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      03-09-2018, 07:59 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon View Post
Since we've gone off topic.
Formula E?
Call me back when they can get close to 200 mph and run for at least 3 hours without changing cars.
Hybrid is the hot setup!
Hopefully WEC LMP1 will be able to put together a field this year. I'll miss the 919.
The speed is not a problem, but they may have to modify the tracks to insert an electric pick-up Scalextric style.

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      03-10-2018, 07:48 AM   #24
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Originally Posted by mmm-five View Post
The speed is not a problem, but they may have to modify the tracks to insert an electric pick-up Scalextric style.


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      03-10-2018, 11:37 AM   #25
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Just read that next year the FormulaE cars will not have to swap cars mid race. And BMW is getting into the mix with a sponsored car. The electric future is coming fast.
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      03-11-2018, 04:04 AM   #26
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Just read that next year the FormulaE cars will not have to swap cars mid race. And BMW is getting into the mix with a sponsored car. The electric future is coming fast.
I haven't watched it since the inaugural season.
Sounds like its worth another go.

Next up: Formula-H !

Heck, Formula-H endurance racing with 10,000 psi refueling stops !
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      03-11-2018, 09:26 AM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by racerbruce View Post
For our S54 rod bearing issues, is there any early warning (knocking sound, abnormal oil temperature, etc) besides oil analysis??
Unfortunately not. If you are getting knocking from the rods, it's already too late. Oil analysis trends are about the best we can do, and it has to be a trend, because it may spike one oil change then drop very low the next, because the lead has been removed and it is in the copper. Probably the best bet is to plan to change every 50K or so. Now, when I do this again at 100K, I'll check for wear and if the new BE bearings solve the problem, then maybe I won't do it again until 200K. By then, we'll probably all be driving batteries with wheels.

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And age of the car/motor is not a factor? My 2006 Z4 MR has just under 27,000 miles on it. Its 12 years old. Am I safe to wait for 50K/60K miles before I do the rod bearing replacement? It may take me another 4-5 years to get to that mileage.
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      03-11-2018, 09:32 PM   #28
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Originally Posted by Lucky1 View Post
And age of the car/motor is not a factor? My 2006 Z4 MR has just under 27,000 miles on it. Its 12 years old. Am I safe to wait for 50K/60K miles before I do the rod bearing replacement? It may take me another 4-5 years to get to that mileage.
I don't think age is a factor, just mileage which equals wear. Maybe if the car sits for long intervals in between being cranked, you'd get a little more dry start wear potential, but I wouldn't worry about rod bearings until 50K as a general rule for the S54. Trending oil analysis is our best tool for seeing a spike in lead that would warn of bearing wear.

Like most everyone else, I'm just accepting as a maintenance expense. I don't like it, but I'm accepting it.

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      03-12-2018, 07:50 PM   #29
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This is very intriguing information for me as an E46 M3 owner. I always look for the presence of copper in my oil samples from the S54, but after reading this it looks like I need to be looking for the absence of lead!

In the E46 M3 world, it seems like 100k miles is the agreed upon time to consider bearing changes. I wouldn't have thought the S54s in the Z4 Ms would likely need replacement around 60k..
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      03-15-2018, 07:36 PM   #30
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148,000 miles! I wonder if the rod bearings were replaced....

Quote:
Originally Posted by racerbruce View Post
Questions, questions....
1. Did BMW really correct the rod bearing issue in the 2006-2008 S54?

2. Is the high compression ration (11:5) of the 2006-2008 S54 contributing to the current failures of rod bearings?


S54 BMW recall info from early 2000's:
http:/www.siwilson.com/BMW/Service_bulletins/S54%20Bearing%20shell%20Service%20Bulletin.pdf

Compression ratio info:
https://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Compression-Ratio
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...lCode1=BMWROAD
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      03-15-2018, 07:42 PM   #31
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128,000 miles....

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Originally Posted by racerbruce View Post
https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...lCode1=BMWROAD
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      03-15-2018, 10:07 PM   #32
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If you go on any car forum that centers on cars with S54, S62, S65, or S85 engines you will find countless threads on bearing failures. The S62 is probably the least affected to the relatively low 7K RPM limiter. For the others (outside the early S54s, where there was clearly a problem) the issue almost to be expected given the high RPMs and power output. Certainly wear can be minimized by driving conservatively until the oil temperature is appropriate. As mentioned, in the end UOA and/or preventive replacement are necessary.

My E39 M5 has 92K miles now, with a clean UOA; I'll probably do the bearings at 120K miles or so (if it ever gets there as I don't drive it much). For the M coupe, which has 30K, I'm planning on changing them at 60K miles. My lead levels on the coupe have actually been coming down, for whatever reason.
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      03-16-2018, 05:30 PM   #33
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Just curious what you guys think about >100K miles on the S54? At one time, I was thinking 150K was about as much as one could hope to get out of a Z4M, but since we now know rod bearings are 50-60K maintenance, and VANOS rebuild is maintenance, and timing chain guide is maintenance, and if all other standard BMW maintenance is done like cooling system swaps, fluid swaps, bushings, etc, is 200K, 250K no problem for a well-maintained S54?
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      03-16-2018, 06:20 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaltyNC View Post
Just curious what you guys think about >100K miles on the S54? At one time, I was thinking 150K was about as much as one could hope to get out of a Z4M, but since we now know rod bearings are 50-60K maintenance, and VANOS rebuild is maintenance, and timing chain guide is maintenance, and if all other standard BMW maintenance is done like cooling system swaps, fluid swaps, bushings, etc, is 200K, 250K no problem for a well-maintained S54?
I ain’t skeered lol. Knowing all the little bits like you mentioned is a plus. My first e46 m3 I bought in 2001 had all kinds of issues. Rod bearings, vanos etc. all before 12k miles, scarred the hell out of until a few years ago when I picked up my Z4m and the wealth of knowledge here. Anything that can happen probably already has.
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      03-16-2018, 06:41 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaltyNC View Post
Just curious what you guys think about >100K miles on the S54? At one time, I was thinking 150K was about as much as one could hope to get out of a Z4M, but since we now know rod bearings are 50-60K maintenance, and VANOS rebuild is maintenance, and timing chain guide is maintenance, and if all other standard BMW maintenance is done like cooling system swaps, fluid swaps, bushings, etc, is 200K, 250K no problem for a well-maintained S54?
I don't think it's out of the question at all. There's a few high-mileage E46 M3's out there that prove the S54's reliability - as long as they're cared for of course.

I seem to recall one particular E46 M3 on M3Forum that was over 300k miles with the maintenance documented. Unfortunately it was written off in an accident so nobody ever got to see just how far it could go.

As Boosted mentioned, the wealth of knowledge now available to us only helps us. It also opens the door for various suppliers to create and improve on components (various VANOS fixes, coated/treated bearings that are constantly improved and introduced).
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      03-16-2018, 08:57 PM   #36
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I honestly think this issue is over hyped. I saw one guy who changed them out on YouTube after about 100,000 miles. They were worn but certainly not about to "go" anytime soon. There were some 80,000 e46 M3s produced. From what you read online it would seem that they are all ready to blow. There have got to be tens of thousands of M3s that have 150,000 miles and no issues. I would guess that 95% are totally fine for 150k. Maybe 99%. I wish I had data to back that up. I'm sure it's out there somewhere
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      03-17-2018, 02:27 AM   #37
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Changed my bearings at 127k miles.
Currently at 173k miles.
Car looks like hell, leaks oil like a mutha.

Sounds great, runs great.
Plan to get at least 250k out of it. Maybe 300k.
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      03-17-2018, 07:47 AM   #38
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Mine's on 156k.

Doesn't use a drop of oil between (7,000 mile) oil services. Runs like a dream.

Could use a bit of TLC to the paintwork. No rust, but lots of stone chips & swirls from being a motorway/highway daily driver. One small dent in the bonnet/hood from a roof tile.

Can't be bothered to respray/detail it as the last (expensive) external detail I had lasted about a month before it looked about the same, due to the winter road conditions (rain, snow, salt, gravel, mud, grease, etc.).

Mine can go from this...


...to this...


...to this...


...and back to this...


...in a matter of hours.

Last edited by mmm-five; 03-17-2018 at 07:54 AM..
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      03-17-2018, 09:57 AM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StickMon View Post
Changed my bearings at 127k miles.
Currently at 173k miles.
Car looks like hell, leaks oil like a mutha.

Sounds great, runs great.
Plan to get at least 250k out of it. Maybe 300k.
How'd those bearings look at 127k?
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      03-18-2018, 02:07 AM   #40
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A little frazzed, but with some life left, probably.
http://www.zpost.com/forums/showpost...7&postcount=26
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      03-19-2018, 09:39 AM   #41
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Did BMW change the oil spec in the early 2000's during the rod bearing recall to this? If yes, does anyone have info re the difference between the original spec and the new spec oil?

Castrol 07-51-0-009-420 TWS Synthetic Oil 10W60: 832511
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      03-19-2018, 10:22 AM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by racerbruce View Post
Did BMW change the oil spec in the early 2000's during the rod bearing recall to this? If yes, does anyone have info re the difference between the original spec and the new spec oil?

Castrol 07-51-0-009-420 TWS Synthetic Oil 10W60: 832511
Yes, I don't have specific details but this was before they introduced the 10W60. Referencing the owner's manual of a 2001 E46 M3, it looks like they suggested 5W40 or 5W30 as the approved oils.
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      03-19-2018, 11:34 AM   #43
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I believe this important info from Lang Racing has been presented before, but it's interesting to note that Lang states the previous rod bearings were too small and the rod bolts AND entire rod changed design....

https://www.langracing.com/finding-a...aring-failure/
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