My first two weeks of E34 535i ownership.

[pundit]

Well this should appear familiar to many of you...

1. Replaced thrust arm bushes (750IL)
2. Fixed oil leak from crank sensor bracket
3. Replaced front rotors and pads.
4. Serviced trans (filter, gasket, selector shaft seal, 4 litres Dexron III)
5. Replaced belts.

Notes relating to above:

1. These were suckers to remove! Both thrust arm bushing bolt threads stripped whilst removing. These bolts use 'cone' style locknuts which are a throw away item as they tend to pick up the thread on the bolts and bind up. Budget for new thrust arm bolts & locknuts when replacing bushes. (130mm x 14mm metric fine). I could not locate original BMW bolts & nuts anywhere in Melbourne. One BMW dealer said he would have to order them from Munich!! - You must be kidding! Another independent bolt supplier quoted me $100.00 AUS ($75.00 US) for 2 bolts/nuts inc. express delivery from his 'secret' supplier? - You REALLY must be kidding!! I ended up finding 2 130mm x 14mm metric course high tensile hex bolts with nylock nuts @ $6.00 each!! - more like it!! I found a very good adjustable forged puller which made removing the outer joints a breeze (will post pics soon). Replacing the bushes in the arms was straight forward. (Used a friends hydraulic bearing press)

2. Crank sensor bracket bolts were loose. Removed larger bolt, cleaned and used 'Stag' jointing compound to seal. Smaller 10mm bolt could only be tightened after removing A/C compressor in order to gain access as I wasn't about to remove the crank pulley (nut is at 340ft/lb!)

3. No drama here.

4. Trans filler pipe/pan nut was absolutely locked solid. I would have buckled the trans pan if I'd tried any harder (even used heat & hydraulic bottle jack on the wrench to try and shift this baby) Wound up removing pan with filler pipe attached. The old fluid was quite clean & minimal metallics on the pan magnets. There was a leak from the pan gasket and selector shaft seal so I decided to do a complete service while I was at it.

5. No drama here.

Things to do:
1. Adjust valve clearances
2. Check/replace banjo bolts on camshaft oil feeder pipe
3. Mobil 1 5w-50. (Is 5w-50 available in the US?)
4. EAT chip.
5. Maybe lower 1.5" - (Something not too harsh - SACH's?)
6. 17" wheels.
7. Hmmm...?? - That'll do for now!! ;)

Cheers.

[JAlfredPrufrock]

Excellent... it's been months and I still have to do some of that. :)

[John B.]

Things to do:
1. Adjust valve clearances
2. Check/replace banjo bolts on camshaft oil feeder pipe
3. Mobil 1 5w-50. (Is 5w-50 available in the US?)
4. EAT chip.
5. Maybe lower 1.5" - (Something not too harsh - SACH's?)
6. 17" wheels.
7. Hmmm...?? - That'll do for now!! ;)

Cheers.

Castrol has a 5/50wt Syntec but I've never seen a 5/50 Mobil 1. Too bad as it would be my choice over the popular 0/40.
I used the factory M springs/swaybars on my 535i with Boge Turbo Gas shocks/struts & am happy with the ride. I'm still using the stock 15' wheels so the ride might be much harsher with 17" wheels.
The EAT chip is a must as it makes a very nice improvement.

[Bill R.]

replaced by the 0w40 everywhere else too..They feel the 0w40 is a superior oil.
If you know anybody in Canada they can send you the 5w50 mobil one.






Castrol has a 5/50wt Syntec but I've never seen a 5/50 Mobil 1. Too bad as it would be my choice over the popular 0/40.
I used the factory M springs/swaybars on my 535i with Boge Turbo Gas shocks/struts & am happy with the ride. I'm still using the stock 15' wheels so the ride might be much harsher with 17" wheels.
The EAT chip is a must as it makes a very nice improvement.

[Bill R.]

5w50 anymore..Looks like europe , australia and others still do though.










replaced by the 0w40 everywhere else too..They feel the 0w40 is a superior oil.
If you know anybody in Canada they can send you the 5w50 mobil one.

[willobmw]

Let him order some of that 5w50. More 0w40 for me. I just got my valves adjusted today. It looked like a nice maple syrup in there. Banjo bolts intact, um good. Pass me another one of those flap jacks. :p

Will Ollison
1990 535i (now E.A.T. and Delrin enhanced)
1981 528i
1975 2002

[pundit]

replaced by the 0w40 everywhere else too..They feel the 0w40 is a superior oil.
If you know anybody in Canada they can send you the 5w50 mobil one.
Not necessarily. It entirely depends on climatic conditions. We probably get more days (in Australia) above 40 celsius than you get below 40 celsius. True 0w-40 is better in cooler climates & especially freezing winters like yours. However we rarely hit 0 degrees here and based on our climate 5w-50 is a more suitable oil here in Oz. Temperatures here in Melbourne are generally in the range of 5-15 degrees celsius in winter and 15-40 degrees in summer.
Plus I'm talking M30 here without hydraulic lifters. 0w-40 maybe more suitable for the twin cams with hydraulic lifters. ;)

[herman maire]

I think save youre money on the synthetic oil, and stick with the good old classic high quality minneral based oil
These motors last a life time when maintained with mineral oil every 4-5000 km max.
I also think his motors were made to use 20/50 mineral oil summer
and 10/40 winter.
I have 320kkm on mine and compression is 100% thats proof enough for me.

20/50 all the way even my porsche air cooled freinds agree syntetic is like water too thin. I dont think any engine will reach the boiling temp on either one maybe I would put syntec in a high power turbo car even then not sure
a good oil cooler would solve that

[Bill R.]

0w40 in various countries not what the personal opinions of the people may be.. As far a days above 40C, for an example my average high temp in the highest month of the year here in Tucson AZ, is 20 degrees F above your average high temp month in Melbourne and I'm still going to use only 0w40 in my M30 as of my next oil change. In the past i have run the bmw 5w30 synthetic with absolutely no problems in 118F weather. I have my valve cover approx. every 3 to 4months to check the valve adjustment and there is no sign of wear on my cam lobes or on the tip of the valve stems. I still contend that oil starvation on startup is the biggest wear factor you're going to run into on a modern engine.. (modern to me is 1980 and above) Thats the reason that i'm more concerned about using a 0w40 to allow everything to get oil pressure quickly on startup. In theory the check valve keeps oil in the lines ready to go but in practice that rarely turns out to be true... Just watch how long it takes for the oil pressure light to go out on startup with 0w40 and you'll be sold.







Not necessarily. It entirely depends on climatic conditions. We probably get more days (in Australia) above 40 celsius than you get below 40 celsius. True 0w-40 is better in cooler climates & especially freezing winters like yours. However we rarely hit 0 degrees here and based on our climate 5w-50 is a more suitable oil here in Oz. Temperatures here in Melbourne are generally in the range of 5-15 degrees celsius in winter and 15-40 degrees in summer.
Plus I'm talking M30 here without hydraulic lifters. 0w-40 maybe more suitable for the twin cams with hydraulic lifters. ;)