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Thread: 2003 Alpine white e39 540i Mtech

  1. #26
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    560
    My Cars
    02 525,01 X5,99 323IC
    Quote Originally Posted by Wraffel View Post
    Hey everyone, so I’ve figured out that I need new valve cover gaskets pretty bad, I’m bringing it to a shop tomorrow for new tires. Should I have them do valve cover gaskets too or is that something I can save $500 and do myself?
    As I have stated earlier-go to YouTube. There have to be hundreds of vids on that exact job. And it is a good one for you to start learning how to work on these cars. A little tip-take lot's of pictures from different angles as you dismantle the covers. It is time consuming, and your first time will easily be 4-6 hours, so plan accordingly. I would suggest FCP Euro for parts. And don't cheap out. The inferior gaskets will start leaking due to quality or fit right away and you will be doing it over again very soon.

  2. #27
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    350
    My Cars
    Bmw 540i 2002 5HP-24
    I have a bad feeling about this. There’s a reason they r called Bavarian Money Wasters…
    Get a 2nd car so you can take your time n learn. Visiting the shop all the time will empty your wallet quick. If you’re not swimming in money that is.
    Last edited by kallekula; 01-18-2023 at 10:52 PM.

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    33
    My Cars
    2003 540i
    i have my parts to try and do the valve cover gaskets tomorrow. What do you guys suggest i do about painting the covers? I hate the yellow bubbly look, i understand that itll eventually go back to this point even if i paint them.

  4. #29
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    350
    My Cars
    Bmw 540i 2002 5HP-24
    Leave them to a shop that sandblast them clean. Don’t bother doing the inside if it’s not totally yucky. Be careful though, they’re Magnesium and quite soft. Did mine almost 4 years ago and they still look good. I used VHT wrinkle spray. Gotta be the right temperature for it to become wrinkly enough. Seen people use hairdryers to raise the temp. Just tell the shop to be careful since they’re made out of Magnesium and is quite soft like I already mentioned. Good luck!
    248BD642-4773-4FE8-988D-329A49A61F2E.jpg
    406F725E-727C-457A-9E63-254EE71EB68D.jpg
    oh and a tip, put quarters covering the areas where the bolts go so you dont get paint there. Might cause leaks otherwise, not sure.
    Last edited by kallekula; 01-21-2023 at 06:14 PM.

  5. #30
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Virginia,USA
    Posts
    3,144
    My Cars
    528i, 525iT, M5
    do it yourself and save yourself lots of grief over a simple job that if done poorly will bite you in the butt.
    look up top of the page for the DIY links
    http://www.bimmerboard.com/members/a...eplacement.pdf
    https://video.search.yahoo.com/searc...05G0&fr=mcafee

    Image below are the cam covers powered coated using crinkle finish color
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by StephenVA; 01-22-2023 at 04:57 PM.
    Current Garage Highlights
    2003 525iT TiSilver
    2002 M5 TiSilver
    1998 528i KASCHMIRBEIGE METALLIC (301) (Goldie)

    Former Garage Highlights
    2005 X5 4.8is
    2004 325iTs (2x)
    1973 Pantera L
    1971 Dodge Dart Swinger "Lite Package"
    1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack Alpine White
    1970 Dodge Challenger T/A 340 Six Pack GoManGo Green
    1969 Road Runner 383
    1968 Barracuda Formula S 340 Sea Foam Green

  6. #31
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Beaverton, Oregon, USA
    Posts
    1,694
    My Cars
    2001 E39 540i A, 207 k
    Do it yourself: Clean up the valve covers thoroughly with engine cleaner degreaser. Do NOT sandblast them.

    And don’t paint them either; they are well covered by the outer engine covers, so who would notice the new painting anyway…

  7. #32
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    350
    My Cars
    Bmw 540i 2002 5HP-24
    It was $30 to get them blasted. Worth the hassle to me any day. It was hot as f during that time of year too. I had a hard time finding someone that would powder coat magnesium so I sprayed em myself. Came out good and not a flake gone yet.
    EDIT: magnesium gets discolored quick if not painted and that would have looked as $hit if I hadn’t painted them.
    Last edited by kallekula; 01-23-2023 at 10:40 PM.

  8. #33
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    33
    My Cars
    2003 540i
    Hey Everyone thanks for all of the help it was a success. Big thanks to haolibird for talking me through the process.
    Im trying to post pictures but I cant figure out how to post on a forum for the life of me
    Attached Images Attached Images

  9. #34
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    96
    My Cars
    03 540, 03 M5, 99 540iT
    Wraffel,

    Nice work.
    Your car is stunning!
    It's a Keeper, and worth the time and $$$ invested.

    To quote Fred the Mechanic: "Most jobs are easy. Some just take longer that others..."

    Start your list of items that need to be fixed, and prioritize them.
    Some will be urgent, others not so much.
    I'm sure some folks would have an opinion on the list.

    I gotta say, this kid has some grit.
    Talking him thru on one occasion, it was 30 degrees, but "...it's not snowing or nothing, so I'll keep at it..."
    No garage, working in the elements, making it happen.
    Anybody from Cali would have waited until Spring.

    Wraff, ur a Badd A$$.

    Hb

  10. #35
    Join Date
    Dec 2021
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    2007 328i / 03 540i Mtec
    I am new here , so trying to get aquanted .
    I have the same car in Sterling Gray , gray interior .
    Has 88k miles , sat for 7 years .
    My first repair was the alternator , and a new battery .
    I had read this was expensive , but having 50 years experience wrenching , i figured i could do it .
    First time , took me about 1 hour or so , as i was concerned with all of the plastic parts .
    The alternator failed an hour later .
    Bosch alternator with 3 year warranty, had a replacement tbe next day .
    Second time took me 45 minutes .
    Ill post pictures when i am able .Attachment 712454

    - - - Updated - - -

    20221011_140339.jpg20220806_140218.jpg

    5 % tint on side and rear glass , 35 on winshield .
    Last edited by Ashleyroachclip; 01-28-2023 at 11:15 AM.

  11. #36
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    96
    My Cars
    03 540, 03 M5, 99 540iT
    Ashley,

    Did your car come with that "Road rage" option for the front seat?
    Or was that a parting gift on "Let's make a dope deal"?

    I shoulda taken the Reds.

    B. Bitchen

  12. #37
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    mitten
    Posts
    3,760
    My Cars
    525it,02 525it,73 2002
    Merica


  13. #38
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    SFBayArea
    Posts
    166
    My Cars
    '03 540iA, '91 850i
    My .02

    Replace the timing chain tensioner.

    According to Timm in the 8 series forum (he has the same M62 in his 8), his view is everyone is overly concerned with the timing chain guides but they can last well over 200k miles if regular oil changes and tensioner is changed. I changed mine when I first got the car with 70k and just did it again now with 105k. Its an easy job.
    '91 850i 6sp CB42360
    '00 528iA sold
    '01 740iA Msport sold
    '01 540iA sold
    '03 540iA M-sport II with e46 m3 SMG style steering wheel with working paddle shifters, ISC N1 coilover front, Bilstein B8/Eibach sport rear, 19" Avant Garde Anthracite M359, Hella euro spec headlights, M5 aftermarket (Umnitza) foldable mirrors (painted body color), M60 IM (custom painted body color 354), powder coated valve covers (@Finish Logic; Concord,CA), Dynavin N7, Bavsound speakers, Cerwin-Vega sub (in spare wheel hub), soundproofed doors, trunk, under rear seat, wheel wells

  14. #39
    Join Date
    Dec 2021
    Location
    Oregon
    Posts
    8
    My Cars
    2007 328i / 03 540i Mtec
    Take a guess , pray you are on good grounds with god ...
    Bad neighborhood.

  15. #40
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Cullowhee North Carolina
    Posts
    1,498
    My Cars
    1999 323i/5 2002 540i/6
    Mine lasted 210k, don't loose lots of sleep over it until you find chunks

    Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

  16. #41
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    96
    My Cars
    03 540, 03 M5, 99 540iT
    IMHO, anything over 150k miles on an M62xx is gambling where the TC guides are concerned.
    Considering that you can bend valves as a result of a failure, why risk it?

    If you have a 540 and you want to keep it, it's just part of the plan.
    Kinda like cooling systems...

  17. #42
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    33
    My Cars
    2003 540i
    I am planning on changing the tensioner.
    I have a new concern of a light tick coming from the engine bay. Im thinking maybe its the spark plugs because they had oil in them from the vcg. I have new spark plugs coming but I got a friends opinion on the sound and he thinks it might be an exhaust leak coming from driver side footwell. I watched a video of a guy who had an exhaust leak through his header gasket and gave a very similar description to what im experiencing (he didnt add a video of his noise just a description)Has anyone had this problem/ know how i could go about diagnosing this ?

  18. #43
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    33
    My Cars
    2003 540i
    Also wondering what my options are for fixing my pixels in my cluster and radio. Looks like its pretty challenging to diy. Are there any reputable people I could send them to for repair?

  19. #44
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    560
    My Cars
    02 525,01 X5,99 323IC
    With all due respect, I don't think it is a good idea, nor prudent to "wait till you see chunks". Preventative goes a long way. He has no idea how the car has been really taken care of and with the miles, and more importantly time, to do the guide job would go a long way to having the car be reliable.
    Quote Originally Posted by seagreen323i View Post
    Mine lasted 210k, don't loose lots of sleep over it until you find chunks

    Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

  20. #45
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Cullowhee North Carolina
    Posts
    1,498
    My Cars
    1999 323i/5 2002 540i/6
    At his mileage? 73k?

    At 73k the guides are fine. I don't want people to spread the gloom and doom that the guides are going to spontaneously explode. People love to perpetuate that around here.

    Don't loose sleep over that, I didn't loose sleep until 180k, when I started hearing noise on startup and a little clatter at idle. Lasted until 210k when I decided to swap them before moving. They were heavily worn but not broken.

    I can guarantee that I put mine through more stuff then 90% of all e39 owners and the timing chain guides lasted me 200k.

    Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

  21. #46
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    33
    My Cars
    2003 540i
    Got in the car to a trans failsafe prog today.

  22. #47
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Cullowhee North Carolina
    Posts
    1,498
    My Cars
    1999 323i/5 2002 540i/6
    You had mentioned the car before you bought it recently had a parasitic battery drain issue, that can quickly kill a battery for good if it wasn't replaced and sat dead for a few days. It's winter so it's cold outside further making a weak battery worse.

    Oftentimes this is caused by a weak battery, that's not always the case but is sometimes. Make sure the battery isn't super old, isn't corroded on the connectors, and has good voltage.

    You will quickly learn that these cars are VERY particular about batteries and do not handle failing batteries well at all.

    Is it raining where you are or was it raining? Did the car get wet? Sometimes the electrical connectors for the transmission get water in them and cause this issue.

    Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
    Last edited by seagreen323i; 02-01-2023 at 02:34 PM.

  23. #48
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    33
    My Cars
    2003 540i
    Quote Originally Posted by seagreen323i View Post
    You had mentioned the car before you bought it recently had a parasitic battery drain issue, that can quickly kill a battery for good if it wasn't replaced and sat dead for a few days. It's winter so it's cold outside further making a weak battery worse.

    Oftentimes this is caused by a weak battery, that's not always the case but is sometimes. Make sure the battery isn't super old, isn't corroded on the connectors, and has good voltage.

    You will quickly learn that these cars are VERY particular about batteries and do not handle failing batteries well at all.

    Is it raining where you are or was it raining? Did the car get wet? Sometimes the electrical connectors for the transmission get water in them and cause this issue.

    Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
    Yes it was snowing and when I got in it an hour later the light had turned off

  24. #49
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Cullowhee North Carolina
    Posts
    1,498
    My Cars
    1999 323i/5 2002 540i/6
    Probably water in those connections, pop it off and check for evidence of water/corrosion

    Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

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