S65 V8: rod bearings wear early and metal particles get into the oil
Typically between 80,000 and 130,000 km. It does not show up on every car.
critical
severity
between 80,000 and 130,000 km
mileage
3
sources
3 sources next to the write-up.
The fault
How you spot it
Wear of the rod bearings is known on this engine, and preventive bearing replacement is established maintenance. The clearance between the bearing and the crankshaft is tight from the factory. With cold, thick oil the lubrication is therefore not enough for the high revs the engine can reach, and revving it hard while cold or using oil outside the specification wears the bearing sooner. The debris appears as metal particles in the oil and in the oil filter, and travels through the whole engine from there. Owners replace the bearing shells between 80,000 and 130,000 km, depending on how hard the car is used. It has led to total engine failure on fewer than one per cent of the S65 engines sold, while the early wear is far more common. In the United States a class action was filed over the 2008 to 2013 M3, and it names the connecting rod and main bearings, the connecting rod side clearance and insufficient lubrication. One more fact belongs to the consequence. On this engine the hydraulic power steering is driven directly by the rotating assembly, so if the engine stops the power steering and the brake assistance go with it.
Which model
Who it affects
The card opens the generation, the engine or the transmission.
Engines and transmissions
Engine
S65B40
Checklist
S65 V8: rod bearings wear early and metal particles get into the oil
What you would check for this fault. Take it to the car.
Before you buy
Checklist
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Sources
How we know
CarComplaints.comBMW M3 Engine Failure Lawsuit Says S65 Engine DefectiveA BMW M3 engine failure lawsuit has been filed alleging the M3 S65 engine can fail due to metal debris from the connecting rod bearings. Plaintiff David Afzal filed the M3 engine lawsuit after allegedly experiencing knocking from connecting rod bearings that needed to be replaced at a price of $2,000.
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Information, not an expert opinion
We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.
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