Reasonable price for rod bearings

[Ramage]

Also requires a good size garage and a lift.

The job is easy enough done using jack stands in a typical sized garage. I did mine last weekend using jack stands at my in-laws place (2 car garage) over 2 days.

The job was a great reason to get some new tools.

My total cost was $3948.40 CAD ($2,882.96 USD) and $2196.28 of that was tools (more than half was the Snap-on TechAngle Torque wrench) that I am sure I could have gotten cheaper or rented.

[Marknoir]

Maybe time to get more comfortable with getting your hands dirty.

Rod bearings aren't actually that hard, they're just time consuming and require carefully following the instructions.

You can buy a lot of tools for what you're getting quoted :P

And, the job will take less than the 17 hours to drive one way to Texas.

Given your location, seems to most sensible to make the car viable to own/drive.

Also requires a good size garage and a lift.

[t44tq]

What did he do by mistake? I was gonna go there for my RBs but I don't like the fact that they use ACL HX extra clearance bearings de-facto.

Must have been an install mistake- i had rod knock in less than a mile from the shop. They stood by their work- installed a replacement engine, at their expense. I had a lot of stuff replaced without labor charges when they put the new engine in the car- starter, sensors, etc.

I had my S54 clownshoe done by them with BE bearings without incident. I would have been a lot more upsert if things went wrong with that car.

[chris719]

Rogue Engineering, Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA

What did he do by mistake? I was gonna go there for my RBs but I don't like the fact that they use ACL HX extra clearance bearings de-facto.

[t44tq]

Name and location of the shop?

Rogue Engineering, Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA

[Keyser Soze]

I would definitely recommend that you go to a shop that knows what they're doing and has done it many times before. I had my rod bearings done at a shop that has done it many many times before and the tech still screwed up and killed my engine. The shop replaced my engine so everything turned out okay, just took like 8 weeks instead of one.

Name and location of the shop?

[RockyMtnM3]

OP, was the $5500 quote from SCR? If not I would check them out. Another option for quotes is Big Mission Motorsport in Northern Colorado Springs; the Glen Shelly guys (Loveland area) may also be able to point you to a better/different source.

[bavarian3]

I'm planning on doing the bearings sometime in the near future, I have all the parts and tools ready but I'm super nervous. I've done the head gasket myself minus the machining and so far so good. I've checked it recently and still equal compression across the cylinders.

Everyone keeps saying the bearings are easier than the HG but I don't know, something about this job freaks me out. Just got to get in there and get to work I guess, I've been working on my cars for years so some experience but never owned a lift, it's all possible. This platform is easy to take apart and put back together. Whatever route you take OP, good luck buddy.

don't skip the part where you cover the crank surface with a strip of cardboard(i used coffee filter).

[George Hill]

I'm planning on doing the bearings sometime in the near future, I have all the parts and tools ready but I'm super nervous.

IMO its just a different job. The HG takes more work, but its a more comfortable environment (you are standing over the engine looking down), where the RBs you are under it with oil dripping in your face lol.

If you are doing it on jacks I would recommend removing the entire subframe to give you more room. I would pull the oil pan and oil pump off then let it sit for 30 min or so, turn the engine 180* and let sit for 30 min, then turn it another 180* and let it sit overnight. Then the next day do your bearings, that'll likely get most of the oil to stop dripping for when you are under the car.

Have the BMW repair instructions printed out and on hand (I use the TSB paperwork, super easy to follow).

Take your time and document everything, whether with writing notes or pics. If there is a concern, ask questions.

I'd also suggest pulling the spark plugs and cranking the engine with a battery charger connected, it'll allow the engine to spin as fast as possible on the starter and will get more oil moving faster AND there won't be a large load on the RBs while this is happening

You'll likely be just fine.

[WestBankM4]

I'm planning on doing the bearings sometime in the near future, I have all the parts and tools ready but I'm super nervous. I've done the head gasket myself minus the machining and so far so good. I've checked it recently and still equal compression across the cylinders.

Everyone keeps saying the bearings are easier than the HG but I don't know, something about this job freaks me out. Just got to get in there and get to work I guess, I've been working on my cars for years so some experience but never owned a lift, it's all possible. This platform is easy to take apart and put back together. Whatever route you take OP, good luck buddy.

[YoungDinosaur]

If you are in the Denver area, Zach at Euro Garage (1725 E 69th Ave UNIT B, Denver, CO 80229) has done this a bunch. I went to him for my Vanos rebuild.

[cobra]

It was definitely hard work. I remember getting quite the workout doing all those torque cycles. I did mine on jackstands with the subframe removed.

[bavarian3]

I would definitely recommend that you go to a shop that knows what they're doing and has done it many times before. I had my rod bearings done at a shop that has done it many many times before and the tech still screwed up and killed my engine. The shop replaced my engine so everything turned out okay, just took like 8 weeks instead of one.

wtf? how?

[t44tq]

I would definitely recommend that you go to a shop that knows what they're doing and has done it many times before. I had my rod bearings done at a shop that has done it many many times before and the tech still screwed up and killed my engine. The shop replaced my engine so everything turned out okay, just took like 8 weeks instead of one.

[bigjae46]

Maybe you all are in strong man competitions or M11 are worse but I wasn't consistently able to do 70° with a 1/2" Icon without a helper to hold down the socket so I can two hand the bar. If I could stand on my feet I could do it no problem I'm sure.

That's also terrifying to hear about the "techs". lol.

Not the easiest. I can't be on the creeper. If you have a larger torque wrench that goes up to 250 ft/lbs, its not too bad. I also drop the subframe so I have a clear shot at the bolts. Its more work but its worth it to make things easier and likely improves quality of work. If you're right under it, it is much easier. Either way, you've got to do a little breakdancing under the car. lol