DIY: S65 M3 Rod Bearing

[TheBreeze]

Originally Posted by deansbimmer

This is a big one. Many hearts have been broken after this job when they found a pool of oil under the car and pulled everything back out to "reseal" a perfectly good oil pan gasket.

Be sure to clean any leaked oil out from the transmission bellhousing while the oil pan is off, so that this doesn't happen to you.

No kidding LOL. I'm still at a loss to figure out how the oil worked it's way into the bellhousing. I don't recall tipping the pan when I dropped it, and obviosuly, I drained the oil first. I've had to clean up the mess twice so far after this job - the second time was a whole lot less oil. I sprayed a generous amount of brake cleaner into the drain hole to hopefully get any residual oil washed out. We'll see ..

[ItsCoo2PYoPants]

thank you for posting this DIY. I'm getting the confidence to do this myself.

[Mpower04]

Originally Posted by TheBreeze

Really excellent and detailed DIY. Big kudos to Shadow and all who contributed. I tackled this job by myself over superbowl weekend, this DIY was invaluable prep and made it really easy to get all ducks in a row. On the advice of others, I did purchase a 12mm bi-hex 12pt deep socket to remove the original rod bolts and I'm very glad I did. My regular gearwrench 12pt sockets were a little too loose for comfort, while the bi-hex socket fit much better. The downside is that quality bi-hex sockets ain't cheap - I paid $30 for the single socket. I'm a pretty competent amateur mechanic, so I was pretty comfortable tackling this job. I mostly followed the DIY. I borrowed a friend's quick-jack to do the job, so at least I didn't need to mess with jack stands. The quick-jack provides around 20" of lift, which gave me plently of room underneath the car to work. I was still on my back the whole time, but at least it was easy moving around. I ended up discconecting the tierods, LCAs, and thrust rods at both knuckles, which let me swing the subframe out under the front bumper (I left the steering box hoses connected). This provided me with unobstructed access to the oil pan and made it much easier to get to the good stuff. It really didn't take too much more time, and I'm confident it greatly lowered the hassle/annoyance factor. I didn't bother sorting the oil pan bolts into the cardboard template - there's only 3 different lengths and it's very easy to know which ones go where. I also did not remove the fan, as there was just enough room to get a socket and breaker bar on the crank pulley nut. Toughest part of the job was probably getting the steering hooked back up - there's not a lot of room to get your hands in there to push the couplings together. No issues getting it lined up though. I ended up using BE bearings/bolts, and glad I did. The extra coin spent on the BE bolts were worth it in time savings alone. I ended up plastiguaging everything and all clearances were consistent. I did replace the motor mounts while I was in there, and also took the opportunity to re-tap one of the oil pan drain holes that was getting a little sticky. Overall, the motor appeared to be in great shape for almost 88k miles. From underneath, it was all *very* clean, cylinder walls looked perfect, crank was perfect, all metals looked like new.

I haven't driven the car a ton since completing the job, but so far, it's running great without any weird noises :-). The initial fire-up was a bit nerve-wracking for the first couple of seconds while oil pressure built back up. I was a bit surprised I had to add probably close 9.5L of oil before the oil level would show full. The spec says capacity is 8.8L, but perhaps that's not adjusting for an engine completely empty of oil. One issue I had was mentioned by another poster - I think some oil worked it's way into the bellhousing. After I completed the job and started the car and verified there were no obvious leaks, I parked my car in the driveway pointing downhill while I cleaned the garage. This left a big oil blotch on the driveway and the bottom of the rear oil pan sump covered in oil. I cleaned it all up and will monitor from here - hopefully it was just oil trapped in the bellhousing

Regarding the quick-jack lift, really awesome and clever peice of machinery. It's compact enough to store easily and is so much easier then messing with floor jack and jack stands. My buddy was kind enough to offer to loan me his any time I need it, but I may have to buy for myself after this experience. If you do a lot of wrenching, it's pretty darn convenient.

Some pictures of the job, the "workshop", the sister mistresses, and finally the patient ...

Did you leave your motor mounts attached to the engine when you re installed or did you swap them to the subframe?

[TheBreeze]

Originally Posted by Warpig12354

Did you leave your motor mounts attached to the engine when you re installed or did you swap them to the subframe?

I replaced the mounts. At first, I bolted them to the engine brackets, then later loosened them so I could rotate them into place as I was reinstalling the subframe. In hindsight, while it can be done either way, it's probably a little easier to just bolt them to the subframe first. As I was raising the subframe back in place, I discovered the upper mount nuts are easily accessible from the wheel well, so my intial concern I wouldn't be able to get to the top nuts was unfounded.

[swhat]

After starting the car, my car made a high pitched noise....is this normal?

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by deansbimmer

This is a big one. Many hearts have been broken after this job when they found a pool of oil under the car and pulled everything back out to "reseal" a perfectly good oil pan gasket.

Be sure to clean any leaked oil out from the transmission bellhousing while the oil pan is off, so that this doesn't happen to you.

This didn't happen to me...

Actually it did

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by swhat

After starting the car, my car made a high pitched noise....is this normal?

No

[swhat]

I think I reinstalled the belt for incorrectly...

[SYT_Shadow]

DIY updated

-Removed the fan removal which takes a long time and is completely unnecessary

-Added note for Dinan underdrive pulley

-Made removal of the fat oil pipe which makes removing the oil pan optional

[pbonsalb]

Now that you have done 4 of these, what is your working time down to from start to finish?

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Now that you have done 4 of these, what is your working time down to from start to finish?

This time it was 8h including a 30 min lunch, but I ran into the evil Dinan pulley which took a while to figure out
We also changed the diff fluid as the car was up in the air

Not removing the fan is definitely a step in the right direction though! Everything you don't do reduces the change of screwing up


I'm going to try to do two cars at the same time in 8h. My brother and I as the primary workers and both car owners which I've worked with in the past helping out. It's so hard to schedule this stuff, I have my own cars to prepare for the track season!!! LOL

It's clearly at the point where the reason we take 8h is we go slow and double check things, change gloves 8000x, etc. I'm sure it could be done in 6h if we stop overseeing each other's work -- not worth the risk IMHO

[Scharbag]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

This time it was 8h including a 30 min lunch, but I ran into the evil Dinan pulley which took a while to figure out
We also changed the diff fluid as the car was up in the air

Not removing the fan is definitely a step in the right direction though! Everything you don't do reduces the change of screwing up


I'm going to try to do two cars at the same time in 8h. My brother and I as the primary workers and both car owners helping out. It's so hard to schedule this stuff, I have my own cars to prepare for the track season!!! LOL

It's clearly at the point where the reason we take 8h is we go slow and double check things, change gloves 8000x, etc. I'm sure it could be done in 6h if we stop overseeing each other's work

But is saving 2 hours worth risking a mistake?

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by Scharbag

But is saving 2 hours worth risking a mistake?

Of course not, which is why I don't expect to take less than 8h on this, ever. It's important to take your time!

[SYT_Shadow]

Updated:

Here's a video that shows some of the key parts of the rod bearing replacement

[inTgr8r]

I'm probably going to drop the whole subframe, especially since I'll also be doing suspension , brakes and thrust arm bushing at the same time.

From what I can see, it looks like new banjo bolt washers for the PS are the only additional parts.
If there's anything else I would appreciate some feedback other parts needed

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

I'm probably going to drop the whole subframe, especially since I'll also be doing suspension , brakes and thrust arm bushing at the same time.

From what I can see, it looks like new banjo bolt washers for the PS are the only additional parts.
If there's anything else I would appreciate some feedback other parts needed

If you're doing suspension yeah, it isn't a bad idea. I like the simplicity of not fully dropping it

[MMachines]

I'm not sure if some of my thoughts below are covered elsewhere in this thread but wanted to put out there a few FYI's from a guy with limited specialty tools who did this service on his back. OP, I hope you don't mind, I'll get rid of this if you want but for the meantime I took the liberty.

1) This is better with a friend who knows their tools and can hand you stuff. That was a huge inefficiency but I survived just fine.

2) In addition to the tools mentioned in the DIY, things I needed that weren't standard within any of my kits include (and maybe I'm dense and missed it):
-16mm wrench
-E socket set (for E10 and E12)
-E wrench for where the socket doesn't fit, I got a dual sided E10/E12 (can't remember which I needed)

3) I zip tied through 2 holes the oil pan gasket to the pan while getting it positioned, got a few bolts started, cut the zip ties.

4) car positioning, put it higher than you think is good. I lifted front and rear but once that subframe is dropped it gets tight. I also pulled up close to a pole in my garage and it was constantly in my way. With the bottom of the front bumper at 16" high, I had 8" between the subframe and the floor.

5) My HID angle sensor would NOT plug in. 1 drop of lube worked around the seal with a toothpick and slid right in.

6) I prestarted my steering rack bolt for reassembly to not have to fight with it later. lol. It doesn't work like that, take it out. There's lots of play in this linkage it doesn't have to slide on as subframe is raised. I put the subframe up and put a few bolts in a few threads on passenger side, jacked subframe more to the point where it looks too high for the steering linkage then reached in and it slid right on about 1/4". I kept raising subframe and pryed it on the rest of the way. First try took me an hour with no success. Second try was maybe 5 minutes.

7)

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

Putting the DCT into neutral. The 6MT guys can skip this part

NO WE CAN'T! :P I actually forgot (nothing to do with this FYI) but I couldn't turn the crank, then I heard my ebrake creak... WHOOPS! Let's not try to kill myself tonight by driving the car off the stands (rears were on ramps).


Fantastic DIY, I sincerely appreciate it and hope you don't mind my insights. Would I do it again on my back, sure, especially cause it wouldn't be my car and I get to watch! hahahaha. In all seriousness, it was fine.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by MMachines

I'm not sure if some of my thoughts below are covered elsewhere in this thread but wanted to put out there a few FYI's from a guy with limited specialty tools who did this service on his back. OP, I hope you don't mind, I'll get rid of this if you want but for the meantime I took the liberty.

1) This is better with a friend who knows their tools and can hand you stuff. That was a huge inefficiency but I survived just fine.

2) In addition to the tools mentioned in the DIY, things I needed that weren't standard within any of my kits include (and maybe I'm dense and missed it):
-16mm wrench
-E socket set (for E10 and E12)
-E wrench for where the socket doesn't fit, I got a dual sided E10/E12 (can't remember which I needed)

3) I zip tied through 2 holes the oil pan gasket to the pan while getting it positioned, got a few bolts started, cut the zip ties.

4) car positioning, put it higher than you think is good. I lifted front and rear but once that subframe is dropped it gets tight. I also pulled up close to a pole in my garage and it was constantly in my way. With the bottom of the front bumper at 16" high, I had 8" between the subframe and the floor.

5) My HID angle sensor would NOT plug in. 1 drop of lube worked around the seal with a toothpick and slid right in.

6) I prestarted my steering rack bolt for reassembly to not have to fight with it later. lol. It doesn't work like that, take it out. There's lots of play in this linkage it doesn't have to slide on as subframe is raised. I put the subframe up and put a few bolts in a few threads on passenger side, jacked subframe more to the point where it looks too high for the steering linkage then reached in and it slid right on about 1/4". I kept raising subframe and pryed it on the rest of the way. First try took me an hour with no success. Second try was maybe 5 minutes.

7)

NO WE CAN'T! :P I actually forgot (nothing to do with this FYI) but I couldn't turn the crank, then I heard my ebrake creak... WHOOPS! Let's not try to kill myself tonight by driving the car off the stands (rears were on ramps).


Fantastic DIY, I sincerely appreciate it and hope you don't mind my insights. Would I do it again on my back, sure, especially cause it wouldn't be my car and I get to watch! hahahaha. In all seriousness, it was fine.

Awesome insights! I'll add it to the post at the beginning

I definitely don't mind the improvements! Glad you found it helpful and were able to change your bearings!!!

[admranger]

MMachines Great tip with the zip ties. Wish I'd have thought of that.

[bigjae1976]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

DIY updated

-Removed the fan removal which takes a long time and is completely unnecessary

-Added note for Dinan underdrive pulley

-Made removal of the fat oil pipe which makes removing the oil pan optional

Should have left the fan removal in so you'd have a good laugh when people are like...removing that fan was a PIA. Haha

[DeafM5]

Love the DIY. Looks like I will come to you for Rod bearings replacements once an E90 M3 is in the family.

[M3MPH1S]

Does anyone have any input on if the rod needs rehoning due to the change in torque from the new bolts? I've been told that torquing down the new bolts could cause slight deformation (due to it being a circle) that could cause premature wear on the bearings.