[outworld09]

Hi everyone
I blew the head on my engine 1999 528i. I love this car nothing drives like a BMW (I'm sure you all can relate to that). But everyone told me not to buy it because it takes a lot of money to fix it. But having a hard head I brought it anyway. I got around 215,000 miles and it overheated on me but I kept driving it to try make it home. Well I turned it off when the needle went past HOT!!! The next day I tried to make it back home but only got about a mile and it ran hot again. Long story short the mechanic said the head was blown. I took a loan from my 401K and brought another engine (instead of buying a new car). I got an engine with 70,000 on it from Gotengines.com 6 month warrantee unlimited miles. for $1,700 and a the mechanic put it in for $450.00. Well the new engine got here and it was put in the car but now the mechanic says the car will not start by it self. He hooked it up to a machine and it ran and the engine was good but some how the fuel is getting to the engine. So he wants me to get it towed to the BMW dealership and have them reset computer chip in the remote control. I am about spent out and I don't have any money left. Have any of you heard such a thing? Will the key needing to be reset stop the fuel pump from working? by the way he took out the fuel pump and it is working ok. If so does anyone here know how to reset the key with out going to the Dealer? Or is there anything else I should have him try. My wife just found a job after a year and a half. She starts working this Monday and we are down to 1 car but work different hours. I need to get this car up and running before then. Any help would be welcomed.
:dunno:

thankx,
nick.

 

[QSilver7]

Below is some information you need to know about your car and EWS (drive-away-protection)...and how the keys, DME/ECU, EWS control module, and ring antenna all work in concert to make it difficult for your car to be stolen.

It also means you need to know what you're doing if you replace the engine. If your mechanic reinstalled your original DME/ECU...then probably all you need to do is have the EWS components RESYNCHED. But if you have mis-matched components...you're screwed.

 

[cn90]

Two things:

1. If you have not addressed the cause of the first overheat (let's say bad WP or thermostat), then you must do it ASAP: a Cooling Overhaul. See DIY subsection of the forum.

2. Swapping engine does not require recoding because it is simply a swap of mechanical parts.
There are alot of electrical connections so the mechanic needs to check them all.
Above the engine there are 2 connectors for the fuel injectors. Make sure they are hooked back.

Given your financial problems, you may want to consider a Toyota Camry, not that it does not have problems but fewer than an E39.

 

[frhsfootball80]

Hi everyone
I blew the head on my engine 1999 528i. I love this car nothing drives like a BMW (I'm sure you all can relate to that). But everyone told me not to buy it because it takes a lot of money to fix it. But having a hard head I brought it anyway. I got around 215,000 miles and it overheated on me but I kept driving it to try make it home. Well I turned it off when the needle went past HOT!!! The next day I tried to make it back home but only got about a mile and it ran hot again. Long story short the mechanic said the head was blown. I took a loan from my 401K and brought another engine (instead of buying a new car). I got an engine with 70,000 on it from Gotengines.com 6 month warrantee unlimited miles. for $1,700 and a the mechanic put it in for $450.00. Well the new engine got here and it was put in the car but now the mechanic says the car will not start by it self. He hooked it up to a machine and it ran and the engine was good but some how the fuel is getting to the engine. So he wants me to get it towed to the BMW dealership and have them reset computer chip in the remote control. I am about spent out and I don't have any money left. Have any of you heard such a thing? Will the key needing to be reset stop the fuel pump from working? by the way he took out the fuel pump and it is working ok. If so does anyone here know how to reset the key with out going to the Dealer? Or is there anything else I should have him try. My wife just found a job after a year and a half. She starts working this Monday and we are down to 1 car but work different hours. I need to get this car up and running before then. Any help would be welcomed.
:dunno:

thankx,
nick.

check all your connections to the DME, unplug, clean, and replug them anyway. double, triple quadruple check the connections on the engine, there's a lot of plugs.

and its "bought" not "brought"

 

[edjack]

I fail to see what's wrong here. The DME, if it's the same one that was in the car originally, has no idea about a replacement engine. I agree with cn90: the mechanic screwed up. Is he a BMW specialist? If not, why did you let him do the job?

 

[outworld09]

My wife has a friend who owns a used car lot that sells BMW's and Mercedes. She has a mechanic who works on her cars and she recommended him to us. I changed the whole cooling system. The mechanic told me that the key may need to be reset because when you turn the ignition you don't hear either the fuel pump or the injectors kick in. So someone is supposed to come by tomorrow to see if he can reset the chip in the key. But he also said there might me an electrical problem. Funny before I had it towed to his shop the car crunk up just fine even with the blown head. But I tried to turn it on when the tow truck guy came but all I heard was a clicking sound.

"Given your financial problems, you may want to consider a Toyota Camry, not that it does not have problems but fewer than an E39."
Once you drive have a BMW you never want to go back.

 

[edjack]

The key itself cannot be "reset". It has a factory-programmed RFID chip inside that tells the car to start. All one can do with the key is to register the remote function with the car. It has nothing to do with starting the car.

The mechanic needs to do some old-fashioned troubleshooting! He may not be capable of that, considering what he told you about the key. He is obviously not a specialist. You'll need to find someone to put this car straight.

 

[outworld09]

Thankx, for the quick reply and the info Bro.

I may just have to get a rental for next week and get someone else to take a look at the car. I may have to fork out a little more cash but I have already brought the engine and paid for aditional parts so I have to see it through.

 

[bmw_n00b13]

Old-fashioned troubleshooting is in order; the EWS I believe disables the spark and/or the injectors. Provided the two engines are the same, it *should* be a plug-and-play, but it is a very complicated process. I am almost certain it's a computer issue; there's a *lot* of plugs and sensors and such.

 

[outworld09]

One other werid thing I for got to mention. My title says 1999 bmw 528i but when I went to get the expansion tank from the dealer I got the 1999 one but when I gave it to the mechanic he said it did not fit. So I called the dealer back and said the yellow looking one is for the 1998 model. So I got that one and it worked. Unless the engine that was in the can from the first place was a replacement also. So looks like who ever had it before me had a 98 engine installed in 1999 car. It just keeps getting better and better.

 

[lild]

any car built after 6/98 is considered to be a 99' on the title. look in the jamb. early e39's, 97- 8/98 has different style parts. so when looking for parts look in the door jamb for the production date. say the jamb has 7/98, then when looking for parts, such as in catalogs or online, you'll see 97-up to 8/98. after that 99' parts come into play. the problems your haveing, and i could be off on this, but if you bought a 99 motor, and your car is really a 98, well that may be causeing problems.
now if you do have the correct yr motor in it, then i agree, you need to recheck everything. making sure all the ground straps are connected, all i's are dotted, t's are cross.
also the ing. switchs are known to cause problems, too.