View Poll Results: What should I do?

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  • Look for an engine to keep my 325i?

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Thread: I need a new engine!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Fallbrook, CA, U.S
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    2001 325i

    I need a new engine!

    Hello to everyone out there, yesterday my 2001 325i engine went bad, specifically one of the oil rings in the pistons has gone bad and now I am blowing clouds of white smoke through the exhaust that smells terrible. My mechanic told me that I would be better off with a new engine than trying to rebuild that one, it would be less money. My mechanic has also advised me that he can get me a used engine for about 1400$-1600$ and install it for 350$ which isn't too bad for doing an entire engine. But i run the risk of it being faulty as well. But the thing it comes down to is, if i can find a great M54B25 engine for my car. That will determine whether i get to keep it or not. But I have been doing my research and i found out that the 325i from 2001-2005 has the M54B25 engine and I was wondering if i get a good engine from a newer model, will it have the same setup or will things be slightly or completely different? Give me your opinion and see what i can do about this terrible situation.


    If you all could help me and shine some light on this situation, that would determine whether i keep my 325 or not, thanks for taking your time to read this.
    Last edited by nekrois; 03-12-2014 at 12:39 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Ca
    Posts
    1,067
    My Cars
    Montego 135i/6
    Install a new engine for $350? That doesn't sound right considering it will take 15+ hours to do that job.
    2009 135i/6 | Cobb Stg 2+ | VRSF Downpipes | aFe Intake | Evolution Intercooler | Evolution CP | Apex ARC8s | BMW Performance Spoiler | Carbon Fiber

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Media, Pennsylvania,
    Posts
    4,699
    My Cars
    1991 325i
    well you should be able to throw in an m54b30 pretty easily, but if he can get a known good running engine from another car for that price it sure isnt bad.
    1991 BMW 325i(Current Daily) (S52)
    I have carburetors, and I'm not afraid to use them!
    There are always other fish (engines) in the sea (Craigslist)
    Life is about enjoying the engine you are sitting behind.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New England
    Posts
    25,402
    My Cars
    F90 M5; E36 M3 Turbo
    If you can buy and install a used engine for less than $2500, do it. As is, in broken condition, the car is probably worth $1500. However, I am not sure what you could buy that is comparable for $4000, the repair cost plus the sales price. Add in a few thousand more, and you might consider some other options.

    I agree on the 3.0L M54 as an upgrade. You would probably need to retune the ECU for the larger motor, but that should not be very expensive. Used 3.0L likely cost more than used 2.5L. There is nothing in the 2.5L that anyone wants, but people used the internals from the 3.0L to rebuild older M50 and M52 motors with more displacement.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Huntsville, Alabama
    Posts
    100
    My Cars
    74 2002Lux, 2002 M Roadst
    You might want to get a second opinion. White smoke is usually associated with a bad headgasket. If the ring had gone south you would be burning oil, that is blue in color.....Did he do a leakdown and compression test?
    Earl
    74 2002Lux
    02 M Roadster
    72 Volvo 1800ES

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    18,000
    My Cars
    '03 Z4, '06 Forester
    Quote Originally Posted by pimpstaty5y View Post
    Install a new engine for $350? That doesn't sound right considering it will take 15+ hours to do that job.
    15 hours? Sure .. if you include 8 hrs to sleep.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Omaha NE
    Posts
    924
    My Cars
    89 325is, 84 320i
    Nut up and drop a s54 in that thing.
    1989 325is new DD
    1996 328i slushbox (daily driver)sold
    1984 320i euro (project/build, build thread below)
    http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...5#post27290455

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    NW suburban Chicago
    Posts
    16,302
    My Cars
    hiss by my window
    Quote Originally Posted by emyers View Post
    You might want to get a second opinion. White smoke is usually associated with a bad headgasket. If the ring had gone south you would be burning oil, that is blue in color.....Did he do a leakdown and compression test?
    Earl
    74 2002Lux
    02 M Roadster
    72 Volvo 1800ES
    Oil smoke is NOT blue, gee I'm sick of seeing this posted. There is a slight bluish color sometimes, the hint is that smoke hangs in the air, steam dissipates quickly.
    OP, The oil separator is a common failure on these engines. The piston rings are not. I'd say worth a second opinion.
    A mechanic who quotes $350 to R&R an engine for this car is a fool and/or guessing with plans to charge more. I suspect his diagnosis is also a guess.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Arida Zona
    Posts
    30,108
    My Cars
    z3
    I have replaced engines for people for $2000 before. The trick is you buy the engine for $200 from a junkyard. The thing is when I did it, I told my customers, sounds like this mechanic is trying to be sneaky and pocket a bit of $$$ here

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  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Huntsville, AL
    Posts
    25,923
    My Cars
    87 325is
    Quote Originally Posted by ross1 View Post
    Oil smoke is NOT blue, gee I'm sick of seeing this posted. There is a slight bluish color sometimes, the hint is that smoke hangs in the air, steam dissipates quickly.
    OP, The oil separator is a common failure on these engines. The piston rings are not. I'd say worth a second opinion.
    A mechanic who quotes $350 to R&R an engine for this car is a fool and/or guessing with plans to charge more. I suspect his diagnosis is also a guess.
    Compared to vaporized coolant, oil smoke is distinctly blue. Vaporized coolant has a sweetish odor and oil smokes smell, well, like burning oil. Both are persistent smoke that will hang is the air and are slow to disappear. Vaporized coolant looks very different from plain water steam and once you have seen a bona fide case you will never mistake one for the other.

    In this case I'd say that the mechanic is wrong and the fault is a bad head gasket or cracked head. A hot leak down test using 170-180psi air will tell for sure. While a head problem can be fixed for less than the cost of a replacement engine, on this car the engine may have to be replaced if the head problem resulted from an over heat. That is known for stripping the head bolt heads in the block.
    The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
    Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Huntsville, Alabama
    Posts
    100
    My Cars
    74 2002Lux, 2002 M Roadst
    Quote Originally Posted by thejlevie View Post
    Compared to vaporized coolant, oil smoke is distinctly blue. Vaporized coolant has a sweetish odor and oil smokes smell, well, like burning oil. Both are persistent smoke that will hang is the air and are slow to disappear. Vaporized coolant looks very different from plain water steam and once you have seen a bona fide case you will never mistake one for the other.

    In this case I'd say that the mechanic is wrong and the fault is a bad head gasket or cracked head. A hot leak down test using 170-180psi air will tell for sure. While a head problem can be fixed for less than the cost of a replacement engine, on this car the engine may have to be replaced if the head problem resulted from an over heat. That is known for stripping the head bolt heads in the block.
    Thanks for the input...I was not going to say anything past my original post....did not feel it was worth it.

    Earl
    Huntsville Al

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    NW suburban Chicago
    Posts
    16,302
    My Cars
    hiss by my window
    Quote Originally Posted by thejlevie View Post
    Compared to vaporized coolant, oil smoke is distinctly blue. Vaporized coolant has a sweetish odor and oil smokes smell, well, like burning oil. Both are persistent smoke that will hang is the air and are slow to disappear. Vaporized coolant looks very different from plain water steam and once you have seen a bona fide case you will never mistake one for the other.

    In this case I'd say that the mechanic is wrong and the fault is a bad head gasket or cracked head. A hot leak down test using 170-180psi air will tell for sure. While a head problem can be fixed for less than the cost of a replacement engine, on this car the engine may have to be replaced if the head problem resulted from an over heat. That is known for stripping the head bolt heads in the block.
    I have just finished an engine job in a car which had a disintegrated piston, in a hundred pieces, the con. rod was in four. Remarkably this engine still ran! It was spewing, I mean spewing, oil from the tail pipe. There is considerable oil in the exhaust system as you might imagine.
    With the repaired engine in and running it smokes copiously now until the oil in the exhaust will burn off. I believe the owner's son had made a video of this I shall be happy to ask for it and post it to demonstrate the clouds of WHITE oil smoke it produces.
    I understand the nuance of oil smoke v. coolant. Most cannot tell the difference, it is not so distinct.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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