod Bearing Story
A new engine from Munich (and that is I think a rebuild engine, new engine is no longer available) costs about £13K! (current dealerprice is €14.874,81 incl. VAT)
And that is the bare engine, so all the ancilaries and sensors have to be carried over, and of course it's an engine swap.
So you're probably looking at at least £16k total with all the work, if not more.
So rodbearings is little over £1k, vanos probably also, including new pump disk or exhausthub, so an upgrade, and headgasket about 1,5k (don't know why you want to change the headgasket, but anyway...)
That's 3,5k. Not £16k
If you do just the rodbearings, vanos and valve clearance, it's probably around £2k. In my book that's considerably less than £16k
Z4 3.0i | ESS TS2+ | Quaife ATB LSD | Brembo/BMW performance BBK front/rear | Schrick FI cams | Schmiedmann headers+cats | fully polybushed | Vibra-technics engine mounts | H&R anti rollbars | KW V3 coilovers | Sachs Race Engineering clutch
- R60BBA
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1776
- Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:53 pm
- Location: London, United Kingdom
Another Rod Bearing Story
New engine can be had for £6k mate.GuidoK wrote: ↑Mon May 16, 2022 11:41 amA new engine from Munich (and that is I think a rebuild engine, new engine is no longer available) costs about £13K! (current dealerprice is €14.874,81 incl. VAT)
And that is the bare engine, so all the ancilaries and sensors have to be carried over, and of course it's an engine swap.
So you're probably looking at at least £16k total with all the work, if not more.
So rodbearings is little over £1k, vanos probably also, including new pump disk or exhausthub, so an upgrade, and headgasket about 1,5k (don't know why you want to change the headgasket, but anyway...)
That's 3,5k. Not £16k
If you do just the rodbearings, vanos and valve clearance, it's probably around £2k. In my book that's considerably less than £16k
Current: 2002 E46 M3
Current: 2005 997 Carrera S
Gone: 2004 R53 Cooper S
Gone: 1998 E31 840Ci Sport
Gone: 2007 Z4 E86 3.0Si Sport
Gone: 2001 Z3 E36/7 2.2i San Remo Individual
Gone: 2015 F21 116d M Sport
Gone: 2012 A3 Sportback 1.2TFSI
Current: 2005 997 Carrera S
Gone: 2004 R53 Cooper S
Gone: 1998 E31 840Ci Sport
Gone: 2007 Z4 E86 3.0Si Sport
Gone: 2001 Z3 E36/7 2.2i San Remo Individual
Gone: 2015 F21 116d M Sport
Gone: 2012 A3 Sportback 1.2TFSI