540 on the fritz...Nein!!! UPDATE

[Gregmeister]

:argh: So my trusty steed, my pride and joy, sidekick and bosom buddy had decided to turn around and kick me square in the nutsack and throw me the finger...well, that's how I felt when she/he/it decided to suddely and without warning decide to cease normal operations, just a few km from home.

It seems it may have started when I got home from the Time Cafe meet up, last Thursday. When I pulled into the garage, I could hear a distinct whining noise coming from the engine...mmm...I thought, never heard anything like this from her/him/it before...I could not investigate then, so thought I would check the next morning.

Next morning comes and I check it out....but hey...nothing... drove to Work (Dbnville to CT), no worries...drove back...(the long way around, as I am really enjoying driving the car nowadays...I mean particularly enjoying myself)...and thinking...wow I really friggin dig this damn car...turn a corner, and suddely the car jerks once...I can hear the whining is back...but now it's more a grinding...feels like the motor is struggling against some force...the car is struggling...then the grinding turns into a terrible screeching/ grinding noise, with a wierd, unnerving smell starting to eminate from the vents into the cabin. The car stalls. By this time I have already taken evasive action and bolted down an offramp towards less traffic. I park. "WTF is THIS?...:argh::argh: I try start the car...she starts fine. I give a rev and sure enough...scree/grind/scree/grind...DANG....terrible sound this...turn the car off. Call my wife to drive over. When she arrives, I ask her to start the car, while I look. Started, and I had a quick look and sniff. Seems like it's coming from the alternator...

Luckily my neighbour was around with a friend who had his Ford V6 double cab there, to tow me home. Phone the mech. He recons it might be the water pump and instructs on how to test for it. Next morning I release the tensioner pulley and test for play by jiggling the viscous fan (viscous fan is connected to water pump). No play. I check the state of the alternator by turning the pulley with my hands...feels terrible. Feels like the bearings are kaput. So for now, I am thinking it's busted alternator.

The crazy thing is how there was very little to no warning that anything was wrong. I HATE when a car just leaves you stranded!
it's off to the Mech tomorrow & then we'll see...but right now someone's seriously in the DOG BOX!! :nonono:

 

[bmwforlife]

Sherbet not good buddy . Hope its not too bad .Tried speaking german to it yet ? It helps with my cars

 

[petrivanzyl]

:sorry: hope you get it fixed soon

---

Try :

bitte starten sie schön für daddy

 

[maximus]

eish. hope it won't be too costly to fix the fraulein up again.

 

[zaleonardz]

Think of it this way,

While reading through your post, i was thinking bearing....

but the fact that it starts only on acceleration means that it is related to either water/altenator or power steering.

But as you say, you suspect alt, and I agree.

Not the first 540 i hear, she is old, and needs some tlc every one and again

Good time to check tentioner ect.

 

[Sabretooth tiger]

Hope she will be up and ready soon, we all get sick sometimes.

 

[Philip Foglar]

Yep, sounds like bearings in the alternator are shot! No need to replace the entire alternator - just need to have the old bearings removed and new ones fitted. Horrible feeling when something causes a car to let you down. But nothing major if it is the alternator...

Hope she is back to get health soon!!! Such an awesome car!! :thumbs:

 

[WyKiD]

Dont stress Greg a lil' tlc and she will be back to normal......wait a sec, actually this is as good a time as any to sell...:rollsmile:

 

[Raybimmer]

Standard or water cooled alternator ? Just more work to remove and replace if water cooled . Good luck .

 

[Psymon69]

maybe watch the wheeler dealers ep, a nice DIY:rollsmile: and maybe you can compare sounds? they also had to replace alternator.

 

[Gregmeister]

:rollsmile: thanks guys. Yes, shame, I sometimes forget she's not a youngen no more. I don't mind maintenance, just don't like surprises. Usually one can pick up that somethings on it's way out...guess I need to brush up on mein deutsch

@Raybimmer...yea, stupid damn water cooled alternator...if it turns out it IS the alternator, i'd like to find out why it would go with so little warning...

I will as usual, take this as an opportunity to do some preventative maintenance.

 

[Gregmeister]

Right well, spoke to the mech again today. It IS the alternator. Kapooot!! Rear bearings went and also **ed up some internals. So complete rebuild of water-cooled alternator, R3800. Add to that, labour for removing/ fitting and coolant. Also changing all pulleys while we're there. :nonono:.....
:rollsmile: thats old 5 series ownership for ya...

 

[Raybimmer]

The problem seems to be that the bearings wear and suddenly they give in .
Whether the heat in the engine bay is the culprit is debateable .
Normally in factories the bearings run and make a noise and you have a bit of a warning period . High heat applications use a C3 bearing , I wonder how this differs from automotive applications ?

Viel gluck !

 

[Sabretooth tiger]

Wont a new one last longer than a rebuild one?

 

[Philip Foglar]

Sorry about the expense, but glad that it's sorted out now! She's now good for many years to come!! :thumbs:

 

[Gregmeister]

Wont a new one last longer than a rebuild one?

New one is around the R12k mark, bro. (Read somewhere here someone bringing one in for R5-6K) The rebuilt unit at least carries a 1 year warranty. Should be as good as a new part.

 

[Sith]

Sorry to hear, Greg, and good luck with the repair. My girl also gave me a fright this week, a sudden burst braided oil pressure hose resulted in almost all my oil spilling out on the road, and a resultant horribly noisy engine as it became starved of oil. Was night, close to home, so nursed her back. Needed to be towed the next day, and got her back today, purring again like the big cat she is. Luckily no damage done to the motor, and bill only R3k, but still a scary suprise, and more money unexpectadly spent. Thanks must go to Mike for the oil, and Allie at ART for great work.

 

[Sabretooth tiger]

Not cheap sjoe.

Hope she is her old self again soon. It has to be said hat its one of the neatest 540's on this forum.

 

[Gregmeister]

Sorry to hear, Greg, and good luck with the repair. My girl also gave me a fright this week, a sudden burst braided oil pressure hose resulted in almost all my oil spilling out on the road, and a resultant horribly noisy engine as it became starved of oil. Was night, close to home, so nursed her back. Needed to be towed the next day, and got her back today, purring again like the big cat she is. Luckily no damage done to the motor, and bill only R3k, but still a scary suprise, and more money unexpectadly spent. Thanks must go to Mike for the oil, and Allie at ART for great work.

Glad to hear all's well once more there Sith!

 

[moranor@axis]

somehow missed this epic tail :rollsmile: reminds me of when my power steering pump seized... least its a simple fix and you know what the problem was...