BMW E39 M5 Rod Bearings: Supplemental DIY 

Indeed, dit it the same way Tom!

Jeezus if this thing is the best, I'd hate to see their worst.

Hey thank you very much!

@John Smith yeah wut still a nice comment though but like wutt.....????

I'm not going anywhere!

Thanks Denis!

I actually don't think I've done a video on that yet. I'll be sure to next time I do the job!

No, they had not been replaced recently. They were basically plastic when I pulled them.

It was a customer car here in San Diego.

The job is roughly two days, depending on how thorough the tech is with cleaning and doing other 'while you're in there' type maintenance. I would expect to be $2,500-$4,000.

I honestly do not know why the first RMS didn’t seat. There are steps online that detail roughing up the final flange/journal of the crankshaft ever so slightly to ensure a good seal. What I can say is rather than replace just the seal, replace the whole seal carrier, and the bolts, and the little rubber washers that go under the bolts. Use the paper gasket (comes under the seal carrier in the box). Replace it all with new OEM Genuine BMW stuff.

@@computiNATEor hey, thanks for your reply. That’s a good idea. I’m thinking maybe i should not install transmission and start engine by itself to make sure there are no leaks. There is also a coolant passage just above the rear main seal that i am worried about too.

@@jackprick9797 Just replace the paper gasket for the coolant passage and clean the mating surfaces - it’s very rare to leak from there. You’ll have to put the transmission on because it holds the crank position sensor and the starter in place 🥲

I think 150k would be a good preventative change. Many engines can run twice as far... but then you're constantly worried about it.

@@E39Source Thank you. People like yourselves is the reason we can keep these beautiful creations on the road.

There's a noticeable clatter from the VANOS units. at idle, that's normal. But if you can hear it from under the car, then I'd do the rod bearings ASAP.

Yes! Their E38 series just wrapped up. A good guy who knows what he's doing, it would seem.

I went with OEM rod bearings, but with a WPC treatment. I used OEM bolts. The S62 doesn't suffer from the same catastrophic rod bearing issues that the S85 and S65 do, so I trust the factory parts. The factory torquing procedure for the OEM bolts is annoying, but nowhere near as bad as the S85, so I went with OEM bolts.

@@computiNATEor thank you for the reply that was fast haha I think ima go with oem too the car just crossed 100k so I don’t think they should be bad but I’m already there I might as well do it.

@@jesussandoval4550 Yeah, you’ll be fine. I think mine failed for a few reasons, not the least of which was running too hard while cold. I’d run a 5w50 or 10w60 oil, and you’ll be golden.

@@computiNATEor thanks again

For a little while, nothing. But without a smooth surface to ride on, the oil flow won’t be maintained, and the bearings will touch the crank more often, heat up, seize, and it’ll be worse than the first time. It might last a minute; it might last a month.

Yes sir! www.e39source.com

Plan to do it at 150k. It's worth the peace of mind, and saves your wallet.

It is well worth whatever it costs!

@@E39Source $30 a day? $250 a month? $2500 a year? not for DIYers seems like it's only made for shops or wealthy DIYers but if you're a wealthy DIYer just take it to a shop

Around 200,000 miles you should consider and start budgeting for rod bearings and timing chains/guides if you want to keep the car longer. Those are the two 'weak points' that should be addressed every 2 decades.

It's a subscription service now, and worth what it costs.

Because I had never heard rod knock before, so I didn't know what I was hearing. I didn't know if it was rod knock or timing guide issues.

@@computiNATEor Nate, could this not have been reground (machined) and fitted with oversized conrods?

@@francispowell1811No. The crankshaft journal was egg-shaped, so it was far more cost effective to just replace it.

@@computiNATEor got you. thanks!

Mm, I don't know that I'd call it easy. Needs special tooling and you have to be intimately familiar with the VANOS system.

These S62 bearings are a solid 150-200k mile bearing if any attempts are made to care for the engine (oil service intervals, driving style). The next generation M5 suffered from poor bearings- they generally require replacement by 70,000 miles or so.

@rce Welp, pretty sure I had one go. Changed the oil every 5k with Castrol Edge TWS 10-60 recommended oil. Lightly/Moderately driven. I think I took it to redline once in the past 25K miles. The car never saw the rain or snow, even. Started hearing a slight knock the time I ran it before it failed. Started it up, still heard the knock, then one loud knock and it locked solid. I am able to rotate the engine, although I haven't moved it far...but the crank moves. In the process of taking it apart. Would like to drop the oil pan, but it's pretty much a removal of the entire front suspension...and, quite frankly, I'm getting tired of fixing something every 5k miles I drive this thing.

I'm sorry to hear this. Perhaps previous owners were not so kind to the car? We just changed some preventatively on a 2000 M5 with 201k and the bearing wear wasn't bad at all. Oil pan removal is a pain since the entire subframe must be removed.@@johntomasik1555

@@E39Source It's possible, but it sure is in amazing condition if they abused it. It had thorough maintenance records (including all oil changes logged{, looks almost showroom condition, and it had only Dinan installed mods (just the exhaust and intake). Since I got it, the VANOS system had to be rebuilt, its software disabled starting it,, a cam sensor had to be replaced, the rear window actuator died, the fuel gauge failed, and the nav system quit. Now this. But, keep telling me how great these things are. Heck, I could build a pickup truck that could outperform it for far less money than the previous owner paid for it.

The difference is, the V10 WILL need rod bearing replacement by 75,000 miles in all cases. S62 rod bearing failure is significantly more rare, and almost never below 150,000 miles.

@@E39Source the S85 is a legit Race Engine. The S62… Not.

@@jeremiahex The S85 was born to race, absolutely. The S62 was just an improved M62, but it has plenty of race-tech itself. Having owned both for over 10 years now, I personally believe the S62 is far and away the superior engine. It offers better power delivery (wider and more usable power band), plus significantly greater reliability and serviceability. But it doesn't have that 7,000RPM push, and there lies the case to own them both!

@@E39Source you can not compare an apple (E39 M5), with a dragon fruit (E60 M5). Both very different machines. I use to own a 01 E39 M5 years ago, great machine. But E60 M5 is on another level, friend. I own 2 E60 M5s, silver and sepan bronze. A special machine. Both have been very reliable! I want to visit your shop. I have a challenge for you. I want to convert my bronze E60 to manual, not a swap, for the SMG trans is actually a manual. I want to remove the hydraulic shifting system, and place on top a manual shifting system. That’s the challenge. A custom made shifting mechanism that would replace the SMG. I know, the shifting pattern is unconventional. But that’s alright, I’m a commercial truck driver, our shifts are unconventional.

@@jeremiahex I will agree that the S85 E60 M5 is much more 'special' compared to its counterparts. I've never offered a conversion of the SMG-III to manual because of the shift pattern. Could it be done, sure, though I would be very hesitant to attempt the conversion that way.

Yes, but I think simply buying an M5 is a better way to experience the S62.