Engine knock - Rod bearings issue, savable without an engine replacement?

8lueM3 wrote

Sorry to ask, what do you mean by 'tabs'?

Also, forgot to upload the outside of one of the RB:
https://imgur.com/a/IjYolL8

One thing that feels weird to me, is that everytime I googled for "S65 RB replacement", the RB were much more "used", the copper part was showing, however, as the RB I've shown in the pics (which is where it has some damage) doesn't really expose any copper, it actually looks almost "new" - I was expecting something like this (Not my pic):
https://imgur.com/a/evyQiTq

See example of a rod bearing locking tab in the image below.
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8lueM3 wrote

Sorry to ask, what do you mean by 'tabs'?
Also, forgot to upload the outside of one of the RB:
https://imgur.com/a/IjYolL8

This photo is showing the back of the bearing shell to be heavily scored and worn. This indicates the shell was rotating in the carrier. In other words the bearing was spinning on the crank journal and piston big end journal. You were very lucky. Take a trip to Vegas and play Roulette. You should do quite well.

8lueM3 wrote

One thing that feels weird to me, is that every time I googled for "S65 RB replacement", the RB were much more "used", the copper part was showing, however, as the RB I've shown in the pics (which is where it has some damage) doesn't really expose any copper, it actually looks almost "new" - I was expecting something like this:
https://imgur.com/a/evyQiTq

One possible reason your example doesn't show copper is the copper layer has been worn away from the bearing shell spinning on the crank - OR your car is using the later tin type bearings instead of the earlier lead + copper bearings.

Edit: I see your original post says your car is a 2008. The earlier cars had lead + copper RB. So yours has worn away......

Wait - Could this (the circled item) be the RB tab? Or is that normal?
https://imgur.com/a/MSHsGfQ

8lueM3 wrote

Wait - Could this (the circled item) be the RB tab? Or is that normal?
https://imgur.com/a/MSHsGfQ

That is where the tab sits, but I can't tell from the picture if there is any broken material in there.

These are the tabs from the upper shells located and held in the con rod. Look for remnants in the bottom rod bearing caps.
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I thought about updating this thread, just for the sake of giving information to others, but never managed or remembered to do so.

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Last post was on the 5th May 2022, many things happened before I managed to get the car back up and running, but it took 1 year and 20 days. May 25th was the day I got the car back on the road.

I went through an engine rebuild, spending roughly 14k EUR between parts and labour, including a new crankshaft, ACL Race RB HX STDX, polished parts (I can't exactly remember which ones), and after almost 8k miles (and usual maintenance done on the car), she's running almost perfectly (clutch bearing giving me some noises, clutch replacement coming soon, buying directly the LuK clutch).

I will go through an oil change (last one done 3.5k miles ago) just to check the quality of the oil, if there's anything odd, but so far, I'm happy to be out of the long and dark tunnel.

Thanks for the update, sorry to hear it cost you so much (although at least not as much as a new engine!). How much was the crankshaft btw? And was it BWM or some other make?
I see I haven't added your case to my 'blown engines' list here, I'll add your case in a second.

Good to hear it's back on the road anyway

Oh btw, do you know what shells the dealer fitted 9-10k miles ago? Or when they replaced them?
People here were assuming you had the lead/copper shells because it's an 08, but they forgot they had already been replaced .
(and we also know now that the later tin/alu bearings also have copper in them).

Hello @8lueM3

Someone on cutters pointed this thread out.

Qq...
You said was 08 car, but from that year you'd expect lead coated bearings and with wear showing the copper.

However, your photo here has no copper showing.
https://imgur.com/a/NxNnvXV#DwubA3S

I can see you asked about that but you reposted picture of the outside of the heating so the question for distracted into talking about spinning of the bearing around the journal.

Anyhow... So given 08 cars came with lead+copper bearings and the ones you photographed are not, it's safe to say the bearings were changed at some point.
Maybe dealer did do them, just badly?

Chris

Assimilator1 wrote

Thanks for the update, sorry to hear it cost you so much (although at least not as much as a new engine!). How much was the crankshaft btw? And was it BWM or some other make?
I see I haven't added your case to my 'blown engines' list here, I'll add your case in a second.

Good to hear it's back on the road anyway

Oh btw, do you know what shells the dealer fitted 9-10k miles ago? Or when they replaced them?
People here were assuming you had the lead/copper shells because it's an 08, but they forgot they had already been replaced .
(and we also know now that the later tin/alu bearings also have copper in them).

Bought a genuine BMW crankshaft for around 2.7k EUR, polished it for an extra 200 EUR.

The main-shells that I've installed were BMW ones. But that's from a misunderstanding between the mechanic and me, as I wanted to install the King Racing Main Bearing instead.

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Oh, wait, so are you guys saying that they've been indeed replaced? I didn't/don't have any records of them being changed previous to the rebuild, and I remember I was still dubious about that, but they indeed didn't show any copper.

I guess the dealer didn't lie... just a really bad installation?

8lueM3 wrote

Bought a genuine BMW crankshaft for around 2.7k EUR, polished it for an extra 200 EUR.

The main-shells that I've installed were BMW ones. But that's from a misunderstanding between the mechanic and me, as I wanted to install the King Racing Main Bearing instead.

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Oh, wait, so are you guys saying that they've been indeed replaced? I didn't/don't have any records of them being changed previous to the rebuild, and I remember I was still dubious about that, but they indeed didn't show any copper.

I guess the dealer didn't lie... just a really bad installation?

Well I hadn't said that, but you did and crypticc did.
That said, looking at the photos again that you posted on 20/5/22, they don't look like the normal lead/copper bearings, and have a very consistent colour right across the bearing, so yes, perhaps they have been changed.