Official S65 Rod Bearing Condition Example Thread

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by acvanlie74

Just bought my '08 with 138k miles on original bearings in July. Glad I went ahead and replaced them quickly...

Great timing on that replacement!

[acvanlie74]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Great timing on that replacement!

I know. The guy I bought it from had the car the last 10 years and was planning to do them at 150k, but I think that would have been cutting it reallllll close to disaster if not failing before then.

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by acvanlie74

Just bought my '08 with 138k miles on original bearings in July. Glad I went ahead and replaced them quickly...

Jeeze! My 08 has 98,000 miles and next week finally taking it in to get this job done that’s been hanging over me. Those look not so good. I wonder how mine will look like. I’ll report back with pictures.
Rb

[Assimilator1]

Originally Posted by acvanlie74

Just bought my '08 with 138k miles on original bearings in July. Glad I went ahead and replaced them quickly...

Ooff yea, pretty rough, although they look pretty similar to mine at about 78k miles! lol

[sahanMpower]

Hey guys ,are these cams need to be replace ?

[spammysammich]

Cams? Your crank is fuct.

[jvictormp]

Originally Posted by sahanMpower

Hey guys ,are these cams need to be replace ?

Who did the disassemble job? You really don't know what's going on?

[Assimilator1]

Originally Posted by sahanMpower

Hey guys ,are these cams need to be replace ?

Crank (journals), not cams.
And as said, your crank is damaged (and the conrods with the spun bearings), as can be seen in the 3rd and 4th photo.
How badly is hard to tell from your photos, you might get away with just replacing the bearings, for a while (if it's not too bad), but a proper job would require a new crank.

I don't think these cranks can be reground?

[bearpunk]

Looking for some opinions and figured this thread would be the best place to ask.

I'm just getting around to installing some BE rod bearings I ordered back in 2021. The very first top bearing I go to install slipped out my hand and bounced on the ground. Upon inspecting it I've found a tiny ding in the beveled edge on the bearing. I can't feel when I run my fingernail down the main surface of the bearing but I can feel it if I run it down the beveled edge. Any thoughts on if its still safe to run? I know BE bearings are generally unavailable at the moment so I feel like I might be potentially screwed in getting a replacement.

Here are some photos of the bearing.

[IamFODI]

Ah, man. That sucks. Might be fine, but I wouldn't use it.

No need to feel bad about dropping something. Accidents happen. But this is definitely the kind of job where it's better to take the general attitude of being willing to accept a little bit of pain now (e.g. waiting for replacement bearings) to reduce the risk of a lot more later, even when it comes to small details.

[KawBoy]

Originally Posted by bearpunk

Looking for some opinions and figured this thread would be the best place to ask.

I'm just getting around to installing some BE rod bearings I ordered back in 2021. The very first top bearing I go to install slipped out my hand and bounced on the ground. Upon inspecting it I've found a tiny ding in the beveled edge on the bearing. I can't feel when I run my fingernail down the main surface of the bearing but I can feel it if I run it down the beveled edge. Any thoughts on if its still safe to run? I know BE bearings are generally unavailable at the moment so I feel like I might be potentially screwed in getting a replacement.

Here are some photos of the bearing.
Attachment 3566436Attachment 3566437

You should be OK.

[Assimilator1]

Hmm, would probably be ok I think.

Can you look at it edge on, perhaps using a magnifying glass to see if it's caused a slight 'hump' above the ding on the bearing surface?
Although tbh, I'm not sure if you'd see anything even if it was significant to the bearing clearance (bearing in mind BEs (v1) clearance of ~0.06 mm), e.g would a hump of 0.03mm even be visible??

I wonder, if you took it to a machine shop, or engine shop, whether they'd be able to check & measure it for you using precision instruments?

[BimmerRob08]

Finally was able to get my Rod Bearings done. No. 3 top bearing was starting to cavitate. All my journals looked good. Definitaly some copper showing and my last oil sample had shown a slight increase in copper also. My M3 made it to 99,450 miles. Also motor mounts were trash. I drove it on a two day road trip to OC to get them done as no one in my rural area can be trusted with doing this job on a BMW. lol.

Also, a MASSIVE shout out and props to Malek and his dad at MRF engineering. They did an excellent job. I had to trust I was able to head back to N. Nevada on a two day trip after a large job as this and my M3 with no problems and it ran like a champ!

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by sahanMpower

Hey guys ,are these cams need to be replace ?

No to cams, but YES -> the crank and rod bearings need to be replaced.

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by DrFerry

No to cams, but YES -> the crank and rod bearings need to be replaced.

Rod bearings are accessible and fail almost certainly at some point. Crank main bearings fail at a much lower percentage, engine care, etc. dependent, and require an engine pull and usually at that point, most will go ahead and have the engine rebuilt = $$$$$$$$$!

[jvictormp]

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

Rod bearings are accessible and fail almost certainly at some point. Crank main bearings fail at a much lower percentage, engine care, etc. dependent, and require an engine pull and usually at that point, most will go ahead and have the engine rebuilt = $$$$$$$$$!

He didn't mean crank bearing. He meant crank itself and rod bearings.

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by jvictormp

He didn't mean crank bearing. He meant crank itself and rod bearings.

Right

[DrFerry]

Originally Posted by bearpunk

Looking for some opinions and figured this thread would be the best place to ask. I'm just getting around to installing some BE rod bearings I ordered back in 2021. The very first top bearing I go to install slipped out my hand and bounced on the ground. Upon inspecting it I've found a tiny ding in the beveled edge on the bearing. I can't feel when I run my fingernail down the main surface of the bearing but I can feel it if I run it down the beveled edge. Any thoughts on if its still safe to run? I know BE bearings are generally unavailable at the moment so I feel like I might be potentially screwed in getting a replacement. Here are some photos of the bearing.

If you really want to be sure you could ask Green-Eggs via Private Message or contact B.E. Bearings.
Technical: bert@bebearings
Sales: ernie@bebearings

[DW_CT9A]

Did mine about a month ago.

111,073 miles
US market car, 05/2008 production, DCT

088/089 bearings which appear to be original.
All journals were flawless from what I could tell with basic visual inspection.
Good Blackstone UOAs x4 spanning the last 15k miles.



On this next photo I max'd the exposure setting to enhance defects.



I've had the car for two months and this was an interesting way to get acquainted. Also did the engine mounts, and like everyone else these were beyond smoked.

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by DW_CT9A

Did mine about a month ago.

111,073 miles
US market car, 05/2008 production, DCT

088/089 bearings which appear to be original.
All journals were flawless from what I could tell with basic visual inspection.
Good Blackstone UOAs x4 spanning the last 15k miles.

Attachment 3593928

On this next photo I max'd the exposure setting to enhance defects.

Attachment 3593929

I've had the car for two months and this was an interesting way to get acquainted. Also did the engine mounts, and like everyone else these were beyond smoked.

Kinda close to what my early 08 M3 looked like at 99K miles. Weight of my shoulders I tell ya!

[DW_CT9A]

So the S65 was featured in Blackstone's newsletter this month (full pdf report attached). On the topic of rod bearings, here's an interesting one.

How do you decide to only replace 3???

With OCIs like that, this thing is as good as dead.

[IamFODI]

Originally Posted by DW_CT9A

How do you decide to only replace 3???

I'm betting that's an autocorrect fail.