x5 - how often need to change spark plugs if at all?

[m5james]

Great motors is debatable, but so is the LSx...it's just not a BMW engine. Handling would still be there, I was just looking at a thread where the swap changed the weight of a guys 540i by a measly 25lbs.

S62 conversion...drool because it's obscenely rare because it's obscenely expensive...ask me how I know. Swapping physical motors is easy, getting them to run, that's a whole different ball park. If you prefer uphill battles in regards to tuning and spending the 25k on a new engine, then more power to you. In all the years I've been a BMW owner, I think I've seen ONE 7 series with an S62 (in the US) and a couple of E30's with an S62 or S85 (in Europe, where they're even cheaper). It's simply not worth the headache. Don't be sorry, I may race you one day and never tell you what I've got under the hood, but you'll still be telling your friends you still got smoked by a 7 series with me and 4 of my fat buddies, and that's all that matters.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by FSETH

If you are no purist, then more power to you. Unfortunately though, great motors and handling are the two best things about BMW's and you would be removing 50% of that equation. I would personally be utterly dissappointed when the hood was opened to reveal a Chevy crate motor. Pure blaspheme.

Now if you opened the hood of a 540i or 740i and there was an s62 tuned to the gills, that is a completely different story. Any other way just cheapens it, imo. Sorry guys.

No different than a Chevy 350 in a Jaguar, either an XJ6, XJ12, or XKE.

On an unrelated note, does this topic not deserve its own thread, since the original poster didn't start a thread about GM motors but rather just wanted to ask about BMW spark plugs?

[m5james]

He got his answer, and last I checked, he hasn't even come back to his own thread. Since the moto of this forum is to come for the information but stay for the friendships, we're doing what friends do...letting the conversation wander all over the highway Give it a few more days, maybe we'll be talking politics or favorite paint colors

Hey X5SilverBeast, I think I just found some instructional videos - YouTube - BMW with Chevy V-8--Segment 1

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by m5james

Great motors is debatable, but so is the LSx...it's just not a BMW engine. Handling would still be there, I was just looking at a thread where the swap changed the weight of a guys 540i by a measly 25lbs.

S62 conversion...drool because it's obscenely rare because it's obscenely expensive...ask me how I know. Swapping physical motors is easy, getting them to run, that's a whole different ball park. If you prefer uphill battles in regards to tuning and spending the 25k on a new engine, then more power to you. In all the years I've been a BMW owner, I think I've seen ONE 7 series with an S62 (in the US) and a couple of E30's with an S62 or S85 (in Europe, where they're even cheaper). It's simply not worth the headache. Don't be sorry, I may race you one day and never tell you what I've got under the hood, but you'll still be telling your friends you still got smoked by a 7 series with me and 4 of my fat buddies, and that's all that matters.

Great motors is debatable...what? Whats your main criteria when judging if a motor is great or not? Cheap tunability? Low initial cost?

Here is a list of International Engine of the Year award winners. I think BMW has taken home Overall Engine of the year 6 times in the past decade.

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by JCL

On an unrelated note, does this topic not deserve its own thread, since the original poster didn't start a thread about GM motors but rather just wanted to ask about BMW spark plugs?

You are so right, but once I get on a soap box...

[m5james]

I've seen the award, and no offense, but it also made me laugh. All the VANOS problems, timing chain tensioners, transmission failures for days...I could go on for days after spending so many years on Bimmerforums. BMW isn't perfect, but neither is anyone else...ALL cars have some issues, one way or another.

All my point it, that for the price, American will be just as reliable but far cheaper when parts do break, tuning (yes, that is a big hurdle for me since I'm NOT running a stock engine). As I said already, the physical motor (block, pistons, heads, etc) isn't the issue, it's everything bolted to it. When I got my engine swapped, the shop was blown away that the timing chain tensioner had broken, causing the motor to eat itself alive. It's the PO's fault since he took it to a shody shop for the work, then I purchased the vehicle, and even after passing a buyers inspection, I was replacing the motor within a few months of ownership. I have absolutely no fear of my engine failing due to another major mechanic issue, it's just everything else BMW bolts to the engine I've got to worry about...nickle and diming me to death. I did it to myself though, so don't take my consideration of swapping an LSx into any BMW as in insult, because I purchased another V8 BMW even after knowing what problems it has.

[X5SilverBeast]

hell yeah! great video. See that's what I'm talking about. Doing something that has never been done or rarely done. GM LS motor in a bmw. Keeping the stock look on the outside. Creating not so much the "ultimate driving machine" but the "Ultimate Sleeper". Can you imagine an LS3 hopped up to the tune of 500 or 600HP sitting inside an e39 or e38. You would never know what is under the hood from the outside. You could eat M5's for breakfast. Not only that, close to 30MPG.

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by m5james

I've seen the award, and no offense, but it also made me laugh. All the VANOS problems, timing chain tensioners, I could go on for days after spending so many years on Bimmerforums.

Have you seen all the accolades Ward's has given BMW engines as well?

Debatable, because of some vanos issues...

[m5james]

I've seen the Ward's one as well. Until Ward's start supplementing my repair bills, I could care less what they think of any engine. I get my experience first hand by coming to forums like this, where people are busting knuckles and paying money to fix their cars, not some review in the pages of a magazine.

...about VANOS issues? I'd love to let you talk to the people who've had such laughable issues and see how they feel. That's like laughing at people with transmission issues...what's the big deal right, it's only $5k - but you get to drive a B M W. Who cares. I've said why I bought my BMW...space and handling being on the top of the list. If my 7 had the reliability of my 1990, 270k POS Chevy Blazer, I'd be in heaven. But they're not apples to apples. Doing a motor swap (again) would at least bring me to having the best of both worlds.

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by m5james

I've seen the Ward's one as well. Until Ward's start supplementing my repair bills, I could care less what they think of any engine. I get my experienice first hand by coming to forums like this, where people are busting knuckles and paying money to fix their cars, not some review in the pages of a magazine.

With regards to that, of course you are going to hear about vanos and other issues on Bimmerforums. Most people don't come to forums to brag about how reliable their car is. They come looking for info on how to fix issues. Every car manufacturer is going to have issues with it's engines, but it says something to me about the motors that BMW makes when I have never owned one that I didn't get rid of with less than 300,000 miles, when they consistently do more with less horsepower than most manufacturers in the world (especially domestic) and they are winning prestigious awards twice as often as the second place manufacturer.