[lancer_maniac]

Guys, Bad News

The Local Garage to whom I gave my 530d to change the timing belt is telling that the noise was in fact from the crankshaft and bearings. There is no issue with the timing chain but then they advised that now anyway the engine is being overhauled I need to chain the timing change as well, as the car has run above 1 Lakh. I was been quoted 25k fir the timing chain

The Crankshaft will be taken to lathe to correct it (as it has a crack)

But now that the engine is being overhauled they said it will go for 1 lakh more easily after all the work. (Technically it will be like a new engine I guess)

Want to know if any 530d owners have overhauled their engine.
Also is there any other thing I should keep in mind while it is been worked upon

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Entsurgeon

Imho, being electronics laden wont be much hinderance to maintain such cars. Plus, there aren't many cars with potential to become modern classic.

Agreed partially with your post. But also, one should have the will to spend time + money on an old car. The rich 1st owner never will after 10 - 12 years, and the 2nd / 3rd will give up (having bought the car for cheap). Around Bombay, you see a graveyard of Audis, BMWs & Mercedes that are just 10 years old.

These cars are way more complex than just needing a replacement ECU. There are too many control modules, sensors etc within. Once, my C220's air-con required over a month to fix, despite visiting the two best shops in Bombay. When I saw the car with the dashboard open, I almost fainted. It was that complex.

Originally Posted by lancer_maniac

But now that the engine is being overhauled they said it will go for 1 lakh more easily after all the work. (Technically it will be like a new engine I guess)

Shucks, bad luck man. Good luck with the overhaul. Just ensure that the labour + part quality is like OEM. If you have picked the right shop, that is 99% of the work done (similar to picking the right doctor).

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by lancer_maniac

The Local Garage to whom I gave my 530d to change the timing belt is telling that the noise was in fact from the crankshaft and bearings.
But now that the engine is being overhauled they said it will go for 1 lakh more easily after all the work. (Technically it will be like a new engine I guess)

When you mentioned the job you want to get outside, I was skeptical. Such works should be best left to the Authorised dealerships in my opinion. Had the dealership done the wrong investigations, I am more than sure BMW would have helped you on the engine to an extent. As far as I know, BMW India does not do engine rebuilt and I doubt, you can have that crankshaft repaired on a lathe for 6 cylinders high rev. BMW engine in Mumbai. But I may be totally wrong as my experience with rebuilds is limited to old Ambassador and 2 Stroke motorcycles.

Are you absolutely certain that this workshop knows what they are doing? If you have seen the problematic components, your best bet will be to find an old running engine and take out the components. You will most likely have to replace the pistons too. Don't know if there are sleeves for BMW engines and what's their life but this sounds bad and expensive.

[lancer_maniac]

Today the garage guy told me that I need to change the connecting rod as well with this.
Want to know if there are BMW 530d owners who had overhauled the engine of theirs
Need some tips.

[ChoosetoCruze]

Originally Posted by lancer_maniac

Today the Garage executive called me telling me that we need to change the connecting rod also with that. Any idea of how much it will cost. I'm yet to ask the price from the Garage people.

Unfortunately for you, you are rudely finding out that your car has now turned into an endless money pit.

If the con rods need replacing, I wonder what else needs replacing which they haven’t discovered yet.

It’s now time for you to put on your thinking cap. How much is this car worth as is? How much is the car worth if everything was working normally?
How much is the final repair cost going to be? Is the garage skilled enough to perform this engine rebuild correctly?

What if the issue reappears post the engine rebuild? Are you willing to go through this entire litany again, if the issue resurfaces in the near future?

Think carefully before putting good money after bad.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by lancer_maniac

Today the garage guy told me that I need to change the connecting rod as well with this. Want to know if there are BMW 530d owners who had overhauled the engine of theirs Need some tips.

High performance Euro cars are like race horses, once past their prime they are either put down or, if you have lots of $$ and patience, out to pasture AKA the parking lot for the occasional "fingers crossed" drive. And a family friend with a 2011-12 Audi 3 liter A5 owner agrees. His car is like a fish bone stuck in his throat..he can't swallow it nor throw it up.

Don't rebuild that engine, you are wasting your money. You will never get the same performance or even short term reliability. These cars are not meant to be repaired beyond a point. Just replaced. German Big 3 graveyards are aplentiful.

[GTO]

Turbanator & R2D2 make excellent points. Your car is a 2012 with 1+ lakh km right? In that case, I wouldn't go over budget on it (only you know your personal budget). Reason being, right now it's the engine, but as she approaches the 10 year mark & such high km, you will also see other parts failing & requiring work. The cost of these repairs soon works out to 25 - 50% of the book value of the car. That's why we see so many of them abandoned & left to rot. In all probability, you are either the last or 2nd last owner this car will ever have.

I don't see these high-end German luxury cars having a life beyond 10 - 15 years (15 is really pushing it) in India. They are too complex & too expensive to fix as they age.

Evaluate your budget carefully, how long you plan to keep the car and if you can get a good used engine from a total loss car.

Moving your post to a new thread. Let this thread also serve as a warning to those (including me) who buy used luxury cars. Tread very carefully & know what you are getting into.

[Ace F355]

Completely agree with Turbanator, R2D2 and GTO here. Your best bet in my opinion would be finding a complete and good engine from a total loss car. But even there, do evaluate is this option worth pursuing - because the unknowns in case of such engine finds and quoted prices. Engine rebuilds in Euro cars are prohibitively expensive and with a FNG, reliability will always remain a concern post the rebuild.

[Manoj2268]

Normally, a bottom end rebuild will entail a change of crank, rods, pistons and bearings.

If you wish to extract full use of the car, I'd suggest going for a new shortblock Or a half engine assembly. Just slap on new gaskets and timing chain and you are good as new.

Or a second option will be to take a total loss engine, change gaskets and timing chain and slap in inside the engine bay.

[WhiteSierra]

Originally Posted by lancer_maniac

I was been quoted 25k fir the timing chain

The Crankshaft will be taken to lathe to correct it (as it has a crack)

But now that the engine is being overhauled they said it will go for 1 lakh more easily after all the work. (Technically it will be like a new engine I guess)

Sorry to hear this, as GTO said, please find a right shop for your car's engine rebuild. Engine repair is an expensive affair and I think the 1 lakh 25 thousand bill what you are looking at is only an estimate, there are many things to consider like original guide seals, piston rings, cylinder sleeve, gaskets, etc. Just for a comparison, my friend's Ford ecosport's engine rebuild at F.A.S.S costed about 1.65 lakh rupees and other friend's Maruti Ritz (petrol) engine rebuild costed 70 k rupees at FNG.

Want to know if any 530d owners have overhauled their engine.
Also is there any other thing I should keep in mind while it is been worked upon

As I previously said, engine rebuild is an expensive affair and ask them for a proper estimate for repairs along with the parts to be replaced (timing chain & kit, piston rings, guide seals, cylinder sleeve, head valves, gaskets, lathe charges, crankshaft lathe charges, etc. Here is a video by a YouTuber Hoovies Garage, on how BMW mechanics are richer than BMW owners.

This channel also features a BMW mechanic called Car Ninja, the BMW mechanic, please check other BMW videos in his channel where this mechanic rebuilds engines, it will give you fair idea of different things which are to be replaced in your car and the amount you are going to spend on this rebuild. All the best and hope your ride will be back soon and strong!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjBwejZQios

[Stribog]

Do not get sucked in the sunk cost fallacy.

Unless it is a passion project and you have the disposable income to keep this project burning, cut your losses and run.

If you can, put an honest for sale ad on OLX for a take it as it is condition, make what you can from it and run.

The problem with the sunk cost fallacy is that it is like a drug. Once you get invested, your mind pushes you to dump more money into it to ensure that the previously invested money (or effort) is not wasted. This is logical as humans have a loss aversion bias but it is important to recognise a lost battle and cut your losses.

If you don't do this now, then you will spend a lakh here, another lakh there, then something else goes kaput and before you know it, you are out of pocket by a lot of money, effort and time.

So, draw up a balance sheet, would say park a good 5-7l to meet these expenses in the next 2-3 years. If that works, then you are good to do. If it is a big hit without much gain? Sell it and pick up your next car

[Mango]

Very sad to hear about this, the 530d with it M57 is generally dead reliable and goes on but cars till 2012 did have the timing chain issue. Since i've been researching these Cars myself a lot recently, i would suggest you get a second look from a different garage as well since in my honest opinion the the crankshaft (if it is cracked ) cannot be repaired in this fashion and it will lose balance after a short while. And since they are saying the connecting rods have gone as well, the engine is probably done for since the pistons and valves may be damaged as well. This is a deep rabbit hole of changing endless parts. If you are going through the repairs then you also have the headache to get the right parts since BMW has a modified list of tensioners and many other parts to replace the ones on the M57 for further reliability for cars manufactured till 2012. And these parts are expensive, some parts will easily cost you in excess of lakh if you want the genuine BMW parts to be installed in your car and even I think that you'll be better off either getting a whole new engine or just parting off with the car.

[car love]

The repairs wont end with just the crankshaft and con rod. The damage could very well have traveled all the way up to the head, valves etc. I hope your mechanic is competent to advise you such things. The crankshaft is made of high tech, forged steel the likes of which Indian shops may have never come across. Proceed with extreme caution.

[landcruiser123]

These engines are high precision machines and can never be repaired to 100% unless your workshop knows a place with factory-grade machines (very hard to find in India). Sorry to say, your repaired car will never feel & perform the same.

If you love the car, your best bet is to get a used engine from a dealer in India or abroad. On Reddit, I've read about Americans importing engines from Total loss cars in Germany and having successful installs for a few years. I'm not sure about the legalities & technicalities in India. If you MUST keep the car, this is a route I'd try.

Good luck.

[JayPrashanth]

Originally Posted by lancer_maniac

Guys, Bad News


Want to know if any 530d owners have overhauled their engine.
Also is there any other thing I should keep in mind while it is been worked upon

Sorry to hear about your travails with the 530D. Easy way out is to buy a engine from a totalled 530D. I am PM'ing you a phone number. You may get a full engine/half block from him. This will be easier than rebuilding.

Cheers,

Jay