I was in the automotive industry for 43 years, starting with mechanical repair and engine rebuilding and including 15 years of full collision repair and restoration. I finished with 28 years of insurance appraising before retiring. I stumbled upon your videos and love everything about them! It brings me back to the great times I had being in the auto industry. Thank you for an enjoyable and educational channel. Since I was active on the older, simpler designed engines etc, your videos show me the difference between those older cars and the newer ones of today. Keep up the great work you’re doing creating your videos.

absolutely pumped to know I can pick up an engine hoist at Walgreens

I love when I get home from work and there’s another video that I can watch from I do cars. This is by far an amazing youtube channel. I love learning about malice in the combustion palace and old blue and his ever growing collection of bmw’s. Love your videos man.

@liver.flush.maestro

2 жыл бұрын

And not forgetting about the "piston mc-nuggets"! 🙂 And it is "old blue to the rescue", "...this timing chain, will keep for later"...

@s3vR3x

2 жыл бұрын

i agree! love this channel! i actually found a post about this m3 on reddit when you had like 100 followers and subb'd then and kept coming back

@michaelthorne1347

2 жыл бұрын

@@liver.flush.maestro ...this timing guide, absolutely perfect! *yeet* (garbage bin sounds)

@liver.flush.maestro

2 жыл бұрын

@@michaelthorne1347 🤣

@johnburgess4941

2 жыл бұрын

Couldn’t have said it any better

That circular plate on the bottom of the oil pan that you had to remove to reinstall the pan looks amazingly like the oil screen plate on an old VW aircooled engine.

@Hdogdog7

2 жыл бұрын

That's what I saw!

It takes a lot of engineering talent to build so many fatal flaws into a single engine. Rod bearings! Multiple catastrophic Vanos failures! Disintegrating chain guides! This engine has it all.

@JimBronson

2 жыл бұрын

Reminds me of the 5.4 3V, of which I own one. In that engine's case add oil pump, they are all aluminum and tend to get high clearance inside after a good amount of miles. The Melling replacement has a steel backing plate instead of being all aluminum. At least the 5.4 3V easier to work on. Couldn't believe the stuff that was pulled under the car on the M3, completely removing the steering box and folding all that stuff out of the way. Yikes.

@michaelblacktree

2 жыл бұрын

Also the cooling system, and the CCV system. And on the non-M engines, you have to worry about the oil pump self-disassembling.

@dodimolina

Жыл бұрын

Don’t forget the oil pump failure

@harrywalker5836

Жыл бұрын

cant beat ford cleveland, last forever, never stop..

@chrisbradley3224

Жыл бұрын

The Vanos and chain guides are stupid, but the bearings aren't really an issue on this engine until very high miles. It's not like S65 and S85. This engine is NA 3.2L and makes 333 hp without direct injection. It revs to 8k and it's oversquare. It's a highly stressed design so some bearing wear is to be expected. To me, it's worth the trade-off. It's an amazing engine that requires some preventative maintenance.

You know, I'm not sure how your channel was recommended to me, but I'm absolutely digging it! The bits of humor you inject into each video are, in my opinion, perfect. Glad your car didn't blow up on you!

@johncoops6897

2 жыл бұрын

Go back and watch his older content, it is awesome. Note the "in joke" about always (wiping) from "front to back".

When I got to the part of the video where you show what was going on with those bolts, my jaw dropped. It's a miracle that engine didn't grenade it's self. I've owned too many BMW's, I am used to them totaling themselves without ever being in a crash.

@liver.flush.maestro

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, they commit suicide looks like🙂

@yamaha226

2 жыл бұрын

Good reason to keep purchasing them.

@Elementaliti

2 жыл бұрын

@@yamaha226 Before everything started inflating, it made more sense to buy one at such a low price if it was in decent shape and then take a gamble on getting a year or two out of them before scrapping it, not so much anymore.

@yamaha226

2 жыл бұрын

@@Elementaliti I understand now.

@acewingdabson3139

Жыл бұрын

Used to totally themselves without being in a crash? Tf that even mean? That just sounds like a bad owner? Ive owned many too but never lost my faith in a single BMW.

All through the rod bearing segment I was going "Seconds from disaster? come on, those bearings are worn, but seconds from disaster? nahhhh" Then I saw the cam gear bolts and instantly I was eating my words, good lord that was a close shave! bet you felt good not putting it off for another tank of gas!

@I_Do_Cars

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah. I don’t gamble but I accidentally did here. Coulda been terrible. 😬

This reminds me of when I replaced all the rocker arms and lifters on my Wrangler's Pentastar V6 as preventative maintenance. Jobs like that are always daunting, but if you're meticulous and follow the steps, it's definitely achievable. A $4,000 estimate was all the incentive I needed to tackle the job.

@life_of_riley88

2 жыл бұрын

That's such a great engine, but like this bmw, I can't understand what happened with the rocker arm and valve train issues on those things? Was Chrysler just cheap? Bad metallurgy?

@mphilleo

2 жыл бұрын

@@life_of_riley88 that's a fair question. I think every drivetrain has its Achilles Heels, some are more problematic than others. I can't speak specifically in the case of Chrysler, but it could have been a supplier issue (like the valvetrain issue on a specific batch of Ford Bronco 2.7s), possibly a specification issue, or something else. What I do know is that when I did the job, the part numbers were revised at least once, possibly twice. In my case, I could tell the rollers on the rocker arms were starting to tighten up, but it would've done me no favors to wait on it. Luckily the cam lobes weren't wiped, but I'm sure if I did nothing until the bearings started to seize, I'd have been looking at a much more expensive repair. After the fix, though, the engine runs wonderfully. So that's something. :)

@ericthimot

2 жыл бұрын

@@mphilleo 4.0L TJ guy here. I know those motors are pretty powerful...but man do i ever love my straight 6. Not the most powerful or efficient..... but always reliable. Congrats on a job well done sir. o7

@mphilleo

2 жыл бұрын

@@ericthimot the 4.0 was/is wonderful. I'd have loved to own a 4.0 TJ (having had a number of XJs and ZJs). Great engine. I've seen the 3.6 Pentastar go 350-600,000 miles, so I know my effort was well-spent at 86,000 miles. And thank you for the kind words.

@MacPoop

2 жыл бұрын

Chrysler had absolutely no excuses for screwing up their valvetrains as bad as they did.. Then just like their German owners at the time denied it was ever a problem.

I am convinced that BMW ownership is a love - hate relationship that I can do without.

Love your videos not only engine tear downs but maintenance as well and explained so well

You are the best thing to happen to your collection of cars. Thanks for the videos.

One word, PRIDE, simple thing but not many people take real pride in their work, this guy does. Man that Vanos thing was CLOSE to going BOOM.

Holy cow that was close!

This is a perfect example of why you do not ignore unusual noises in your car. You saved an awesome car from disaster & for that I salute you. 👍

@joeblowe7545

Жыл бұрын

What? You mean people shouldn't turn up the radio volume when unusual noises occur? Haha

Wow! Close call on the intake cam bolts. Ya almost had "malice in the combustion palace". Glad you caught it in time.

Hey Eric, what a nice car and in my favorite color. Man, did you ever dodge a bullet. I'm so happy for.you that you were able to diagnose the vanos bolt problem in time. I remember in an older video you posted about viewer comments that they'd never let you work on their cars because of the way you tear down engines. I thought those to be stupid comments because you were tearing down core engines. Anyway, I really enjoy seeing what you do with your own vehicles and the knowledge you have and are willing to share. Thanks Eric and keep the content coming. Cheers!

Wow Eric! ...that's quite a close one! Glad you were persistent in finding the source of the noise and solving it! Wow! ...that was close!

This channel reminds me of when I found Vice Grip Garage at about as many subs but all the videos were so good I just knew it was gonna blow up. I look forward to your O'Reillys commercial

@matthewb8229

2 жыл бұрын

We're in the same boat. Started watching VGG when he was around 100K, and that channel went to the moon. This one is of that caliber.

@f688xt6

2 жыл бұрын

That would be crazy if an O'Reilly rep was sent to his shop right? Imagine if that happened...

@johnwardale6010

2 жыл бұрын

You and VGG both appeal to me too. You’re more relevant. VGG didn’t really explode until the “independence chevelle”

This is legit the first time I have actually gasped watching a gear head video. Amazing it didnt blow sooner.

You are a really skilled mechanic man. Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge.

Wow that sump screen on the bottom of the oil pan looks exactly like the oil screen cover from an air cooled VW engine.

Dude...that engine support looks sktech AF! I don't think I'll ever believe someone when they brag about the quality of a BMW.

Absolutely love that blue color. Definitely my all time favorite!

My damn.. You were very blessed to dig into that noise when you did. 🙏🏼 Love E46's!

I am always amazed when people can do this kind of work. I would never be able to do this. Sure I can do easy things I can see, like brakes, spark plugs, alternator, but that’s the extent of my ability. Big fan of your channel.

@abr5819

2 жыл бұрын

I can’t even do them and i got one of these parked in the garden , got some saving up to do lol

This was fun. On your teardown vids we don't see you reassembling things with the torque wrenches to get them together right. The company I work for actually calibrates torque wrenches. They're important in a lot of industries.

When you go on a first date with someone you've just met and the first thing they do is introduce you to their kids as their new parent......and than you get the chance to high tail it out of there..... that is dodging a bullet. This is on par with bullets being dodged. So much car-nage would have ensued from those last two savoir bolts failing, but they held true. They deserve a place of high regard my dear sir. Do not simply throw them out. Mount them high on a mantel to be admired and have stories told of their heroic feat. All hail the Hercules fasteners.

Holy cow! I was so shocked when you started pulling bolts out of that timing gear. Just blew my mind. Major bullet dodging there! Glad you were able to save the engine from sure disaster.

@jimamizzi1

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely lucky 🍀

@liver.flush.maestro

2 жыл бұрын

@@jimamizzi1 The "timing" was just amazing... 🙂

Holy mackerel, backing out cam gear bolts 😮 Looks like BMW built in ‘special’ failure points just as a sort of “surprise” for unwary owners. Good video series, very enjoyable to watch 👌

Congratulations 🎉 🎉🎉! I mean it. Hearing that your S54 blow wouldn’t have been fun. I’m excited to see more about your journey with this car.

local drug stores carry engine supports, wow, I should be checking out drug stores for major car parts!

BMW M Series: The M stands for Maintenance. As in don’t defer on Maintenance. At least an alert owner knows what he’s in for and the jobs are straightforward. And this generation of M3s will never go out of style.

I’m a the end now, great video man ! So bad that you didn’t catch on video the vanos system. But still, so impressive to see, all those bolts broken and the 2 remaining soon to be ! If the guy who drove it wasn’t a mechanic, this car could be destroyed by now. Such a faint noise, weard but discret ! Sorry for my english speaking, I’m french ^^ Keep going man, so cool to see videos about a guy that just focuses on mechanical stuff. So much learning. Thanks man

Absolutely love the e46 content! This is my dream car I would love to drive a e46 m3 never drove one ! I have 325i e46 I can only imagine how awesome m3 is ! Good for you man you deserve it !

Love watching your videos, your camera angles are good i can see most of what your talking about. Usually voice is clear and i learn something each post. Keep doing what you do.

glad you caught it!

I love these cars. I'm convinced that the people who buy them secretly hate themselves. I mean seriously, rod bearings? Hell no. I ain't doin that just for the sake of knowing they're "okay". Keep your German engineering, thank you very much.

Wow your lucky you caught that when you did. Great video repair

Your attention to detail saved the day!

Eric, more more more. This content is amazing, I have notifications on and I watch your videos so quickly after uploading, sometimes KZread won't even let me have 1080p as it hasn't rendered yet haha. Loving the updates, I was wondering what had happened to the M3! Great to see it still running, albeit after such a close brush with motor death.

All i can say is Wow! You did get your amoking gun at the end of it all with your backed out and broken bolts. Good thing you decided to fix your Vanos. Cheers!

Love your passion for complicated vehicles!! And or engines, I’m a 2004 6.0 power stroke non deleted, owner, for last 12 years, for the exact same reason, Yes it’s not simply, it’s not easy, to own and drive every day, and keep it reliable. I do all my own repairs, and maintenance. But nor am I, my wife tells me!! Lol Love your channel! Love your passion!!! Keep up the good work!!!

Excellent series of videos! Love your channel!!

Great info. I like seeing you fix stuff like this that might initially seem intimidating to most.

Love the attention to detail on your work!!!

Good catch. If there is a sound or noise, I always investigate.

Thank you for the video, Eric!

Happy for you that you caught the bolts.

I love these types of videos when you work on your own cars.

So glad you found that in time! Trust your instincts!

You sir are a fantastic wrench.

Enjoy watching you tear down these engines more then you'll ever know. See if you can find some small engines like Kubota's and other little diesels....Thanks G!!

This was an awesome video !!! Love the content. I watch this stuff religiously.

Thanks for the update on the project. I do love seeing you tear apart, but I also love seeing you build. Basically, if you are into it, I will be too. Thanks for sharing! Always fun to watch over the shoulder of somebody passionate about what they are doing. Happy Driving!

thank you for keeping a launa seca alive a little longer!

Yea finally a car rebuild on your channel I been waiting for this ….💯

That was a great video😊. Always good to switch it up

You are teaching me how to take care of my bimmer and just wanted to say thanks!! Amazing channel!

Best dinner n movie ever. Thank you.

I reałly appreciate when you are doing cars. Undoing engines is quite enjoyable as well.

Love your videos one of the few longer format videos that always keeps my attention

Wow! Am I ever happy you decided to investigate the noise and you saved your engine. Great work!

Love the honesty and mannerisms. I've told myself thats OK so many times and I am glad somebody else does it too. Great content, great concept and mix of videos.

Good catch and great video! thanks for the time you put into it for us!

Great update, and man to you were lucky with them bolts holding on!

Car is so clean. Love the Laguna seca blue

I have an e82. I was considering an e46, but I'm glad I went with my choice. Thing rips, although both cars would have been a great journey. I've done so much to the car myself in 2 years of owning it. Oil pan gasket, Valve cover and gasket, belt and pulleys, motor & trans mounts, full m-control arms, lsd, axles, & solid subframe bushings (warped a 6-ton hydra press!) There's much more to be done, like an m3 rack, better turbos, fuel pumps, m-fender flares, sunroof delete, a better sound system, & an Android head unit, but it's been a lovely (& extremely painful) experience, because when I drive the car, oh man, it drives amazing, feels intense, and the slow progression I feel as I turn it into a better car is satisfying. I feel like I can tackle almost anything, because of what working on this car has taught me. Oh and it's KZreadrs like you and many others that upload helpful content for those looking to start work on their car!

"Doesn't look like a bad job at all". As an E46 M3 owner, said no E46 M3 owner ever.

Damn, GREAT catch!! Glad you were able to address that before it went kablooey!

Thanks Eric, Yep seconds from disaster, another reason to never ignore unusual noises in the engine compartment.

Really enjoyed this, Eric! Thanks for the "extra credit" vid.

I can't wait to see more videos on this car

Just watched 2minutes 30 for now, so good to know that you are aware of danger ! Be safe man, I’m gonna watch the rest of the video 👍✌️

Excellent work and huge YIKES on the intake bolts. My days of wrenching on my E46 ZHP are past, but enjoy watching your channel.

Wow that was super close 🫣

What an incredible catch great job

Awesome channel. Every Sunday morning in NZ I sit down to watch your next teardown. Its a nice change to see come preventative maintenance done here - as it brings some balance to all the mayhem we see in some of your teardowns. Oil is so much cheaper than a rebuild - why will some people never learn :) Regardless - thanks for the varied content.

Tightened VANOS to infinity and beyond

Great video. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to more content.

Reminds me of back in the day changing out the wet sleeves and the bottom end in a Renault R10, in our driveway Had to use a cigarette package for gasket material... Oh and, we didn't have a hoist 😉

absolutely love the updates on project cars! Just found the channel and I know its a pain to film all of your work but its a ton of fun to watch all of these videos.

I really enjoy your videos! This was great to see you work on your own car and take the care that it deserves. Don't get me wrong I love your teardown vids, but to see you take the time and effort on your own car was refreshing. I love seeing how the intricacies of the different engines and how they work. Keep up the great work!

I knew it!!!! I knew you could put things back together!!!!!

Great luck with the vanos!!!

Great fix Eric! And the change in style was cool, I'm probably old enough to be your dad, and I never fail to learn something from your vids. Keep up the good work bro.

Excellent vid mate

Nice job, I appreciate you taking the time to film this. It will help me when the time comes to do my S54 rod bearings…probably in the next year or so. It wasn’t as bad a job as I feared. Get out there and enjoy the car, it is one of the all time greats!

thanks for the update vid, very well done it looked complicated and you made it seem easy, i just rebuilt the front suspension on an S-10 4x4 and i thought that was an ordeal keep the vids coming please

I know very little about cars, but for some reason really enjoy watching your videos.

I've seen a few of these BMW rod bearing replacement vids and this was easily the best one yet - well played, sir! Great catch on the VANOS too.

Another great video. Thanks

You’ve got the best mechanic videos and the best KZread fans. You are the Leonardo decaprio of KZread auto! I have an 87 corvette with a late 90s iroc block, it’s been sitting awhile because of blow by and my cash sitch right now. you give me the motivation to break it down myself and rebuild it I just need breaker bar, 10 mm socket amd a pry bar lol

@dennisgoans701

4 ай бұрын

Blue

Great save! You are so lucky to have discovered that problem before it turned into a disaster!

Had the s52 in my 98M Roadster. Always wanted one with the S54. Awesome video!

Wow. Great catch. Goes to show why people should have those noises investigated asap! Glad you caught it before anything major.

I remember this car from the STL Euro car show! I just got a 05 M3 and damn, they are great cars!

working overhead like that tires me out quick...watching you do this complicated stuff helps me push through my car problems ... a week of troubleshooting, with no ECU codes for clues to track down..lol

I enjoy all your videos, keep them coming!

I have always been the type of guy who is pretty handy with a wrench. I've always been ready to tackle a job no matter how much work it takes to get it done. One thing I have always wondered is using an extension while using a torque wrench? I've seen you use one W/extension and I guess my apprehension is unfounded? Best channel on KZread by far!!!