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Engine replacement on '94 530i
BMW BMW General Discussions (alt.autos.bmw)
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#11
 
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Re: Engine replacement on '94 530i -
02-27-2007
, 05:10 AM
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zkkeane (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in message news:1172521564.120255.26070 (AT) a75g2000cwd (DOT) googlegroups.com... Hi folks, I bought a Nikasil 530i back in '03, at a suitably discounted price given the excellent condition of the body and interior and the likelihood of engine failure. It ran great for 3 years, but now it's starting to burn oil when the engine is cold, and the compression is getting a little lower than I'd like in a couple of the cylinders (6 of them top out around 180-185; the other 2 are down around 160). There's also a new, high-pitched periodic sound (not really a tapping; more of a squeak) that varies in period with engine RPM. My mechanic buddy says it sounds a little like blowby from a shot piston ring, but that the compression readings seem too high for that to be the case. Anyway, we're thinking of at least new head gaskets, probably new valve guides and seals too, and possibly just tearing the whole engine down and rebuilding from the bottom up. I've been looking for a machine shop that can bore out and sleeve the cylinders, but my impression from reading old posts here is that that's a dicey job and possibly much more trouble than it's worth. What I'd like to know is whether anyone here has tried dropping a US- built engine into a BMW. My friend claims that a Chevy 350 ought to fit in the engine compartment easily, and it would be much cheaper than buying a rebuilt BMW engine and about the same cost as doing the rebuild ourselves (probably about $1000 once machining and new parts are taken into account). Alternatively, we could go to a scrapyard and pull a non-Nikasil M60 or M62 to rebuild ourselves, which would presumably avoid the need to do any cylinder work other than perhaps honing. I'm not very experienced with engine work myself, but my friend assures me that we can get the job done. What sounds like the best course of action here? Thanks, Zach For what it is likely to cost, you would probably do better to part out the 530i and buy a newer one with the proceeds and whatever your budget for the repair was. |
is no way this a reasonable or practical solution for a one off. E36 track
car? Sure, which is why there are kits. 5 series. Nope.
#12
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"R. Mark Clayton" <nospamclay... (AT) btinternet (DOT) com> wrote in messagenews:yMidnfTPpPSqkHnYnZ2dnUVZ8rKdnZ2d (AT) bt (DOT) com... zkke... (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote in message news:1172521564.120255.26070 (AT) a75g2000cwd (DOT) googlegroups.com... Hi folks, I bought a Nikasil 530i back in '03, at a suitably discounted price given the excellent condition of the body and interior and the likelihood of engine failure. It ran great for 3 years, but now it's starting to burn oil when the engine is cold, and the compression is getting a little lower than I'd like in a couple of the cylinders (6 of them top out around 180-185; the other 2 are down around 160). There's also a new, high-pitched periodic sound (not really a tapping; more of a squeak) that varies in period with engine RPM. My mechanic buddy says it sounds a little like blowby from a shot piston ring, but that the compression readings seem too high for that to be the case. Anyway, we're thinking of at least new head gaskets, probably new valve guides and seals too, and possibly just tearing the whole engine down and rebuilding from the bottom up. I've been looking for a machine shop that can bore out and sleeve the cylinders, but my impression from reading old posts here is that that's a dicey job and possibly much more trouble than it's worth. What I'd like to know is whether anyone here has tried dropping a US- built engine into a BMW. My friend claims that a Chevy 350 ought to fit in the engine compartment easily, and it would be much cheaper than buying a rebuilt BMW engine and about the same cost as doing the rebuild ourselves (probably about $1000 once machining and new parts are taken into account). Alternatively, we could go to a scrapyard and pull a non-Nikasil M60 or M62 to rebuild ourselves, which would presumably avoid the need to do any cylinder work other than perhaps honing. I'm not very experienced with engine work myself, but my friend assures me that we can get the job done. What sounds like the best course of action here? Thanks, Zach For what it is likely to cost, you would probably do better to part out the 530i and buy a newer one with the proceeds and whatever your budget for the repair was. I too think it is a bad idea. I think Chevy makes great engines, but there is no way this a reasonable or practical solution for a one off. E36 track car? Sure, which is why there are kits. 5 series. Nope.- Hide quoted text - Supply and demand.3 Series owners are probably 10x no make that 50x |
aftermarket stuff becomes available for 3 Series cars. Although not
many will put a Chevy engine into their BMW, there are other mods that
I wish was available for my E34 535i. For example, a good aluminum
radiator. No aftermarket aluminum radiator is available because very
few 535i owners would spring for it. Yet, there's several companies
who make one for the E30 and E36 3 Series. Further, if I had say a
525i, which use the same engine as is found in some E36 3 Series, then
there is an aluminum radiator available for it. There's also one for
the E34 V8s, but none for the 535i.
#13
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Supply and demand.3 Series owners are probably 10x no make that 50x more likely to modify their car than 5 Series owners. So, more aftermarket stuff becomes available for 3 Series cars. Although not many will put a Chevy engine into their BMW, there are other mods that I wish was available for my E34 535i. For example, a good aluminum radiator. No aftermarket aluminum radiator is available because very few 535i owners would spring for it. Yet, there's several companies who make one for the E30 and E36 3 Series. Further, if I had say a 525i, which use the same engine as is found in some E36 3 Series, then there is an aluminum radiator available for it. There's also one for the E34 V8s, but none for the 535i. |
Why do you want a custom radiator?
For example, what is the difference in a cutsom radiator vs.
an OEM if they are both the same size and dimensions?
Ans: Not much. If you are wanting a custom radiator that is oversized, then
it makes more sense.
Reference: This guy added turbos and intercoolers *and* a custom radiator to
his 1989 (E34) 535i GTR
http://redfivemotorsport.com/super.htm
Quoting: 04-12-2006 11:04PM
Member ID: RedFive
Link: www.bimmerforumsn.com
"I tried the build it yourself approach with a supercharger for the M30. It
ultimately cost me $8000 in new parts. Then I didn't have any money left to
get the engine tuned properly, left in a NA tune chip and melted thru 2
piston on a built engine.
I now have a TCD S2 on an even more built engine and I'm not driving it till
it gets a stand-alone computer and some dyno time.
If you're interested in a great deal, I'm selling my supercharger setup
(with a TCD chip) for $3500. This includes the intercooler, bypass valve,
and the custom radiator that was the key to making it work....."
Email him and ask where he had his custom radiator
built, but he no longer uses the engine fan with his, '
and installed an electric.
JoshIII
josh3i at hotmail . com
#14
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"bfd" <bfd... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message Supply and demand.3 Series owners are probably 10x no make that 50x more likely to modify their car than 5 Series owners. So, more aftermarket stuff becomes available for 3 Series cars. Although not many will put a Chevy engine into their BMW, there are other mods that I wish was available for my E34 535i. For example, a good aluminum radiator. No aftermarket aluminum radiator is available because very few 535i owners would spring for it. Yet, there's several companies who make one for the E30 and E36 3 Series. Further, if I had say a 525i, which use the same engine as is found in some E36 3 Series, then there is an aluminum radiator available for it. There's also one for the E34 V8s, but none for the 535i. JoshIII wonders: Why do you want a custom radiator? |
OEM ones made by either Behr or Nissen are made out of cheap-shit
plastic and are known to break. Many techs, including Mike Miller of
Roundel, suggest replacing
BMW radiators every 60,000 miles. This is absolutely ridiculous, but
when you consider that you can fry your engine due to the OEM plastic
neck breaking, its actually makes sense. Why BMW doesn't use aluminum
for its radiator shows how far it goes to cut cost.
#15
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On Feb 27, 12:35 pm, "JoshIII" <josh3iREM... (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote: "bfd" <bfd... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message Supply and demand.3 Series owners are probably 10x no make that 50x more likely to modify their car than 5 Series owners. So, more aftermarket stuff becomes available for 3 Series cars. Although not many will put a Chevy engine into their BMW, there are other mods that I wish was available for my E34 535i. For example, a good aluminum radiator. No aftermarket aluminum radiator is available because very few 535i owners would spring for it. Yet, there's several companies who make one for the E30 and E36 3 Series. Further, if I had say a 525i, which use the same engine as is found in some E36 3 Series, then there is an aluminum radiator available for it. There's also one for the E34 V8s, but none for the 535i. JoshIII wonders: Why do you want a custom radiator? The main reason I would want an aluminum radiator is because the BMW OEM ones made by either Behr or Nissen are made out of cheap-shit plastic and are known to break. Many techs, including Mike Miller of Roundel, suggest replacing BMW radiators every 60,000 miles. This is absolutely ridiculous, but when you consider that you can fry your engine due to the OEM plastic neck breaking, its actually makes sense. Why BMW doesn't use aluminum for its radiator shows how far it goes to cut cost. |
#16
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The main reason I would want an aluminum radiator is because the BMW OEM ones made by either Behr or Nissen are made out of cheap-shit plastic and are known to break. Many techs, including Mike Miller of Roundel, suggest replacing BMW radiators every 60,000 miles. This is absolutely ridiculous, but when you consider that you can fry your engine due to the OEM plastic neck breaking, its actually makes sense. Why BMW doesn't use aluminum for its radiator shows how far it goes to cut cost. |
Automatic transmissions, for example.
--
#17
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The main reason I would want an aluminum radiator is because the BMW OEM ones made by either Behr or Nissen are made out of cheap-shit plastic and are known to break. Many techs, including Mike Miller of Roundel, suggest replacing BMW radiators every 60,000 miles. This is absolutely ridiculous, but when you consider that you can fry your engine due to the OEM plastic neck breaking, its actually makes sense. Why BMW doesn't use aluminum for its radiator shows how far it goes to cut cost. Mike Miller is afraid if many things he doesn't understand real well. Automatic transmissions, for example. -- |
well?" Being Tech Talk, Mike Miller sees alot of complaints about BMW
automatic transmission. I think its a shame when BMW claims the fluid
in the automatics are "lifetime," and then when the car reaches about
100,000 miles, the tranny goes and the owner has to spend thousands to
replace it. Interestingly, BMW auto trannies had a better record of
lasting more than 100,000 miles when it recommended changing fluid
every 30,000 miles or so. Of course, that was before BMW came up with
its maintainence free program.
Of course, maybe you only lease your car or sell it before it reaches
100,000 miles, in which case, lifetime fluid and broken transmission
are probably not a problem.
#18
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Can you clarify exactly what Mike Miller doesn't "understand real well?" Being Tech Talk, Mike Miller sees alot of complaints about BMW automatic transmission. |
issue. He's overlooking that the 3 series E36 cars sold quite well, so
there are a LOT of them out there. They do have rather delicate
radiators, but failure is not endemic - it's frequent enough to keep an
eye on, but IMHO - preventively replacing the radiator - unless you're
using it for a track car - is probably a waste of $$.
Quote:
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I think its a shame when BMW claims the fluid in the automatics are "lifetime," and then when the car reaches about 100,000 miles, the tranny goes and the owner has to spend thousands to replace it. Interestingly, BMW auto trannies had a better record of lasting more than 100,000 miles when it recommended changing fluid every 30,000 miles or so. Of course, that was before BMW came up with its maintainence free program. |
ANY facts at ALL on BMW transmissions lasting longer before they changed
fluid change recommendations?
I really don't think you'll be able to - since the earlier BMW automatic
transmissions (the ZF-4HP22) were known to eat the front clutch pack
with great regularity at around 60-70k miles... requiring at best a
rebuild, at worst a replacement. Later GM and ZF transmissions have been
quite reliable, and rarely give problems even with extended mileage on
them (over 100k.)
Just give us some numbers and a source for your information.. if you can
(besides Mike Miller - who is NOT a technician - he's an attorney..)
Quote:
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Of course, maybe you only lease your car or sell it before it reaches 100,000 miles, in which case, lifetime fluid and broken transmission are probably not a problem. |
aside from the one with the ZF-4HP22 transmission which required
replacement at 70k miles - I never had a problem with the transmissions
or rear-drives. But - that's a fact - and I'm sure you aren't terribly
fond of them.
BTW - did you know that 89% of the statistics that appear in UseNet
postings are made up on the spot?
#19
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BTW - did you know that 89% of the statistics that appear in UseNet postings are made up on the spot? |
FWIW, I am of the same opinion regarding the Tech editor (Miller) of
Roundel. When I first began reading the mag I thought, wow, this guy
sure knows a lot about BMWs. But the longer I read, and the more I
learned personally, the clearer it became that he is merely opinionated,
not knowledgable.
But he doesn't hold a candle to the dude posing as Tech editor for
Boating magazine. That guy is isn't only opinionated, he is downright
ignorant of basic mechanics and hands out bad technical advice constantly.
--
-Fred W
I have to figure out a way to get one of those jobs...
#20
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I really don't think you'll be able to - since the earlier BMW automatic transmissions (the ZF-4HP22) were known to eat the front clutch pack with great regularity at around 60-70k miles... requiring at best a rebuild, at worst a replacement. Later GM and ZF transmissions have been quite reliable, and rarely give problems even with extended mileage on them (over 100k.) |
when I sold the car. I had regularly changed the ATF with synthetic every
30,000miles. The new owner stopped ALL transmission maintenance, and
the ZF still reached 204,000 miles before dying from burned clutches. It
made me a believer about using good fluids at reasonable intervals.
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