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      07-11-2013, 10:36 PM   #23
StickMon
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The HACK View Post
John at European Motorwerks? Why not?
Took my car there for Inspection II shortly after buying it.
When next Inspection I came around 14 months and 24k miles later, decided to do valve adjustment myself.
When I pulled the spark plugs, I couldn't believe how crappy they looked. No way they only had 24k miles of DD.
Checked the trans and diff plugs. No sign they had been touched since the car was built. No tool marks in the grime. No fingerprints.
Checked my AC belt that he said he replaced, and it was totally dried and cracked. No way it could get like that in 14 months.

In short, he's a nice guy, but I'm not convinced he opened the hood.
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      07-11-2013, 10:41 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by dre99gsx View Post
... But I will disagree with you that every engine has a weakness, especially in the context of being in stock form.
I put 1/4 million miles each on a Chevy 454 and a Toyota 4AGZE doing nothing but change the oil, and not as frequently as I probably should have.

But I did get a Blackstone sample kit and will be sampling the next change.
I guess we'll see.
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      07-12-2013, 06:37 AM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dre99gsx View Post
Only a poorly designed engine has weaknesses like those. I understand the S54 has won awards, but they don't give awards for longevity. 2JZ has crank main seal leakage issues, but usually from folks boosting the hell out of it. Otherwise, there are many of those floating around 100k+ miles without ever being opened (I have one of them). I had made almost 800 wheel on that stock motor, opened it up at 126k miles for the first time, the bearings looked brand new and were still within thickness tolerances. Go figure...

I can name a handful of "high performance" engines which don't have these type of "open up the motor to replace part" weaknesses.

If you have to replace your rod bearings at 40k miles (and you don't drive the piss out of it or have power adders), then the engine has a flaw (oiling I would suspect), or was assembled improperly at the factory.

4G63 7bolt engines have crankwalk issues, yet another flawed engine design, even though they make great power. But I will disagree with you that every engine has a weakness, especially in the context of being in stock form.
+1 on all points,

I emialed VAC motorosports about the issue who made this comment "BMW just didn't get it right with the S54, it starts with the clearances and the oil flow is too low to insure bearing life"
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      07-12-2013, 08:53 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dre99gsx View Post
Only a poorly designed engine has weaknesses like those. I understand the S54 has won awards, but they don't give awards for longevity. 2JZ has crank main seal leakage issues, but usually from folks boosting the hell out of it. Otherwise, there are many of those floating around 100k+ miles without ever being opened (I have one of them).
You're comparing apples and oranges. The s54 is a NA engine with an output over 100hp/L. It has one of the highest piston speeds available. Those are specs for a thourougbred race engine, and that comes at a price. Everybody knows that you can build a more reliable engine when using boost if you want a high hp/litre ratio but that is not the point of this engine.
If you want to compare this eninge to anything else, you have to look at ferarri v8's etc (maybe the s2000 gen1 engine) and they have their own issues and are definately not more reliable (even the s2000 engine has it's problems)
I can compare your 2jz to loads of truck engines that do 2million miles with ease and say that a 2jz is an appallingly unreliable eninge.....
As long as nobody can build an engine that uses the same techniques (so NA), roughly the same size and achieves the same specific output (100+hp/L) and is clearly more reliable, the s54 is not poorly designed. Nobody does it better, and certainly not in 2001.
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      07-12-2013, 09:35 AM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GuidoK View Post
You're comparing apples and oranges. The s54 is a NA engine with an output over 100hp/L. It has one of the highest piston speeds available. Those are specs for a thourougbred race engine, and that comes at a price. Everybody knows that you can build a more reliable engine when using boost if you want a high hp/litre ratio but that is not the point of this engine.
If you want to compare this eninge to anything else, you have to look at ferarri v8's etc (maybe the s2000 gen1 engine) and they have their own issues and are definately not more reliable (even the s2000 engine has it's problems)
I can compare your 2jz to loads of truck engines that do 2million miles with ease and say that a 2jz is an appallingly unreliable eninge.....
As long as nobody can build an engine that uses the same techniques (so NA), roughly the same size and achieves the same specific output (100+hp/L) and is clearly more reliable, the s54 is not poorly designed. Nobody does it better, and certainly not in 2001.
There is no defense for the S54 rod bearing issues, it is what it is. The S65 is having problems with rod bearings as well. BMW needs to address their issues. I believe the oil pump relief pressure on the S54 is 58PSI, for 8K RPM.....
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      07-12-2013, 10:36 AM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kennyfrc View Post
There is no defense for the S54 rod bearing issues, it is what it is. The S65 is having problems with rod bearings as well.
Yes the rod bearings are a weak point. If you don't want that, and still want a NA engine, buy a m54 or n52. but then you have to settle with around 250hp. Thats the deal and... thats what you get at the competition as well...
If you look at the performace figures in 2001 (the year the s54 was introduced) and you want +100hp/litre, you'd have to buy a ferrari 360 (in which case you'd have to bring a lot of money and you'd be down 3 timing belts and a clutch after 30k miles, with a lot more costs of course), or a honda s2000, but that has only a 2 litre engine and also has oil issues.
Revving an undersquare engine at 8000rpm causes huge strain on the bearings and risks oil cavitation in the bearings (at least that's what I think is happening with the s54)

So you can say 'it is what it is' but it's still the best.
If you want great reliablility.... buy a diesel.....
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Last edited by GuidoK; 07-12-2013 at 05:05 PM..
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      07-12-2013, 03:14 PM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GuidoK
Quote:
Originally Posted by kennyfrc View Post
There is no defense for the S54 rod bearing issues, it is what it is. The S65 is having problems with rod bearings as well.
Yes the rod bearings are a weak point. If you don't want that, and still want a NA engine, buy a m54 or n54. but then you have to settle with around 250hp. Thats the deal and... thats what you get at the competition as well...
If you look at the performace figures in 2001 (the year the s54 was introduced) and you want +100hp/litre, you'd have to buy a ferrari 360 (in which case you'd have to bring a lot of money and you'd be down 3 timing belts and a clutch after 30k miles, with a lot more costs of course), or a honda s2000, but that has only a 2 litre engine and also has oil issues.
Revving an undersquare engine at 8000rpm causes huge strain on the bearings and risks oil cavitation in the bearings (at least that's what I think is happening with the s54)

So you can say 'it is what it is' but it's still the best.
If you want great reliablility.... buy a diesel.....
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      07-12-2013, 04:06 PM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon View Post
Took my car there for Inspection II shortly after buying it.
When next Inspection I came around 14 months and 24k miles later, decided to do valve adjustment myself.
When I pulled the spark plugs, I couldn't believe how crappy they looked. No way they only had 24k miles of DD.
Checked the trans and diff plugs. No sign they had been touched since the car was built. No tool marks in the grime. No fingerprints.
Checked my AC belt that he said he replaced, and it was totally dried and cracked. No way it could get like that in 14 months.

In short, he's a nice guy, but I'm not convinced he opened the hood.
Now, did you ask for Inspection II, or did you specifically ask him to change the spark plugs, transmission and diff plugs, and belts? 'Cause I know he's a BMW senior Master Technician at New Century before he started his own shop, and he does things by the book...So if inspection II does not call for changing diff and tranny fluid, he does not change them.

I've known him personally long enough to know he's about as honest as it gets, which is very rare for the business. So if you got billed for diff and tranny fluids, and spark plugs, and it doesn't look like anything has been touched, then something is wrong.
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      07-12-2013, 06:29 PM   #31
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I received the car back today. I could have picked it up yesterday but I got busy.

With the rod bearings replaced and new motor mounts, the total cost out the door was $1626.00

I won't be driving it for a week since I have to fly to Norway on Sunday.
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      07-12-2013, 07:39 PM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The HACK View Post
Now, did you ask for Inspection II....
I printed out the list and brought it in with the car.
Went over it line by line to make sure he was going to do everything on it.
Anyhoo. I think we're going off topic.
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      07-12-2013, 08:32 PM   #33
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The Diff and Tranny plugs are listed by BMW as one time use. Are they on your invoice along with shims and spark plugs?
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      07-13-2013, 08:35 AM   #34
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ship, read the thread but may have missed it, what's mounts did you go with as a replacement? Thanks
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      07-13-2013, 08:38 AM   #35
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      07-13-2013, 12:04 PM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shipkiller View Post
I received the car back today. I could have picked it up yesterday but I got busy.

With the rod bearings replaced and new motor mounts, the total cost out the door was $1626.00
that doesn't sound bad at all, I was expecting more.
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      04-06-2014, 12:08 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shipkiller
I received the car back today. I could have picked it up yesterday but I got busy.

With the rod bearings replaced and new motor mounts, the total cost out the door was $1626.00

I won't be driving it for a week since I have to fly to Norway on Sunday.
Was this price for the labor only?
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      04-06-2014, 01:21 PM   #38
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No, total cost out the door.
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      04-06-2014, 02:19 PM   #39
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how are you liking the motor mounts??
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      04-06-2014, 03:10 PM   #40
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The motor mounts combined with transmission mounts, combined with a SSK, combined with the Jaffer shift knob..........makes shifting a breeze...
It's notchy, the way I like, so I KNOW when it goes into gear and I have not had denied shift since, not that I really had this issue before, only a couple of times.
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      04-07-2014, 05:57 PM   #41
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Im bringing my trans to diffs online thursday to be rebuilt. Hes guaranteed me no more 2nd gear grind.
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