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    E9X M3 / S65 - Russian Roulette

    So after reading a lot online, maybe it is time to put things down on bullet points and warn every E9X driver about what he could be facing.

    S65 is probably one of the best engines every built by BMW along with the S85. S65 however requires far more attention than what we know about as it is really sensitive to different situations and does take a beating if not treated well.

    I've been reading about countless number of engines that have been blown due to Rod Bearing failure. Any car at any given time with any given mileage under any given climate can fail, hence why the S65 had been called the Russian Roulette by many. There are things that could extend the life of your S65 and probably leave you not to worry about the issue at all.


    These measures (In my opinion) should be respected and taken well into consideration.

    - Change the Oil every 5,000 kms as we have a hot climate which deteriorates the quality of oil rather quicker than colder climates.
    - Respect Cold Starts and do NOT rev your engine when the car is cold. This will make sure the engine circulates the oil at the lowest friction possible before any load is being exerted on the engine itself.
    - Use the recommended oil (TWS) as it is, till now, the best you can use for your engine. Some people might argue about it's behavior and viscosity...etc. But the fact is TWS has the best characteristics in terms of it's compatibility with the S65's metal compounds.
    - IF you are a track junkie, consider getting an aftermarket Oil cooler which will help in decreasing the oil temperature by 20% (Approx.) and optimize the performance.
    - Open up your eyes and ears, look at your gauges and watch the temperatures always and most importantly LISTEN to your engine for any ticking noise at idle or at (1200~2000) RPM.
    - If you are at an early stage of a Rod Bearings failure you can rectify it by replacing them. However if you are late enough and drive those few KMs with a ticking noise, you could have a catastrophic engine failure.


    Remember, Rod Bearing failure is NOT related Production Date, Mileage, Weather, or Driving Conditions. You can call it a heart attack, you never know when it happens, or IF it will happen in the first place. But you can always try to do the preventive action.
    Drive To The Satisfaction... A Dreamer's Pursuit

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    #2
    Thanks for the Post Rafik...this is something we should be aware of and keep a frequent look out for the possible symptoms.

    Great post for spreading the awareness...appreciate it!
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      #3
      Excellent post Rafik. I would like to add my comments.

      - Change the Oil every 5,000 kms as we have a hot climate which deteriorates the quality of oil rather quicker than colder climates. (This is more important for the VANOS than anything else. Impurities in the oil can cause vanos failure. I have never understood the relation between hot climate and oil life. The operating temp for the engine oil is 100 Cs no matter what the climate outside. It may go up a bit in hot climate, but 5 to 10 degrees is nothing for the modern synthetic oils. I definitely need more education on this point).


      - Respect Cold Starts and do NOT rev your engine when the car is cold. This will make sure the engine circulates the oil at the lowest friction possible before any load is being exerted on the engine itself. (This is the most important when it comes to actually driving the car. The oil needs to reach its operating temp of 100 Cs to flow properly. As long as the oil is not flowing properly, you are just grinding your bearings. Keep your RPMs low until your oil fully warmed up and then start pushing it gradually).


      - Use the recommended oil (TWS) as it is, till now, the best you can use for your engine. Some people might argue about it's behavior and viscosity...etc. But the fact is TWS has the best characteristics in terms of it's compatibility with the S65's metal compounds. (TWS is probably the best 10W-60 for these engines because it shears down very quickly to a 50 weight oil. I am not sure about the metallurgical compatibility).


      - IF you are a track junkie, consider getting an aftermarket Oil cooler which will help in decreasing the oil temperature by 20% (Approx.) and optimize the performance. (Excellent advice on the oil cooler).


      - Open up your eyes and ears, look at your gauges and watch the temperatures always and most importantly LISTEN to your engine for any ticking noise at idle or at (1200~2000) RPM. (Great advice. Don't confuse it with the ticking from the injectors).


      - If you are at an early stage of a Rod Bearings failure you can rectify it by replacing them. However if you are late enough and drive those few KMs with a ticking noise, you could have a catastrophic engine failure. (IMHO! the bearings should be changed at around 100k kms, weather you hear the problem or not).
      Last edited by Hasan Shaikh; 10-05-2015, 12:48 PM.
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        #4
        Nice write up bro
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          #5
          Also, if you have a MT, make sure you rev match your shifts.
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            #6
            Why is the rev match important for MT's?
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              #7
              Originally posted by Wazif View Post
              Why is the rev match important for MT's?
              It helps preserve the synchros and improves the life of the clutch.
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                #8
                This is very useful information. Is there a way to test whether rod bearings need replacement? Just to be proactive...
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                  #9
                  The only way to check the bearings is to open them and inspect them.
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                    #10
                    Originally posted by Hasan Shaikh View Post
                    It helps preserve the synchros and improves the life of the clutch.
                    +1

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                      #11
                      So yes i agree with the above points. As my e92 M3 has reached 127K Km, i decided to inspect the bearings and change them. The pictures attached tell the story. The upper rod shell are all worn , however not to the point of failure. The bottom shells are all ok with exception of cylinder 1 & 2. I caught this in the right time.

                      After researching a few new options on what to do on the forums i was presented with 3 types of shells to buy:

                      1- Be bearings
                      2- OEM bearings treated with WPC to increase clearance
                      3- OEM bearings Coated by VAC.

                      2 options for Bolts were either OEM or ARP Rod bolts

                      I decided to go with OEM treated WPC shells with ARP bolts.

                      Last edited by Raklatif; 24-11-2017, 11:53 PM.
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