Picked up a 2002 Imola 4.6.. The restoration is on

[Trasportador]

Everything else is just standard E53 nonsense! Excellent job getting it back on the road.

Yup, I can get the rest of the issues dealt with at the house

[540iEP]

What's up Brent?! I read through your thread - cool resurrection ride. We'll have to get up sometime soon, possibly with TMV, so we can all BS and check out each others' X5s....

[tmvE39E53Z32TT]

I'm in.

[Trasportador]

I'm in.

I spoke to Eric. Let me work on the logistics and I'll get back to you both. We really need a confab!

[Jamaican71]

Thanks for the inspiration!! Just what I needed to get me thru another day. ATL is bimmer heavy with parts and cars. Wish I lived closer or had more time.

[BimmerM3inGA]

Wow, awesome project. I think yours might have been in worse condition than mine. But maybe not by much! Although they are virtual twins - same color and interior.

Did you perform the timing chain service yourself? If so, Do you have any tips you'd like to share? I've done the job once before on a 740i, but am discovering some significant differences between this variant and the B44 in the 740. I have the front of the engine completely torn down but am stuck on two things. I can't get at the nut on the back of the power steering pump and I can't get the dipstick tube out. I have the clamp at the bottom removed and it's loose, but because of the way it's shaped and snakes down to the oil pan, I can't find an angle where it will pull out.

If I ever get this thing to stay running for more than a few days, I would definitely be down for an Atlanta X5 meet.

- - - Updated - - -

Couple pics:
imola_steering_wheel_2.jpgimola_steering_wheel_1.jpg2002_BMW_X5_4.6is_Pic.jpg

[Trasportador]

Wow, awesome project. I think yours might have been in worse condition than mine. But maybe not by much! Although they are virtual twins - same color and interior.

Did you perform the timing chain service yourself? If so, Do you have any tips you'd like to share? I've done the job once before on a 740i, but am discovering some significant differences between this variant and the B44 in the 740. I have the front of the engine completely torn down but am stuck on two things. I can't get at the nut on the back of the power steering pump and I can't get the dipstick tube out. I have the clamp at the bottom removed and it's loose, but because of the way it's shaped and snakes down to the oil pan, I can't find an angle where it will pull out.

If I ever get this thing to stay running for more than a few days, I would definitely be down for an Atlanta X5 meet.

- - - Updated - - -

Couple pics:
imola_steering_wheel_2.jpgimola_steering_wheel_1.jpg2002_BMW_X5_4.6is_Pic.jpg

I spotted your car over on Xoutpost when I'd first joined. Imagine my utter shock when I realized we had twin cars as well!! Very, very rare is the package we have. I did not to the job myself, as the car was running when the guides failed, had to pull the heads out et tal. I will ask my guy about the PS bolt and Dipstick tube. PM inbound to you.

- - - Updated - - -

Wow, awesome project. I think yours might have been in worse condition than mine. But maybe not by much! Although they are virtual twins - same color and interior.

Did you perform the timing chain service yourself? If so, Do you have any tips you'd like to share? I've done the job once before on a 740i, but am discovering some significant differences between this variant and the B44 in the 740. I have the front of the engine completely torn down but am stuck on two things. I can't get at the nut on the back of the power steering pump and I can't get the dipstick tube out. I have the clamp at the bottom removed and it's loose, but because of the way it's shaped and snakes down to the oil pan, I can't find an angle where it will pull out.

If I ever get this thing to stay running for more than a few days, I would definitely be down for an Atlanta X5 meet.

- - - Updated - - -

Couple pics:
imola_steering_wheel_2.jpgimola_steering_wheel_1.jpg2002_BMW_X5_4.6is_Pic.jpg

I spotted your car over on Xoutpost when I'd first joined. Imagine my utter shock when I realized we had twin cars as well!! Very, very rare is the package we have. I did not to the job myself, as the car was running when the guides failed, had to pull the heads out et tal. I will ask my guy about the PS bolt and Dipstick tube. PM inbound to you.

[BimmerM3inGA]

Yeah, and they are so close, geographically...

And I saw ANOTHER one for sale on craigslist in ATL in the same configuration. It's already had the timing chains done, 136K miles for around $9K. WAY less than I have in mine!

[Trasportador]

Yeah, and they are so close, geographically...

And I saw ANOTHER one for sale on craigslist in ATL in the same configuration. It's already had the timing chains done, 136K miles for around $9K. WAY less than I have in mine!

I've never seen the one for $9k with chain guides done. Was it red? The only red one on CL now is the SAME TRUCK that I saw about 2 months ago, that the then seller was willing to take $6200 for. NOW, looks like someone bought it and is trying to flip it for a $3k profit. Insane.

[BimmerM3inGA]

Yeah, the one on CL was red with red/alcantara interior. Was surprised to see it!

[itscoo2pyopants]

sweet imola. good work saving it

[igotbank]

transportador - where'd you get those mats from?

[Trasportador]

transportador - where'd you get those mats from?

Bought them from a UK seller in ebay. To be honest, I'd say better to seek mats that use the anchor that has a protruding nub instead of the velcro fastened anchor. The front driver mat slides too much for my liking

[munga]

great job Transportador ,grand exercize.

[carlova789]

Subscribed

[Trasportador]

great job Transportador ,grand exercize.

Thanks boss

[Trasportador]

Subscribed

Just maintenance items now Andy. Trans flush in 2 weeks. I'll service the rear diff and transfer case in about a month. The chain guides on the 540 wagon just went south, so gotta deal with it

[tmvE39E53Z32TT]

^I'm coming over so we can have them all done for both?

[Trasportador]

^I'm coming over so we can have them all done for both?

Mi casa es su casa hermano. I'll keep you posted

[540iEP]

And we still gotta do my x5 lighting and A/V overhaul done too. Maybe some time in January.

[Trasportador]

Bumping in case any of the new 4.6 owners find info within useful

[Trasportador]

[dannyzabolotny]

I recently picked up an 03 4.6 with 213k miles that needs guides. Having it shipped to my house from Seattle. I've done guides on 6 M62tu's already so this should be a breeze. I got it for less than $4k so I consider that to be quite a steal considering that everything else on it is perfect.

[Trasportador]

I recently picked up an 03 4.6 with 213k miles that needs guides. Having it shipped to my house from Seattle. I've done guides on 6 M62tu's already so this should be a breeze. I got it for less than $4k so I consider that to be quite a steal considering that everything else on it is perfect.

Sweet. I had to put some work into mine, but was worth it in my view

[BimmerM3inGA]

$4K for a 4.6is in good condition is a heck of a deal. Especially since you can replace the chain guides yourself. Be sure to post some pics!

The chain guide replacement procedure for the M62TÜB46 is the same as the standard M62TÜ with one exception. The VANOS units don't have the little pins to check the continuity when in the fully retarded position. But that's not a big deal. I could never get the continuity test to work anyway. For whatever reason, I had a hell of time getting the timing right on this one. It took me three tries before I got it dialed in.

I haven't posted anything about this X5 lately because I managed to put a little over 4,000 miles on it without having to fix anything. But that came to an end last week when coolant started pouring out from the back of the engine. Turns out the hose going from the heater valve to the manifold connecting the backs of the cylinder heads had a hole in it. Got it replaced this morning and we'll see if I can set a new record...