https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/d/2003-bmw-x5/6691942251.html
It is likely a mile from my house.
Does anyone have a spare 00-03 4.4 laying around for cheap?
https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/d/2003-bmw-x5/6691942251.html
It is likely a mile from my house.
Does anyone have a spare 00-03 4.4 laying around for cheap?
It's probably the guides rather than the chain itself. Either way you're opening up the front of the motor and doing it all, assuming that's all that's failed or broken. Probably easier to drop in a new motor, but I would still strongly suggest you do the chain guides before swapping it in, and this only makes sense if you want it as a driver, as you'll likely never make that money back on a flip.
My wife likes these so If it is real clean maybe just maybe. My brain keeps telling me I do not need another project. My wife keeps telling me that she wants a different car.
If the seller will allow it maybe a presale leak-down test should be the deciding factor.
Looks like it's on its way to becoming a lawn ornament.
In my opinion the effort you'll spend repairing that motor will bring you up to or past the point of what it's worth when it's fixed. I would just buy one that's running for $3k. If you do buy it i also second the idea of dropping a running engine into it with all the preventative work done while it's out.
rear suspension looks sorta collapsed too.
problem with bimmers of this age is everything fails at once. So yes, the motor took it off the road, but I bet the bushings are shot, shocks are useless, wheel bearings are whining, tie-rods and ball joints are clanking, the exhaust is rusted, vacuum hoses are cracked, and the splines between the transfer case and the front driveshaft are toast.
Once you fix all of that you'll have a $3500 car.
Now, if you want to LS-swap it and bring it to the challenge, it suddenly sounds like money well spent!
I have a friend with a later year of this model. His wife broke a headlight. Just the light module - no body involved. That was a $5k repair.
it's a 32-valve interference engine. they'll run for a while with noisy chains but if the chain breaks or gets jammed up inside the cover, it will bend a bunch of valves.
i've got the tool kit if you do decide to go for it. it's not a difficult job, just tedious.
but the rotors look a bit rusty, like they've been mowing around it for a while...
An X5 converted my former BMW loving friend into a non-BMW lover.
Sparkydog said:I have a friend with a later year of this model. His wife broke a headlight. Just the light module - no body involved. That was a $5k repair.
wow!
If that is true this one looks like an absolutely great part out deal then...
On a BMW every little job will take 4 times as long. I have a X3 it is not really designed to be repaired....
If the timing chain caused it to quit running, then there are bent valves. The easy fix would be to pull the entire motor, then replace with another one.... Doing much with it in the car, would be very difficult.
Thanks Y'all I'll just run away. I'll stick with Jap stuff for my wife, she likes thing that work and don't cost too much to maintain.
If I remember the story correctly it went like this:
Total bill was just shy of $5k and about 2 weeks and 2 shops worth of enjoyment.
akylekoz said:Thanks Y'all I'll just run away. I'll stick with Jap stuff for my wife, she likes thing that work and don't cost too much to maintain.
A buddy reminds me on a regular basis: "Just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should do it." Those of us who can fix broke cars need to keep this in the front of our heads...
Anyone make an LS conversion kit for it?
I have said this many times to my friend. If someone made a kit to put 5.3 LS motors in the v8 BMWs you could probably make money doing it.
In reply to Sparkydog :
Sure. But here’s another version of the story.
Friend buys used headlamps and adjusters at local yard.
When it goes into limp mode he downloads free software to connect the modules using the cable he already had since everyone who works on a late bmw knows to have one.
Your story reads like a comedy of bad decisions - I certainly wouldn’t recommend a bmw to anyone who pays to have them repaired, but they are MUCH cheaper to own if you diy and can do your homework.
dean1484 said:I have said this many times to my friend. If someone made a kit to put 5.3 LS motors in the v8 BMWs you could probably make money doing it.
I have a friend who's done a pile of BMW LS swaps. He's got it figured out
Odd thing about th "X" series, they have a front drive shaft that goes through the oil pan.
This slows down the required fix of the leaking oil pan, that all leak. Turning rubber things into goo, like the motor mounts.
The up side, this oil keeps the chassis from rusting. Think of a British infusion into German engineering, assembled in the US.
Add to that the front differential, when the fluid is changed you have to update the ECU. Or live with one more code light on the dash.
On a personal note, my wife's DD is a 3.0 2005 X3 with 165,000 miles. The thing is a tank, drives it hard and it's great in the snow with the correct tires.
She wants a red one, next time.
Suprf1y said:dean1484 said:I have said this many times to my friend. If someone made a kit to put 5.3 LS motors in the v8 BMWs you could probably make money doing it.
I have a friend who's done a pile of BMW LS swaps. He's got it figured out
Who-aaa, tell us (well, me, anyway) more about these swaps!
Any chance there is an X5 build thread somewhere? I’ve seen YouTube videos and web articles about “monster wild turbo full off-road build ls swaps” but what i’d love is a GRM style nitty gritty build thread for a straight “keep it simple” swap.
In reply to Nathan JansenvanDoorn :
Yes - you have my friend figured out.
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