Xoutpost.com - View Single Post - COVID-19 Quarantined or Stay At Home X5 Projects

blackknight530i · #**159** 04-20-2020, 11:51 PM

So, over the last week and a half or so, I've done a ton of work on both my e39s and my e53.

First was doing the window trims and cowls on both the M5 and the wagon, then new brakes and RBF660 flush on the M5, then started one of the worst jobs I've ever done on a car... the dreaded alternator bracket gasket replacement on the 4.8is.

The gasket had failed completely about a couple months ago, and I bought all the parts to do it, as well as the valve stem seal repair and everything else that you do "while you're in there". My indy who is a good friend of mine was going to let me work on it with him on a weekend at his shop and we were going to pull the engine and do it all, has been slammed and then the coronavirus hit, so I was relegated to working on getting the garage prepped and ready for getting a lift installed so I could do it there instead. With the coronavirus, that kept me from having my buddies come over and help with that, so I decided to park the X5 for a while. Then, when I started working less hours and working from home, I decided I was going to just attempt the alternator bracket gasket repair myself so I could at least get the car back on the road.

The job took me a week working between 4-8 hours a day, skipping a day in the middle. The biggest part of it was just cleaning everything. There was so much oil all over everything that I went through about 10 cans of brake cleaner. So much cursing at BMW engineers was done, thinking why would they design everything to block just 1 bolt on another thing, forcing so many things to be removed to get at a stupid $10 gasket.

Mine had a definite crack at the top where oil was spraying out. Replaced that gasket and the o-rings on the cooler lines, as well as the one last soft line on the power steering system I hadn't done previously since I was in there. Got it all put back together and at least that no longer leaks. Still need to do the valve stem seals, timing cover gaskets, valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, etc., but I think I'm going to let my indy do that next week instead. This weekend will be rear suspension bushing overhaul so I can get the alignment done at the same time.

Also, got new wheels and tires put on the X5 as well. The car came with some replica E70 wheels when I got it and I always hated them since they were black on a black car, so I picked up some mint condition Style 87s and put some brand new Michelin AS3 N0 spec tires on. I haven't taken a pic with the new tires on, but here she is with the new wheels.

Headlights got sent off to a buddy of mine who is sanding them and polishing them, then clear coating. He should have them done tomorrow and I'll get those reinstalled. Here's the first one after clear:

So that's it so far.

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