Rebuilding and Modifying a $4000 BMW E46 M3 - Part 9

[@PenguinScotty]

Regarding the Rod-bearings, the main reason why these seem to wear out quicker is, apparently, due to them being undersized for the application. Whereas on the S65 (The V8s), the bearing tolerances were at fault and the issue can be remedied by switching to proper gaps, with the S54 it's simply a wear item, unless you spend big money and get a modified crank to accept wider bearings, such as from Lang Racing in Cali. Honestly, replace them with OE bearings and don't worry about it for another 100k at least. There isn't a ton of information out on aftermarket bearings for these, at least nothing conclusive. WPC treatment has become a new trend on the forums for these (Mine are OE with WPC treatment), but that's another thing we don't really know much about, let alone if it's worth the increased cost. Definitely do check out the VANOS. It's easy to do when you do the Valve adjustment, which i'd definitely do on this old girl! For the VANOS, look at the oil-pump disc to confirm that it has been upgraded. That or make sure that the Hub itself has been upgraded. If neither is the case, i would play it safe and get that done. One more thing is the Hub-Bolts. They like to back out unless they have been changed. That's a bad bad day. The upper Chain tensioner also likes to break. The complete VANOS rebuild should not cost more than 3-400 bucks if you go with Beisans (www.beisansystems.com) parts. It also has absolutely all the information you could ask for regarding timing the engine. Cheers! Love the channel!

[@Doggepp]

Vac motorsports has actually developed a bearing kit for these, which "kind of" lets you forget about the problem. I know a bunch of people who've had them for a while, and no issues so far. You can safely run them for years.

[@Spangarangg]

@@Doggepp What do they change? Wider bearings is the answer to the issue but that involves grinding the crank.

[@mohammadshahin4922]

Hey scotty! fellow m3forum member here. isn't this series fantastic. Ive emailed them with all the DIY links and stuff haha.

[@Livingmybestlife68]

Doggepp thanks for posting about VAC Motorsports. When I need to do mine I will definitely buy their kit. I also watched the video which was very informative.

[@realisrealite5554]

PenguinScotty Everything you just said is absolutely right.My 04 is at about 1200mls on a total rebuild and everything you said is what was changed or repaired.The s54 is a poorly designed engine and I believe that BMW knew about the problems and didn't care.Testing would've showed that the bearings were to small,the subframe was too weak,ect.They build cars for BMW people that buy or lease for two years and the next owner is stuck with garbage.E92m3 e60m5 e60 m6 all are poorly designed.

[@thedownshiftchannel]

The Castrol oem oil causes varnishing if you follow the recommended service intervals. I went with king race bearings and ARP hardware and the updated oil pump and now use 10w50 Titan pro Fuchs. Although if this is gonna be drifted I’d stick with 10w60 and change regular

[@PenguinScotty]

Yeah, the Varnishing of the Castrol is nuts. Personally, i went with OE bearings with WPC treatment and stock hardware (early motor, so no stretch to yield). WPC is probably overkill, honestly.

[@Realtime1501]

ACL bearings with syntium 7000 here never had a problem in a mildly boosted 2.8L putting out 380 whp

[@thedownshiftchannel]

PenguinScotty better to go ott than not good enough!

[@chrisg4rr377]

I bet Adam only has a 325i not a M3 anyway. He's no even a real Palooka

[@applebitefool]

thedownshiftchannel r

[@goldenhide]

Fun Protip I learned working on military aircraft and complicated panels with a lot of screws, all of different lengths and sizes: Diagram the panel/pan/etc. (other references if you need them) on a piece of cardboard, and use a phillips screwdriver or punch and follow your pattern as you remove the screws. You can maybe set it on a table if the fasteners are long enough, or, set it on a hollow-center workbench or the like. Not only do you preserve the pattern, but it might actually have some bonus retention on the fasteners too. Binged this entire series the other night except the very early videos. I plan on picking up an E46 M3 myself in the near future and your vids have been great looks into doing some of the "problem fixes/preventatives" that I will most certainly be doing.

[@speedacademy]

Thanks for the tip! And glad you enjoyed the series.

[@rfe4311]

The heavy wear will be on the rod side, not the cap side. Since this is a project car, it probably would be fine using aftermarket bearings such as King or ACL to save on cost. For a daily driver, OE bearings are proven to be good for 100-125k miles. That S54 looks like an early motor with the beefer M11 bolts which have the easier torquing procedure and must be reused per BMW spec. The issue is that each bolt has to go back into its original location, and when watching the video, it did not look like they were marked when the caps were removed. The ARP M11s were tested for clamping force and were within stock spec; however, the ARP M10 bolts, which need to be used on the later post 2003 S54s, did have an issue with clamping force. Best to go with stock for the M10s.

[@Spangarangg]

I've always been curious WHY they have to go back in the exact same hole. That seems bogus to me. I am building a heavily modified S54 right now where I mixed and matched rods from multiple engines to get a nicely balanced set. I also didn't pay attention to the bolt orientation so I guess we'll see!

[@Niracka1]

@@SpangaranggI believe the rod bore machining was completed in a torqued state with the bolts in place to ensure perfect roundness when they are in the engine (much like a torque plate on a cylinder block) By using the same identical bolt you ensure the same torque characteristics depending on the thread and mechanical properties of that specific bolt.

[@erikmetsa6788]

I hope the caps made their way back to the rods in the same orientation they came off. Always good to mark them.

[@realisrealite5554]

After the rod bearings you'll need to check the vanos,the exhaust hub is probably broken,the timing chain guide is broken into pieces.You've got it torn down you might as well rebuild the vanos system,hone the cylinders,replace all of the gaskets,change the oring on the constant pressure valve,water pump and thermostat,adjust valves ect.Complete rebuild.

[@Braymond141]

The oil pan wear marks are from the power steering lines. Make sure you are also inspecting the crank carefully. The nitride surface treatment is strong, but it can start to develop pitting marks with severe bearing wear.

[@AndyPilot]

Plus 1 on the power steering lines. During the bearing recall when everything gets re assembled it's often overlooked that the PS lines needs to be counterflexed before fastening to prevent them fastening in a flexed position causing them to rub on the sump...

[@Napa1539]

WPC OE treated bearings is the way to go. I just did mine last week

[@derekrouse1994]

It's also worth looking into upgrading the oil pump. I was "forced" to because the pump shaft threads were stripped. VAC Motorsports makes a kit that replaces the pump nut with a bolt, new gear, and shaft. You can also buy a higher volume pump from them - or do the modifications yourself.

[@dogbounty6399]

I like the idea of putting a round ratchet on the breaker breaker bar.... nice trick.

[@somke]

Do you know exactly what ratchet end and breaker bar are those? I was just coming to ask for it.

[@southpawsir5731]

Thank you for this video. My bearings are now exactly 100K old.. so I started my research and stumpled on your video.. gives me a good feeling for my S54.

[@gabrielfabian8967]

One of the wear marks in the oil pan is from the power steering high pressure hose vibrating against it and the other one from sway bar rubbing

[@reaschuring]

Owning a track car E46 M3, i'd run WPC treated oem bearings( ecs tuning) and oem rod bolts. I've used this now for 4,000 hard track miles between time trials, hpde, and w2w racing. Seem's to be a stout combination. Also i've heard alot of good things about the new ACL tri-metal bearings. very very good price point and great technology behind them. I also always run liquimoly 10-60 wittth their friction reducer (mos2).

[@erikstuebing5408]

+1 for King race bearings. There's a reason why they are one of the most commonly used on the EJ20/25 motors... which is the motor most notorious for bearing failures. I used them on my personal EJ20 and so far so good, no bearing material in any of my oil changes so far! I used the XPG bearings which are the top of the line race bearings.

[@westie4ageturbo.749]

Check the oil pump nut too

[@itsEricwithac]

Grab a set of king bearings! Check the crank journeys for wear or damage. Polish them if needed and measure. 👍

[@clarencetrinidad9149]

Your existing rod bearings actually look good for the mileage, it might have been replaced already. Most of the wear is typically on the upper rod bearing during compression. I too, have an e46 m3 with high mileage. Vanos exhaust hub should also be inspected as well as the upper timing chain guide. For a really tight budget, acl race bearings with wpc treatment is what I'm in the process of putting. It's actually the rod journal size that's undersized for a 3.2l 8k rpm engine. Beisan systems has a s54 vanos repair kit. These engines are amazing but do require TLC to prevent castastophic failures. I plan to drift my m3 too. Good luck!

[@TheYummyBrand]

What is wpc treatment?

[@Spangarangg]

@@TheYummyBrand It's a micro shotpeening process. There is a really good video here on youtube that shows what it is and what it does.

[@TheYummyBrand]

@@Spangarangg thank you, I'll look that up

[@TheYummyBrand]

OMG, I want the wpc treatment on every moving metal to metal surface!!!

[@Spangarangg]

Jacob Walls in theory it won’t matter for rod bearings (because they float on a film of oil) but it’s a pretty cool technology right!

[@felixlugo9109]

They look good but it’s up to you since you have it apart to change them

[@bradfordrus]

if you are doing new bearings you should also look at the crankshaft, and have it honed. wear on the bearing means there will be wear on the crank. new bearings on a worn-out crank will have a drastically shorter lifespan vs. properly rebuilding the lower end. but it is more money in the build so do what you want.

[@grjr]

The bottom halves don't look terrible but you should be checking the top half of the bearings which are in the rods. The top half of rod bearings are under the greatest load, as are the bottom halves of crank bearings and they are the ones which will usually show the greatest amount of wear. Good luck guys.

[@diagnostichaus9875]

We went with VAC coated bearings with ARP rod bolts. Didn't have any issues since.

[@xdanano]

After reading alot of threads about M5x engines, most people mentioned RACEWARE hardware. I have no experience with mentioned brand or engine just some personal research. Porsche guys use same brand too. Good luck with the projects love the channel!

[@crxvtec92]

King race bearing, and arp. Make sure to resize the rod for the arp bolts.

[@Spangarangg]

Based on that second bearing, the bearings had to have been changed since the recall was done. Also, you should have shown the upper bearings because they are always worse. I've taken a lot of S54s apart (more than 10) and it looked like those rod bolts were over tightened. In my opinion, WPC treated OEM rod bearings and stock bolts are the way to go.

[@lucascoebergh396]

the updated bearings don't have the copper layer so they look good but you'll have to measure them to be sure...

[@gabrielfabian8967]

When you break an oil pan loose you start criss cross from the outsideto allow for relief, then start from the inside when installing

[@AutomotiveAnatomy]

Coffee ready and play on the video :)

[@xozindustries7451]

Those rod bearings are easy to check, just wait till the rods come through the block and pick them up off the track and look at them.!

[@emppu011]

Just go with OEM stuff it lasted 250tkm

[@stephencain3467]

go to the vac motorsport kit with arp bolts and call it a day

[@Kenneth1350]

Please please add a ton of rtv to the oil pan gasket for extra security. 👌

[@zachogdahl210]

Only reason the rod bearings wear out so often on these engines is due to the extreme pressure placed on the upper rod bearing during compression and combustion. The rod bearings and journals they designed were too narrow for the amount of pressure exerted on the bearings. there wasnt enough surface area to absorb such pressures and as such it would squeeze through the oil film causing occasional metal on metal contact. this is why bmw changed the reccomended oil to 10w60 instead of the originally reccomended 10w40 as the thicker oil creates a stronger oil wedge. Id do wpc treated bearings and arp rod bolts. Also get the besian systems vanos overhaul kit, if the inside of the engine looks that scuzzy the vanos could be close to failure as well.

[@robertozamora8901]

Video on my channel of what a spun rod bearing sounds like on my S54 😭 Don’t wait. Get your rod bearings changed, use the proper amount of the correct oil. Thankfully the damage wasn’t too bad. Had to polish the crankshaft journal a bit and put it back together with King bearings.

[@curtislovrak5390]

Your engine is a pre 12/02 so your rod bolts are reusable. After 12/02 the rod bolts went to m10 with a inverted torx head and need to be replaced every time they’re removed. Lang racing development has some really good articles on s54 rod bearings and provide some good food for thought. Also one last thing: the bearing wears much faster on the upper (piston side) of the con rod, the end cap bearing will almost show you nothing.

[@TassieLorenzo]

Inverted torx *inside* the engine? These BMW engineers are mad! :P

[@Gjon777]

Go with wpc treated stock bearings with arp’s.

[@EM-lo5pp]

Dont know if i missed but should have done a compression test before removing the engine that way you could also do the headgasket while the engine is out if needed. But i would do it while its out.

[@Ovadose850]

E46 M3 I was thinking the same thing my man !

[@sethberlfein]

You want to use a OEM bearings with WPC treatment and ARP bolts also the marks on the oil pan are caused by the motor mounts wearing causing the oil pan to rub against the steering rack. Ask me how I know...

[@kashv2500]

while the engine is out, id also do the headgasket and vanos.

[@jonassjoblad2728]

i would say do not touch headgasket if it's not leaking. Vanos service is not neccecary either if it's not broke.

[@curtislovrak5390]

I agree on the headgasket, not a common failure point in maintained s54’s. The issue with the vanos is there’s a chance the bolts can back out and the tabs on a ring can break off into the engine, both being able to destroy it. It’s good peace of mind when you’re going to be at the limiter a lot.

[@Spangarangg]

Headgasket does not need to be done unless there is an issue. The VANOS should be done as a precaution.

[@zerotohero7449]

Don't need to do headgasket but definitely do the vanos rebuild.

[@mohammadshahin4922]

are you joking. The vanos is one of the most costly repair items if it goes bad. just replace the comments while you're there...@@jonassjoblad2728

[@Niracka1]

The top bearing shells on the rod side will be worse they take a lot more compressive force than the bottom.

[@jamest5149]

Yep, motor mounts fail and allow the engine to drop and move about rubbing on the sub-frame. Very common.

[@nullnull8066]

1:18 I've learned that a plethoric amount is enough to have too much, connotated negatively... It is not intended to be used to mean a lot. You haven't eaten a plethora of cookies you have a plethoric rise of isulin from eatin a ruckton of delicious cookies. . .

[@rich1953]

Was that rubber hose at the bottom of oil pan, if so bad design and scarry!!

[@PenguinScotty]

It's the oil return from the head and yeah, rubber. They updated them for 2003+ with braided hose, much better 😁

[@xozindustries7451]

Do the King Bearings make coated bearings? Unless you are resizing the rods I wouldn't suggest using ARP bolts

[@mrclown7469]

4:13 BMW did something to make a job easier? BMW? I'm sure it must just be an oversight.

[@pazi88]

Bmw does lot of things to make servicing easier. Lot more than other car brands that I have worked on.

[@codenamecordon]

MrClown same experience as Pazi. Most things make sense and there are tons of little things making servicing and repairs easier. You just need to know how to do things right and you need more tools than just a hammer, chisel and curse words.

[@JDfromNV]

You gonna check main bearings since you’re already in there?

[@ncsteinb]

The rubbing is most likely due to the oil pan touching the sway bar. If the motor mounts are worn, the engine will sit slightly lower and begin to rub.

[@speedacademy]

Thank you! Thats what we thought.

[@dillonclark4182]

If the oil pan bolts are aluminum you need to get a new set from bmw! We do oil pan gaskets all the time at the bmw dealership i work at and the aluminum bolts are one time torque to yield bolts

[@Fordman7575]

If you change to a ARP rod bolts. The rods should really be resized when doing it.

[@vmoutsop]

Have you considered WPC treated bearings?

[@mohammadshahin4922]

Also, go OEM bearings. They're proven by many to last. OEM bolts as well. Theres SOOOO many threads of this on m3forum.net VAC is kinda crappy

[@deweberis2709]

You guys should be lecturing us, not vice-versa. 😂

[@fiatlux4265]

What are your thoughts about BE bearings, designed with extra clearance? Combine with Liqumoly CeraTec for a better solution than what's recommended OE?

[@gsppuffer]

Dam that thing needs line honed

[@deadlyassassin240]

How many times are you gonna repeat the same scenario. 😂 "you know they aren't even that bad...upon further inspection these are pretty fucked..." 🤣

[@planbgararage4273]

Just use OEM stuf, stronger bearings will cause more use on the crank, and you do not want to change that.

[@Realtime1501]

A trick for that is to send the crank in for grinding then have them grind off 0.25" off each journal and have it hard chromed 0.35" bigger and ground back to OEM size Hard chrome will be much more durable

[@planbgararage4273]

@@Realtime1501 we talk about an another Budget then.

[@THECONDOR98]

Not in a mean way but that engine inside looks pretty abused. It doesn’t mean it’s trash or anything but definitely the oil change intervals weren’t..... optimal. I’d check everything since it’s out like the vanos as well. Goodluck!!

[@csuxak47]

s54 power

[@rolandotillit2867]

Vanos rebuild in the next episode?

[@Killerconceptz]

Motor motors probably cause the rubbing on the pan

[@TomHenstridge]

I can't get "presented by turn 14 distribution" out of my head on your intros, the new sponsors are screwed aha

[@marcinsuterski4455]

Thanks for a great content. Though, few more videos like this one and I'll be trading my Z4 for a Corolla.

[@joshemminger9022]

you already have it and it works.... i would be wary buying one though.

[@shawnbroyles8274]

Funny my 1974 2002 rods look just like these rolled new oem bearings in and back down the road!

[@MidnightZ31]

Coated King Bearings from EP Racing.

[@markt9438]

would have been nice to see the Crank !!!

[@1QuickSlovak]

You guys need to develop your engine disassembly skills. To pop the rod caps loose: Loosen the rod bolts until they're only in about 3 or 4 turns. Take a socket on an extension and strike the extension with a hammer/mallet. The caps should separate from the rod. This is pretty much required to properly disassemble fracture split rods. Keeping the bolts threaded in prevents you from mucking up the threads and also keeps the rod ends from separating too much and the bearings possibly falling down into the engine or the rods from flying around. Also, mark the orientation of the rod and the rod cap! And don't mix them up!

[@chair6180]

OMG, my e86 is at 60k and need to have mine done. I really need to know what bearings and bolts and everything else to be replaced. Also guys, VANOs and solenoids. PLZZZzzz... 😭

[@speedacademy]

Keep watching, rod bearing solution coming.

[@brucepeninsula2036]

The wear on the oil pan is from sway bar most likely. It's worn out crushed engine mounts causing the engine to sit lower. Once new engine mounts go on, the engine raised back. Problem solved.

[@pFbSpecV]

Spend the money on the better parts. Dont wanna blow the motor over saving a few bucks but I'm sure your local machine shop will point you in the right direction! Hopefully! They don't take forever like the s2k motor.

[@mrmidnight32]

Hey you guys should really look into a bolt extractor. I saw another video for a Subaru rebuild and their tech used a “bolt extractor” to get rusty bolts out. I’ve never heard of them, but I figured you guys should really check them out for all those “Canadian special” bolts you guys have to deal with. Figured you guys would need them more than anyone for a few projects.

[@boostben]

I never really understood the super long oil change intervals BMW recommends, evidently it's too long. Redline Oil has some good info on the BMW stuff and their oil change intervals. As for rod bolts (this is Honda/Generic info), if you use ARP bolts with ARP lube the actual clamping load will differ from the spec used when the rods were machined leaving the rod big ends oblonged. The mating surface of the rod face looks like their fractured from the factory so maybe the rods can't be resized? I'd wait for some BMW experts...

[@davidg4026]

I vote complete engine rebuild! You don't wanna be pulling that out of the car again in 6 months.

[@firas0awar]

Sure go with VAC bearings

[@microprodigy2003]

1. should have left the power steering line and pump connected on the subframe. Just easier. 2. that motor looks like long time between oil changes. Which means the whole motor should be looked over/rebuilt. 3. style 24s on a e46 m3 is hilarious.

[@gabrielfabian8967]

Those bearings look brand new lol

[@wrenchoperator6435]

Check out BE Bearings. They make a bearing specifically to correct the OE problem of insufficient oil clearance. Also use the ARP rod bolts and a rod bolt stretch gauge. Oh, and remove that oil pump and pickup tube out of your way and do this right! www.bebearings.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=51&products_id=27

[@texasflysuperstar]

There goes the budget drift build. Let’s hope you guys don’t find anymore surprises.

[@brendangallagher8292]

The crankshaft should be checked out at a machine shop.

[@_i-kr6eg]

the inside of the engine looks bad lots of baked on oil . Lack of maintenance on that S54 I'll be checking everything

[@maddog-oi3hq]

I have a 04 m3 was the recall for all years or what

[@Ovadose850]

Lamont Austin believe it was the 2001 - 2003.5 models only but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to send an oil sample to Blackstone labs for them to check out Iron and copper material in your s54 for peace of mind especially if your m3 has more than 100k miles

[@maddog-oi3hq]

How is the top on yours

[@Ovadose850]

Lamont Austin the convertible top ? Or the rod bearing top caps ? Lol

[@maddog-oi3hq]

Top

[@Ovadose850]

Lamont Austin convertible top is in fair condition but the motor itself for the top has been giving me problems lately. and it’s looking like it’s gonna take a lot of $ to fix it !

[@somke]

What breaker bar they are using? Is it ratchet or its just a ratchet end on it?

[@TheYummyBrand]

There can only be one reason to ski instead of pulling a motor...powder

[@MaxSpeedMike]

This was actually useful. Rods seem to be a big issue on a lot of Ms

[@upgradeNEVER]

Even more so on Subaru's with a EJ25.

[@Realtime1501]

99% of the N and M series motors will eventually develop rod problems was told by a renowned BMW tuning shop locally

[@user-mo8tm4jw2l]

Also take the time to actually blueprint and balance everything while it's apart. You'll thank yourself later. Upgrade bearings most definitely. Never pull apart and go OE unless that is a superior part to aftermarket for producing horsepower. Always future proof. No point being apart without taking into account future abuse to things. Save ya big bucks later. Overbuild so you can oversleep as they say.

[@TheLamborghini1993]

Its 420 :D at 5:23

[@jasonclark9662]

Rebuild it's already out do it right

[@stanleylu3625]

BE BEARINGS

[@HEKTIC458]

You can get the entire manual online for free

[@user-mo8tm4jw2l]

So much for a budget build. Lol. Break it all the way down to bare block and send it to get cleaned. Clean all the parts. Check the rod sizes, get them shot peened and then rebuild that sucker. Reseal, new bearings etc. Be done. 0 it out as far as seals and bearings go and send it with a clean engine rather that a varnished up block and head. Who knows how bad the oil passages look.

[@bintangsena2249]

Rod bearing, rods pistons, turbo ? 😏😏😏😏

[@thewakz]

The more I watch videos with German cars the less I am impressed by "German Engineering". Seems like a lot of stuff breaks early, made of inferior materials and when you need to repair/replace it, taking apart the car isn't as thought-out as compared to American/Japanese cars.

[@codenamecordon]

The Wakz it’s just 2000s stuff that is that way with many manufacturers. That was a time when everyone wanted to sell more, make more money, so they had to produce faster and cheaper. Also, people were used to the longevity of the 80s and 90s so they beat the fuck out of everything too. Just do proper maintenance, a few preventative things and you’re good to go.

[@theseal666]

Dude, this is a 8500 rpm redlining engine with over 100hp per 1000cc displacement, I am super impressed with the S54.... twice the specific output then most US engines. The S-engines are full blown race-engines that is useable on the street. They need more knowledge and maintenance the the standard crapbox.

[@thewakz]

@@theseal666 Good points.

[@theseal666]

The Wakz thanks!! Go drive an S54 equipped car, you will love the response, sound and dual nature.

[@jamieswain4888]

@@theseal666 I love the s54 in my z4m, but no, they aren't full blown race engines at all. Honda don't have this problem in their 100hp per 1l engines. Bmw made the same mistake with the following v8 and v10 engines. It's a design flaw.

[@atn2666]

Wtf the e46 has rod bearing issues too?? Jesus......

[@KRBY555]

What 8000+RPM motor doesn't need bearings at 200km?

[@BrandonNC]

This makes me want to stick with my Honda’s 😅😅

[@ryanguillermo3466]

I'd do an engine swap to something more main stream if it costs too much to fix the bmw engine

[@infamousjdp]

She dark 🤣

[@kevinbowers3917]

Now pay access?? Naa, couple more pitches like that,,, and I'm out. Bobs my uncle,ed.

[@gorrilaunit99]

You guys never answered my email :(