This was supposed to be a project for my boys and I to complete so they would have a first car.
Boys at 15, now going on 17.
This was supposed to be a project for my boys and I to complete so they would have a first car.
Boys at 15, now going on 17.
It all started with this GRM add.
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/cars-sale/2002-bmw-x5-manual/184828/page1/
Followed by this GRM add.
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/parts-sale/bmw-m54b25/198088/page1/
Can you see where this is going?
Congrats!
My boys know they aren't allowed to buy anything but a Toyota/Honda for their first car. Boy 1 wants- Prius, Boy 2 wants - EF/EG Hatch. I am about 3 years away for Boy 1.
Reality is, if I can get my Free RX300 to last 3 more years (310K miles projected then), that is what they will get.
Top end is clear.
Right now the body is on its way up and off of the subframe. Only one broken AC pump bolt and all eight collector bolts broke.
Parts needed so far are a clutch release bearing and drivers side front axle shaft.
The motor going in has been sitting for 3-4 years. Plan is to fire it up and hope the rings are free.
mr2s2000elise said:Congrats!
My boys know they aren't allowed to buy anything but a Toyota/Honda for their first car. Boy 1 wants- Prius, Boy 2 wants - EF/EG Hatch. I am about 3 years away for Boy 1.
Reality is, if I can get my Free RX300 to last 3 more years (310K miles projected then), that is what they will get.
Same with my kids. Girl 1 wants a Lexus GX460 or an Odyssey of all things. Girl 2 wanted my Purple E36 M3 but sold it at the right time. Now she wants the Miata my parents have for sale. I've thought about firesaling everything and buying two brand new vehicles (truck and car) that will be paid off by the time they can both drive.
Looks like a very cool project! My dad did the same thing to me. Helped me buy a Firebird with a blown head gasket, I bought a junkyard 3.8, and went to work. Have fun and can't wait to see the end result.
Funny about this, our son will be driving a 2005 X3, 3.0 as soon as he finishes up on his license requirements. The car has been in the family for ten plus years and the amount of deferred maintenance needed on our 248,000 mile adventure might be along what your son's will experience.
We started with the struts and rear shocks. The frond strut mounts were also changed. The motor mounts, both, were junk. I would pull the codes from the system. You might find something lurking that should be addressed.
I would also look at the mount for the transfer case, at the transmission cross member. Getting the old one out is easy, getting the new one in is a pain. We used Dawn liquid dish soap, still not fun but it worked.
It never stops with these old BMW's. Every hose is toast, save your self the time and change them as you put the car back together.
Having the fuel injectors refreshed will teach them about the litaney of stuff that lives on top of the valve cover, that always seems to be leaking. Learning about having the motor smoke tested to find the vacuum leaks that plage these motors is a rite of passage.
But having that 5 speed in you X5, priceless!
akylekoz said:The motor going in has been sitting for 3-4 years. Plan is to fire it up and hope the rings are free.
Remove the plugs and pour some Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders in the meantime. Let it soak in.
Turn it without the plugs to make sure all the oil is out before running it.
Minor progress tonight.
Awesome. If you havent done it yet, replace all the wear parts and clips for the shifter. Super easy to do it while its out.
This is smart parenting. Those boys will get so frustrated they'll never even bother to get a license. Much cheaper and less worrisome having non driving children in college 
In reply to Slippery :
I'll pick some up and start soaking them.
In reply to mr2s2000elise :
I agree on the this not being the best choice, but how could I resist. Normally I only let my family drive Japanese or Select American cars.
In reply to TJL (Forum Supporter) :
They are on the list, I already have one part. It looks like the pin and bushings where it mounts to the trans are the worst.
In reply to jr02518 :
This is an extreme budget build, hopes are to have it on the road for under $1000 total including the car and motor purchase price. We will learn the hard way if it lasts that long.
First step, make it run.
I completely understand. If you lift the motor from the current cradle and the front cross member does not move, the engine mounts are bad. One side is a two part design that bleeds out its fluid and collapses. Both of them are on the list of BMW ware items. The unpublished list.
Everything else, but the hoses, is optional.
Having that 5 speed is going to be epic!
I will definitely check the motor mounts. So far all of the fluids looked fresh in this thing and there were a few other signs that it was loved in a previous life. My hopes are high that it will go together ok.
This made the hour long drive home sometimes at near triple digit speeds trying to keep up with SHMBO. Ride was smooth, heated seats and AC worked, it was just down on power running on 5 cylinders.
I so want a 5 speed X5.
following....
New motor is mostly stripped. Two tubes were brittle and broke. The broken tubes are different on the old motor and much better, maybe upgraded at some point.
Had to swap the valve covers due to the difference in coil mount. Most of the wiring is attached to the intake, so I may just swap intakes.
Who needs an M54B30 running core? I can pull the head to verify why one hole lacked compression. Money shift or rings?
Oil pans appear to be a match between an ix and X so that is a win. So the motor comes with a front differential.
akylekoz said:Who needs an M54B30 running core? I can pull the head to verify why one hole lacked compression. Money shift or rings?
It has been a few years, but I am 99% sure that rotating assembly is valuable in the e30 world. The crank and rods can be sold for around $600 most likely. They are used as a cheap way to build a stroker M20B25 into a 3.1 liter motor.
Dont give it away ;)
If I play my cards right maybe it will be an almost free car.
One split PVC tube and one air filter tube.
Had to order the one that goes on the throttle body, the other one I had a spare for.
Check out these valve stems. 5 holes looked the same and one different.
Five
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