[TopEnd]

Okay guys I'm sure you all remember me well, I was the one who post M5 Engine Blows Up After 5 hours of Ownership. The post was for my good friend and now we need additional help!

As he continues his search for another E39 M5, one has just popped up in Florida. The scenario is this: The car has been garaged since 11/06. No attempts has been made to start it. It is a 05/2000MY. The owner has been overseas for some time now serving the U.S. I've contacted the mother of this person, They have sent numerous pictures(Mint), scanned a couple of service records(BMW).
All in all the car is clean. I have no doubt that the motor will start right up after a boost. Here are my (Engine)concerns:
1) A motor that has been siting for so long, what should we expect?
2) should we break the motor in as specified in the owners manual for a new engine, due to its hibernation? Or is there a controlled RPM that it should be driven at for XXXX(please fill in)miles?
3) Beside the initial tune-up (sparkplugs, oil, air-filter, fuel filter) is there anything else needed to be done?

The car has 70,XXX miles on it. And they are selling it at reasonable price. VIN is perfect. I have faith in the durability of the S62. Just wanted to consult with the board to see if I was missing anything!!

 

[DouglasABaker]

First off, I hope this one works out better, but to be honest, what you have described (car parked, guys overseas, mother handling it, etc, etc) sounds like a scam, so use caution.

1. That said, what you need to know is what did he do before he stored the car. If he filled the fuel tank (AND added fuel stabilizer) and changed the oil then I don't think you have much to worry about. BUT, I would change the oil again before starting the car and I would put a can of dry gas and a can of octane booster into the gas tank.

Why? Oil goes bad over time. This oil has been sitting too long (no choice - you don't leave an engine dry) and has started to break down from time and turn "sludgy". So change it out to ensure the car gets oil right away. Were it me, I would use as thin a startup oil as I could get my hands on: 0W-30 Castrol or 0W-40 Mobil1, for example. The key here is to get oil to the top of the engine as soon as physically possible. If you can, you'd ideally like to warm the fresh oil up to 100F or so before putting it in the car - put it on an electric blanket, for example.

The gas will also have started to suffer deterioration from time if fuel stabilizer wasn't used. The ideal solution is to drain the tank and fill with fresh fuel. Typically this is a bit inconvenient at best So put in octane boost to counter the chemical breakdown and add dry gas to help drive out as much water as possible.

Yes, this is a lot of work, but remember - this could be YOUR car next. And the worst that happens is you changed the guys oil for him - big deal!

2. NO - the break in procedure for a new engine is because it has not been run before, not because it is oil starved or has been sitting.

3. You've already changed the oil, but I would do a HOT oil change again at about 500 miles or so later (if you drive it home, do it at the end of the trip) to get out more of the old oil. Change the filter at this point as well.

Plugs don't go bad, so only change them if you feel hesitation or get mis-firing.

Fuel filter probably should be changed as should brake fluid and anti-freeze.

4. During your test drive, remember that this car is running on old fluids, etc. It will have likely have mis-fires, hesitation, all caused by old fuel. There is little you can do except run the tank out and fill it again...

d-

 

[TopEnd]

First off, I hope this one works out better, but to be honest, what you have described (car parked, guys overseas, mother handling it, etc, etc) sounds like a scam, so use caution.

1. That said, what you need to know is what did he do before he stored the car. If he filled the fuel tank (AND added fuel stabilizer) and changed the oil then I don't think you have much to worry about. BUT, I would change the oil again before starting the car and I would put a can of dry gas and a can of octane booster into the gas tank.

Why? Oil goes bad over time. This oil has been sitting too long (no choice - you don't leave an engine dry) and has started to break down from time and turn "sludgy". So change it out to ensure the car gets oil right away. Were it me, I would use as thin a startup oil as I could get my hands on: 0W-30 Castrol or 0W-40 Mobil1, for example. The key here is to get oil to the top of the engine as soon as physically possible. If you can, you'd ideally like to warm the fresh oil up to 100F or so before putting it in the car - put it on an electric blanket, for example.

The gas will also have started to suffer deterioration from time if fuel stabilizer wasn't used. The ideal solution is to drain the tank and fill with fresh fuel. Typically this is a bit inconvenient at best So put in octane boost to counter the chemical breakdown and add dry gas to help drive out as much water as possible.

Yes, this is a lot of work, but remember - this could be YOUR car next. And the worst that happens is you changed the guys oil for him - big deal!

2. NO - the break in procedure for a new engine is because it has not been run before, not because it is oil starved or has been sitting.

3. You've already changed the oil, but I would do a HOT oil change again at about 500 miles or so later (if you drive it home, do it at the end of the trip) to get out more of the old oil. Change the filter at this point as well.

Plugs don't go bad, so only change them if you feel hesitation or get mis-firing.

Fuel filter probably should be changed as should brake fluid and anti-freeze.

4. During your test drive, remember that this car is running on old fluids, etc. It will have likely have mis-fires, hesitation, all caused by old fuel. There is little you can do except run the tank out and fill it again...

d-

Hey D,
Thanks alot for the detailed procedure/Precautions. I too would of suspected it as one of those Craigslist Scams. Expect This lady knows my Mom(who lives in Florida) and doesn't live that far from her, However thanks for being over-protective!

That being said, you've raised some really good top-notch issues with respect to gas and other fluids that didn't even cross my mind. I appreciate your feedback hope all is well with the car too.

 

[Racerxjling]

It does sounds like a scam. Regardless, I would stay away from this car unless they are practically GIVING the car away. Considering the dump in M5 $$ esp. for MY2000 I would hold out for a better example even if it's a little more $$. Why bother with the potential headache this one has to offer. As we all know, it's a buyer's market so take advantage of it.

Jeff

 

[E55AMG2]

Hey D,
Thanks alot for the detailed procedure/Precautions. I too would of suspected it as one of those Craigslist Scams. Expect This lady knows my Mom(who lives in Florida) and doesn't live that far from her, However thanks for being over-protective!

That being said, you've raised some really good top-notch issues with respect to gas and other fluids that didn't even cross my mind. I appreciate your feedback hope all is well with the car too.

Where is the car in FL, I wouldnt mind passing by to check on it for you.

 

[TopEnd]

Its in WinterHaven. We're coming down this weekend. How far is that from you? This is Why I like M5board. Maybe we could link.

 

[mottati]

i'd hook up the battery, fire it up and go. Give it a good drive, get everything hot and change all of the fluids. It will probably be rattly for the first few seconds, maybe longer if the lifters have drained. Hopefully it's got 5w30 in it, as that will flow faster (well, marginally).

I suppose you could remove the fuse to the fuel pump (i think it's #30 or 31) and crank it over for 10-15 sec to try and get some oil moving around before you actually fire it up.

 

[verhagke]

If cars are left sitting for an extended period of time, the seals dry out (as they are not being oiled). This would cause the engine to seap oil out of the seals. Not the end of the world, but labor to replace them if they start to leak is pretty pricey.

It would be very good if the oil was freshened right before storing and a fuel stabilizer was used.

 

[TopEnd]

I suppose you could remove the fuse to the fuel pump (i think it's #30 or 31) and crank it over for 10-15 sec to try and get some oil moving around before you actually fire it up.

I will definitely take that advice!

 

[TopEnd]

It would be very good if the oil was freshened right before storing and a fuel stabilizer was used.

I know I spoke to the lady and she will ask her son about the fuel stabilizer and the oil. She's not too sure about the oil. But she highly doubts that fuel stabilizer was put in.

 

[E55AMG2]

Its in WinterHaven. We're coming down this weekend. How far is that from you? This is Why I like M5board. Maybe we could link.

60 Miles

 

[TopEnd]

60 Miles

WOW! Well we'll be coming down this weekend. 60 miles is a bit of a drive. Thanks alot though.

 

[jjc1843]

If cars are left sitting for an extended period of time, the seals dry out (as they are not being oiled). This would cause the engine to seap oil out of the seals. Not the end of the world, but labor to replace them if they start to leak is pretty pricey.

It would be very good if the oil was freshened right before storing and a fuel stabilizer was used.

All seals dry out. Tires flat spot. Brake Fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture. Power Steering Fluid; all fluids will need changing. The daily driving of a car is needed to keep everything dryed out, or lubricated, whatever the case may be.

Battery will probably needing earlier than normal replacement.

I'm not saying don't go for it, but I am saying be cautious.

Good Luck

 

[THRILOS5]

Its in WinterHaven. We're coming down this weekend. How far is that from you? This is Why I like M5board. Maybe we could link.

where in Winter Haven? I own a condo on Cypress Gardens blvd and my brother still lives there and owns a bussiness, he might know the owner or he can check it out for you

 

[andy777]

From my limited experince when you start the car up it will tick for a while and may not go away for a couple of startup's but should become less and less until it goes completely in a few days or so. Don't know what this is but when I got mine it did this and again when I left it for a few months.
Other than that change the oil and if I was you ditch the battery straight away and get a new one before you drive away after the purchace.

 

[TopEnd]

where in Winter Haven? I own a condo on Cypress Gardens blvd and my brother still lives there and owns a bussiness, he might know the owner or he can check it out for you

It's right off of the US-27. We got some buddy passes so we're going down to check it out this weekend. If it is not what we expected we're gonna crash DISNEY and camp out by my moms.