Very bad day
 

I need some advice. I have what was a flawless, low mileage (76000) 2006 x5 3L. A few weeks ago the oil separator froze up when it was sub zero and destroyed the engine. We thought it was salvageable at first but today found out I am looking at a $5000 bill to replace with a used engine. Question is.....is it worth it first of all? Second, anyone know in the states where to get a good used engine and not get screwed? What's the car worth to sell as a parts car? Just don't know what to do. Suggestions?

Are you sure the engine has been destroyed? The frozen CCV will pump oil into the intake and unless the rods are bent, it should be salvageable. Pull the spark plugs and crank the engine over to purge the oil from the cylinders and then run a compression check. If it checks out, put the plugs back in and start the car. You will have a lot of smoke until the oil gets burned out of the exhaust but a couple hours of driving should do the trick. Here is a link to some guys that have had the same issue and none of them needed an engine. If it all works out, you should think about the cold weather CCV or at least cleaning out the mayo on the one you have so it doesn't freeze again. The 2018 ice age is wreaking havoc on the poorly designed BMW CCV system.

Frozen CCV failure, do I need a new engine? - E46Fanatics

I'm told it won't hold coolant. They think block is cracked. They did get it to run but coolant was gone quickly. They originally thought it was repairable and I could have lived with a $2000 bill....$5000...????

I guess it could have lifted the cylinder head and perforating the head gasket but a cracked block would be extreme. How long did you drive it when it started blowing smoke out of the exhaust?

If you are doing the work yourself, than fix it. If you are relying on a shop to do the swap than part it.

It died almost instantly. Maybe 20 seconds of driving. Said it may be a warped head. How would one know if it's just a head gasket or a warped head?

Only excessive heat will warp the head. Not the case here. I could believe a head gasket. Either way, that is not an entire engine. One of our members burned one of his exhaust valves and did his cylinder head rebuild last weekend for a few hundred bucks. As upallnight points out, if you are at the mercy of an auto repair facility, you are at a disadvantage.

Please understand I am being completely objective about the low level math, but just as subjective on the emotional decision about it.

You have before you a $3000 decision. That is, you were at peace with $2k. And at worry with $5k. The difference then, is $3k.

Do you like this car for $3k?
If you do, can you get another for $3k? (after parting out, etc)

Any other car on which you spend $3k+ has to (OK, *should*) allow the consideration of the non-objective (emotional) elements of your decision.

Do you like the E53?
Have you an emotional connection to this one in particular*?
Have you bled actual blood into, onto, or nearby this E53?
Did this vehicle miraculously help save you or your family from some malady that would otherwise change your life? (mine did)

*I ask this cause people think I am an idiot for restoring my 1975 2002. But you see, I saw my first boobies in that car. And those boobies- if I do say so- were outstanding. They're still in the bank and that was like 30 YEARS ago.

Now, I should share- these are *my* emotional connections. Because they're terribly unique, everyone gets to use emotions however they want. I have buddies who own more cars in a year than I have in 30. Good on 'em. I find what I like in the passenger seat of my 2002 and I marry it. I mean.. I keep the 2002. :D

Bottom line: It's your $3000. It's your E53. Sure, many of us would say that $3000 for an E53 with a solid motor and head isn't bad. But I will admit that my perspective is a bit skewed after the recent head work I had done.

Wish I could afford that!

Interesting take, and thank you. It does put it into perspective. I have only had the car 6 months and do like it alot....however, this was going to be the car I give my son next year....will I be able to trust it again? How do I know it won't happen again? To add insult to injury, while at the shop, a customer in a Toyota backed into it and ruined the door. Their insurance will pay but still...just very frustrating. In your opinion, is that car worth $5000 additional over the 10k I bought it for with a replaced used engine?

Cold weather CCV system

No, but it had a used engine before this unfortunate event.

Good point....

Here is some interesting reading. A little late for you but at least you will know why this happened and how to prevent it next time.
We the North - Don't lose an engine this Winter to the CCV - E46Fanatics

As do I, my friend. :tgif:

" is that car worth $5000 additional over the 10k I bought it for with a replaced used engine?"

Unless you can work on it yourself, NO.

Propellerhead, yikes!!! was that 14k for a ferarri head!???
Ive seen good used engines go for $2000, and labour to install it, about the same.
Its always a crap shoot though, do you like the car enough to ...........
its going to be a case of diminishing returns anyway, could you replace it for the $5000 that you need to spend on a new engine.? If it were mine, (im a mechanic type) I would change the engine, and move on.
but its your call. hope all goes well!

Actually what I would do if I was REAL short on money and I was positive the current motor wasn't fixable would be to buy a bad motor needing a headgasket or such for practically nothing and put a head gasket on it. I have actually done this :)

If I remember the whole process it involved the follow cost wise.

$80 in beer (help has to be paid)

$5 diesel for the tractor to pull the motor and install the motor

$50 gasket kit

$70 cigarettes

I think that was everything. We used the head off the motor with the busted block :)

Here's a guarantee fix for the winter time CCV freeze up.

https://xoutpost.com/1122720-post8.html

Yeah does not sound like a do it yourselfer so its time tp cut the bond/cord and move on to something else. At this point its a scrap X5 and should be treated as so.

Follow up to this. After taking some advice from people on the forum, I decided to repair the car. As it worked out, I found and engine with 55k on it and had it shipped to my mechanic for $1600. While parked at the mechanic, someone backed into it and caved in the door. His insurance issued me a check for $2000 for the repair. I found a door, same color with a VIN just a few away from mine...may have been painted the same day...that was $250 delivered. So...$1850 for door and engine which I applied the $2000 check to. My mechanic installed the engine, hung the door, swapped over all the internal components, glass, interior panel, etc then installed my air bag emulator I bought and had the car completely detailed and ceramic coated...all for $2300. So, I was out $2150 net. Now, today I just wrote a check for a yaw sensor replacement $650 Inc tax. My son better appreciate this!

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- For the O.P. and for those reading this thread...

- If you have NOT done so, then read the infamous thread by "BavarianE39 CCV Mod", I did this mod a few years ago:

1. This mod reduces oil consumption from 1 qt/300 miles to zero!

2. This mod avoids the problem of the CCV freezing, causing hydrolock.
BTW, the hydrolock caused by oil is usually reversible, i.e., engine not destroyed, simply b/c the amount of liquid ingested is not as bad as let's say driving through water and the engine sucks in LARGE amount of water.

Anyway, I highly recommend the CCV Mod.

Agreed....do the mod, especially if in the north. My car was a California car so had never even been thought of as something to do. Unfortunately, my engine detonated and cracked the block, so a simple reversal was not in the cards, tried it and got it to run but that was about it.

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Personally I would do some tearing down if the engine to see if you can pin point the issue. If you’re looking at a cracked block you can get an engine for around 900-1700$ from car-part.com which is a site where dealers part out their cars and there is a ton of X5 on there. I did a search for your year and model and there are engines available.

OP has fixed his car and made out really well.

That certainly makes a lot more sense. Lol. I didn't see the original date for the post until just now. Glad it all worked out!

Already did. $1600 delivered. 55k on it. Car had been repaired and is back in my possession.

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