What did you do to / for your E53 today??

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by Bdc101

I do have to say that I think I've figured out how to read and use the wiring diagrams now. Newtis is especially helpful. I read wiring diagrams every day at work but automotive wiring diagrams are just so different from any other industry that I've always had trouble with them. I feel like I turned a corner with the BMW diagrams this week, and more than likely that will help me keep this car on the road longer.

I'm more familiar to use the old original WDS. Here is one site which works with every browser without any add-ons.

https://bmwteka.com/

[Purplecty]

Installed an E39 facelift sport wheel

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by Purplecty

Installed an E39 facelift sport wheel

Same here with new uphostery on top of the original.

[Thanx5]

Any more shots or your interior ?

Originally Posted by Clavurion

Same here with new uphostery on top of the original.

[Purplecty]

Originally Posted by Clavurion

Same here with new uphostery on top of the original.

Now that's a gorgeous wheel!

[Thanx5]

Quick test fit before the rain .

[computergui]

Man, what a pain in the ass getting to it..but done!!! No start up noise!!!

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by Thanx5

Quick test fit before the rain .

Those are going to look good. . Very nice.

[Effduration]

Originally Posted by Effduration

Updating this... Unfortunately, 6 months and 5,000 miles later, I have discovered a coolant leak in cylinder 6...I am going in again !!

I have been chasing a coolant leak the last week.. I did a pressure test on the cooling system, no luck. I then did a compression test on all cylinders and it passed (ea cyl w/in 10 psi of each other), with spark plugs looking normal. I then put UV dye in the system and still couldn't find it. Today, I swabbed all cylinders with a q-tip taped to a piece of ethernet cable. Cyl 1-5 looked great, and my hopes were high..Then I found it in Cyl 6. The swab was covered in coolant.

Not sure what happened, might be a crack in head I missed, or I might have gouged the head on install, I'll report back if I find something. I also didn't know much about the reconditioned head I bought. I have another one.

Since I believe the block is good, have already time-serted the block, have a different, known-good head, have good access in the 3.0 engine bay, and have done it before, I am going to attempt another head gasket instead of an engine replacement. I'll use an engine hoist for head removal installation with exhaust manifolds attached.

Finished up the 2nd in-car head gasket on this X5. So far so good...I have driven it 5 miles trips to get it up to operating temps. Smooth running, no smoke, the only error codes were 2 codes related to Bank 1 front and Bank 1 rear 02 sensors heater insufficient. Turns out I plugged the rear bank 1 sensor directly into the front bank 1 O2 sensor - what a Dumbass .Anyway, I corrected that and we seem good to go...

Problem is, I am not sure what previously caused coolant to leak into cyl 6.
I looked hard for a crack or gouge in the head or block couldn't see one. I do see a small spot in the head gasket where the fire ring around cyl 6 failed, but not sure it failed or just came off when I removed the gasket. Disappointing.

Well, I used a new gasket (the thicker, 1.0mm Elring gasket), new bolts, and a different, newly machined cylinder head. I mounted the exhaust manifold to the head and lowered the hole head assembly with an engine hoist. Had my son help as I needed to swing the manifold clear during the lowering process.. Torquing the head, installing cams, timing the engine all went reasonably smoothly. I had previously time-serted this block, so threads were not a problem.

Let's hope this is the last time I have to go into this engine. If it leaks coolant again into a cylinder, I'll probably just do an engine swap by lowering the subframe..

[franccesco30]

Originally Posted by Purplecty

Now that's a gorgeous wheel!

I also did mine a few months back.