500mile Post Rod Bearings S54 BMW M Coupe

[SteveSRT8]

Geez, these BMW owners are testy!

I don't blame you. I would be too. I've got GM V8's in the driveway with 400k miles on them and no engine problems, no smoke, no leaks, work every day! Rod bearings are something we change when we want to, not because we have to.

Since you mentioned it, my lowly Chrysler only has around 50 dragstrip passes, a dozen or so road course track days, and tons of whippin' and a beatin' almost every weekend. 5 sets of tires! Nary a missed beat. Not too bad for a 180 mph 4 door luxury car.

Interesting, eh? No trans issues either. I had three BMW's and the only part that did NOT fail was the trans! The Chrysler easily tops all 3 for reliability and durability.

Psst, you might want to ask how much Government money BMW took to build their plant here in the ole USA. It was a ton. And they did NOT pay it back like Chrysler did. Betcha missed that one, too. The least they could have done was send you a few bearings and a gasket set!

 

[benjamming]

Chrysler paid it back the SECOND time? Huh, the stuff you learn on BITOG.

 

[crazyoildude]

did u cut the crank>??

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: benjamming
Chrysler paid it back the SECOND time? Huh, the stuff you learn on BITOG.


And evidently RE-learn. Each time you read it it's like all new again!

 

[sdowney717]

Finally they are moving towards aluminum bearing shells.
The old tri-metal bearings embed the grit and then they are like sand paper grinding on the cranks.

Doesn't anyone ever wonder why they want grit to embed in a bearing versus having it washed out? Lots of cranks have worn down due to embedded grit.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/ar797.htm
Quote:
"Overplated bearings tend to trap and hold dirt that can score the crankshaft. But aluminum bearings tend to flush out debris rather than hold it. Aluminum bearing alloys also contain silicone which helps resist seizure and actually polishes the crank.

 

[Trav]

Now the rest of the story from the same article.

Bob Anderson, engine bearing team leader at AE Clevite Engine Parts, Ann Arbor, MI says that although many OEMs are using aluminum, trimetal copper/lead bearings are still the preferred bearing material for the aftermarket.

"We have stayed with a traditional trimetal copper/lead bearing because thatis what the aftermarket wants. We believe trimetal copper/lead offers the best combination of strength, surface action and embedability. Copper/lead can carry 12,000 pounds per square inch versus about 7,000 to 8,000 psi for aluminum, it can handle less than perfect conditions, and is a more forgiving material than aluminum in a typical aftermarket application.
Chris Worthington, a bearing engineer at ACL Automotive America Inc., Tucker, GA said that although the Japanese are using a lot of aluminum bearings, Ford and General Motors are still using copper/lead bearings in many of their engines because of the high strength of the material. As for the aftermarket, most of it remains copper/lead for domestic engines and a mix of copper/lead and aluminum bearings for import applications. He said the high performance market is almost all copper/lead bearings.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Now the rest of the story from the same article.

Bob Anderson, engine bearing team leader at AE Clevite Engine Parts, Ann Arbor, MI says that although many OEMs are using aluminum, trimetal copper/lead bearings are still the preferred bearing material for the aftermarket.

"We have stayed with a traditional trimetal copper/lead bearing because thatis what the aftermarket wants. We believe trimetal copper/lead offers the best combination of strength, surface action and embedability. Copper/lead can carry 12,000 pounds per square inch versus about 7,000 to 8,000 psi for aluminum, it can handle less than perfect conditions, and is a more forgiving material than aluminum in a typical aftermarket application.
Chris Worthington, a bearing engineer at ACL Automotive America Inc., Tucker, GA said that although the Japanese are using a lot of aluminum bearings, Ford and General Motors are still using copper/lead bearings in many of their engines because of the high strength of the material. As for the aftermarket, most of it remains copper/lead for domestic engines and a mix of copper/lead and aluminum bearings for import applications. He said the high performance market is almost all copper/lead bearings.



I don't see a date on that article, which is of interest to me since the Modular family, save for the GT500 engine, all have bi-metal bearings.

 

[ltslimjim]

Ha, I live near Tucker.

 

[SteveSRT8]

All they do with aluminum bearings is make the journal a little bigger.

If a 650 HP GT500 can use aluminum then it's good enough for me.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
All they do with aluminum bearings is make the journal a little bigger.

If a 650 HP GT500 can use aluminum then it's good enough for me.


Actually, AFAIK, the GT500 uses tri-metal bearings. The rest of the Modular family uses the aluminum ones.

I'm more interested with what they used in the '03/04 Cobra however, since it has the highest stock power capacity (except maybe the Ford GT) of the Modular family.

 

[ammolab]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8

Psst, you might want to ask how much Government money BMW took to build their plant here in the ole USA. It was a ton. And they did NOT pay it back like Chrysler did. Betcha missed that one, too. The least they could have done was send you a few bearings and a gasket set!



Did the US give a "TON" of money to BMW? All I can find is the articles on the TONS of money BMW has invested in the USA. This Reuters link says "6 Billion dollars". Didn't FIAT buy controlling interest in Chrysler for less than that?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/12/bmw-southcarolina-investment-idUSL6E8CC4CT20120112