100k maintenance

Originally Posted by bluebee

These E39 BMW checklists may be useful to the E60 (shares an engine):

- An official BMW CPO retailer operations manual (1) (2) & a BMW certified preowned pre purchase inspection brochure (1) (2) (3) & a BMW service/maintenance schedule & checklists I, II, and III (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) & a classic inspection I, II, III DIY (1) (2) (3) & tips for BMW 150K mile maintenance issues (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) & a glovebox printout for the most often recommended fluids (1).

Very helpful. Thanks.

I've looked at fluid transfer pumps and they all have this general design, does anyone have any experience with this? http://www.harborfreight.com/multi-u...ump-66418.html Its cheap enough that if it breaks after one use Im ok.

That's the exact one I used

The black ends will come off pretty easy and make a mess, but you can put it back together easy enough (they just slide on). I would bet if you don't pump it too hard it wouldn't come apart--I was trying to hurry it along

Just got my '08 535i water pump and thermostat replaced yesterday at 76,000 mi. as "preemptive " strike to keep her cruising down the freeway for a few coming trips. THANKS for the advice on this forum!
I'm looking at replacing the now 5 year old battery next..

Originally Posted by etnav382

I've looked at fluid transfer pumps and they all have this general design, does anyone have any experience with this? http://www.harborfreight.com/multi-u...ump-66418.html Its cheap enough that if it breaks after one use Im ok.

I buy them for $3.99 with a coupon and they work great. Store them in a gallon zip lock bag for use the next time (dedicated for rear differential, trans fluid, etc.) or throw them away, but not worth trying to clean.

I was searching for the same things. I am 70 miles from 100k, in my '04 545i. How difficult is it to do valve cover and spark plugs on this vehicle and engine? I did these on my E39 I6, and it wasn't bad. The dealership wants $400 and something for the spark plug job. I figure at least 100 is probably parts mark-up.

I have read of the valley pan gasket, and an AC compressor gasket. I noticed that it wasn't mentioned in this thread, so is that specific to the 4.4, and not the 4.8. Lastly, what about the control arm bushings? I notice that going over bumps in the road feels much looser in my car, than when I drive the new loaners that the dealerships provide during maintenance. Obviously, this suspension has about 100k miles in it, and the loaners often have about 1k, but how can I get some of this tightness back. I'm not sure if I want toinvest in a replacement of shocks and struts or not. I have 2 years left on the loan, and would like to keep the car for at least 3 years, then we will see.

Originally Posted by aiwapro

I was searching for the same things. I am 70 miles from 100k, in my '04 545i. How difficult is it to do valve cover and spark plugs on this vehicle and engine? I did these on my E39 I6, and it wasn't bad. The dealership wants $400 and something for the spark plug job. I figure at least 100 is probably parts mark-up.

I have read of the valley pan gasket, and an AC compressor gasket. I noticed that it wasn't mentioned in this thread, so is that specific to the 4.4, and not the 4.8. Lastly, what about the control arm bushings? I notice that going over bumps in the road feels much looser in my car, than when I drive the new loaners that the dealerships provide during maintenance. Obviously, this suspension has about 100k miles in it, and the loaners often have about 1k, but how can I get some of this tightness back. I'm not sure if I want toinvest in a replacement of shocks and struts or not. I have 2 years left on the loan, and would like to keep the car for at least 3 years, then we will see.

Valve covers are tough due to valvetronic system--must different than valve covers on virtually any other car. It's doable for a DIY'er (I am confident I could do it) but only if you've done major surgery to engines before and have something else to drive just in case. There are some sensors that keep up with where the valvetronic system is at that are expensive ($400) and easy to break.. so you have to be careful there. Break one or two of those and you're going to spend more than someone else would charge to do it. Check the oil pressure switch under the vacuum pump.. it was leaking on mine and I would have swore it was a valve cover leak. $12 later no more leaks. It's an odd thing to get to and hard to see, but it's a very common failure point and I would have sworn I had a valve cover leak.

Spark plugs aren't bad. I did mine in an hour or hour and a half at most. Most of the writeups online make it sound like an all day thing, but it doesn't have to be if you have the right tools. You need quite a few 3/8" extensions of varying size (I have about 10 feet worth of them to make it easy), and a couple of universal joints, and a spark plug socket. With the different size extensions you can put universal joints in the right points to bend around stuff and get the end of the extension to a point that's easy to turn. If you do that, it's not so bad trying to reach down into some nooks and crannies. Tips: Drivers side there's a positive battery terminal that is used for jumping the car off (or charging battery). There's a plastic cover on the wire running to that terminal that you will need to remove to get enough room to pull one of the coils off. Rest on that side aren't bad. I removed all the cabin filter plastic crap to make it easier to see. It basically just pops off so it comes off in only a few minutes.

On the passenger side there are two nuts that hold part of the AC system tubing (I think one of the ports is right there at this location). You'll need to remove those two nuts and gently bend the pipe out of the way to get just enough clearance to get one of the coils on that side out. The rest aren't bad. The coils will look like they won't come out in a few cylinders, but trust me they will if you hold them just right.

Valley pan gasket--only thing I have heard about is the coolant pipe under the valley pan gasket, which you don't want to touch unless it's dripping coolant out of the weep hole in the front of the block. In that case, I'm sorry

AC compressor gasket--you mean alternator gasket. The seal behind alternator that blocks off an oil passage for an oil cooler that is used on later models is pretty prone to leaks. I wouldn't mess with that either unless it's leaking. It will fail sooner or later though, so if you're tacking valve covers might be worth doing then.

Hopefully that helps!

Originally Posted by schpenxel

Valve covers are tough due to valvetronic system--must different than valve covers on virtually any other car. It's doable for a DIY'er (I am confident I could do it) but only if you've done major surgery to engines before and have something else to drive just in case. There are some sensors that keep up with where the valvetronic system is at that are expensive ($400) and easy to break.. so you have to be careful there. Break one or two of those and you're going to spend more than someone else would charge to do it. Check the oil pressure switch under the vacuum pump.. it was leaking on mine and I would have swore it was a valve cover leak. $12 later no more leaks. It's an odd thing to get to and hard to see, but it's a very common failure point and I would have sworn I had a valve cover leak.

Spark plugs aren't bad. I did mine in an hour or hour and a half at most. Most of the writeups online make it sound like an all day thing, but it doesn't have to be if you have the right tools. You need quite a few 3/8" extensions of varying size (I have about 10 feet worth of them to make it easy), and a couple of universal joints, and a spark plug socket. With the different size extensions you can put universal joints in the right points to bend around stuff and get the end of the extension to a point that's easy to turn. If you do that, it's not so bad trying to reach down into some nooks and crannies. Tips: Drivers side there's a positive battery terminal that is used for jumping the car off (or charging battery). There's a plastic cover on the wire running to that terminal that you will need to remove to get enough room to pull one of the coils off. Rest on that side aren't bad. I removed all the cabin filter plastic crap to make it easier to see. It basically just pops off so it comes off in only a few minutes.

On the passenger side there are two nuts that hold part of the AC system tubing (I think one of the ports is right there at this location). You'll need to remove those two nuts and gently bend the pipe out of the way to get just enough clearance to get one of the coils on that side out. The rest aren't bad. The coils will look like they won't come out in a few cylinders, but trust me they will if you hold them just right.

Valley pan gasket--only thing I have heard about is the coolant pipe under the valley pan gasket, which you don't want to touch unless it's dripping coolant out of the weep hole in the front of the block. In that case, I'm sorry

AC compressor gasket--you mean alternator gasket. The seal behind alternator that blocks off an oil passage for an oil cooler that is used on later models is pretty prone to leaks. I wouldn't mess with that either unless it's leaking. It will fail sooner or later though, so if you're tacking valve covers might be worth doing then.

Hopefully that helps!

Thank you for all of the information. I have read some of your other posts. You are truely an asset to the forum. You provided great informaton on the repair of the Mechatronics.

The oil vacuum pump and switch were leaking on mine. So far, that is the only oil seepage I see.

It's time for the spark plugs, so going to have that done. Just wondering if I should move ahead with the Valve Cover Gasket at the same time. I might let the dealer tackle these tasks, this time around. For spark plugs on the I6 in my prior E39, I replaced the boot as well. They were pretty cheap. However, I see the boot and ignition coil is combined on this engine, and are about $30 each. Should I do the coils and boot?

The Bentley service manual recommends transmission fluid change and oxygen sensors changed every 100k miles. Anyone changed the oxygen sensors on a 545i? or know the
part type and number of a recommended upstream sensor pair?
Thanks Steve

Originally Posted by aiwapro

Thank you for all of the information. I have read some of your other posts. You are truely an asset to the forum. You provided great informaton on the repair of the Mechatronics.

The oil vacuum pump and switch were leaking on mine. So far, that is the only oil seepage I see.

It's time for the spark plugs, so going to have that done. Just wondering if I should move ahead with the Valve Cover Gasket at the same time. I might let the dealer tackle these tasks, this time around. For spark plugs on the I6 in my prior E39, I replaced the boot as well. They were pretty cheap. However, I see the boot and ignition coil is combined on this engine, and are about $30 each. Should I do the coils and boot?

Just now saw this post. Thank you--I'm really just a cheap ass trying to not have to buy a new transmission , lol

Are you absolutely sure it is the valve covers? I would have sworn mine were leaking as well, but decided to change oil pressure switch first instead since I was working on something else in that area. I haven't seen a drop of oil since

Originally Posted by stevej30

The Bentley service manual recommends transmission fluid change and oxygen sensors changed every 100k miles. Anyone changed the oxygen sensors on a 545i? or know the
part type and number of a recommended upstream sensor pair?
Thanks Steve

I found the procedures in ISTA/D. I'l try to post some pictures up shortly. If I haven't responded in a day or so, remind me if you need them and I'll put them together

Give this a shot. I haven't read through it, but hopefully it helps.

thanks should help Steve

Originally Posted by schpenxel

Just now saw this post. Thank you--I'm really just a cheap ass trying to not have to buy a new transmission , lol

Are you absolutely sure it is the valve covers? I would have sworn mine were leaking as well, but decided to change oil pressure switch first instead since I was working on something else in that area. I haven't seen a drop of oil since

No, the Valve Covers are not leaking. Nothing is leaking that I can see. I had the oil switch (should have done it myself) and the Oil Vacuum Pump replaced about 6 months ago, because both of those items were leaking.

I am just considering having the Valve Covers gaskets done, because they spark plugs need to be done, since I just crossed 100K. You think I should leave the Valve Cover gaskets alone, or do them with the plugs?

I'd leave them alone

Plugs alone I could do in an hour

Valve cover gaskets are way more than that. Just my opinion though--of course they may start leaking next week, never know

Ok thanks. You think leave the spark plug boot? I replaced them on my I6 E39, when I did the plugs myself, but I only seem to be able to find the boot and ignition coil together, for this engine. They are about $50 a piece, versus the $7 or $8 that I recall the boot could be had for.

Yeah I've never seen just the boot for these engines.

If there are no issues, I'd leave them alone