Major M5 problem!!! Need help - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

gq awan · 7th April 2003, 01:55

The other day when I was driving, I heard some strange engine noise, like a knocking noise. So I took it to the dealership, and after taking some time, they figured out that the problem was that the crankshaft bearing broke. Basically, it was oil starved. And as a result, the crankshaft bearing got no lubrication, and was damaged. As a result, metal shavings, I guess it shaved off the bearing, went through the engine, and were deposited in the oil filter. This is similar to the problem that the M3’s have been having. The mechanic told me that many M3’s have had this problem (and due to this and many other problems as I am sure you know, the company extended the warranty on M3’s to 6 years/100,000 miles), but this is the first time they have seen an M5 with this problem.

So in short, they are replacing the oil pump and other external parts with brand new parts, putting in a rebuilt or new (I guess rebuilt from Germany) short block engine in the car, but keeping the cylinder heads and are going to just try to clean the heads out and rebuild or fix whatever parts of the cylinder heads, etc they have to. You see, long block engine includes the cylinder heads, but since they are going to use the current car’s cylinder heads and just clean it out and fix or rebuild it, that is why they are only putting in the short block engine( which is coming either new or rebuilt from Germany). The short block engine is basically the long block without the cylinder heads. Warranty is covering all this.

They said that maybe somehow the oil pump failed, and this whole problem is so tragic considering the M5’s are pretty reliable compared to the M3’s.
So my question or concern is whether the car will run and be just as reliable as it was, or will it give problems and should I trade it in for another one, as I love the M5. I kind of think of it with a broken glass analogy. ONce glass breaks or shatters, it can be "mended" back together, but it will never be one complete piece again, just different broken pieces put together the best they can. The mechanic pulled me to the side and told me that if warranty was providing the long block, then it would be as good as new because they have engineers there that strip down the rebuilt engine that they would send in the engine shop and really perfect the rebuild, but since warranty is only providing the short block, that the cylinder heads from my engine will be used and rebuilt right at the dealerhsip, and the mechanic told me that he was not supposed to tell me this but they may not be able to completely clean all the metal shavings out of the cylinder heads (I dont see why they cant personally) and thus the car if not now, may later give problems and if it were him, he would trade it in for another one. SO I need advice, opinions, is the mechanic correct or not?????
BMW took a while to figure out if warranty was going to cover it or not, doing all sorts of stupid things, thus my car sat at the dealership for over a week just waiting to hear from BMW NA if they would cover it or not (which they decided to cover) which during this mean time the car could have been fixed!!! Also, it took them long enough to figure out what the problem was. This problem I have never had with any other manufacturer, in terms of company taking forever to see if warranty would cover it. Usually, in my experience, warranties or car manufacturers cover these things immediately, no questions asked, as what happened back many years ago with my Mitsu 3000 GT VR-4, when it needed an engine. My car literally sat for more than a week waiting to hear from BMW NA. Makes me think that BMW is a bit shady on their warranties.

Haroon

MIB · 7th April 2003, 12:31

Hey GQ,

Thats a bummer about the Beast. I'd only upgrade if their is a good deal to be done.

If your going to have a big rip up, I'd keep it.

wvmiller · 7th April 2003, 13:56

If it were my engine, I'd be ok with a short block, I think. The areas of concern in the heads would be the cams, their bearings, and the valve guides all of which can be seen pretty clearly during disassembly. The heads willhave to be completely torn down, cleaned, measured and examined, and if there is any damage, appropriate machine work done.

Think of it this way: you are getting a new engine in your car with a new warranty on it. It does not make up for your time and inconvenience, of course. Perhaps they will give you a new clutch for that, since the engine is out. I'd ask them...al they can say is no.

It doesn't sound like this is a systemic design problem like the M-3s, but an isolated event, given the number of M-5s on the road and how they are driven....

Ilya Zverev · 7th April 2003, 17:05

How many miles were on your 2001 when it happened? Did you notice increase in oil temp before it happened? What was your usual oil temp?

What oil were you using? What was the temp outside when it happened? Please tell more about the what you noticed before the engine started knocking?

gq awan · 7th April 2003, 17:25

I did not pay attention to the oil temperature gauge, so not sure before and after what the temp was. I am assuming it is the same motoroil they use at the dealership, because the car was oil changed only at the dealership ( i bought it used, and was going to take it in for an oil change for the first time since I bought it). The car had only 20,000 miles on it. I put on about 1,000 miles on it. The outside temperature was probably around the high 50's, low 60's if I remember correctly. Nothing else unusual, just after shifting after high rpm (not redline), then the engine noise starting coming. I was racing againse my Audi, my brother in law was driving my audi.

Haroon

rprellwitz · 7th April 2003, 18:35

Sorry to hear about your problem. Do you have any information on the service history of the car? If it was performed at a BMW dealer you should be able to see everything that was done on the car.

BTW - Racing an A6 - not exactly a fair fight even with the 2.7 TT 6-speed.

gq awan · 7th April 2003, 19:19

Actually, to the contrary, the problem is that since the M5 is RWD, when you first punch it, the rear wheels spin, and you lose about a second or so, while the AUdi, with AWD, just launches right of the line real hard, then, I catch up, but then have to shift to second, the then the wheels spin again, losing a second or so, so the Audi and M5 are neck to neck, it isnt until really after close to a quarter mile or so, where you really see the power of the M5, and how it starts pulling away real fast!

greer · 9th April 2003, 10:29

I would get the new clutch if I were in your shoes.