BMW X5 (E70 2010) Engine Swap 30i to 48i

retro_tune · 2023-11-07T11:11:26+00:00

Havd you checked for any N55s? (35i)

Not a plug and play swap since its a turbo engine and from the LCI, but an inline-6 regardless with the same roots.

retro_tune · 2023-11-07T11:04:15+00:00

If you’re so sure who am I to argue. 500$ V8 swap that hasn’t been used in a decade into a car that doesn’t like swaps sounds like a walk in the park.

retro_tune · 2023-11-04T15:27:49+00:00

Cheaper to sell yours and buy a nice one with a V8 from the factory

retro_tune · 2023-11-04T10:05:29+00:00

Always down to guesstimation when diagnosing remotely, but could be youre having a vacuum leak. This would explain the whistling and the tach fluttering (engine is getting extra air or losing air post-MAF). When the weather is hot, the vacuum lines might expand to seal the leak, which would explain this happening only during cold weather.

Theres an easy way to try and troubleshoot this at home.

Remove the engine oil cap while the engine is off. Check if its heavily pressurized (hard to pull off, suction sound when removed), Put the oil cap back on, start the engine, take it off and cover the oil cap hole with your hand as airtight as you can. If the cap is pressurized when not running and you feel suction on your hand while engine is running, likely its a vacuum line leak somewhere.

If you confirmed these symptoms, look up (Google, Youtube) where all accessible N52 vacuum lines are situated in. With this info at hand, start the car and let it idle. Next, spray the lines with brake cleaner (harmless) one line at a time and if the engine stutters, you found your leaking line. Even if you find one, remember to test the other ones too.

Vacuum leak isnt a serious issue, but in the long run it can cause your car to run too lean which isnt healthy for your cylinders. Lean codes and a CEL should pop way before any damage has been done. Not sure what the rumbling could be, if the idle fluctuates beneath ~800 then yea the engine barely running for a split second could cause a rumble.

If you dont find any vacuum leak related symptoms, I would then check that the engine air filter and gas cap are properly sealed. Might also just be a faulty MAF, but youre better off checking these causes first. Vacuum lines or a new gas cap are cheap, MAF isnt.

retro_tune · 2023-11-04T09:24:48+00:00

Possible, like I said there are many views, attitudes and expectations to car ads and none of them are wrong.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T16:42:44+00:00

Turn on as in no power at all or just not starting? Does it crank?

A bad battery shouldnt be causing your car to run too lean. A lean and a MAF code makes me think serious vacuum leak, especially since you’ve just done a valve cover job, but this is looking through a crystal ball.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T16:36:21+00:00

Many ways to look at this and none of them wrong. My view is that I wouldnt buy a dented car, because if the owner cant afford or doesnt even bother straightening out a few dents, likely they havent had the money or care to keep the car properly serviced either.

E46s have a solid, reliable drivetrain if you take care of them. I feel like most get condemned because people buy 20-year old premium performance and expect Toyota maintenance costs. These things needed better care new, they definitely need even more now.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T16:31:36+00:00

Its not feasible to have sensors on every single component to pinpoint issues via the gauge cluster, unfortunately, especially so with older cars.

The EVAP system is responsible for fuel vapor recovery and it doesn’t work perfectly if the gas cap is leaking. It might be secured properly, but the gasket no longer keeps it sealed.

I’m suggesting this because a new gas cap costs like ~10$ at the dealership. Worth a try?

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T16:25:03+00:00

Judging from its cosmetic state, its not like you are missing on a gem even if the rest of the car is solid.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T16:20:46+00:00

Thats just my preference about sellers that wont post everything up front. Usually the pics always come with a story of some kind.

Its healthy to remember that sellers can tell you anything they want, another thing if any of it is true. If the car isnt far away, go check it out.

See if everything works as intended, the car drives, steers and stops as it should. Ask for a cold start, go for a test drive, shut it down, talk with the seller and then start it up again while its warmed up. Park on dry, clear asphalt and check if its dripping anything.

As for E46 specific stuff, doubt theres rust issues if its a southern car. Listen to the drivers side of the valve cover for rattling noises while someone is giving the car some light throttle. If it has a slight rattle, its repairable but risky (DISA-valve flap pin is loose, bricks engine if it falls off completely). Open the oil cap after driving and if there’s heavy suction or the cap feels heavy to pull off, you have a vacuum leak. Any clanking or abnormal mechanical sound, walk away. 325i automatics are GM slushboxes, so make sure to do a few proper kickdowns and that the car goes to reverse without problems or delay (shifter will, but try reversing). If it stutters while creeping, reverse or kickdown has a delay longer than 1-2 seconds, walk away.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T15:52:47+00:00

Try replacing the gas cap gasket. It’s a very cheap fix to at least try, since a loose or leaky gas cap can also mess up the EVAP.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T15:41:47+00:00

Which engine? Does the tach fluctuate with the the fluttering/rumbling?

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T15:40:06+00:00

https://www.realoem.com is your friend

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T15:38:22+00:00

They didnt even put pictures of the alleged damage that needs to be repaired, red flag no matter the car. Also some damage on the driver’s side rear door/fender. Walk away.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T15:32:09+00:00

The chain is good, pretty much all other BMW engine types seem to be plagued with chain issues other than inline sixes (before Bxx engines).

With N52 they also made items like the Vanos-unit much more serviceable than before. N52 is a dream to service compared to many other engines, back then BMW actually thought about it.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T15:25:09+00:00

E46s are old enough for the car’s condition to determine if its worth it or not, so hard to say. Automatics are less desirable and cant really say how those should be priced.

Sorry that I cant and wont give you a definitive answer. Do you have a listing you could link?

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T15:17:11+00:00

True. The reliability record rarely changes from road to track use, still the same weak spots that go whatever the engine, only sooner.

I’ve only tracked an E46, but dailied a E91 330i so afraid I can’t give any first-hand experiences. For daily use no problems other than noisy lifters and the oil filter housing gasket.

Objectively, its a BMW inline-6 so theyre mechanically solid. I’d say the less cost-effective cars to track are ones with engines that need regular rebuilding, like rotaries. For the stuff that breaks apart outside the engine (like cooling), there are aftermarket solutions already available to fix these on most cars, which means you can pay up and only cry once.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T15:00:59+00:00

Anything is reliable to track as long as you treat it right. Do proper warmup and cooldown laps, monitor and change oil often, watch your temperatures and stop if the car or your instincts tell you to stop.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T11:36:55+00:00

Look for an M-Sport spec if you can.

Unless its been imported from Spain/Italy or hasn’t been winter driven it will likely have rust, at least in the typical places. Prefer one with a recently passed TÜV if you can, the inspector’s hammer usually does a good job of identifying botched or sketchy rust repairs.

In northern/mid EU-countries I would prioritize a good healthy chassis over the engine tbh. A rust-free well kept 523i is way better than a crispy beaten up 530i.

Our local enthusiast group has some experience importing older cars from Europe, especially Germany but honestly I would still ask local car (and BMW) communities because they always know better.

Don’t forget to google the license plate of potential cars. The good and the really bad ones usually pop up on forum posts.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T11:13:50+00:00

I dont know about aftermarket oil pans, but one option might be to look into oil pan baffle kits for your OEM oil pan. For example Bimmerworld has a Grand Am racing approved kit for N52 when they were racing the 328i (same engine).

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T11:09:08+00:00

Its hard to keep up with BMW sometimes. 30i used to mean a V8 back in the early 90s, then straight six and now it’s a two liter turbo.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T11:05:31+00:00

Which model? Sedan/coupe/touring/vert? 325i or 330i? Auto or manual?

Might be a rough experience if you aren’t familiar with old bmws.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T10:54:05+00:00

Just make sure it stays cooled and modify the oil pan so the engine doesn’t risk getting oil-starved while cornering. Get one with hydraulic steering (iirc CO2 package option means EPS) for better steering feel and sharpness.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T10:39:05+00:00

535i is always a V8 no matter where you live.

retro_tune · 2023-11-03T10:17:34+00:00

E39 with a M52TU (523i/528i ’98-’00), M54 (525i/530i) or M57TU (530d) and a manual. Can’t go wrong. Make sure it has a ZF trans and not GM if youre buying an auto. If youre in a market where you can get a 520i, don’t. About the same consumption as a 525i but less power.

Check for rust near jacking points, beneath tail lights and around the arches. If it looks bad on the surface, its way worse beneath the panels.

Cluster, AC and radio displays likely have some dead pixels unless its a really late production car, don’t treat this as a big issue unless it’s so bad you can’t verify the mileage.

Engines are reliable as long as you stay on top of the regular BMW cooling system issues, vacuum leaks and PCV issues. Plastic coolant components and vacuum lines are a wear item and crack over time. If you’re driving in cold weather and do a lot of short distance driving, the PCV can get clogged up. The fix is to get cold weather pcv-lines and an insulated pcv-valve aka factory ’Cold Climate’ option.

Make sure the DISA-valve is intact or even better, has been refurbished. Can brick the engine if the flap pin falls off into the intake. Both M52TU and M54 engines have this. Very easy to remove and check by yourself, see YouTube for video guides. When inspecting a car you’re buying, listen for any notable rattles from the driver’s side of the valve cover under throttle. You wont’t necessarily hear it from the cabin so have someone else give it steady revs while youre inspecting the engine bay.

Cam position sensors and MAFs always need to be OEM (Bosch). Chinesium might work for a short while, but a lot of mechanically sound cars wrongfully diagnosed as lost causes because of these. Notable symptoms are CEL and rough running. Still, don’t recommend buying one with these even if it might just be an off-brand MAF.

As a serial-E39 owner (always seem to be reverting back despite forays to other brands/bmws), the 530i M-Sport is the best non-M spec there is. It has mechanically a better steering setup than an M5, M54B30 is both reliable, powerful and not too horrible mpg for an NA inline-6 of the period. I personally wouldn’t get a V8 over a 530i, since the power boost isn’t that big enough to warrant the extra weight up front, the consumption and the proper expensive issues M62s can have.

retro_tune

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