Replace N46 Valve Seals

[overly__under__engineered 3]

Recommendations on who to get it done by in or near Hamilton.

Thanks.

[*Glenn* 854]

SD European 

[overly__under__engineered 3]

On 9/20/2023 at 10:00 AM, *Glenn* said:

SD European 

I'm guessing you work for SD European Glen 😂🤣😅

I walk into SD European and I get fairly legit prices. I ask SD European online and I get a " remove the sump to replace the spark plugs " list.

They want to replace the coolant and bleed the system, because they will remove the rocker cover. Also, there is no price for new coolant in the cost list. I guess straight tap water is free in Hamilton so, yeah...

Let's take a look at the quoted prices SD European sent me for the job, verses the cost of parts I was quoted from my supplier if I did the job myself...

SD European valve stem seals $95. My cost is $45 for the same seals.

SD European rocker cover gaskets $399.74 ... I paid $120 for all the same gaskets and the new VVT motor. They are brand new and don't need to be replaced! Their quote didn't include the new VVT motor, but cost three and a half times what I paid. WTF?!!

SD European e-sensor seal $35.39 ... I just paid them for that and replaced it a few months ago because it was leaking. It's perfect now and doesn't need replacing again.

SD European specialist tool charge $130.00 for the use of the cam tool kit that has been used since 2005 on all the valvetronic engines like this. My quote to buy the cam tool kit, brand new, is $120.

SD European labour for the job $1,035 @ $115 x 9 hours.

All up, replacing the valve stem seals would cost me $1,949.40 from SD European. Just the valve stem seals.

I guess if I was f'ing around for 9 hours, I could have taken that long to replace valve stem seals, but my boss would have kicked my ass!

...but in all seriousness, there is no way I'm taking anything to them after a quote to do the coolant when removing a rocker cover! That should be illegal! Is it illegal?!! I have it in writing...

Thanks Glen, but no. I will get out of my wheel chair and do it myself for that. I was a mechanic before this medical problem. With well over a decade of experience, I've done more than my fair share of engine rebuilds. I'll do the valve seals wearing a harness while hanging from the engine hoist! I could throw a new cam chain & guides on while I'm doing it. The only tool I need to buy is the cam tool.

SD European cam chain kit $615. My cost for the same kit is $130.

...where's my engine hoist...

[KwS 2425]

On 9/22/2023 at 6:47 PM, overly__under__engineered said:

I'm guessing you work for SD European Glen 😂🤣😅

I walk into SD European and I get fairly legit prices. I ask SD European online and I get a " remove the sump to replace the spark plugs " list.

They want to replace the coolant and bleed the system, because they will remove the rocker cover. Also, there is no price for new coolant in the cost list. I guess straight tap water is free in Hamilton so, yeah...

Let's take a look at the quoted prices SD European sent me for the job, verses the cost of parts I was quoted from my supplier if I did the job myself...

SD European valve stem seals $95. My cost is $45 for the same seals.

SD European rocker cover gaskets $399.74 ... I paid $120 for all the same gaskets and the new VVT motor. They are brand new and don't need to be replaced! Their quote didn't include the new VVT motor, but cost three and a half times what I paid. WTF?!!

SD European e-sensor seal $35.39 ... I just paid them for that and replaced it a few months ago because it was leaking. It's perfect now and doesn't need replacing again.

SD European specialist tool charge $130.00 for the use of the cam tool kit that has been used since 2005 on all the valvetronic engines like this. My quote to buy the cam tool kit, brand new, is $120.

SD European labour for the job $1,035 @ $115 x 9 hours.

All up, replacing the valve stem seals would cost me $1,949.40 from SD European. Just the valve stem seals.

I guess if I was f'ing around for 9 hours, I could have taken that long to replace valve stem seals, but my boss would have kicked my ass!

...but in all seriousness, there is no way I'm taking anything to them after a quote to do the coolant when removing a rocker cover! That should be illegal! Is it illegal?!! I have it in writing...

Thanks Glen, but no. I will get out of my wheel chair and do it myself for that. I was a mechanic before this medical problem. With well over a decade of experience, I've done more than my fair share of engine rebuilds. I'll do the valve seals wearing a harness while hanging from the engine hoist! I could throw a new cam chain & guides on while I'm doing it. The only tool I need to buy is the cam tool.

SD European cam chain kit $615. My cost for the same kit is $130.

...where's my engine hoist...

If you dont like the quote, go somewhere else. Dont whinge about it. You've said it yourself, you cant do the job yourself, so what your buy price and labour is, is irrelevant. 

The N46 is a dumpster fire of an engine, so you're lucky any mechanic that knows BMWs would touch it.

[overly__under__engineered 3]

17 hours ago, KwS said:

The N46 is a dumpster fire of an engine

Damn. The engine seams to be the most reliable part of an E9x 320i. BMW are really so crap?

[Jacko 2156]

Just the N46s, complete turd. Its honestly not worth rebuilding or repairing, get a wreckered engine or swap a proper engine in and enjoy the benefits of it. 

[Eagle 1662]

Every brand has made problematic engines. Problem is 90% of people who buy these cars have no clue about them and whats required to run them, they just see a cheap BMW. Rarely do any research or ask workshops for advice or even get PPI done before buying. They certainly cry about BMW's being unreliable and expensive when they fail though, which is fine by me because limits these fools ruining the better ones.

[NZE90 9]

1 hour ago, Eagle said:

Every brand has made problematic engines

Yep, the N46 has to be BMWs worst engine. The only decent engines they made were the 6 cylinder ones.

[overly__under__engineered 3]

...this is funny.

 all I ever hear from BMW fanboys is how crap BMW is. Forums. Youtube videos. Even the local shops. I've had my hands on one or two cars over the years. Never a BMW until now. One of the only car brands I've never worked on.

If the Fanboys all say the Brand is Crap. The Brand really is crap. I haven't ever read or seen one thing that makes BMW a quality brand. I get that the old engines were, just like any old engine. Not bad.

But by the looks of things, BMW has spent the past 25 years building worse vehicles than China. Failing modules. Electrics. Engines. And from what I've found, it's just stupid design flaws that didn't exist until BMW created them. I've got a 33 year old 2ltr Mazda 626 in the drive way that has never missed a beat. Almost 300k on the clock. It was a cheap, tidy piece of sh*t when I got it. Very well maintained by 1 owner all it's life and I've never had to do anything to it except a cambelt or oil change. The std basic stuff you do. Thing runs like a dream and is faster then the 320i. I guarantee the Mazda will still be running like a dream, long after this E91 has given up, even with all the maintenance in the world. 

Do you fanboys agree?

[TonyT 48]

Possibly BMWs are so loved that they get repaired if they break, and have preventative maintenance completed. So there is plenty of discussion in the enthusiast communities about these topics. Whereas some other brands are just driven into the ground then ditched, with little in the way of enthusiasm to keep them going. 

[KwS 2425]

Theres nothing like driving an old BMW.

 

When it works.

[overly__under__engineered 3]

h

On 9/27/2023 at 11:56 AM, TonyT said:

other brands are just driven into the ground then ditched

other brands do 300k+ when driven into the ground. BMW does 100k. no more. hahahaha.  Come on. Jokes aside, BMW is clearly garbage compared to any other brand. 

[NZE90 9]

 

15 minutes ago, overly__under__engineered said:

h

other brands do 300k+ when driven into the ground. BMW does 100k. no more. hahahaha.  Come on. Jokes aside, BMW is clearly garbage compared to any other brand. 

What are you doing on here then? Sell your piece of junk and move on with your life.

Edited September 27, 2023 by NZE90

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

49 minutes ago, overly__under__engineered said:

other brands do 300k+ when driven into the ground. BMW does 100k. no more. hahahaha.  Come on. Jokes aside, BMW is clearly garbage compared to any other brand. 

Plenty of BMWs out there with well over 300k, some with a lot more here in NZ.

Not sure what you’re trying to achieve with that last comment, but it could come across badly on a BMW enthusiast forum.

[Jacko 2156]

I think hes about 6 years old. 

[Gaz 1061]

On 9/27/2023 at 9:50 AM, overly__under__engineered said:

...this is funny.

 all I ever hear from BMW fanboys is how crap BMW is. Forums. Youtube videos. Even the local shops. I've had my hands on one or two cars over the years. Never a BMW until now. One of the only car brands I've never worked on.

If the Fanboys all say the Brand is Crap. The Brand really is crap. I haven't ever read or seen one thing that makes BMW a quality brand. I get that the old engines were, just like any old engine. Not bad.

But by the looks of things, BMW has spent the past 25 years building worse vehicles than China. Failing modules. Electrics. Engines. And from what I've found, it's just stupid design flaws that didn't exist until BMW created them. I've got a 33 year old 2ltr Mazda 626 in the drive way that has never missed a beat. Almost 300k on the clock. It was a cheap, tidy piece of sh*t when I got it. Very well maintained by 1 owner all it's life and I've never had to do anything to it except a cambelt or oil change. The std basic stuff you do. Thing runs like a dream and is faster then the 320i. I guarantee the Mazda will still be running like a dream, long after this E91 has given up, even with all the maintenance in the world. 

Do you fanboys agree?

Every manufacture has a dud engine or two, ask Mazda how their Skyactive engines are going? They are worse than the n46 motors. You can't compare a 33 year old car to a 10year old car, built it different eras to meet different regulations. Problem with BMWs is they become cheap enough for the average Joe to buy but not maintain which leaves to failures. 

Plenty of 33 year old BMWs running with big kms and getting thrashed around tracks

[KwS 2425]

5 hours ago, overly__under__engineered said:

h

other brands do 300k+ when driven into the ground. BMW does 100k. no more. hahahaha.  Come on. Jokes aside, BMW is clearly garbage compared to any other brand. 

 

[Jacko 2156]

n52b30, 630,000 miles..... 

Edited September 28, 2023 by Jacko

[Eagle 1662]

300,000km is nothing these days. Someone just hurt because they bought arguably the worst\cheapest BMW you can buy then found out after the fact. 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Eagle

[overly__under__engineered 3]

On 9/29/2023 at 5:34 PM, Eagle said:

 

ummm...

 The " cheap " things on it are the least problematic. No need to fanboy out. Expensive E91's have the same problems.

[Olaf 3317]

Don't feed the troll lads.  Everyone knows N46 is good money after bad, best put out with the recycling.

[Eagle 1662]

5 hours ago, Olaf said:

Don't feed the troll lads.

Tilted trolling?

[gjm 3258]

There will be N46s with big mileages on them. Bloke I used to work with bought a E90 320i new, still has it, and aside from regular servicing, has never had an issue. That said, the N46 is certainly not one of BMWs better engines. (Understatement.)

To the OP - quit with the 'fanboy' trolling. It really doesn't help.

And if you want a BMW specialist in Hamilton (other than SD) try Greg Hantz. I've always found him to be very helpful and knowledgeable.

[Herbmiester 923]

On 9/28/2023 at 12:00 PM, overly__under__engineered said:

h

other brands do 300k+ when driven into the ground. BMW does 100k. no more. hahahaha.  Come on. Jokes aside, BMW is clearly garbage compared to any other brand. 

Yup we are fanboys, and as BMW fanboys know this stay away from N46 engines. My old M54 engine 530i was a 265k when I sold it, and it was still running fine. The issue is you didn't do your research, if you had, you probably would have bought an N52 car, and you would probably be quite happy. Live and learn.

[overly__under__engineered 3]

11 hours ago, Herbmiester said:

The issue is you didn't do your research, if you had, you probably would have bought an N52 car

baaa hahaha. no. if I had done my research, I would not have got a BMW, clearly. The engine is the best part of the car, as I have constantly stated. the E91 is designed to be a bad car, compared to anything I have worked on in the past. even worse than my old Mistubishi VR4 Legnum. I was shocked to see that. I honestly expected at least basic quality from a BMW. I knew Mercedes were bad. I've worked on them. I knew AUDI were difficult. really awkward things there. I hoped BMW would be an exception, but no. why build a worse engine than Nissan's SR20DE, 15 years after the SR20 was released? I was expecting a 2 litre like my old SR20, but with some of this German quality in the body. I was shocked to see how poorly the body is built. The basic failure in simple things all over the car. wiring, plastics, gaskets, electrics. the E91 body's are a total lack of basic engineering. Buy an old Legnum and you will see quality difference, and Mitsubishi is the worst quality car I'd owned, before BMW. I have a very good example of an E91. I just spend a lot of time looking at what can go wrong, and checking to see if I need to fix it on mine, before it goes wrong. I'm glad I have less than 20% of the common issues on the E91 body. still, it has some stupid issues that should not have been designed into the car. really basic failures that no Japanese company would be stupid enough to make. I am honestly shocked at the lack of basic engineering. The older BMW's were better then the newer ones. It's the opposite of good engineering, to design failures into a product where failures didn't exist.

Honestly lads. Look at the basics. BMW have tried to make their car more technical, but because of their lack of basic engineering, the technical parts were wired and constructed wrong. we all know this, because they are common failures, but I can see this, when I've been going over the wiring inside the car, from boot to FRM. I've wired up some amazing vehicles and won awards for it so I know, when I look at BMW's mess, there was a much better way of doing it.