E60: Engine Swap Week - Day 2

• Remove headlights and front crash-bar.
• Remove starter motor.
• Remove oil filter / cooler.
• Photograph and disconnect vacuum hoses and wiring-connectors.
• Attempt remove engine.
• Remove exhaust-system.
• Remove heat-shield.
• Remove gearbox mounts.
• Remove 2 of 3 prop-shaft bolts [coupling to gearbox].

Sadly, the first attempt did not work. The sump still gets stuck on the sub-frame. TIS says to first remove the prop and gearbox, so it looks like this is the only way.

POA for Day 3:

1. Bolt gearbox mount back up.

2. Loosen remaining prop-shaft bolt.

3. Lift car and put axle-stand under jacking point.

4. Support gearbox and remove mounts.

5. Drop prop-shaft.

NOTE: Cut off rubber exhaust-hanger needs new - Part no. 18207578238

Blue nylon rope not the best for lifting engines, but note a lot of weight is removed from the engine - head, ATF-pump, oil filter-cooler, A/C comp etc.

E60: Engine Swap Week - Day 1

• Remove all slam-panel and grilles / trim.
• Drain and remove radiator.
• Remove drive-belts.
• Bleed air-con, remove a/c radiator and compressor.
• Drain PAS-fluid, remove PAS-pump and cooler.
• Remove alternator.
• Remove intercooler.
• Disconnect and remove injectors / fuel-rail.
• Disconnect wiring-loom from ECU / relay-box.

NOTE: Broken T-piece on injector leak-off hose needs replacing if doesn't come with engine. [Part no. - 13537789364].

E60: 530d Replacement Engine - the time has come!

Im not a fan of engine swaps, they never go perfectly, but with the amount of effort and cost required to fix my original lump, I've decided to bite the bullet and spend the money. After all, I bought the engine-crane... it was as if I knew what was coming.

Here is my new donkey, cheaper than the going rate at £900, but still on the pricey side. Even if I remove my broken engine and put it on a stand to rebuild, the minimum cost will be about £400 for the new piston / timing-case and it will take a lot of evenings work. On top of that, my current engine, the one that was strong as an ox and never had a major problem until that swirl-flap fell in, still has nearly 140k miles under its belt. This new one has just 78k - nothing for one of these, so I guess the extra spend will be worth it and I am absolutely assured that this one has never had swirl-flap damage. It'll arrive on Monday, so it's high-time I booked some holidays from work and fixed the mothership! Oh, and er, continue renovating my new house... Jeez, maybe a month off work would be in order!