S54 guys--- Pelican Parts vs. VAC Rod Bearings?

[Itsablurr]

Any preference or direction to be steered one way or the other?

-Pelican Parts Rod Bearings are listed in as orig BMW parts, $213 for a full set.
-VAC Rod Bearings are performance coated for low friction, $249 for a full set.


Would the coating on the VAC pieces mandate doing some work to the bearing surface of the crank? Also, neither site seems to have rod cap bolts (as opposed to main bearing cap bolts, which they do have). This is implying that the rod cap bolts are to be re-used? Intuition would have me thinking the opposite...

[Jeremy]

Not sure what to recommend. However, when I had Randy do mine, I went uncoated. I figured I could save the expense as there are lots of guys out there with replaced, but uncoated bearings with no issues. Although, mine is just a DD/street car...

[fmcfad01]

Wait for Randy to reply. He had bought an oven to do his own coated bearings, but then may have went against that route. I asked him this same question a while back and i believe he told me to go with the standard ones.

[Jeremy]

Wait for Randy to reply. He had bought an oven to do his own coated bearings, but then may have went against that route. I asked him this same question a while back and i believe he told me to go with the standard ones.

Randy does offer the coated bearings. I think it was because he was asked to, not necessarily because he thinks it is necessary. I'm sure he'll chime in here.

[Ghery]

I've always installed the VAC bearings and recommend those to others. Have never had a problem.

VAC has a great reputation for building some of the best BMW motors. For an extra $36, I wouldn't think twice.

[Jeremy]

I've always installed the VAC bearings and recommend those to others. Have never had a problem.

VAC has a great reputation for building some of the best BMW motors. For an extra $36, I wouldn't think twice.

Agreed. Since your cost will only be slightly more, I say go with it. Randy coats his own, so the additional cost was more than $36 since he doesn't churn out hundreds at a time.

[Randy Forbes]

Any preference or direction to be steered one way or the other?

-Pelican Parts Rod Bearings are listed in as orig BMW parts, $213 for a full set.
-VAC Rod Bearings are performance coated for low friction, $249 for a full set.


Would the coating on the VAC pieces mandate doing some work to the bearing surface of the crank? Also, neither site seems to have rod cap bolts (as opposed to main bearing cap bolts, which they do have). This is implying that the rod cap bolts are to be re-used? Intuition would have me thinking the opposite...

Buy the M3 recall kit; it's waaay cheaper than buying only the bearings.

Wait for Randy to reply. He had bought an oven to do his own coated bearings, but then may have went against that route. I asked him this same question a while back and i believe he told me to go with the standard ones.

That's because you're such a tightwad.

I've always installed the VAC bearings and recommend those to others. Have never had a problem.

VAC has a great reputation for building some of the best BMW motors. For an extra $36, I wouldn't think twice.

Well, they sure screwed me; sent me the worst cams possible for a supercharged engine (wild overlap) that cost me a week to properly diagnose, had a brand new lifter go flat and the MLS head gasket they supplied had a nick in it that went undetected until it was spewing oil.

I've used them before too, but that was the worst experience ever, and I ultimately had to use a lawyer to get what little money I might've made on that job (NO WAY to look at it profitably__total loss__job from hell).

Buy BMW parts from BMW and you'll minimize your chances of being screwed. I learned my lesson!

[CaliAgents]

Buy the M3 recall kit

What's the part number for this kit?

[fmcfad01]

What's the part number for this kit?

Yes, the tightwads want to know.

[Itsablurr]

Buy the M3 recall kit; it's waaay cheaper than buying only the bearings.

Thanks for the tip. Any leads on where this kit can be found, or a p/n to reference? Poking around isn't puling anything up for me.

Any comment on re-using vs new bolts? I would think new, off the bat.

Thanks!

[Randy Forbes]

I'll get you guys the part number, available from BMW.

According to the TIS the exact same bolt must go back in the exact same hole. That's why you always see one side of the cap and a bolt painted red on the cars I do, like these from last weekend:



ARP does supply a replacement set of rod bolts for the early S-54 engine (there were three__3__ different sets of rods throughout production) but I won't deviate from the TIS on a customer's car.

[Mscire2]

Is there a way to actually check the rod bearings to get an idea of whether or not they are on the way out? Or are there some tell tail signs?

[Randy Forbes]

Is there a way to actually check the rod bearings to get an idea of whether or not they are on the way out? Or are there some tell tail signs?

The only way to check them, short of hearing them knocking, is to pull the pan and take each rod cap off; if you're going that far, why would you not change them?

The car pictured above takes the top honors (away from my own car) for having the best condition bearings I've yet seen. Only a very-very slight rotation of a few bearings in the bore, and surface condition was excellent on all. August 01 build (same as mine) w/46k mi (mine had about 38k when changed). The owner of this car opted for the bearings I coated.






M3 recall kit: 11 41 0 395 192 @ $182.02 list
pan gskt: 11 13 1 437 237 @ 44.50 list

The recall kit includes six (6) each upper and lower bearings (one is upper and the other is lower__follow the TIS), the small round pan gskt, oil filter, dip stick tube O-ring and a bag full of bolts required on the M3 (not used for our cars). The only other item I add (besides the oil__MORE than what is required for an average oil change, btw) is the O-ring that goes on the oil pump pick up tube.

The (list) cost on the bearings alone are $208.92. Why not use the kit and toss the bolts?

Note, when I did my own car (the guinea pig) the kit retailed for about $120.00...

[Itsablurr]

Excellent, thank you!

Any pics/specs of the brace apparatus that will be welded up to suspend the engine while the front subframe gets dropped?

[328 Power 04]

The kit is $147.22 at getbmwparts.com, not too bad.

[Itsablurr]

Got an email back from an inquiry I submitted to VAC regarding any necessary work to the rods/rotating assembly for their coated bearings, FYI:


Initial Email:

Good Morning,

I was wondering if you could tell me if your S54 Rod Bearing Kit (VAC-HPRBS-S54) is a straight remove & replace procedure, or if disassembly/removal of components for machining work is required.

Thank you.

Matt


Response:

Hello Matt,

Thanks for your email.

This is a good question, and can be answered like this: ALL BEARINGs on all vehicles should always be sized no matter what application. Many of the BMW bearings will drop in and work and some will not. This is the case with our bearings. Some will drop in, and some rods may have to be sized to get correct clearances. Its likely that because our bearings are a bit thicker, there is a high likely hood that the rods will have to be sized accordingly.

Thank you and warm regards.

[Randy Forbes]

Some of the tools used:





Andrew: to rotate the engine (clockwise as you face the car...)



1/2" drive ratchet with a shallow 1-1/4" socket

[Itsablurr]

From the other thread with the TIS directory, attached is the PDF sheet for S54 Bearing replacement.

Just another helpful thing that may as well be compiled into this thread in case anyone needs it.

[fmcfad01]

I thought when torquing to an angle you were essentially stretching bolts like in a vibration damper and they were single use. You can really reuse the conrod bolts and torque them like this more than once?

[Robrecht]

For anyone else reading old sticky threads, trying to catch up, I thought it might be useful to quote Randy Forbes from here:

As far as my special coated bearings go, it is far more cost-effective to buy the Clevite/Tri-Armor (factory applied) bearings from BE Bearings. I was able to buy their ready to install bearings for A LOT less (>$100) than buying the BMW pieces__at whsl prices__before putting another $200 worth of labor into them! The real clincher is that the BE bearings add .0005" clearance per shell (.001" total additional running clearance).

https://bebearings.com/store/index.p...products_id=27

I strongly recommend that anyone with any interest in replacing their rod bearings pre-KaBoom to get a set on order. The bearings sell out almost immediately, and pre-ordering is the surest way to get a set so you're not having to lay your car up waiting on them. I have zero financial interest in BE Bearings__just the opposite, when they started selling their bearings, I stopped selling mine (they were a pita/labor-intensive, so not complaining)!

I have also been talking to a few people at VAC about bearings. Their revered 70+ year-old engine builder is quoted to have quipped, "Why would you want to install worn bearings?" The idea, as I understand it, is that BMW is criticized for using way too narrow clearance on these bearings and thick 10w-60 oil cannot always lubricate these bearings well, especially at start-up. But I guess everyone does not agree about this ...

[MartyBtoo]

I had the S54 bearings changed at 100K miles. The factory bearings actually looked fine, but I installed the BE bearings that I had on hand anyway.

Marty

[rf900rkw]

The idea, as I understand it, is that BMW is criticized for using way too narrow clearance on these bearings and thick 10w-60 oil cannot always lubricate these bearings well, especially at start-up. But I guess everyone does not agree about this ...

You must have found that tidbit on youtube. Whoever said it obviously has no clue of the history or specs of the S54. And has sucked up ad hype.

The S54 was designed and originally shipped with the same 5W/30 as the rest of the line. 10W/60 was introduced later as a hail mary bandaid when they started having bearing failures. It didn't work.


Rod bearing clearance spec is 0.03-0.07. That is actually a little loose by todays state of the art. Sure, it will get builders of antique engines, Model As to LS's, in a tizzy.

We aren't even gonna touch the oil film crap.

[Robrecht]

Thanks, Randy. So would you recommend something like the VAC bearings over the BE bearings, which are supposed to provide a little more clearance?

Also, what was the rationale for BMW recommending 10w-60? How was that supposedly going to fix the bearing issue? I understand it didn't fix it; I'm just trying to understand their rationale.

[rf900rkw]

Believe it or not, no opinion (me???). I don't have a dog in that kennel so I haven't pondered the options.

As far as the change of oil specs, it's covered in "Service Action 311"

Screenshot 2023-09-17 154348.jpg

[robb1887]

believe it or not, no opinion (me???).

mark this day in history!