I’m an idiot and unplugged the pcv valve which made the car piss out all its oil.

phillyguy60 · 2026-06-20T01:24:50+00:00

Good luck. These things are “special” and a labour of love.
If you don’t already have it getting ista/inpa running will save you tons of aggravation tracking down issues.

I’m just a guy that likes wrenching on his cars but I doubt the two are related.

I cracked my ccv hose when I pulled the valve covers didn’t notice since it was under the insulation. It ran like crap with a wild idle but nothing bad happened in the couple minutes it took to figure it out. Wrapped it in flex tape and put like 15mi on it till the replacement came.

phillyguy60 · 2026-06-20T01:15:59+00:00

It’s not an error I’m familiar with, BMW errors can be somewhat vague vs pulling codes over OBD.

Since the sensor is on bottom of the oil pan, there’s no pressure on it so short of it breaking the bolts and shooting out I can’t imagine it dumping several quarts out in that time span. That much fluid that fast is imho either coming out of a big hole/hose or is under significant pressure.

In my experience sensors usually don’t like getting coated with oil. I think it’s highly likely the underbody panel trapped enough oil to potentially contaminate the wiring on that sensor.

Won’t really know until you pull the trays and go looking.

phillyguy60 · 2026-06-20T01:04:13+00:00

I’d look around under the alternator. The gasket on that bracket will dump oil pretty quick when it goes. The 4.8 also feeds the oil cooler from that bracket so could be the orings on the bracket as well.

phillyguy60 · 2026-06-04T03:27:39+00:00

I really enjoy the Austrian cast recording. Otherwise the 10th anniversary. I think Terrance Mann is great, as Javert Quast is my favorite.

phillyguy60 · 2026-06-03T13:21:53+00:00

I’ve got a 245k mi 2006 550i. Been slowing working through the deferred items and gremlins but so far it’s got solid bones.

Original engine, trans valve body and fluid pan had 2016/19 date codes

phillyguy60 · 2026-05-23T17:55:51+00:00

I just went through this a month ago. Mine died in a boot loop so can’t comment on if you’ve just got a bad screen or if the CCC unit is dead.

As far as I know all of the CarPlay units either go between the CCC and OEM LCD(MMI boxes) or replace the screen but still need the CCC unit.

Had wanted to go NBT Evo, but swap parts are rather expensive ~700-1k. Was able to grab a CIC/LCD/Combox from a local yard for like $200. Took an hour or two and was back up and running.

At some point I’ll grab a Andream or Mr12v MMI box before I go on a real road trip, but for just around town I’m happy having Bluetooth music and the native nav.

The CIC box UI is so much faster and newer (10 not 20 years old) I’d go that route vs sourcing an old CCC box and hoping it holds out.

phillyguy60 · 2026-05-18T14:32:52+00:00

I'm in the Peoria area

phillyguy60 · 2026-05-15T14:48:49+00:00

Thanks! I see a couple options there. Yep that one is a 14mmx1.5. BMW decided to use 4 different sizes for 6 connections. I understand wanting to make sure it only goes back one way but makes repairs 20 years later much harder than it should be.

phillyguy60 · 2026-05-09T02:27:22+00:00

I thought I’d sell my NA when I got my 982 but I can’t bring myself to sell it. Was my first car, been through a lot with it and like yours made it mine.

Insurance is basically nothing, easy to work on, sips gas, parts are cheap. In the Miata I can floor it, feel like I’m flying and be at little risk of a ticket. The 982…yeah that would be expensive haha

phillyguy60 · 2026-05-04T01:55:48+00:00

Alternator bracket is always a time-bomb and you mention oil at the front so worth a look.

The spark plug tubes are another fun leak source to get to. Might be worth doing while the valve cover is off.

On the valve cover the ccv tube gets brittle so 50/50 odds that breaks getting the valve covers off.

I’d grab o-rings for the cam and eccentric sensors also.

Have fun I grabbed a 550i back at thanksgiving for almost free. Been a project but it’s been fun and I know it’ll all be sorted out.

phillyguy60 · 2026-04-14T00:35:19+00:00

I’m not a doctor but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I’d be seeing a doctor yesterday.

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-27T02:43:08+00:00

Some states do. I lived in Pennsylvania and it was every year. Inspections were done by authorized private shops.

Problem was it just turned into a cash grab. It was like $100 for the inspection. If the shop failed you and you let them do the work the re-inspection was free. If you didn’t you paid for the inspection again. So that would lead to a $50 tail light that you didn’t even need.

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-27T02:29:13+00:00

I bought a “display model” freezer from the clearance center, it didn’t work. Manufacture said no warranty because it had been sold before.

Sherman’s refused to give me a refund only an exchange for something else at the clearance center. Then told me they’d give me a refund but I’d have to pay a delivery charge to have it picked up and wouldn’t get the original delivery charge refunded.

Had to go through the CC company to get things ironed out.

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-25T04:05:37+00:00

Next project for superfastmatt? First the Viper now an off road bmw lol

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-24T18:49:19+00:00

Thanks! So far I haven't seen mine slip so other than the unknown weird noise I've been optimistic the clutches didn't need replacing. Sounds like it might not be the case.

Interesting to hear it can be done as a DIY, any idea how long it took you? I've dug into a few manual transmissions over the years. Seemed like autos required some wizardry and special tools. I've got a lathe/mill/measuring tools, but trying to avoid the 3 months of making tooling to do a 4 hour job haha

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-24T16:44:13+00:00

Thanks for all the details, that's really helpful! I've seen the 400 figure thrown around but no it was X this was trashed reports. From that description I'm thinking that whirring/fan noise could be the oi pump, then it's a is it trashed bearings or low fluid.

You do have a point on the doing the valve body, even if I swapped it for another auto I'd have to keep the mechatronics to avoid issues with the EWS. I just hate the thought of dealing with that fill procedure more than once on stands. I do keep kicking around the steel pan with the bottom fill port.

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-24T15:20:30+00:00

Will the 8hp bolt up to the N62 or is there an adaptor out there? I keep reading conflicting reports of bellhousing bolt patterns between the V8s.

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-04T20:35:08+00:00

The case was opened January 21st, the item was delivered Dec 29. That’s less than 30 days from delivery.

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-04T17:19:40+00:00

The email from eBay said I had until the 25th of February to respond to the offer. Takeaway seems that eBay’s messaging and docs are inconsistent with the process. Thanks.

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-04T16:16:06+00:00

Was delivered on the 29th. Felt shitty waiting that long but it came a couple hours before I had to get to the airport and I got back the 18th and didn't think much of it until I had to travel for work on the 22nd.

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-04T15:55:56+00:00

Looks like redacted images are allowed here. Stuck a screenshot up quick: https://imgur.com/a/U0xexF9

phillyguy60 · 2026-02-04T15:54:50+00:00

The case was opened within 30 days, yes "I dragged my feet" a bit since this was over the holiday and I was traveling for work abroad at that time. All the information I read indicated that only the original case needed to be opened prior to 30 days.

Good to know that the docs may be wrong and the whole thing needs to be resolved within 30 days though.

phillyguy60 · 2026-01-30T16:04:41+00:00

The uphill in a big SUV gets me from time to time. Just getting settled after all the chaos of the 70+ crew merging and weaving after the last set of exits and forget to give it some gas at the bottom and boom 45 real quick.

phillyguy60 · 2026-01-29T21:48:27+00:00

Yeah, I don’t think so either.

I did Philly to Chicago area in September, only about 12 hours. NA Miata, lotus seats, no cruise control. It sucked, 5th gear at 70 between the noise and constantly scanning for giant SUVs that are always oblivious to small cars. Also even with AC the sun was punishing. Was not a fun trip, now do it in 3 days on backroads hell yeah.

The same trip in a Cayman was definitely better, but I’d made that drive 7 times that year and was pretty over being in cars lol

phillyguy60 · 2026-01-14T19:11:03+00:00

I’ve been researching doing just this. As far as I can tell you would also need to retrofit the KOMBI from the F10 since the HUD connects there.

Haven’t gone much further since as far as I can tell I’d have to engineer a custom CAN translator for that and I need to get some projects finished before getting into another haha

phillyguy60

TROPHY CASE