Just pulled th engine out of my 550...

[schpenxel]

Timing tools just showed up!










- - - Updated - - -

Timing procedure that came with the kit:

[kaineb]

Uh... i sure hope if you are planing on doing that front cover that you bought the full kit. You are missing the crank holder, spacer, bolt, crank socket, adjustment wheel, and degree placard. But very cool, its pretty neat how it goes together. I am getting ever close with mine.

[schpenxel]

Hey penxel,

Very nice on the progress, wow you are fast. Took me way longer but i tend to take my time. I have heard that the 545 is terrible for leaks. I really didnt have any but replaced every seal anyway. You should seriously consider doing the same since it is 1000000000000 percent easier out of the car. I do wonder is adding the 550 oil cooler to your car would help. I would think it would.

I was already doing a full rebuild but the steel plates i had hoped to get away with since they are another $300. So all of the seals, friction plates, steels, and torque converter will be replaced. And lucky me, the 6HP26 from the 550i has a much lower production number so the TC is twice the price than the 545. Nice!

Here is some progress i have made and after i removed the D,C, & B clutch packs for replacing the steels now.

Nice! Of course they are twice as much.. lol, BMW wouldn't have it any other way. Are you going new or rebuilt for the torque converter?

I am actually hoping to win a 550i alternator bracket on eBay right now. If I can piece together all the parts for an oil cooling system, without breaking the bank, I think I might as well add it--I also believe that the lack of an oil cooler at least contributes to the early seal problems on the 545i.

I have already ordered a lot of new seals and have the rest in a big spreadsheet where I'm trying to keep up with what to buy--I don't see how shops do it, I've spent hours just figuring out the right parts to buy.

I have almost been for sure talked into pulling the heads off and having them looked at at least--I need to give T-Hoff a call and see how much they'll charge me to do the basics on them. I already have a set of OEM seals they can put on, but want them over and see what else they need. I'll be worried about it every time I get in the car if I don't.

- - - Updated - - -

Uh... i sure hope if you are planing on doing that front cover that you bought the full kit. You are missing the crank holder, spacer, bolt, crank socket, adjustment wheel, and degree placard. But very cool, its pretty neat how it goes together. I am getting ever close with mine.

Yeah, realized that after the fact. Oops.

I can make something to use as a crank holder so not too worried about that. Angle gauge I'll figure something out.. biggest thing for me is holding the crank steady enough to be able to torque it down to the ridiculous spec.

Wish I had bought the larger kit in hindsight, 20/20 as they say

[kaineb]

Well make sure whatever you make is way strong. I almost broke my engine stand when tightening that bolt down. Wait until you see how big it is. I strapped the engine and stand down and used huge breaker bar and couldn't do it. Had to resort to a 5' pipe. There is a reason the crank socket is 3/4 drive. Make sure you get that angle right or you can damage the crank or even worse snap the bolt off in it.

Ya the head work is very import and especially on your engine. You have bigger issues than mine normally. Nice set of seals and maybe guides and you will be golden. And why don't you just have the machine shop cut out the holes on your bracket? Then just order the other alternator bracket seal (its different from yours) and you are good.

[schpenxel]

I think the 550i bracket has a thermostat on it. Maybe it's a separate part number I can buy? If so, that's certainly an option as well

[kaineb]

I think the 550i bracket has a thermostat on it. Maybe it's a separate part number I can buy? If so, that's certainly an option as well

The thermostat is a part of the line assembly not the bracket. It has 2 nubs that off of the thermostat housing that have o-rings on them. This plugs into the bracket and 2 10mm bolts hold it to the alternator bracket.

[schpenxel]

The thermostat is a part of the line assembly not the bracket. It has 2 nubs that off of the thermostat housing that have o-rings on them. This plugs into the bracket and 2 10mm bolts hold it to the alternator bracket.

Gotcha--this picture is of the one I was trying to get and it made me think it was made on to the bracket, but I can see some screws where it comes off now. If I can get their shipping price down I'll probably go ahead and buy it then start looking for the rest of the pieces..

edit: The more I look, the more I realize finding the actual oil cooler itself is the hard part.. haven't been able to find one for a decent price.

[Stephen Max]

This thread is great stuff. Thanks for documenting it.

One question - I'm faced with replacing my valve seals in my 545i and I'm going to pull the heads rather than try doing it with the heads on the engine (I won't be pulling the engine). I know that you can remove the heads with the exhaust manifold still attached on a 745i (schpenxel, was that you that did that?). Is there enough room to do that in a 545i?

[schpenxel]

I did it on the passengers side so I know you can on that one. Should be able to on drivers side too but I have not done it

- - - Updated - - -

I did it on a 545 just to be clear.

[Stephen Max]

Thanks! I guess the head with manifold attached is pretty heavy, eh? Maybe I can get Jethro next door to help me.

[schpenxel]

It was very heavy. I ended up standing on the engine and picking it up that way. It was all I could do to get it out

[kaineb]

For the drivers side you have to disconnect the steering shaft as it is in the way, but can be done. Just have to mark the location inside the car, the end at the steering rack is keyed so it can only go in one way. If you are going to pull the heads (which is the right way) i cant stress enough to have then checked out by the machine shop and serviced as needed. IT is so worth not having SES issues down the road or any other number of issues, especially worn exhaust valve guides. They are happening in droves and are the main cause of the stem seals leaking. Also mark your hood hinges with a marker and remove the hood, it is 1000 times easier to do this with it off.

Have done allot of work with RMEuropean.com and recommend them for parts, they have always been the best pricing. N62 Timing and valve spring service kits you can rent from bimmertoolrental.com for pretty reasonable.

[schpenxel]

Think I'm going to send my tool kit back and rent the full kit from bimmertoolrental.com

The more I read about how tight that crank bolt has to be the more I wish I had the full kit, and I really don't want to spend $300 on a tool I'll use once.

Agree 1000% on the hood. I didn't pull mine off until just before pulling the engine and it was like the clouds had parted once I had it off, lol. It was SO much easier to see what I was doing, even under the car was much better lit and way easier to work

[schpenxel]

I was just looking over the torque specs for the crank bolt, and here's what it says:

Replace Screw
Grease head
Jointing torque - 100 Nm
Torque Angle - 60*
Torque Angle - 60*
Torque Angle - 60*

My question is on the "grease head" part. I do not see this listed in the instructions for any of the other engines on the same page. What type of grease? Only on the head of the bolt, presumably to make it easier to get the 180* angle, but that seems like it could throw the first 100 Nm torque off, or I guess it's that way on purpose?

Anyways, I should probably just follow the instructions and not ask--but was curious how you handled it on yours?

(http://bmw.workshop-manuals.com/7_Se...ex.php?id=3435 has them all)

[kaineb]

Yo Penxel,

I used standard bearing grease on the underside of the head of the bolt, where it contacts the outside of the crank. And those numbers are correct but let me tell you, after the first 60 its a pain. The last 60 is ridiculous.

[schpenxel]

Yo Penxel,

I used standard bearing grease on the underside of the head of the bolt, where it contacts the outside of the crank. And those numbers are correct but let me tell you, after the first 60 its a pain. The last 60 is ridiculous.

Gotcha--yeah, I wonder what it actually comes out to torque wise roughly..

Sounds good, if you didn't break anything, I'll do the same

How did you get your crank bolt off to begin with? Same 5ft pipe? lol

I thought about buying a 3/4" impact to see if that would take care of getting it off

[Stephen Max]

How do you keep the crank from turning when you torque it? Locking pin in the flywheel/flexplate?

[schpenxel]

How do you keep the crank from turning when you torque it? Locking pin in the flywheel/flexplate?

The timing kit has a piece that bolts to the crank on one end and one of the serpentine belt tensioner holes on the other

The piece on the right:



go to 3:00 mark to see it in action



- - - Updated - - -

One more question:

Did you pull the entire wiring harness off of the car so you can install the engine with most (or all?) of it already installed on the engine, so you just basically have to connect it to the computers and that's it? That sounds like the easiest way to do it--I would hate to even try to find all the connections after the engine is in

I have read there are two or three connections that go into the cabin off of the wiring harness that you have to cut in order to fully remove it from the car. Is that correct or no?

[schpenxel]

Found this PDF in my collection on how the cams have to be when you set up the timing..

N62 Timing.pdf

[kaineb]

Yes use a pipe to break it free as well. You will either need to loosen it in the car before pulling the engine or strap the stand down well with a second person standing on it so the stand doesn't flip over. You cannot pull the wiring harness completely off because of the starter. Disconnect everything you can find and put it up where the intake was over your valley pan. The part of the harness that goes to the starter and trans i simply coiled up at the back of the engine so it wouldn't catch on anything. Once you get the trans off you will see. nothing on the harness needs to be cut. There are one or 2 connectors in the E-box that are a pain and had to use a pick to get them to release.

[schpenxel]

Bought a 3/4" impact today--will see if it can break that bolt free.. Either way, I'll probably take it back afterwards and get my money back. I wonder if I have enough air to run the thing. Also got another engine stand today so I have one for both engines.

Will work on the wiring harness tomorrow.. and try to get an engine or two pulled apart

Did you do much cleaning of the engine bay while the engine was out? Was thinking of cleaning up the front subframe since it's had oil leaked all over it

[kaineb]

Bought a 3/4" impact today--will see if it can break that bolt free.. Either way, I'll probably take it back afterwards and get my money back. I wonder if I have enough air to run the thing. Also got another engine stand today so I have one for both engines.

Will work on the wiring harness tomorrow.. and try to get an engine or two pulled apart

Did you do much cleaning of the engine bay while the engine was out? Was thinking of cleaning up the front subframe since it's had oil leaked all over it

I didn't have any leaks so the engine bay was pretty much spotless. I don't know that an impact will or wont work. Really need allot of CFM on a big impact like that. Remember to go to your local bolt store and you will need 4 longer bolts, 4 washers, 2 nuts.

[schpenxel]

I didn't have any leaks so the engine bay was pretty much spotless. I don't know that an impact will or wont work. Really need allot of CFM on a big impact like that. Remember to go to your local bolt store and you will need 4 longer bolts, 4 washers, 2 nuts.

Already got the bolts/washers/nuts, so should be good there

Guess we shall see--doubt it will work without a bigger hose than I have right now

[schpenxel]

3/4 impact didn't do the trick. I doubt it really had enough air--tank is plenty big, the line I'm using isn't.

Will post some other updates later

(am I hijacking this thread? Sorry if so. Guess I should start my own at some point)

[kaineb]

3/4 impact didn't do the trick. I doubt it really had enough air--tank is plenty big, the line I'm using isn't.

Will post some other updates later

(am I hijacking this thread? Sorry if so. Guess I should start my own at some point)

I didnt think it would break it loose. Maybe if you had a huge tank with lots of CFM's. And no worries about posting on the thread. Just add pics as you go along. I think it will help people going forward to see what is involved in pulling and servicing a N62 engine. Not much info out there yet. So post some pics up! I will be finishing my transmission tomorrow and will get some pics up during the process.