XSeries-forum

Hi all,

Bought a cheap non runner 2002 4.4 (m62 engine) x5, the car was sold as having headgasket failure so I decided I'd just pull the engine out and look at it on a stand as its got oil leaks everywhere and at 140k a refresh of the internals probably won't hurt.

I'm part way through stripping it and I've found just about every coolant hose on the car is scrap, the majority have swollen and split at the clamps and the rest are oil coated and very soft.

Does anyone sell a complete cooling hose kit either rubber or silicone or will I have to resort making up the simpler ones and buying the rest individually from bmw?

Thanks
Chris

I suppose it depends if it’s a keeper and how much you want to spend. The straight hoses are easy to replace the other ones you could find at a scrap, recycler yard. Just as a reference mine has 158k and the hoses are fine giving no indication they need replaced. Yours are obviously oil contaminated hence cracked and swollen. If your pulling the engine to do repairs make sure you replace the dipstick "o" rings while it’s out. Make sure you read up on where the RTV goes on all the seals before fitting, don’t just put it everywhere. If you haven’t already pulled it I would suggest a compression test. If there’s that much oil about it’s probably difficult to see if the upper sump gasket is leaking so worth considering. If you know all this as you probably do as your pulling the engine, don’t take offence.

Can’t answer the direct question, but have a look at RealOEM (copy of BMW parts database) and use the last 7 of your VIN to pull up the right model/version/year. That will give you all of the part numbers and allow a search on line.

One thing to also consider, and that comes up time and again around V8’s is the timing chain, tensioner & guides. If you already have the engine out then it’s an opportunity you should take advantage of. The guides are plastic and fail with drastic effects.

I know about realoem thanks, I've just sold an e60 525d.

Im not sure how long term the x5 will be, I bought it as we're about to do another big house renovation so need something big for shifting all that entails, I'd fancied an x5 for a bit so it's 2 birds really.

Whilst I don't want to throw piles of money at it I know from past experience it's pointless stripping an engine and not doing what needs to be done, the wife seems to like it which makes a change so you never know I may get her to keep it and get rid of her hateful mini countryman but I suspect that would also require me doing an lpg conversion on it.

I haven't done a compression test yet, I will do so over the next couple of days when I get time, my current plan is to replace both headgaskets, reseal all of the top end and fit a new timing chain setup beyond that I will probably do the sump gaskets and front and rear crank seals as it'd be daft not to.

I also plan to drop the transmission sump at some point as i want to make sure the mayo in the coolant tank isn't from a failed transmission cooler as what I can see of the inside of the engine via the cam cover appears to be mayo free.

Chris

Is it a black X5?

It is, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303846645149 that's it from the ad

Looks in good nick, must say it’s fairly unusual to hear of a V8 with a blown head gasket. Perhaps overheated, but that wouldn’t stop it starting. What happens when you try to start it.

The car does start and sounds ok, I reversed it onto the drive when it was delivered, I think the garage just sold it as non runner needs an engine so there's no comeback for them.

My feeling is that the mayo in the coolant tank is a failed transmission cooler, I'll be doing a compression test tomorrow but either way I'll be pulling the engine as its just easier to fix the various leaks and give everything a proper inspection with it out of the car.

I hope the compression test gives you good results and confirms the g/b oil cooler. Even if it will be a pita getting rid of the Mayo, good luck getting to here.

I'm not too far away from there now, Im off work tomorrow and my daughters at nursery all day so hoping to get to the stage of being ready to lift it out

You’ll have it back in an running on Monday

Pah!
I had a long conversation with the dealer about that car and I very nearly bought it. I hope you didn't pay what the add was as he was going to accept a lot less...
I wouldn't have the time at the moment to do anything with it so it would have stood around for months.
Keep us posted.

I paid £1000 including delivery, I'm happy at that and if I can get everything I want done for another grand then i think I'll be in a decent place with it.

That’s a good price, you’ll always get your money back, all the modules, ECU’ s and mirrors alone would get your money back, Nearly worth buying one, stripping it for spare bits and then call the scrappy to take it away.

Did a compression test today, 7 cylinders are showing 125-130psi and one cylinder is showing 175psi, the cylinder with the high reading is constantly filling with oil from the rocker cover so I'm assuming that's providing the high reading.

the rest are probably lower than I'd expect I'd of guessed 150ish would be normal but I've no idea how accurate the gauge I have is and given the figures are fairly even I'd find it unlikely 7 cylinders have low compression on an engine that starts.

So based on all of the above I've still nothing that conclusively shows a headgasket failure albeit they don't always show on a compression test, I also drained the gearbox and front transfer box oils and there's no sign of water contamination in either so the source of the oil in coolant is still unknown currently.

Edit, thinking about it I didn't prop the throttle body open when doing the test which would account for the lower figures, so they probably are perfectly acceptable.

Chris