Heartbreak hotel

[TheTailor]

Just happened yesterday when the wife was driving the car. I did a full timing kit from ecs about 40k miles ago, no tensioner fail, pretty much a mystery at this point for the failure. I've considered all options and just finding another motor and swap over the endless amount of new OEM parts purchased over the last two years seems to be the most logical solution.

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[Jaaap]

Dude that sucks.
Such a clean engine.
I wonder what caused this.

[JimLev]

Wow, a broken chain is really rare.
So you now have some bent valves.

[TheTailor]

Dude that sucks.
Such a clean engine.
I wonder what caused this.

I could type out a novel as to how nice the engine was, everything from injectors to the vanos was bought new OEM. I replaced fluids every 2 months regardless of miles, replaced plugs every 6 months regardless of miles and I have around 10k in receipts for parts alone purchased in the last 3-4 years, hell, I was even replacing parts just because they were weathered. Its sad, very sad but the good news is I can swap all thoes parts over to the transplant motor.

Jim, valves are definitely bent.

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[edjack]

Wow, a broken chain is really rare.
So you now have some bent valves.

I couldn't find a reference to a broken chain in his post. Are you clairvoyant?

[CSMBlack-540i]

I replaced fluids every 2 months regardless of miles, replaced plugs every 6 months regardless of miles

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Sorry for your loss. A bit excessive unless you were driving 3-5,000 miles/month or 30-60k miles per year don't you think?

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

I couldn't find a reference to a broken chain in his post. Are you clairvoyant?

??? You don't see the picture where the chain seized, and the other part of the chain is down in the nether regions? That chain failed big time and caused that uber clean engine its doom. OP says OEM everything, I question the chain brand.

[TheTailor]

Sorry for your loss. A bit excessive unless you were driving 3-5,000 miles/month or 30-60k miles per year don't you think?

An obsession is an obsession

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[JimLev]

I couldn't find a reference to a broken chain in his post. Are you clairvoyant?

^-could be......

Tailor was that nut on the oil rail behind the vanos gear always missing or did you remove it after the chain broke?

[TheTailor]

^-could be......

Tailor was that nut on the oil rail Behring the vanos gear always missing or did you remove it after the chain broke?

The whole stud unscrewed when I pulled the VC and I removed the nut before reinstalling it.

Good news, scored a long block. 100k on it, guy bought it from a German specialist yard for 2k as a swap for his 3 series. He decided to go another route and sold it to me for $200.

The Phoenix will rise again.

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[dannyzabolotny]

I've only ever seen the chain fail like that once before, and that was on an L322 Range Rover where the owner kept driving it after the guides went bad. In that case it was no mystery, but in your case it's truly a freak occurrence. Presumably some manufacturing defect in the chain that took a very long time to surface.

[TheTailor]

I've only ever seen the chain fail like that once before, and that was on an L322 Range Rover where the owner kept driving it after the guides went bad. In that case it was no mystery, but in your case it's truly a freak occurrence. Presumably some manufacturing defect in the chain that took a very long time to surface.

A mystery is right. I'm on the same page as you, I'm thinking it was just a manufacturing time bomb. My good buddy who owns Migliore Motorwerks has a theory that the tensioner lost oil pressure somehow, chain slacked then busted on the vanos tooth (which makes a bit of sense as the teeth are sharp as a chisel).

Right now I'm making a parts list for the donor motor, this is what I have atm.

- front and rear main seals
- upper and lower pan gaskets
- tensioner overhaul (chain, guide's, tensioner, oil separator and associated gaskets
- water pump, valley pan and crossover gaskets, O-rings for transfer pipe's
- intake gaskets
- exhaust gaskets
- valve cover gaskets
- alternator gasket
- a/c O-rings
- new spark plugs
- new oil filter, liquid molly MoS2 10-40

Anyone chime in if you have any suggestions.



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[TheTailor]

Figured since I have other things planned for the 540 (ohlins coilovers, M5 lsd, motec standalone and more) that I might as well turn this into my build page.

What you need to know:

- 2000 540i/6 in Titanium Silver
- Full 03' facelift conversion (bumpers, headlights (01' serviceable ones), taillights, black headliner and plastics, sunshade's
- Dynavin N6, replaced all speakers with infinity, home brew parcel shelf sub box holding 2 infinity 1100w 10" subs (the box is built so one sub is fully enclosed and the other ported with a custom designed and 3d printed port tube), 2 alpine amps (one running the subs and the other running mid and highs)
- 19" M wheels. 19x8.5 front (235/35), 19x9.5 rear (265/30). 0.5" spacers.
- JB racing flywheel w/ M5 pressure plate and disc
-CDV delete
- Cat back exhaust with magnaflow single chamber, gutted cat's
- Mallory fuel pump
- m60 intake manifold
- Bosch coils
- 4 hole Bosch injectors
- Modified OEM airbox w/ oil-less k&n filter
- DUDMD tune
- Full front suspension overhauled

There is more stuff but I'll go over it down the line, I will also go over more of the new engine components when I document the swap.


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[wagons ho]

Please confirm, but that new engine looks like a m62, not a tu.
Sorry for your difficulties, as that's not a normal failure.
M62'S cannot become m62 tu's as piston clearance is an issue with no valve notches.

[TheTailor]

Please confirm, but that new engine looks like a m62, not a tu.
Sorry for your difficulties, as that's not a normal failure.
M62'S cannot become m62 tu's as piston clearance is an issue with no valve notches.

Just out of curiosity how did you come to the conclusion that it's not a TU? With the photo I provided, it doesn't show much BUT you can tell it's a TU by the valve cover, it has the larger hump to accommodate the vanos (TU). Anyways, here is a photo for ya, vanos solenoid and FBW throttle body.

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[wagons ho]

So it is.
I said, please confirm.
That side picture left some details to the imagination.

[jicaino]

Please confirm, but that new engine looks like a m62, not a tu.
Sorry for your difficulties, as that's not a normal failure.
M62'S cannot become m62 tu's as piston clearance is an issue with no valve notches.

there's like 5 dead spot on giveaways it's a TU engine. Among other more obscure details, you can spot quick connect hoses, single fuel line and the VANOS unit on the intakes.

OP. I'm terribvly sorry, I know what it is like spend big bucks in obsessive maintenance just to have pampered stuff failing on you while others stretch service intervals and cut corners and their stuff lasts 2x.

[wagons ho]

My apologies to all that think I'm an idiot know nothing.
I was working off this picture, and even blown up, the vanos valve cover bulge is not defined, can't see any quick disconnect hoses, and a tu one piece fuel line for e39 is on the other side, so impossible to see.
I did say please confirm.
I'm out, should have stayed out. 98751d0f21ca89c93f70b7845cac7b5d.jpg

[TheTailor]

there's like 5 dead spot on giveaways it's a TU engine. Among other more obscure details, you can spot quick connect hoses, single fuel line and the VANOS unit on the intakes.

OP. I'm terribvly sorry, I know what it is like spend big bucks in obsessive maintenance just to have pampered stuff failing on you while others stretch service intervals and cut corners and their stuff lasts 2x.

Thank you sir. Yeah that's the part that eats me up inside, nothing but the best parts and vigilant when it comes to preventative maintenance. It's just a kick in the nuts.

Some more bad news, broke down the transplant motor and it appears the guy I got it from did not properly store the engine. There is water corrosion in 3 of the intake ports and it's bad enough that I will need to have the heads cleaned, new valve guides and seats at the minimum. There is also one cylinder that is questionable as I can feel pits (from the water corrosion) and there is definite wear on the alusil coating.

So with all that said I'm at a standstill atm. Not sure if I look for another engine or do I spend the cash to have machine work done (use the heads from the donor and the original short block). From my calculations a refresh could be as much as 3.5k+ , $800 for heads, $1000 for block work (cleaning, surfacing, rings, rod and crank bearings), $1500 for full timing kit (OEM parts) and then another $200 for miscellaneous gasket seals.

I know some people are going to say, "why bother with the bottom end?". Well there is so much fine metal shavings that I would not be comfortable running it without a full breakdown and cleaning and if I'm doing a full breakdown then I would be a moron not to refresh it as well.

Rock and a hard place here folks.

One last thing, found some high quality mechanic work when I pulled the timing covers off the donor. Pics bellow, enjoy.

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[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Man, you've got some bad luck. Did you contact the guy you got that crusty engine from?

[TheTailor]

Man, you've got some bad luck. Did you contact the guy you got that crusty engine from?

I did, his reply was " oh I didnt think it was that bad" and "well it was sitting". Not going to pursue it any further as it was only $200.

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[Santaclaus4]

An obsession is an obsession

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True statement. ^^^

The pictures of your donor motor make me queasy.

[1999 540i m]

Use your current short block With rebuilt heads, is 1 option

and Alusil is not a coating

Do you have any other pics of the chain failure?

[TheTailor]

Use your current short block With rebuilt heads, is 1 option

and Alusil is not a coating

Do you have any other pics of the chain failure?

In my post above I stated that option, unless you meant purchasing " rebuilt heads". If that's the case, I'm not sure they will be less then $400 a peice, so it would make more sence to rebuild the donor's heads by a guy who builds GT3 engines.

Ya I understand alusil is not a coating, not in the sence atleast. But the surface, created by etching and releasing the silicon can be removed like a coating, thus the reason why most assume it's an applied coating or call it a coating instead of " etched silicon surface ".

When I look into my cylinder I noticed the etched silicon surface was removed by friction.

I will have more photos of the failed motor when I remove it. Going to take a few days off due to frustration then get back too it with a plan of attack layed out.

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[CSMBlack-540i]

Night an day difference between original motor and donor motor.

Does that usually happen when the motor isn't drained properly before storing?