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  • Bearing shells Failure!

    It seems that yesterday the bearing shells on my Z3MC S54 decided to fail on it and on me.

    The car was imported from Italy. It is a 2001 model, and with around 39.000 (more or less 24.500 miles) kms on the clock (I bought the car with 30.500).
    I never rev the car beyond 3000 rpms when the oil temperature is below 100-110 grades c. Most of my driving is done between 1500 to 3000 rpms (only around 500 kms of the 8.500 done by me where more spirited...It is my daily car and because of that I do not have the chance to often press on the pedal...
    The car runs with Castrol 10w60 and is in very good condition (paint, chassis, interiors, etc).
    In Italy I took the car to BMW and they validated the fluids, brakes, general state of the car, electronics, etc.

    So what I would like to ask of you guys is: Anyone that has had the bearing shells failure on their S54, please, if you may, share with me all the info you have and how BMW treated your case, because I want to be prepared to make my case with BMW Portugal if needed.

    Kind Regards,

    Paulo M.
    ///M Coupe 2001 S54 Steel Grey - Paulo M.
    -------------------------------------------
    ----- Sporting Clube Portugal - Forever -----

  • #2
    I would like to thank for the help of Martlet and Ex.Dos which I've previously PMed.
    ///M Coupe 2001 S54 Steel Grey - Paulo M.
    -------------------------------------------
    ----- Sporting Clube Portugal - Forever -----

    Comment


    • #3
      sorry to hear your news. I wish you the best on luck with BMW Portugal
      EX: S50 Black with Kyalami Orange/Black Leather. Becker Bluetooth/Ipod HU.
      Now: S50 Black/Black with Ap Racing brakes and Race logic

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by David1975 View Post
        sorry to hear your news. I wish you the best on luck with BMW Portugal
        Thank You David!!!
        ///M Coupe 2001 S54 Steel Grey - Paulo M.
        -------------------------------------------
        ----- Sporting Clube Portugal - Forever -----

        Comment


        • #5
          hello paulo,i hope you resolve the problems fast,good luck!
          www.fastdrive.org
          S50 black/black-red In Rome
          Front BBK Stoptech Red+Eibach Sway Bars+Kw Clubsport Whit Camber plates+Weichers Strutbar+Agk Urethane front Silent Block & differential Bushing+Tuner Motorposrt Alluminium Rear Mount+Hamann Exaust

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          • #6
            I believe THIS S54 eventually had shell problems aswell. This M3 is also a 2001 car.

            The thread may have some usefull info for you. Give BMW some
            Last edited by h4pry; 07-11-2007, 03:57 PM.
            Out: 99 S50 Titan Silver V876 KKO
            In: 98 S50 Estoril.......

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            • #7
              Sorry to hear about this, thats a very low milleage engine- I hope they sort it out for you as its a known fault on the MCs and BMW knew it after only a year or so with the M3. They claim the lower rev limit will protect it, but in your case this is obviously not true. Good luck
              Ex 2001 S54
              New cars:
              Lotus Carlton
              350Z

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              • #8
                Originally posted by MGR View Post
                Sorry to hear about this, thats a very low milleage engine- I hope they sort it out for you as its a known fault on the MCs and BMW knew it after only a year or so with the M3. They claim the lower rev limit will protect it, but in your case this is obviously not true. Good luck
                They use the Rev. Limit and the Oil to justify not touching on the Z3...but the fact remains that the M3 has the same engine, and the Oil was not the solution they found...changing the Bronze (etc) on the B.Shells was the solution.
                Most of the Z3 have less kms that a M3 off the same age, plus, the Z3 is very rare, so of course they hopped that the problem would not be common and therefore treat it on a case by case basis...The M3 implied a image problem to BMW so they had to take action. It may be true that the rev.limit could help lowering the % of occurrences...but if so, why not do that on the M3, with a simple recall for a remap?

                So I'm sure the problem is on the b.shells and nothing else and depending on circumstances the problem may or not occur.

                I still have not answer from BMW but I'm not in a hurry...what I would like was that when the exact problem was diagnosed that BMW would be fair!!!

                If not, I will surely lose faith on BMW and M division...as much as I like the Z3MC (I Love the car...) I will have to risk BMW of my charts and look elsewhere even if, for now, there may not be nothing like the Z3MC around (forget TVR in Portugal or other English bands like Marcus, etc and no, an Elise/Exige will not do).
                ///M Coupe 2001 S54 Steel Grey - Paulo M.
                -------------------------------------------
                ----- Sporting Clube Portugal - Forever -----

                Comment


                • #9
                  I've already sent don.juan quite a lot of info to help him with this matter. BMW USA did 17,000 recalls of S54 engines fitted to E46 M3s but have failed to make a recall for the 3021 E36 models fitted with the same S54 on a worldwide basis.

                  Although BMW claims that lowering the rev limit to 7600rpm in the S54 equipped MC and MR is the solution, the evidence is such that it only reduces the incidence of failure rather than completely cures the problem in all S54 engines which have not benefitted from a recall. As such the bearing shell failure problem is a complete lottery for all owners of MCs and MRs with the S54 engine. BMW knows full well of the problem and also knows exactly what is the cause of the problem and therefore knows the permanent preventive fix. Therefore, IMHO BMW is provably knowingly negligent in not making a recall of the entire S54 equipped models; namely the MC and MR. Whilst the oldest S54 MCs and MRs are now just 6 years old, if a case against in court for bearing shell failure were to be pursued, then I'm sure that BMW would lose. However, what would be the case if an S54 engine fails at 10 years old on a mileage of just 30k miles? I feel athat I need to go postal again to BMW UK .........
                  /// Exdos ///
                  "Men who try the impossible and fail spectacularly are infinitely superior to those who reach for nothing and succeed" --Napoleon Bonapart

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Best of luck don_juan.

                    I don't even know what a shell bearing is but it sounds serious. Give BMW portugal heaps of grief.
                    Strongstrut CL front brace-Yellowstuff pads/Castrol SRF race brake fluid-Rogue top mounts/Rear support bushes-H&R ARBs-Whiteline droplinks-Bilstein Sport shockers-H&R Springs-Black Halo Angel Eye headlight units-Sachs lightweight flywheel/matching clutch-Supersprint exhaust/race catalysers-BBS RSGTs with Falkens-K&N High Flow Air Filter-Recaro Pole Position seats - Exdos mod - ACS flippers

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                    • #11
                      Crap, I feel for you, I have an S54 with low mileage so I'll be praying I'm not affected by this.
                      I hope you give BMW some grief and get it fixed with minimum cost.

                      Mags

                      S54 Titianium

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Does anyone know what the recall involved?
                        I also have a low mileage S54 and wonder if its worth considering a preventative fix now rather than a long drawn out battle with BMW if the worst happens...
                        Russ

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by RussJ View Post
                          Does anyone know what the recall involved?
                          I also have a low mileage S54 and wonder if its worth considering a preventative fix now rather than a long drawn out battle with BMW if the worst happens...
                          Russ
                          From what I know, the engine from 06/2003 onwards, on the M3/M3CSL and Z4M/Z4MC has a different/stronger bronze or let's say, the bearing shells are made of a different/stronger bronze and also the connecting rod bearing shell clearance from 0.03mm to 0.04mm.

                          I believe that the M3 was more prone to this problem because most of the piled on more miles than a Z3 of the same year. The rev limit may help delaying the problem on the Z3 but let's face it, with the wormer/hotter temperatures in Portugal, 7600 rpms could easily cause more stress and heat than 7900 in UK...we get 40 degrees C. in July and August (not all the time) but 30 to 35...that is common. This past few weeks, we still have sun and during the day we reach 25/26/27 degrees...so I know I do not rev the car when I shouldn't...and only when the oil is around 100 degrees, and only then I do pass the 3000 rpms...Also, most of the times I had the chance to stress the car, it was night time so cool enough for the engine...!

                          So I can only conclude that it is true! The S54 engine has a fault on it's production for engines built during a certain period (in which we all Z3MC S54 owners fall), as stated in Service Information B11 04 04.
                          Last edited by don.juan; 13-11-2007, 11:24 AM.
                          ///M Coupe 2001 S54 Steel Grey - Paulo M.
                          -------------------------------------------
                          ----- Sporting Clube Portugal - Forever -----

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Did some more research on this...
                            BMW can still supply the upgrade kit for £130, consisting of shells, gaskets etc. No need to replace pump unless the engine has suffered damage already.
                            I also have a pdf of the official instructions explaining exactly how the work should be done. Its not too difficult but will require a very methodical approach and precautions to avoid damage to journals.
                            One issue that needs to be emphasised is that the big end bolts on our cars are a strange 11mm size and replacements are no longer available from BMW. If one is damaged the only solution is a complete new conrod set at about £1300! Later cars changed to 10mm which obviously wont fit.
                            If I remember correctly, it was possible to buy super strong bolts from an after market supplier but I'm not sure who. Anyone know?
                            It seems to me that there is a strong case for doing some preventative work here rather than relying on BMW's generosity (not).
                            Russ

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by RussJ View Post
                              Did some more research on this...
                              BMW can still supply the upgrade kit for £130, consisting of shells, gaskets etc. No need to replace pump unless the engine has suffered damage already.
                              I also have a pdf of the official instructions explaining exactly how the work should be done. Its not too difficult but will require a very methodical approach and precautions to avoid damage to journals.
                              One issue that needs to be emphasised is that the big end bolts on our cars are a strange 11mm size and replacements are no longer available from BMW. If one is damaged the only solution is a complete new conrod set at about £1300! Later cars changed to 10mm which obviously wont fit.
                              If I remember correctly, it was possible to buy super strong bolts from an after market supplier but I'm not sure who. Anyone know?
                              It seems to me that there is a strong case for doing some preventative work here rather than relying on BMW's generosity (not).
                              Russ
                              Russ, thank you very much. Could you send me the pdf you refer to?
                              I would like to emphasise Russ's questions regarding an after market supplier for the bolts...I hope to know today or tomorrow the extent of the damage and by now I'm hoping that the kit from BMW will be enough...and therefore that the engine is still ok.
                              ///M Coupe 2001 S54 Steel Grey - Paulo M.
                              -------------------------------------------
                              ----- Sporting Clube Portugal - Forever -----

                              Comment

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