First day with 2004 545i already issues

[White94RX]

What about the lower oil pan and upper oil pan? I think thats where he pointed out the leak orignally.

Yes, if you're having the lower timing cover done, you'll need both those gaskets too. If not, then I would wait till you do. The oil pan gaskets don't really leak as much as the other parts. Everything else leaks, and runs down, causing it to look like the oil pans are leaking.

Can you list all the other part #s to replace when I do the lower timing case gasket. I think i'm going to do everything at once so I have a problem free car for the next 50,000+ miles. Once I do this i'll replace the oil every 7,000 miles as well so that this doesnt become a reoccuring issue.

Here is the parts I have ordered so far.

11141439717-9
11147506424-17
11137545293-17
12317507807-9
17137542986-9
12617568480-323
11127513195-30
11127513194-30

I am getting the parts off http://www.koperformance.com

That's a pretty tall order to list everything you need. Here's a good starting point:

11 14 7 507 278 valley pan
11 14 1 439 975 coolant transfer pipe
11 53 1 710 048 o-ring for back of pipe
11 14 1 439 717 lower timing cover gasket set
11 14 7 512 100 front crank seal
11 13 7 545 293 upper pan gasket
11 13 7 506 774 lower pan gasket
12 61 1 744 292 o-ring for oil level sensor
11 51 7 508 535 water pump gasket
11 51 7 507 717 water pipe o-ring
11 51 1 439 976 coolant pipe
11 61 7 521 181 intake gaskets (get two of these)

then of course the parts i listed earlier. I really hope your mechanic knows what he is doing. this is major repairs. And this list is assuming he's going to try and do it in the car without pulling the motor, or removing the cylinder heads.

[545i9]

My mechanic works on older and newer vehicle from corollas all the way up to Lambos and Bentleys so i'm pretty sure he knows what he is doing. my biggest worry is the price. How many hours would this work be? I want to keep labor under $1000

Here is what I have so far

<1> 11531710048-213 1 $1.08 *Ship Group O-Ring Water Pipe/Water Pump (2 Per Car)

<2> 11141439975-9 1 $71.51 $0.00
*Ship Group Water Pipe Water Pump to Engine Block NOTE: Also use- (1) 11 53 1 710 048 o-ring

<3> 11511439976-9 1 $17.70 *Ship Group Water Pipe Water Pump to Valley Cover Cap

<4> 11147507278-9 1 $79.33 $0.00
*Ship Group Cover Cap with Gasket for Engine Block Valley

<5> 11147512100-17 1 $19.81 *Ship Group Crankshaft Seal Front 45 X 75 X 8/11.9

<6> 11517508535-17 1 $5.33 *Ship Group Water Pump Gasket

<7> 11517507717-17 1 $1.26 *Ship Group O-Ring Water Pump to Heater Return Pipe (1 Per car)

<8> 11141439717-9 1 $14.06 *Ship Group Gasket Set for Lower Chain Case Cover

<9> 11147506424-17 1 $4.98 *Ship Group Gasket Upper Chain Case Cover Right

<10> 11137545293-17 1 $20.44 *Ship Group Oil Pan Gasket Upper Oil Pan to Block (Engine)

<11> 11137506774-17 1 $19.61 *Ship Group Oil Pan Gasket for Lower Oil Pan (Engine)

<12> 12317507807-9 1 $1.30 *Ship Group Gasket Alternator Bracket/ Housing to Block

<13> 11617521181-30 1 $12.63 *Ship Group Intake Manifold Gasket (2 Per Car)

<14> 17137542986-9 1 $96.87 $0.00

<15> 12617568480-323 1 $4.90 *Ship Group Oil Pressure Switch

<16> 12611744292-17 1 $4.29 *Ship Group O-Ring for Oil Level Sensor

<17> 11127513195-30 1 $33.77 *Ship Group Valve Cover Gasket Set Left for Cylinders 5-8 Contains: (1) Valve Cover Gasket (8) Valve Cover Nut Seals (5) Bolts with Seals (2) Grommets (1) Cam Adjuster Seal

<18> 11127513194-30 1 $33.74 *Ship Group Valve Cover Gasket Set Right for Cylinders 1-4 Contains: (1) Valve Cover Gasket (8) Valve Cover Nut Seals (5) Bolts with Seals (2) Grommets (1) Cam Adjuster Seal

Total $442.61

How many hours labor estimate is that? Let me know if this is overkill for what i'm trying to fix.

[meangreen94z]

The lower timing cover will generally not leak, unless its coolant from the small weep hole behind the water pump.

What you will need for upper timing cover gasket/valve cover gasket reseal:

(2)valve cover gasket sets(right and left)
(2)eccentric shaft sensor seals(leak vacuum if you reuse)
(8)spark plug "tubes"(gaskets on both ends will end up leaking if you dont replace)
(2) Upper timing cover gaskets(right and left)
(4)Vanos solenoid orings
(4)camshaft sensor orings(will have to remove sensors on 545 to remove valve covers)
-coolant
-CHF11S(Power steering fluid line runs across front of engine)

To replace the alternator bracket seal:
(1)Alternator bracket seal
-coolant
-CHF11S

To do the lower oil pan gasket(upper doesnt leak generally):
(1) lower Oil pan gasket
(1)gasket for oil level sensor(will leak as well)
(9) quarts of oil(or reuse old)

My mechanic works on older and newer vehicle from corollas all the way up to Lambos and Bentleys so i'm pretty sure he knows what he is doing. my biggest worry is the price. How many hours would this work be? I want to keep labor under $1000

Here is what I have so far


How many hours labor estimate is that? Let me know if this is overkill for what i'm trying to fix.

If your going to do the coolant pipe and a complete engine reseal your looking at about 45 hours. I would wait and see if the coolant pipe ends up leaking, then just use the expanding pipe repair kit(much less labor). Honestly I would start with the uppertiming cover/valve cover gaskets(if they are leaking) and clean the engine off and see if the alternator bracket is in fact leaking. The lower oil pan gasket is generally limited to a small leak(upper pan has a metal gasket that generally doesnt leak)Or you might go ahead and do the alt seal as well if the shop will cut you a labor break. As far as coolant leaks, Id do them as they occur.

[545i9]

OK then i'll hold off on this part till I know i need it. http://www.koperformance.com/online_...200x30dp98.jpg
Gasket Set for Lower Chain Case Cover

11141439717

Hey Mean Greenz can you list part #s so I can order them. I am not familiar with these parts enough to order them by name.

Thanks.

[meangreen94z]

So took the car to a mechanic today. Didn't goto the Stealership cause it just seemed like i'd be paying for their overhead. Seems like the labor on this job will be about $600 and the parts $250. Basically some of the gaskets in the engine are damaged so I told them basically replace all of them since they are opening it up. Other than that the car is in excellent shape.

One thing I noticed that they said wasn't an issue is the rear bushings had some of the seals kinda rotted and it had oil and gunk over it. Its weird cause it was the same one one other side and the rest were in good shape. Almost like a design flaw. I need you guys help to see if there is anything else I should replace once i'm opening up the engine to replace these parts and let me know if there is something I should have ordered other than these. Here goes with the part numbers. Not sure how many of each one I need also so if there is a left and right one and I need to order more or multiples of each let me know.

Gasket Steel 1 11147506424 $5.06 - Gasket Upper Chain Case Cover Right
Gasket Steel 1 11147506425 $6.32 -Gasket Upper Chain Case Cover Left


LOWER TIMING CASE
Gasket f timing case 1 11141439717 $13.47
Oil pan upper part, oil level indicator
Gasket Steel 1 11137545293 $20.99

Oil pan bottom part, oil level indicator
Gasket Steel 1 11137506774 $19.60

Cooling water expansion tank - 17137542986 - $92.77

if there are some seals that I should go ahead and repair once i'm that far in the engine let me know and i'll order those too. I don't think the shop will charge me cause its the opening of the engine and putting it back thats the expense.

If the shop quoted you $600 to do the lower timing cover gasket, I would take my car elsewhere. They dont know what they're looking at. Ive seen people break valve covers and eccentric shaft sensors very easily on their first time working on this engine. I've also seen people knock rocker arms off/sideways trying to free the spark plug tubes from the valve covers. This can lead to the keepers popping off and a valve dropping(Big engine damage, seen it occur twice)

OK then i'll hold off on this part till I know i need it. http://www.koperformance.com/online_...200x30dp98.jpg
Gasket Set for Lower Chain Case Cover

11141439717

Hey Mean Greenz can you list part #s so I can order them. I am not familiar with these parts enough to order them by name.

Thanks.

I can help you later tonight with that

[545i9]

If the shop quoted you $600 to do the lower timing cover gasket, I would take my car elsewhere. They dont know what they're looking at. Ive seen people break valve covers and eccentric shaft sensors very easily on their first time working on this engine. I've also seen people knock rocker arms off/sideways trying to free the spark plug tubes from the valve covers. This can lead to the keepers popping off and a valve dropping(Big engine damage, seen it occur twice)


I can help you later tonight with that

Yeah any warnings you guys have given about this engine i'll print out and take to my mechanic. He's worked on my 850Ci and done a complete engine overhaul as well as my Audi TT for the water pump and my AMG CLK430 for some minor gasket work. I am not at ALL mechanically inclined with cars so I am asking very basic questions so I can get him the parts. I basically get him the parts and he works on it and charges me labor that way I keep it low cost.

[meangreen94z]

As far as whats missing from your list(s)

Spark plug tubes(8 of them)- 11 12 7 570 219 -($29.16 each)
Eccentric shaft sensor seal(2 of them)- 11 12 7 518 420- (3.71 each)
I dont see the Vanos solenoid orings listed on that website
The CHF11S(p/s fluid-2 cans) you will have to locate online or at the dealer

[545i9]

Actually, come to think of it, if he is doing the lower timing case cover, you're going to need a water pump gasket, some o-rings, and a new transfer pipe, etc, etc.

If it was me, I would start by replacing the valve cover gaskets, upper timing cover gaskets, the vacuum pump, the oil pressure switch, as well as the alternator bracket gasket. You didn't mention the alternator bracket gasket, but it is very prone to leaking as well. Has your mechanic worked on a lot of N62 engines before? I really don't think he knows exactly how much work it is to do the lower timing case cover. In my opinion, $600 would cover the valve covers, timing covers, vac pump, and oil pressure switch. I would recommend the alternator bracket gasket as well. The engine has to be supported from the top, unbolt the motor mounts, lower the subframe, remove the alternator, the driver side motor mount, and finally the bracket that mounts to the side of the block. There's a 3 dollar rubber gasket behind it. Basically, a gasket to no where. It is only there because on engines with the external oil cooler, that's where the cooler lines come out of the side of the block.

Ok. Any more questions? I'll help as much as I can from across the internet. I definately love the 545/550 cars. I just wish they weren't so prone to leaks. Some people say it's from the long oil change intervals. The oil gets saturated with fuel and blowby and it causes the gaskets to leak earlier than they would if it was like a 7k mile oil change interval. But I dunno for certain.

OK so I decided to wait on lower timing case since everyone here says it isn't prone to leaks. If he opens it up and thats the issue then of course I will go ahead and do it. I just hope 5,000 miles down the road i don't have to repay for the labor just to get that done anyways.

My question is do I still have to order the highlighted parts if I'm not doing the lower timing case.

As far as whats missing from your list(s)

Spark plug tubes(8 of them)- 11 12 7 570 219 -($29.16 each)
Eccentric shaft sensor seal(2 of them)- 11 12 7 518 420- (3.71 each)
I dont see the Vanos solenoid orings listed on that website
The CHF11S(p/s fluid-2 cans) you will have to locate online or at the dealer

gasket for oil level sensor on the Lower oil pan gasket comes up as 12611744292


Found the Solenoid O-Ring part # its - 11367546379 and 11367513222, the Camshaft Sensor O-rings order # is 12-14-1-748-398

Can your verify those are the correct parts you are referring to.

[545i9]

So got everything replaced and as I'm driving the car home from the mechanic it says increased emissions. Now what! Damn. This car is a nightmare.

[cowboyjer]

Wish I wouldn't have read this thread. I just bought a 2005 545 with 77K on it. Everything looked dry underneath, and the car has all service done since new by a BMW dealership. This is an impressive car, but I would expect quality for a car that was over well over $60,000 new. I hope I don't experience all the issues that I am reading about.

Replaced a 2000 528i with 136,000 miles. I have replaced the whole cooling system, three of the four window regulators, and rebuilt the ABS module since I bought it with 55,000 miles. I hope the 545 is not more of a headache because I love the car.

[545i9]

Ok the fault codes are p2189 and P2187. I noticed the air filter box was loose and the air filter was half ass put back in. From reading this thread I'm assuming maybe that caused the code. Will it just go away? Or do I have to reset it?

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=551719

It just doesn't stop. Just noticed my adaptive headlights have a flashing light error and one of them I'm pointed to the side. My mechanic took off the bumper to do my repairs so I think he might have done something wrong to the headlights. Any master meachanic know of any fixes or what might have caused this?

[naenyc]

This is an old thread, hopefully, people are still on.

Attempting to remove my valve covers and having a difficult time of it due to spark plug tubes. These statements make me particularly concerned.

"I’ve seen people break valve covers and eccentric shaft sensors very easily on their first time working on this engine."
"I've also seen people knock rocker arms off/sideways trying to free the spark plug tubes from the valve covers."

Can't seem to find any videos that illustrate the exact process and the best advice yet is the following quote, which we don't really understand.

Bimmerfest
"HerbP gave me the solution for the tubes:
Put a long screw driver down the tube, press the end against the bottom of the tube and the top against the valve cover and just wind it round and round until the tube comes loose.

Simple when you think about it but not when your in the middle of the job and can't see a way forward. "

Any ideas and thanks in advance.

[motohunter4]

I left my tubes alone when I did my valve cover gaskets. They didn't leak, still don't.

Sent from my LGLS755 using Tapatalk

[naenyc]

I would, however Valve Cover won't come off due to stuck tubes.

[motohunter4]

They are stuck to the valve cover?

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[TexasMu]

meangreen94z - I just sent you a pm