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Discussion Starter · #1 · (Edited)
A month ago, I purchased a 2006 M5. I will get around to posting pictures but I've been rather busy. I'm going to jump ahead to an oil change yesterday. There are enough DIYs around - including that recent video by Baneof Thoth - or whomever, so this is just a basic description of some differences.

1. I followed the BMW bulletin that suggests taking overfill oil out of the old filter; then getting a new reading (at operating temperature); and only when it is 'between min and max' to begin the oil change.

2. I used liqui-moly 10W60 - because.... Before the purists mount their Quixotic steeds, my oil changes are at max 3000km due to the fact that I like to put in lighter 'W' for winter, and that I have too many cars right now (i.e. low mileage).

3. I used a Mann filter because that is what i use on my other BMWs, and because it's not really going to make any difference over 3000km, which quality filter I use.

4. I ran the car back up to operating temperature after step 1, at idle, in order for the dry sump operation to get all the oil where it can drain.

5. I removed the main oil drain plug, and later replaced it with the Fujimoto short stem valve. I kept the plug against future disaster.

6. I drained the oil filter again, and then removed the oil filter casing - there was still oil in there and I have a new stain on my driveway. This was after 2 drains. Lesson learned - expect oil in the filter casing in the future.

7. The BMW bulletin says that 9.3 liters overfills the car, so I added 8 liters - 200 - 300 ml in the oil filter cover and the rest in the engine including 450 ml of MOS2 (because I like it. If it's good enough for fighter planes..).

8. After adding the 8 liters, I started the car and let it idle up to operating temperature, where like magic, it told me that I was at the min range.

9. I then added 900 ml more (the bulletin say 800, but whoopsy on the measurement). I remeasured the oil level at 0.9 above min. mission accomplished.


I keep the oil filter in a plastic sealable bag and sawed it apart today. This is what I found (spoiler alert: Nothing really).

The first picture shows some back spots in one section. I'm assuming the they are carbon of some kind. The second picture shows two spots that shone in the light - I'm assuming metal.

That's one clean filter, but I don't know when the oil was last changed. I'm assuming last year and that the PO didn't change this year due to the intent to sell (expect the worst and you;re never disappointed).

This thread will be a running commentary on my adventure with the wonderful car, my triumphs, my despair, and my (likely) stupidity at times. Cheers.


p.s. Homework assignment: Does anyone know for sure if the majority of those rod bearing failures - especially the early ones, were mainly in tuned or modified vehicles - or if it's really just bearing roulette at this stage (i.e. no identifying factors to help reduce the probabilities for one's own vehicle)?
 

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Discussion Starter · #2 ·
I just want to add that I was so finicky about the 'adding oil' process because when there is too much oil, the risk of cavitation increases greatly (bubbles in the oil which are death in the small spaces between rod bearings and moving metal). The original BMW bible said 9.3 liters - which often led to oil above MAX on the dash check. Hence the measured approach - in case all the oil didn't come out (unless you have that second oil drain in MY 2008+).

Now that I have a Fujimoto valve, I will be draining the oil with the car flat instead of up on ramps in the front, in the future. That way I'll be sure of getting most of it.
 

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Discussion Starter · #6 · (Edited)
What is it like to own an e60 m5?

You meet this girl. She's stunning, perfect symmetry, well dressed, articulate, intelligent, and fit. She always knows the right things to say to parents and friends. Your buddies worship the ground she walks on.
She's at home in a bar with a long neck beer, crop top and jeans. She fits right in at the swankiest restaurant, dressed to the nines with the perfect little black dress.
When you're alone, she's wild. Sometimes, she's crazy wild.

And then you find out she likes to capture small animals and torture them in her basement.
 

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Discussion Starter · #10 · (Edited)
You may notice that the car has a number of reflections in the pictures - which is possibly unusual given the light silverstone colour. At the end of May, I went to Luxus detailing in Ottawa and had a full detail including paint conditioning. Then they put on a coat of Gtechniq Crystal Serum. I guess that you can compare it to those women who get the eyelid tattoos and lip tattoos to always be wearing makeup. I just wouldn't use them for chip repair. I think going to a specialist for that first would have been best. Oh well. I'll take care of it sometime in the future, myself, with a little wet sanding and proper paint blending around the blemishes - and then I'll get them to do a touch up of the Gtechniq one those spots.

And yet, it's nice to see the deep coat gloss and reflections. I guess that you can compare it to those women who get the eyelid tattoos and lip tattoos to always be wearing makeup. I can't wait to polish the car, do some nano-polishing as well, followed by liquid Carnauba Wax. yum.
 

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Discussion Starter · #15 · (Edited)
That insidious and mysterious E60 M5 NO CRANK - sort of FIXED.

I had this symptom. Foot on the brake, transmission in NEUTRAL, push the button.... The console lights up like a Christmas tree, like it's supposed to but no crank.

I've whined, moaned, and wailed about this in various threads - most notably here and here. This is a summary of the steps I took to debug this symptom and how it was resolved.

Threads for inspiration include the two above, and the following.
IBS idea
Replacing starter doesn't fix
Unhooked wheel speed sensor was problem
Another IBS problem
:laugh
Thread with 3 BMW documents with 3 different possible causes of this condition
Same thread. Post describing Terminal 50 CAS fault

Decent thread with good consecutive problem solving. - car not recognizing key = EWS (CAS) issues.

Dealer replaced "bad wire" = sounds like an IBS issue again - last post by different member says it was SAS (steering angle sensor) for them.

FINALLY: A thread with the CAS Terminal 50 fault code and no crank

Possibilities from all that are (in no particular order)
1. Forgetting to put car in "N"
2. IBS
3. SAS
4. CAS power issues
5. Starter
6. Loose power cable connections under hood
7. Bad battery
8. Bad battery connections
9. EWS (CAS) issues



The steps that I went through based on my research on the web.
1. Pushed start button multiple times - nothing. But there is a click (which I later confirm that it's under the hood = likely not starter).
2. Disconnected IBS - both cables - nothing; put IBS back together.
3. Opened the hood and stared at the engine - nothing
4. Went in with ISTA and looked at codes - looked like low battery but with the "Terminal 50 CAS" fault code that ISTA couldn't understand itself
5. Stepped through various ISTA procedures that I could do sitting in the car
6. Cleared fault codes
7. nothing
8. Put the CTEK trickle charger on and went away for the night. next AM = nothing
9. Disconnect IBS - nothing (Left it disconnected). Turned the headlights on - good and strong.
10. Disconnect the battery and touch the cables together to discharge any residual capacitor energy that might be keeping devices active. leave disconnected for a while. Reconnect. When trying to start, I of course get the "Enter time and date" icon, and the "do not pass" wheel on the tachometer goes all the way to 4000 RPMS - just like when there is an issue with the throttle actuator. My hypothesis is that anything that interrupted the flow of energy causes the car to be nervous about starting up. Anyways - nothing. On the second starter button push (yes, I think that prodding it a number of times will somehow change the state of the universe), the "do not pass" wheel goes bat to 6000_ RPMs - which is standard for starting. The car knows it's not in danger from the battery disconnect.
11. Tried with the key in the slot. Tried the other key in the slot. This is a desperate long shot because clearly the car recognized the key since I am able to open it using both comfort access and pushing the buttons. - nothing
12. Tried resetting the CAS module (NOT comfort access) by putting the key in the slot and pressing the start button for 30 seconds or so. - Nothing (But now I have to go back into NCS Expert and Dummy and add some of the features like folding mirrors upon locking, that seem to have disappeared now).
13. Went back and looked at the CTEK intelligent battery charger (for cold climates) and saw that it was on the 3rd light of the 8 light process. Hmmm, says I. A clue.
14. Got out a [email protected] old school battery charger that has the 14 amps or so for boosting cars. It was on AGM - so I'm assuming the E60 has an AGM battery and I didn't change it.
15. Tried to start. Nothing. Tried a bunch of times. - It started. I've seen this before on a depleted battery where it needs some time (a minute or so) on the 14 amps before cranking.
:eek :confused:

I went out for a good long drive. Voltmeter in the cigarette lighter says that the battery is being charged at 13.8V, sometimes 13.9V. Good enuff.

Parked the car and shut it off. Restarted it just to see that I could. I went and measured the battery - 12.4V. I put on the trickle charger. Next morning -= 12.6+ V. I took off the trickle charger. That evening = 12.4V. Car starts. Goes for a run.

I leave it alone overnight (no charger). Next AM 12.3V.

I'm going to continue to monitor this. I've reconnected the IBS and I"ll see what the battery says tonight. On the weekend I plan to do the remaining throttle actuator with a bottom that has ALPINA527i gears. I'll post pictures. At the same time, I will check the trio of power cable connections, including the one under the LHS Plenum.
 

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You may notice that the car has a number of reflections in the pictures - which is possibly unusual given the light silverstone colour. At the end of May, I went to Luxus detailing in Ottawa and had a full detail including paint conditioning. Then they put on a coat of Gtechniq Crystal Serum. I guess that you can compare it to those women who get the eyelid tattoos and lip tattoos to always be wearing makeup. I just wouldn't use them for chip repair. I think going to a specialist for that first would have been best. Oh well. I'll take care of it sometime in the future, myself, with a little wet sanding and proper paint blending around the blemishes - and then I'll get them to do a touch up of the Gtechniq one those spots.

And yet, it's nice to see the deep coat gloss and reflections. I guess that you can compare it to those women who get the eyelid tattoos and lip tattoos to always be wearing makeup. I can't wait to polish the car, do some nano-polishing as well, followed by liquid Carnauba Wax. yum.
Hey - reflections or not it's a beautiful new to you ride! Once you get the couple of gremlins worked out on her she will be a joy to drive. :)

Good luck with her and don't give up on the E60 S85 Platform
 

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Discussion Starter · #17 · (Edited)
Other options for the car.

First, I'll just post the option information from a VIN decoder. These are JPEG files because the BimmerWorks decoder no longer generates PDF files, that I can see.

View attachment 708897

View attachment 708905

View attachment 708913
I can't seem to edit the post. Short leash, I guess.

I'll just add that the car had (along with the RADEnergie R10 20 inch rims), HARTGE splitter and diffuser; H&R sport springs to lower it, Eisenmann axle-back oval tip exhaust (which I sold), M5 Style 166 rims (19 inch - which I sold).
 

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Discussion Starter · #19 · (Edited)
That's how I roll. I can't handle DIYs that have a picture and a description where it's not obvious which of 50 bolts or screws the OP is referring to. I like it nice and obvious. You know - Elephant, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, mouse.

Today, I tackle the throttle actuator on bank 2. I'm going to do a visual inspection first to try to determine which actuator was actually replaced last year. I'd assume that if any work was don, that those 'one time' hose clamps would have been replaced with the t-clamps or worm gear ones. Ah. The thrill of discovery. Who knows what the mechanic said to help the PO sell the car. I suspect that there are a number of things that were not disclosed in the sale. I guess I can't keep expecting that people will be like me. You'd think that I would have learned by now.

It's my own stupidity though, for using an interview with the mechanic as a substitute for a PPI.

Electrical Gremlins continued

I've been religiously monitoring the voltage at the battery each night and morning, now with the IBS reconnected. I'm seeing around 12.4 - 12.7V at night (usually after driving the car) and then around 12.33 - 12.4 in the AM, remembering that the car wakes up when I open the trunk.
 

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Discussion Starter · #20 · (Edited)
Throttle Actuator Replacement

PO'S mechanic said one of the throttle actuators had been replaced. I ordered a set of gears from Alpina527i, and they arrived recently in an actuator bottom.

Initially, I was trying to figure out which side had been replaced. The mechanic at RM Motors in Toronto wasn't responding to my queries. We'll find out why in a little bit.

TO prepare, I watched this video:
+ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By2DKw0g6eI" title="View this video at YouTube in a new window or tab" target="_blank">YouTube Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By2DKw0g6eI"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By2DKw0g6eI" /> ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.


And I read this DIY. One of my pet peeves is where there is a picture, text, and you're supposed to guess which of the 10 objects in the picture is being referred to. I've gone baby and put markers around what I'm talking about in the pictures.

This is Alpina527i deconstructing an S65 actuator - identical except for the throttle arm length and angle.


I believed that Bank 1 throttle actuator had been replaced because of the condition of the accordion tube between the intake filter and the plenum on that side.

Auto part Vehicle Car Engine Personal luxury car


While I was doing this job, a lot of plastic and rubber would be exposed. I decided to clean everything I could and treat it with Aerospace Protectant.
Motor oil Tire Automotive wheel system Automotive care Automotive tire


Here we are at the start. Fairly clean engine. Twin plenums (plenii?) and a whole lot of fidgety 6mm socket work. I made the decision to take the pieces above the firewall off, including the strut tower brace to give myself some more room.
Vehicle Car Auto part Engine Hood


To get that weird piece off that holds the two sides of the shelf above the firewall together, there is a tab that needs to be lifted up for it to slide to the LHS of the car. I've market it in this picture
Bumper Automotive exterior Auto part Vehicle Car


Next, remove the cabin air filter housings. there is a plastic allen nut that needs a 1/4 turn counter-clockwise to open 9it's a latch). You also have to open the lid b popping the. A long metal latch that runs on the center -facing side of the housing. A socket shows the location of the plastic nut in this picture.
Motor vehicle Vehicle Auto part Car Engine


I found something strange (to me). On the windshield moulding, all of the plastic rivets were missing except the center one. Here you can see the holes left behind I'm starting to not like the OP's mechanic.

Automotive exterior Vehicle door Bumper Trunk Vehicle


To remove the tow sides of the firewall shelf, one has to unlatch 3 more of the plastic nuts, by turning them c9unterclockwise with the appropriately sized allen key or socket. Then there is a small torx bolt for the final release.
Metal Auto part Tire Automotive wheel system Automotive tire


Auto part Vehicle Car Pipe Rim


Here is a shot showing where that torx bolt is located - and is the final piece to removing the LHS of the firewall shelf
Auto part Exhaust system Suspension Fuel line Vehicle


I decided to remove the strut towers' brace. Torx 45 is best for this.
Auto part Rim


And here is everything ready for the throttle clamp loosening and plenum removal.
Motor vehicle Auto part Vehicle Car Engine



Removing the intake air filter housing - I don't like fiddling with standard screwdrivers for this. I use a 1/4" socket (I believe that 6mm works as well but 1/4" is a bit looser and won't jam on the nut).
Auto part Fuel line Pipe Exhaust system Suspension



The next step is to remove what hoses one can on the plenum. This helps with access, especially to the numbers 4, 5 and 9, 10 cylinders. The big hose on the side with the spring clamp is no problem at all. The smaller hose beside it can be a PITA if you have the one-time use hose clamp. It's also usually a sign that the plenum has never been off - OR that the mechanic who did the work put everything back EXACTLY as it was found (who would put back another single use clamp but someone reading a set of instructions without thinking).

On the smaller hose, I found a single-use clamp.
Auto part


Unfortunately, there was also one on the other side. Ever had that sinking feeling that what you've been told will turn out to be a misrepresentation? I now suspected that the throttle actuators had never been replaced.

The steps I followed to get the plenum off the LHS are as follows. I'll add pictures later
1. Use pliers to squeeze the big hose clamp, and pull down gently, wiggling to have the big hose come off its nipple;
2. If you have a worm gear hose clamp on the smaller hose beside the big one, undo it and remove now. If it's the one-time use - it will be easier to access and tear off with cutters once the plenum is loose and can be moved around.
3. To take off the little hose in the back of the plenum (the one you can see in the picture DIY at the start of this post, in the picture where the plenums are off), you need two hands. I pinched the plastic ring on the head of the hose where it attaches to the plenum nipple. I used a long narrow flat screwdriver to gently lever the hose head away from the plenum until it cleared the locking points. Then the hose comes off easy. If you use pliers or similar to pinch the locking ring together, I believe that you will break the ring.
4. To loosen the throttle clamps, I used a long 1/4" socket extension, with a flexible extension on top of that and a 1/4" 6mm socket. Both joints were taped with duct tape to ensure that nothing came off. In hindsight, I might have been better off with the 1/4" socket instead of 6mm since the former wouldn't get locked on the worm gear nut as easily. The challenge here is that you can't see all of the worm gears easily. Unless you know their orientation, it becomes challenging to complete the mission
5. I was unable to get to the 10th cylinder clamp on the LHS. I'm not sure that I loosened the 8th much either. However, I used JColley's technique of leverage to lift the plenum. Instead of a broom handle, I used a old aluminum and foam carwash brush handle. It goes under the front of the plenum and rests on the metal shelf above the radiator. I liked the handle because of the foam, and because it had a bit of spring to absorb any over-zealous force on my part. It works very well. Since there are no ridges on the tops of the throttles, the rubber fitting on the plenum seems to be able to come off without loosening (the 8 and 10 cylinders on the LHS). Perhaps these weren't tightened that well to start with - I don't know.
6. There is a big hose with a plastic pinch ring at the front of the plenum that needs to be removed.
7. Now I was able to pivot the plenum enough to get at the one-time hose clamp on that little hose on the back outside of the plenum. I squeezed and gently twisted back and forth a little bit so as not to break the nipple, nor tear the hose. Eventually, the metal clamp does tear and separate. Then, it's a matter of using plastic trim tools and thin screwdrivers to gradually pry the clamp (which is usually embedded in the rubber) off of the hose.

Here is a picture of the LHS plenum off. It's easier than the other side for the simple reason that it is not encumbered in the back by a plastic structure that holds the DME wiring and cabling. I'll come back later with pictures showing the orientation of the throttle clamps and other steps needed - don't have pictures yet
Engine Auto part Vehicle Car Hood




Here is the engine with both plenums off.
Engine Auto part Vehicle Automotive engine part Car


Which actuator was previously replaced?
Spoiler Alert: Neither. The PO's mechanic mis-remembered. :eek
Here is a picture of the Bank 2 (LHS) actuator top. I'm the world's worst cameraman, but somehow I got this clear and legible. Notice the date marked off in red. The other side, which I had to read to my wife using a magnifying glass (no way the phone was going in that small space) was 20051124. :frown Both original in this 2006/02 production vehicle.
Auto part


I had to make a choice and chose to replace the gears in the bank 2 actuator because they looked more worn, and there was still some dirt around the bolts of that actuator that suggested it had never been taken out. See here: This is bank 2. That shadow around the heads of the bolt is grease / dirt.
Light Automotive lighting Darkness Headlamp Auto part


here is bank 1. It's hard to see the difference, but the bolt heads were **** 'n' span, leading me to think that (somehow) this actuator had been out of the car - in spite of the 2005/11 production date. I suspect that the gears had been changed - given the non-existent amount of wear. There was some dust on the inside walls (white plastic) that I cleaned off. I think that this actuator will fail in the future - but caught with only one set of gears due to poor information and a bad decision, I have no choice but to button everything up and hope for the best.
Auto part Steering part Steering wheel Vehicle


Here are some pictures of the bank 2 actuator innards. First, in all it's failing glory.
Auto part


Here, with the white gear wheel out, you can clearly see the damaged teeth on the half-moon gear. Notice how they have been reduced to pointed teeth instead of oval - with much larger gaps between them.
Auto part Machine Clutch Gear Gauge


This is the little gear wheel on the underside of the big white gear wheel that goes against the half moon gear. See all of that crap on the teeth? I believe that that is material from the damaged area of the half-moon gear. So long as it is there - the actuator works within parameters. When that crap starts coming off (and possibly doing a number on the circuit board), the gears no longer work as they should. In other words, it is that half-moon gear 'sawdust' that permits the damaged teeth to still work, keeping the actuator within parameters in the start up test, IMHO.
Gear Auto part
 

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