S54 engine removal

[M3loverboy]

I’ve successfully removed bell housing & engine mounts. Engine is on hoist. The engine is separated about 1-2 inches from transmission. Nothings caught up on dowl pins. I’m having a hard time getting this beast out. I can rotate engine a pretty good amount, from a visual standpoint the flywheel rotates/follows how I rotate the engine. Ive researched as much as I can. I believe the transmission shaft is stuck in pilot bearing. If there’s any tips please let me know thank you.
To clarify this engine is still in engine bay Incase of any confusion.

[1000hp]

Have you tried hitting it with your purse?



J/k. If the trans is 1-2 inches away from the engine the input shaft is definitely not stuck in the pilot bearing.

Are you replacing a locked up engine?

[M3loverboy]

I’ve tried pulling it with my thong no luck lol!

Yes engine is absolutely locked crankshaft has absolutely no movement 😢. This is my first engine pull/ first bmw at that. The plan is an oem build for now. Eventually I’ll do a smg to manual conversion once it takes a 💩.

The buyer before me paid over 26k from a trade in at a Mazda dealership, within 100 miles it seized on him due to a loose oil drain plug from a amateur Mazda tech. I bought for a 1/4th of the price. For a broke college student like myself I couldn’t pass this up.

[BL92]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCWhlHmTBNA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_GDO2UovLk

[BL92]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_FNTCK0m5s

[Casa de Mesa]

I was about to delete the following as I started to think I was over-complicating my suggestion. That is, I know you're just trying to pull the motor vertically and the motor is stuck to the tranny somehow still. That said, I think the following is the most thorough approach for a seized motor. Also, you'd have more room to actually see what's going on and not further damage anything.

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IMHO, easiest to just disassemble the front of the car and pull it straight out: https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/m...831#post154831

With a seized motor, you're going to be addressing a lot more stuff than "just" the motor. Doing this should allow you to address additional things that need attention in the front of the car.

[oceansize]

Its so easy to pull the front clip on these cars I agree with Casa de Mesa.

[George Hill]

If you are 1-2" away from the trans then I would be looking for other obstructions. Maybe the input shaft isn't coming out of the clutch disc because the oil pan is hitting the subframe or the exhaust manifolds are hitting the FCAB or something else? Ground strap? Oil pan hitting the rack/steering shaft?

[1000hp]

I’ve tried pulling it with my thong no luck lol!

Yes engine is absolutely locked crankshaft has absolutely no movement 😢. This is my first engine pull/ first bmw at that. The plan is an oem build for now. Eventually I’ll do a smg to manual conversion once it takes a 💩.

The buyer before me paid over 26k from a trade in at a Mazda dealership, within 100 miles it seized on him due to a loose oil drain plug from a amateur Mazda tech. I bought for a 1/4th of the price. For a broke college student like myself I couldn’t pass this up.

If the engine is locked up, and you've got the transmission in neutral(?), and you're sure the engine isn't hung up on anything in the engine bay, then you might have some damage to the clutch disc or the transmission itself (input shaft, maybe) that is keeping it from coming out.

Make sure it's in neutral first. Disconnect the smg shift actuator from the trans selector shaft and put in neutral by hand if it isn't already.

Check all of the stuff mentioned above. If the input shaft is bound somewhere, you might be able to reach in and unbolt the clutch from the flywheel and remove the engine with the clutch staying on the input shaft. But if it comes to that, unless there is some good reason you aren't pulling the engine and transmission out as a unit, you're probably just making more work for yourself.

[M3loverboy]

I managed to get the engine completely free from the trans today. The only thing that’s catching on it is the oil pan against the steering rack piston shaft. I’ve tried adjusting the height, and angle as much as I can but no luck. I have all the room in the world on the driver side I can’t quite snake it past. Is my best bet lowering the rack maybe about an inch?

[M3loverboy]

It looks like there two bolts under the car to the rack & subframe would it free it a tad bit to slightly move it forward. If you guys know any tips so I don’t have to drop the whole assembly it’s really appreciated!

[heinzboehmer]

You can undo the four subframe bolts, leave everything else connected and just drop the subframe a bit. Just watch that you're not overextending the PS lines if those are still connected.

[Casa de Mesa]

You can undo the four subframe bolts, leave everything else connected and just drop the subframe a bit. Just watch that you're not overextending the PS lines if those are still connected.

Good advice right here...

[bigjae46]

You can undo the four subframe bolts, leave everything else connected and just drop the subframe a bit. Just watch that you're not overextending the PS lines if those are still connected.

I unscrew those subframe bolts when removing the engine and/or trans. Makes life sooooo much easier. The extra 2"-3" of clearance is absolutely worth the extra work.

[M3loverboy]

It’s out! Thank you for this hack!! Tearing this beast down tomorrow god bless