Ok boys...the R3v way or the right way? :)

[Bimmerfanatik]

the s50 will go in the euro chassis - which I'll be turning my attention to after the vert ;)

Thanks guys - just placed the order for all the stuff I'll need through flying brick - Dan was a huge help.

Now I can throw a bunch of parts at it and feel even more confident that I'll be safe for a while.

[Digitalwave]

Somewhat off topic, but does the oil light not come on the check panel until the oil is 2 quarts low?

[parkerbink]

On my cabbie the light on the check panel came on at 1/2 quart low.

[Dave]

Somewhat off topic, but does the oil light not come on the check panel until the oil is 2 quarts low?

I'd say that is spot on topic.

[Digitalwave]

My light came on one time right after I bought my car like 5 years ago, I was just curious because that seems pretty stupid on BMW's part to let it get that low.

[e30sd]

the oil level light on my old 325is would come on at 1 quart low.

[DanGillan]

yea my m20 was 1 quart low for the light

[Bimmerfanatik]

Somewhat off topic, but does the oil light not come on the check panel until the oil is 2 quarts low?

Light comes on somewhere between 1 and 2 quarts from full - the light's been coming on every two weeks, and I add 1.5 quarts or so.

All in all, it was eating oil and leaking everywhere - for 137k it wasn't as clean as it should have been. Dave, did you have any of these probs? I'm wondering if the infrequency that it was driven may have helped contribute to a breakdown of the gaskets - you only drove 12K miles in 4 years, and I had it sitting all winter aside from some yard drives.

[rwh11385]

Why were you daily driving a car that dropped two quarts of oil every week?

That's not exactly a "grenaded" engine... there were warning signs you ignored and then got pwned.

[Bimmerfanatik]

Why were you daily driving a car that dropped two quarts of oil every week?

That's not exactly a "grenaded" engine... there were warning signs you ignored and then got pwned.

Every two weeks - and yes, I knew it was leaking. They weren't ignored - the engine was coming out in October, and I planned on stretching it until then.

Anyone local have an engine hoist I can borrow? Trying to save the money renting one. And I can't afford to buy one, before someone recommends it.

[Dave]

Scott,

I only had typical seepage - I'd add a half quart infrequently. But other than summertime, it was driven only every other week or so - at least since Late '03 when I got the Lexus. From March '01 - Late'03 it was my daily, but I live less than a mile form work.

Also, I typically did not flog it. And when it "sat" - it sat in the garage.

As I told you when we were working out our deal, I wouldn't have hesitated to drive this car from here to Mass. Who knew?

[FredK]

Hmm, I seem to recall this ball busting (and ghetto) method of doing a swap without a hoist, where you get one of those carpeted moving dollies, drop the subframe with the engine attached using a floor jack, after removing all hoses and wires, and swapping crap out. Oh yeah, this sorta requires removing the front end of your vehicle...

You have a barn, right? You can get one of those Harbor Freight hoists for like $50 and attach it to a ceiling joist. Of course, this will require fabricating something fairly strong to mount it, and if your barn's framing isn't that strong, this might not be the best solution.

How much is a hoist rental anyway?

[Bimmerfanatik]

Dave - I couldn't be happier with our trade, and my car. Shit happens - one of the finer things that can happen in owning a 20 year old car is to have the engine grenede - or, as Heeter pointed out, neglect it and let it die. :roll:

I drive it hard - probably too hard for an engine with such a leak. Whatever - I made the bed, I'm sleeping in it, and I'm taking care of it. I'm not whining or crying.

Fred - engine hoist is $35 daily - and it's one of the collapsible ones so it fits in anything - I usually picked it up in my Honda. It's not a big deal - I'll grab it and get it done fast.

Oh, and the "ghetto" way you mention is far from ghetto - it's the way it went in from the factory. I saw this done at Alex's with the iX they had there - kinda nice as you can put everything together outside the car, wheel it in place, then lower the car onto the completed assembly. I may try this if I can figure out how to get the front end high enough...

[Digitalwave]

I'm guessing that there might have been a small issue with the engine that got blown out of proportion simply from driving the car 2 months with the engine being low on oil more often than not. Shit happens, as you said. Hopefully you will get her back on the road ASAP.

[Bimmerfanatik]

I'm guessing that there might have been a small issue with the engine that got blown out of proportion simply from driving the car 2 months with the engine being low on oil more often than not. Shit happens, as you said. Hopefully you will get her back on the road ASAP.

You're probably right - aside from seeing the oil light come on in the check panel (meaning there was almost 2 quarts short) or checking and filling it every time I drove it, there's no real good way of making sure it was topped off 100% of the time. As you said, I probably drove it short a quart or so more often than not - not a good idea, of course. I was hoping to get to fall with it, but oh well :)

SETA engine comes out friday, as does my engine. New parts courtesy of flying brick will also get here friday. Aiming to be driving her again Sat latest!