Daily driving 1994 E500, wrenching and my E60 550i project

[RicardoD]

Crazy to think next year I can say I am daily driving a 30 year old car. Doesnt seem that old to me! But I have feeling daily driving it may be coming to an end. At 198.5k miles now and my goal is to hit 200k and then move on. Covid screwed up my plans otherwise I would be there now.

Ricardo, what would you move on to? And what are the plans for your 036?

I wanted to start a new thread to answer this question. I bought my 124.036 in December of 2015 and put 55,165 miles on the car to date. Feels like it has been longer than 7.5 years of ownership.

I daily drive my 1994 E500 which seems to be a bit of a rarity. It has never let me down but if you see all my ownership posts I take the best care of the car that I can with the big job being the engine removal and timing change maintenance along with some critical power steering hoses (all done by Circle Star Motors in Santa Cruz,CA. Meanwhile the water pump and tandem pump have all been refurbished. I bought the car for $19k and have put in $15k since that time.

Since I bought the car I have removed and refurbished the engines in two Porsche 964s (1991 and 1990 Porsche Carreras) with the Silver 1990 Carrera 4 that will die with me. My garage workshop, tools, and skills keep getting better and better and I always seem to need a project. Thankfully my two sons need cars and they are the excuse to keep wrenching and building my skills. I have gone through 3 BMWs with them with a 2002 BMW Z3 remaining in the family. My son daily drives that thing in the Denver area now and it taught my younger son how to drive a "stick shift". He had that car at Laguna Seca last year as the culmination of his driving experience. I hand off these cars to my kids properly maintained with fresh fluids, brakes, and running like new.


Driving a little convertible in Denver through the winter isn't the best idea for my son but thankfully he survived so far despite some crazy winter driving stories which of course freaked out his mother. So I used that as an excuse to buy something "safer" for my kid. That is why I just bought a 2008 E60 BMW 550i (4.8L naturally aspirated V8, 360hp). My son and I were in secret agreement on this purchase. (even though a well used Toyota RAV4 would have made 1000 times more sense).



I look so proud of myself in the above picture because I didn't realize what an IDIOT I was for NOT checking the OBDII monitor status. This otherwise wonderful California car has bad Catalytic converters on the Driver's side bank. So I overpaid at $10k for this car that should have been $7k. Got used car dealer scammed.

So I over the past few weeks I started one of the bigger jobs for me. I dropped the front subframe on this car to get access to the exhaust manifold because BMW put the Cats right after the exhaust manifold, and tucked them up in the engine bay. Impossible to steal and easily a $5k shop job to change which is 1/2 the value of the car.



After what feels like 10 hours of wrenching time later here are the cats. So much of the engine bay has been ripped apart and I have a bunch of "while you are in there" seals to replace, new spark plugs, ignition coils.


I will pick up new cats from BMW of Monterey and start to put the car back together this weekend. It has been a rewarding experience so far doing something so ambitious but I had to correct this stupid purchase error to get out to the hole I put myself into. Thankfully my wife knows I live for these projects and has been supportive. She just told me "your bought yourself a project instead of buying our son a safe reliable car for Denver". After I am done with this car it will run & drive like new. This car was a blast to drive before I starting tearing into it. My son will love it. It is like a poor man's M5. As a BMW of course every gasket seal is leaking oil and all those are getting replaced. And I am refurbishing the M-sport suspension with brand new suspension mounts and shocks at all 4 corners.

So back to my 1994 E500. The main reason to keep my .036 is the 500eboard support and amazing cast of characters who have become my virtual and real-life friends. @Jlaa has turned into my real world wrenching buddy and we share interests beyond the .036. @nocfn always reaches out to me with valuable advice via text. I remember I was in a jam one time, and just texted him, and he responded in minutes... Amazing... @gerryvz has made the best vehicle support forum I have every participated in. @gsxr will answer any question I throw at him. And countless others participants on here that always offer up their How-Tos and bits of wisdom. Reasons to sell are there are many other cars I would like to drive daily and my E500 should really be turned into a shiny weekend only garage queen like @Jlaa red beauty. I have a couple of garage queens already and don't want to add to the pile. So I am on the fence.

The car I want to get and drive all over the USA in the coming year is a C217. This is the 2014 to 2021 S-Class hard top coupe. The modern "560SEL" without a B-pillar. Specifically the 2019-2021 model with the 4.0L Twin Turbo V8, and more specifically, the AMG model, the S63. This car has disappeared from the current Mercedes line-up and I am not sure it will ever return with an ICE powertrain. But holy sh*t is this used-car expensive and the depreciation curve looks like a vertical line. However, it is the ultimate Grand Tourer with emphasis on tourer. Can I start my own mini-forum on this car? Like how to change the oil?


I got my wife to drive the 4 door version of this car in Denver and she fell in love with it. So I think this will become my wife's new car and I just cycle through interesting Mercedes and BMW projects to drive around in. I love the vertical grill lines on this model. Reminds me of the classic post-war era of Mercedes race cars. I actually wrote a book report on that era of Mercedes Racing in high school.

This YouTube video I just keep rewatching...

In closing I will say this. I drove home from work today in my 1994 E500 on mostly empty roads and it was glorious. What an amazing almost 30 year old car. Smooth, refined, planted. I just love the mechanical simplicity, precision and clarity of the gauge cluster. Only an idiot would sell this thing.... We shall see what happens. It is such a modern classic that still outperforms many cars on the road today. It is not that I want to sell the car but hand it off to the next caretaker, maybe someone who will take to the next cosmetic level of beauty regardless of the near 200k miles...

 

[szvook]

I’m right there with you on daily driving my whip. Got it to drive it, period. Mine has also never let me down while on the road. The only time I had a vital part go sideways (EZL), I was already at my shop. I’m close to 200k on the clock and the car feels just as good (if not better with the mods I did) as it did when I got it with 84K on the clock back in June of 2005. With my new job, I have to go San Francisco four times a year and the recent road trips in early December of 2022, as well early this month, underlined the quality of 036 tenfold. The joy of being behind the steering wheel and the ease at which the car gobbles up the miles is very addictive. I had to remind myself that I’m not at the track and stay somewhat within the speed limit. But blasting through open spaces on the 5 freeway at 120-130 mph was hard to resist. I’m still amazed how easy it is to drive this car at higher speeds and how well it handles.

 

[gsxr]

Ricardo, at 200kmi it's just broken in! Do either of your boys have an interest in the E500?

I think subliminally you went for the 500i just so you can say you have an "E60".

 

[Jlaa]

@RicardoD - What a trip watching you disassemble that 550i like it is child's play for you!

I think you will want to ask yourself -- what is the reason why you are considering passing the car on. Is it:

a) To simplify your life?
b) To raise cash?
c) To appease others?
d) It no longer serves its original purpose?
e) It no longer interests you?

I was a huge enthusiast in the early 2000s. I had a super modified and turbocharged 1992 BMW and a 1985 Citroën CX that I had restored. I sold those when I moved to California to simplify my life and raise cash. Specifically:

1) I wanted to focus on my career at the time
2) I wanted to build a house in SF and that was not inexpensive
3) The BMW was a perpetual science project (I had modified it too much)
4) The CX was satisfying to look at and easy to fix, but it was unsatisfying to drive, and it was unsatisfying in terms of appreciation of (lack) of build quality.

These days I have a bit more time than before, and I only keep cars that:

a) I have space for at my residence
b) I can appreciate looking at
c) I can appreciate driving
d) I can appreciate the build quality when wrenching on it.
e) Are appreciating (for the longer term)

Point D is very important to me. I don't want to keep a machine just because it looks nice and drives nicely. I want to keep a machine so that I can marvel at the way the machine was designed and constructed.

 

[RicardoD]

The E60 550i has been a joy to wrench on because it is a super clean California car and still has that German build quality. My only disappointment is why all the gasket leaks? but maybe at 125k miles that is to be expected? There is a large enthusiast YouTube community for these BMWs, I have the factory service manual, and parts seem plentiful for now with plenty of quality OE and OEM options.

Stretan's M539 YouTube channel has been my favorite for a while and I am learning many things from him. He has helped give me the confidence to keep diving deeper.

I will have to think through the selling questions

a) To simplify your life? Maybe, otherwise will have too many cars.
b) To raise cash? NO
c) To appease others? NO
d) It no longer serves its original purpose? If I get the Aptera next year, that becomes my daily driver.
e) It no longer interests you? Car still brings a smile to my face

x) Is it a panty dropper? My vehicles sometimes work against my marital relations.

 

[nocfn]

you forgot one of the options is to pay off people so they won't talk.....

 

[RicardoD]

Wrenching away on the E60 BMW..... (is this allowed to post here?)

New exhaust manifold cats, Genuine BMW




Both are installed with fresh copper nuts and new Oxygen Sensors. Also did the oil pan gasket "while I was in there" and thankfully found a super clean oil on the inside of the pan. No surprises there.


Fresh engine mounts while everything is accessible. FCP Euro said Hutchinson is OE so I went with those even though Lemforders are available.



Finally, like a typical over-engineered German V8 there is this alternator bracket gasket buried deep in the motor. This is where oil exits the engine for the oil cooler radiator up front. Easy change with the subframe and alternator out.


The entire front subframe is back in the car but I need new subframe bolts. Factory manual says 100Nm then 90 degree twist and to replace bolts. Crap. I will do those one at a time as I have all the top side valve cover and timing cover gaskets to do next along with a lot of while you are in there bits. Boy do I love my son but this is my hobby.

Now that I have conquered subframes I think helping @Jlaa drop his rear subframe on his .036 would be straight forward but I say that having my lift. Now sure how simple it would be with his Quick Jack.

 

[a777fan]

Wow ricardo. How much did those manifolds set you back!??

 

[dionphaneuf]

Love this thread, super great to see this level of thoroughness and detail.

Finally, like a typical over-engineered German V8 there is this alternator bracket gasket buried deep in the motor. This is where oil exits the engine for the oil cooler radiator up front. Easy change with the subframe and alternator out.

 

[RicardoD]

=

Here is the subframe prior to getting lifted back up into position. The hardest part was getting the steering gear connected back to the steering column.


Subframe back in place


I have to attach the Active Hydraulic front roll bar and then it is ready for me start working from the topside of the engine. Notice all the disconnected suspension links as well. That loose hose hanging down connects to the power steering pump. Waiting on banjo bolt washers.

 

[RicardoD]

I didn't share the oil leak photos.

Here is the steering gear before cleaning from all the oil leaks from up top coming down.


Then I spent an afternoon cleaning all this up with oil obsorbing towels and my steam cleaner with the the sniper attachment. Basically a tiny jet of steam from distilled water. Easy on the lungs to breathe in water vapor.

And AFTER cleaning including the lower half of the engine not shown.

 

[RicardoD]

These oil absorbent mat pads are super handy in this project. I used the New Pig brand before but boy are they pricey. I tried this generic 200 pack for $50 and at first I was disappointed because they are not as good as New Pig but since they were cheaper and plentiful I have become a satisfied customer. I have cleaned up so many spills with this stuff or just put them under the engine as things were dripping down. Keeps all the fluid leaks manageable. I have coolant, power steering, and oil lines all disconnected.

The cheap ones that I am glad I have in the garage: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ADTG7TG





New Pig (the very good stuff):

https://www.amazon.com/New-Pig-Heavyweight-Absorbency-MAT251/dp/B00BUBJG0I/

 

[nocfn]

Thanks for the info. perhaps this would work...



Or this, for the pronoun balance

 

[alabbasi]

if you want to have some real fun, get a V12 Jaguar



turning owners into amateur mechanics since 1945

 

[nocfn]

Now that is the real deal there, right like rain - the English Rain.

 

[RicardoD]

I can always count on the peanut gallery to chime in. I could have used those Real Fit Depends when my local dealer told me the cost and core charge for those cats, almost my pants.

Making slow and steady progress. For you old timers this is what an active hydraulically powered sway bar looks like. Easy to remove and re-install.


So this stupid thing, part of the air intake ducting against the firewall was a total pain in the butt to remove and I wasted a few hours on it. There is always some obstacle in every project that tests your patience. Removal is required to get the left side valve cover off.



Here is the right side of engine with valve cover and front timing chain cover removed (spark plug tubes removed). Starting to put things back together on this side with new gaskets and all parts cleaned up. A few small "while you are in there" items as well.





Zoomed in photo of right side timing chain area with cover removed. All that dark oil grime underneath was taken care of by blasting with brake cleaner. It is a good thing I buy that stuff by the case now. Oil pressure sender is circled in red (was asking a friend with a similar car if he changed that bit).

 

[a777fan]

Ricardo - is this an N62/63?

I can't remember if BMW learned their lesson and re-installed an idler gear for the timing chain in the middle of the 'V' rather than the quite fragile 'U-guide' used in the M62 variant.

 

[gerryvz]

All that dark oil grime underneath was taken care of by blasting with brake cleaner. It is a good thing I buy that stuff by the case now.

The 48-state brake-cleaner only requires half as much as the neutered "Gavin Newsom Edition" Brakleen....

 

[RicardoD]

Ricardo - is this an N62/63?

This is a N62, more specifically N62B48TU
BMW N62 engine


My Brakleen comes in a Green Bottle, safe to huff.

 

[gerryvz]

Working on one’s car is absolutely no fun without the buzz provided by Red Chlorinated Brakleen. It just ain’t.

 

[nocfn]

or that gentle burn to your ring finger as the Red enjoys heat when contacting gold...

 

[RicardoD]

My update is hours and hours of work to simply replace valve cover gasket and front upper timing chain cover gaskets. There is the gauntlet of cable and hose brackets, and other odds and ends to remove, that require removal of small nuts & bolts and some with near impossible access. One freaking oil line clamp took me over an our to get the screw engaged. Then getting all the valve cover bolts to line up was a small nightmare, then re-installing the radiators and hose connections.... Then I had to order an E8 Torx head bolt wrench for one timing cover bolt.

I am waiting a few parts and then the engine is done and I can add all the fluids back. I will move on to changing the shocks on all four corners next.

Little bit of a before and after on the left side timing chain cover. Love it when you put cleaned up parts back on.

 

[RicardoD]

Got a jump on the suspension work tonight and I hate it when 2 things happen in the garage

1) I out race my parts and have to wait for them to arrive
2) I realize I don't have the tool I need (which is better than 1 because usually Amazon can take care that in two days.)

I rarely run into 2) anymore as my collection of tools is starting to get serious. But today I ran into 2).

Since the front suspension was half apart already I jumped into removing the front right strut. The entire hub is clamped to the strut and with a chisel tool you can open up the clamping action and the hub assembly slides right off. Plenty of YouTube guides for the E60 BMW 5 series.



So now to deal with the spring / strut assembly I really wanted the forged spring compressor from Hazet but it is more than $2k. There is a great video of Streten from M539 restorations on YouTube using this beautiful piece of fine German engineering.
Coil Spring Compressor Tool Kit 49002A5 - HAZET

I ended up going with the Schwaben version that sells for 1/10 the cost at around $200 shipped to my door from ECS Tuning
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben-parts/schwaben-strut-spring-compressor-set/013845sch01a~sch/


I really like this setup, much, much better than the double threaded rod thingy which I hated using.


Anyway the Schwaben spring compressor seems properly beefy (or so I am telling myself but for sure it is made in China and the spring compressor C clamps are die cast and I know too much about metal to worry about porosity in the casting and quality control...). However, it works so much better than my previous double screw rod setup.

Here it is in the compressed state. Very simple to use and setup in a vice. I just used the 22mm socket on the bottom screw thread to slowly compress and decompress.


I was able to hit the top 21mm nut with my Impact Gun to loosen it and then had to use the only strut tool I have which is 22mm!!! But combined with my torx socket and a 1/4" wrench was able to loosen it the rest of the way and break it apart.




Here is the loaded bomb prior to the decompression.


So now I am stuck as I should have thought ahead and bought a strut nut tool kit. Despite my desire for the Hazet, I placed an order for this at Amazon which will also help with the rear shocks that of course use a different socket size. I can also use my torque wrench properly with this toolkit. So I am stuck for a couple of days but those are during my busy "making money at my real job" days.