Rod bearings preventive maintenance

[6mtguy]

Just did the rod bearings preventive maintence with BE Bearings rod bearings and ARP custom rod bolts.
Car history:
2011 E90 M3 6MT| 05/2010 build
Original owner
Miles 90,450
Oil change every 6,000-7,500 miles with 10W-60
Always warm up properly before going above 3,500 rpm
Daily driver around 80% local and 20% highway
No track occasionally backroads on weekends

[SYT_Shadow]

Good thing you swapped them out!! Those do not look like happy bearings!

[BMRLVR]

Originally Posted by M3i6a

Just did the rod bearings preventive maintence with BE Bearings rod bearings and ARP custom rod bolts.
Car history:
2011 E90 M3 6MT| 05/2010 build
Original owner
Miles 90,450
Oil change every 6,000-7,500 miles with 10W-60
Always warm up properly before going above 3,500 rpm
Daily driver around 80% local and 20% highway
No track occasionally backroads on weekends

I wanted to be the first one to say; "Those look like they have normal wear"

[kb9uwu]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

Good thing you swapped them out!! Those do not look like happy bearings!

Funny how subjective this stuff is.. I think they look good for 90k+ miles! Some of the tops look a little rough, but I'm sure it's what my rod bearings look like

[nholmes]

Look a lot like mine.

[L4ces]

But as far as we know they might have lasted another 50K!

I am at 130K and I'd be surprised if mine are pristine. But I may have hours left! Who knows?

[6mtguy]

Originally Posted by BMRLVR

I wanted to be the first one to say; "Those look like they have normal wear"

Thanks, thought top 3 and bottom 5,7 are bad cause they're showing copper.
I'm planning to keep this car for a while that's the reason i had them swapped out.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by nholmes

Look a lot like mine.

Exactly , and yours looked also like shit !
Second bearing case caught on time ..
Good job guys
Yours => http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1237264
OP thanks for sharing

[6mtguy]

No problem sir, sharing is caring haha

[Killerfish2012]

Originally Posted by L4ces

But as far as we know they might have lasted another 50K!

I am at 130K and I'd be surprised if mine are pristine. But I may have hours left! Who knows?

Same mileage here, I must have seconds left! or most likely 130K plus more, which is what I'm betting.

[BMRLVR]

Originally Posted by M3i6a

Thanks, thought top 3 and bottom 5,7 are bad cause they're showing copper.
I'm planning to keep this car for a while that's the reason i had them swapped out.

I was being sarcastic...... Those look anything but normal....... I guess you haven't followed my posts on the topic for the past few years.

Good on you for swapping them!

[6mtguy]

Originally Posted by BMRLVR

I was being sarcastic...... Those look anything but normal....... I guess you haven't followed my posts on the topic for the past few years.

Good on you for swapping them!

Oh i see, for a second i thought you was being serious about them having normal wear. My mechanic sent me this picture and told me it was good timing on getting them replaced.

[BMRLVR]

Originally Posted by Killerfish2012

Same mileage here, I must have seconds left! or most likely 130K plus more, which is what I'm betting.

You know what happens when the do pack up shop though, right? Some people like gambling I guess!

[L4ces]

Originally Posted by BMRLVR

You know what happens when the do pack up shop though, right? Some people like gambling I guess!

Today I asked a mechanic at BMW to share his opinion on a bearing change and if he had seen any issues.

He hesitantly replied not this year. I then asked if it was big enough an issue to do a preventative maintenance. He cautiously replied, yeah. I then told him I had 130K miles, should I consider it. He was more comfortable talking and said he would recommend it. I asked would you do if it was yours? He said yes and recommended if I drive aggressively to do it.

What I am not communicating well is the facial expressions and change in comfort level which was a noticeable change from being cautiously quiet to implying in a "heads up" way that I should get it done to be safe.

Sorry I didn't ask lots of questions folks, i kinda walked on the floor and put him on the spot. I will not reveal who or where with hopes other mechanics will provide info to help.

[Killerfish2012]

Originally Posted by kb9uwu

Funny how subjective this stuff is.. I think they look good for 90k+ miles! Some of the tops look a little rough, but I'm sure it's what my rod bearings look like

It's not only subjective, but also misleading. We know that the oem bearings are good for 260K+miles, and at that mileage, they can't look any better than this. The guys who make the aftermarket bearings started these types of picture threads in the first place. As if to imply that the way a bearing looks, determines when it's inevitable failure will occur. Ironically, If you install one of their shiny new bearings, and they fail (amazingly still looking shiny when pulled from car, because you can spin an old or a shiny new bearings), they won't let you post those pictures of it without getting the thread yanked, because it defeats their marketing strategy entirely.

[Killerfish2012]

Originally Posted by BMRLVR

You know what happens when the do pack up shop though, right? Some people like gambling I guess!

Going with a non-oem part with unknown max life is gambling. You've seen raw evidence of oem bearings nearing 300K miles, right? With numerous oem bearings now in the 150K-200K+ range daily driven on here. Why don't you go to those high mileage '08-'09 threads, and spread your ideas. See how long it takes to get you at.

[Killerfish2012]

Originally Posted by L4ces

Today I asked a mechanic at BMW to share his opinion on a bearing change and if he had seen any issues.

He hesitantly replied not this year. I then asked if it was big enough an issue to do a preventative maintenance. He cautiously replied, yeah. I then told him I had 130K miles, should I consider it. He was more comfortable talking and said he would recommend it. I asked would you do if it was yours? He said yes and recommended if I drive aggressively to do it.

What I am not communicating well is the facial expressions and change in comfort level which was a noticeable change from being cautiously quiet to implying in a "heads up" way that I should get it done to be safe.

Sorry I didn't ask lots of questions folks, i kinda walked on the floor and put him on the spot. I will not reveal who or where with hopes other mechanics will provide info to help.

My two closest BMW dealerships have NEVER seen even 1 bearing failure in an E9X M3 in their entire history. If you want I can give you the service department numbers, and you can speak to a tech. Again a woman bought an '08, drove it for 265K miles in Florida, without any issues. Second owner didn't change the bearings, and is nearing 300K miles. There are a lot of risks involved in going into any automotive system with old parts, and installing one brand new part. It's kind of a domino effect, and I can provide numerous examples of this through out my two 130K mile BMWs.

[Doc Oc]

Originally Posted by Killerfish2012

My two closest BMW dealerships have NEVER seen even 1 bearing failure in an E9X M3 in their entire history. If you want I can give you the service department numbers, and you can speak to a tech. Again a woman bought an '08, drove it for 265K miles in Florida, without any issues. Second owner didn't change the bearings, and is nearing 300K miles. There are a lot of risks involved in going into any automotive system with old parts, and installing one brand new part. It's kind of a domino effect, and I can provide numerous examples of this through out my two 130K mile BMWs.

It's like you are intentionally being obtuse. Everyone already admits that this issue only effects a small minority of cars.....so what's your point? The vast majority should make it to high miles. You are just pointing out what everyone already knows and acting like its a revelation. Had I listened to you, I'd never have run a Blackstone, found high metals, and pulled out terrible looking set of bearings. Best $2000 I ever spent. 12k miles and three great oil reports later and she's still running perfectly.

And I'm absolutely shocked that the dealer wouldn't come right out and tell you that BMW had another bearing issue that could cost them millions. Flabbergasted.

[Killerfish2012]

Originally Posted by Doc Oc

It's like you are intentionally being obtuse.

When the IQ is too low to articulate, subtle insults ensue.

[Killerfish2012]

Originally Posted by Doc Oc

IHad I listened to you, I'd never have run a Blackstone, found high metals, and pulled out terrible looking set of bearings.

If you're worried about automotive asthetics, you might as well just lease cars. Problem solved.

Originally Posted by Doc Oc

Best $2000 I ever spent. 12k miles and three great oil reports later and she's still running perfectly.

Who cares? Why not post about you wonderful save in the high mileage '08 thread? I'm sure they're dying to hear about it.

Originally Posted by Doc Oc

And I'm absolutely shocked that the dealer wouldn't come right out and tell you that BMW had another bearing issue that could cost them millions. Flabbergasted.

It's a vast conspiracy, deeper than Kennedy. Therefore we must always believe anonymous internet guy, and disbelieve, anything said in the real world.

[nholmes]

This thread took a turn for the weird.

For what it's worth, I have two friends that happen to also be BMW service techs at two different dealerships. One says that the bearings almost never have issues and the other suggests oil tests because they are aware of failures.

So YMMV, but clearly there is an issue with them. Hondas don't swap out their bearings at 100k... Just saying. Ringlands though, that's a different story.

[squartus]

Eh no matter where you are a troll always rears its ugly head. Just had another oil report done on my aftermarket rod bearings/ARP rod bolts. 30k on oem and they were shot to shit.. almost 30k on my after market rods and bolts... Oil reports are perfect, pristine even though iv also been boosted for 30k now as well.

Just glad people are taking preventive measures and saving this lovely high reving engine. Glad we have aftermarket guys still making parts for us as well.