[CvilleBill]

My car has a knock that is getting worse. I bought my car, a 2011 m-sport with about 58000 miles, sight unseen (other than pictures). Had never driven one. Fell in love with the car and decided to ABC delete so I would have a reliable long lasting car that was fun to drive and get great mileage on trips. BPC put my car on the dyno for a baseline before the deletes and tune. I got a phone call and was told it was knocking. They suggested replacing the rod bearings, so I told them to go ahead. After replacing the bearings they proceeded with the delete, tune, and meth injection. The car put down great numbers, 365hp and 580tq, but was still knocking. I took the car and have continued driving it for close to 3000 miles and the knock is getting louder. Originally, I could hear it at 3000 rpm's, now it seems to be happening around 2000.
I've already committed to the car so I'm getting a used engine to swap into it. Getting a complete used engine with turbos for $4500 doesn't sound that bad to me when you consider fuel injectors alone are $600 a pop. I am going to take mine apart and see what is wrong with it. Maybe I can get some head work done.
I have a question for the Guru's, what would you replace on the used engine while it is out of the car and everything is accessible? I plan on a new damper, starter, belts...will look at the front and rear seals very closely. Having had an e36 M3 for a long time I will replace the dipstick o-ring!
Thanks for any insight.

[dixy2k]

Just about any component containing rubber as you mentioned.

[BB_cuda]

Firstly, I wouldn't consider myself a Guru.
I will offer oil pan gasket as BMWs are known to leak here.

You might want to check front seals of transmission while the two are apart. Heather, any input here?

Will you be reusing the turbos from original engine? There is that PITA oil line that yozh had to change. He had to unbolt the turbos (but didn't remove them) to get just enough clearance to do this. There are 2 lines. One is easy and one is PITA.

Will used engine have cleaned intake ports and manifold? Tell us about the used engine (miles, year, what work done on it?)

New vacuum hoses.

[SouthDiesel190]

I've heard of these engines failing due to spun main bearings. That's a rarely discussed issue on these forums so I assume it's pretty uncommon.

[Nadir Point]

The low oil warning pretty much eliminates oil loss as a cause, unless it happened suddenly all at once in a previous episode. I would however suspect long-term fuel dilution of the oil as the culprit. Have you ever had an oil analysis done?

[Yozh]

Replace the guibo, center driveshaft bearing, and harmonic balancer with belts, plus all what others had mentioned. I would also be busy fabricating an EWG.

[NickTheStick]

Originally Posted by SouthDiesel190

I've heard of these engines failing due to spun main bearings. That's a rarely discussed issue on these forums so I assume it's pretty uncommon.

Mine failed, previously replaced by BMW goodwill...it has failed again and now BMW wants nothing to do with it since the car changed owners. We'll see how well my aftermarket warranty handles it.

[Puerto Rican 335d]

Amigos Dominican Republic has a surplus of N57 engine from X5d and X6d, my other BMW mechanic is trying to buy one from over there

[CvilleBill]

Thanks Guy's. All good suggestions.
Puerto Rican 335d, I don't know you, but it's good to see you back!

[QUIKDZL]

+1

[blowinsmoke]

Does the engine come out the top? And do people leave the trans attached for removal? Do you have to remove the radiator?

[Lexx.md]

Originally Posted by Yozh

I would also be busy fabricating an EWG.

What is EWG?

[Lexx.md]

Originally Posted by blowinsmoke

Does the engine come out the top? And do people leave the trans attached for removal? Do you have to remove the radiator?

Almost all BMW are very easy to take out front bumper, radiator, support and take the engine out to the front.

[Lexx.md]

Originally Posted by CvilleBill

getting a used engine to swap into it

For me it is always very interesting when people swap engines without understanding the issue.
I understand that sometimes it is cheaper just to replace the engine, but anyway before doing that i would like to find out the source of that knocking.

Even if you replace the engine it will be nice to tell us what was the issue with the old one.

[Puerto Rican 335d]

CvilleBill and Quik gracias here to help you guys in any means ok

[CvilleBill]

Thanks Puerto Rican. Got my used engine on the stand today. I can add oil pan gasket and valve cover gasket to the list. Looks like I probably will need a front main as well. I looked in the intake with a flashlight and this engine has practically no CBU at 87,000 miles. I don't understand why some do and some don't (unless it was recently cleaned). I put a borescope in mine at ~59,000 and it was so full that I only made it about an inch past the throttle plate before the scope was so covered in goop that I couldn't see anymore.

[Lexx.md]

Originally Posted by CvilleBill

this engine has practically no CBU at 87,000 miles. I don't understand why some do and some don't (unless it was recently cleaned).

May be the engine is coming from an X5?

[CvilleBill]

It's from a 2011 335d.

[Puerto Rican 335d]

umm interesting thing CvilleBill Im afraid to pry open mines but I need to do it to see what gunk I attained till 49k w EGR/SCR/DPF bolony and after that I hv amassed 67k w everything deleted and car running great

[BB_cuda]

PR, similarly mine was corked from further EGR at 32,000 miles and I'm now at 47,000. I should clarify that it was "Ecotune deactivated" EGR at 32k and "JR deactivated" EGR at 36k. I wasn't getting soot during the Ecotune realm though as I had removed cooler. The veterans here know that story. Sure sucked to have to pay for 2 tunes but live and learn.

I pulled intake during Christmas break and found some build up in intake runners but nothing frightening. I'm going down path of not blasting and adding meth to clean it up. I haven't done anything yet. I have peeked into the EGR/throttle body area 2 times since block and its been very clean except for an oil film.

The intake pull ended being very straight forward. The only tip I didn't know about was removing the central firewall panel that has the 2 holes where strut bars go through. This makes pulling intake off and re-installing much easier. Also, having the clearance allows proper torqueing of the 2 aft most screws of the intake.

OP, hoping this doesn't take focus away from your replacement engine thread. It would be super easy for you to pull intake and see condition of intake ports of the cylinder head. I had an extra intake on hand prior to pull so that I could put new one on and not have to wait for my intake to get cleaned. My point is you don't know if you have a cleaned intake and perhaps uncleaned ports of head.

For everyone else, you don't know how bad things are UNTIL YOU GO LOOK. It isn't hard at all.

[Bigugly]

Originally Posted by SouthDiesel190

I've heard of these engines failing due to spun main bearings. That's a rarely discussed issue on these forums so I assume it's pretty uncommon.

Main bearings? no.

Rod bearings? Occasionally.

[Bigugly]

Originally Posted by SouthDiesel190

I've heard of these engines failing due to spun main bearings. That's a rarely discussed issue on these forums so I assume it's pretty uncommon.

Main bearings? no.

Rod bearings? Occasionally.


wait- read too quickly Thought we were talking N54.