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Re: 530i (2004) driveshaft [Mr_Shiftright]
Written by: roadburner on Dec 20, 2009 9:53:57 AM
I wonder what a "cracked" driveshaft is then? Sounds very unusual. My wife's CPO 1997 528i had a low speed rumble/vibration that was independent of engine speed and wheels/tires fitted. My dealer has a first class service department and they diagnosed a bent driveshaft. It was replaced under the CPO warranty, no questions asked. I still wonder how one could tweak a driveshaft without hitting/running over something. FYI, BMW continues to ... Read More
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Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i
Written by: someblueflower on Nov 17, 2009 5:23:02 PM
I just purchased a BMW 528i. A couple of issues have arisen with this car. First, I believe there is a problem with the thermostat. It takes forever to heat up when I drive it short distances, but on the highway it heats up fast. Secondly, it run rough for a few minutes when iI first start it, after it has ran a few minutes, it runs perfect. Also, I noticed ... Read More
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [andys120]
Written by: someblueflower on Nov 19, 2009 6:09:48 PM
Thanks for all the advice.
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [someblueflower]
Written by: roadburner on Nov 19, 2009 5:48:27 PM
I had the washer pump fail on my 1997 5er. It's an easy -if a bit fiddly- DIY. It took me @45 minutes to R&R the pump.
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [someblueflower]
Written by: andys120 on Nov 19, 2009 5:47:07 PM
If you have no idea when the oil was changed I recommend you change it ASAP but first you should check with the dealer to see if they have that information. Also you should acquire an owner's manual from a dealer, if it did not come with the car. This will tell you what type of oil to use and how to interpret the service indicator lights (those green dashes that ... Read More
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [someblueflower]
Written by: someblueflower on Nov 19, 2009 4:13:18 PM
Also is it wise to have the oil changed? I bought the car from a private seller and I have no idea when and if the oil was changed...If the answer is yes can you tell me what kind of oil, it does say 5w30, but would that be a sythentic oil? I appreciate any help, Thanks again
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [Mr_Shiftright]
Written by: someblueflower on Nov 19, 2009 4:02:59 PM
I havent seen any blue smoke, so maybe it's just the EFI. I think I can just live with it. I do have a questin about the washer pump fuse. Is it just one fuse or is it two? Can you tell me if I can use regular ATC fuses or do I have to have special fuses for it? Can you tell me what amperage I need for the fuse? ... Read More
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [someblueflower]
Written by: Mr_Shiftright on Nov 19, 2009 7:45:28 AM
If you wanted to check for worn valve stem seals or valve guides? A cylinder leakdown test tells you a great deal about the internal condition of an engine. Generally on a car as old as yours, you live with it. It can be an expensive repair (the valve guides themselve I mean). Replacing just the valve stem seals is a lot cheaper to do, but on an older engine, perhaps ... Read More
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [Mr_Shiftright]
Written by: someblueflower on Nov 18, 2009 6:02:42 PM
What exactly will my mechanic do to check this issue? And if this is the problem, is this a pretty expensive repair?
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [andys120]
Written by: someblueflower on Nov 18, 2009 5:58:08 PM
I dont think the odor is sulfurous. I'm going to have it checked out, just to play it safe. Winter is right around the corner and I want my car running smoothly when the snow finally starts here. I'm just curious, why would it be rough just on start up, but not when I'm driving it?
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [someblueflower]
Written by: Mr_Shiftright on Nov 18, 2009 5:52:45 PM
Well if you have worn valve guides or hardened valve stem seals, what happens is that overnight some oil left on top of the engine, in the cylinder head, drips down past the valves and the seals (which it normally should not do) and then collects in little drops on top of the piston. So you start up first thing in the morning, and your spark plug momentarily fouls due to ... Read More
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [Mr_Shiftright]
Written by: someblueflower on Nov 18, 2009 5:48:56 PM
No, I dont think it's burning any oil...I'm taking it in for an oil change and to have the thermostat replaced on Friday...and I'm going to check the fuses for the washer pump first and my mechanic said he'll check the pump. How do I tell if it is burning oil?
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [someblueflower]
Written by: andys120 on Nov 17, 2009 8:46:26 PM
No doubt you have a bad thermostat; I have a 2000 528i and it warms up very quickly even in winter driving. That's a cheap fix and so is a replacement wiper motor but check the fuse first. Don't know why yours runs rough on startup, perhaps the EFI isn't making the mixture rich enough, could be a bad sensor or bad coil. If the odor you're getting is sulfurous, you ... Read More
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Re: Need advise on recently purchased 1997 BMW 528 i [someblueflower]
Written by: Mr_Shiftright on Nov 17, 2009 7:22:20 PM
You may be right about the thermostat. BMWs of this era have notoriously tempermental cooling systems. As for the strong exhaust odor, it sounds like your plugs are fouling on start up---either due to a dripping injector, or leaking valve stem seals. Do you burn some oil, or you don't know yet? Probably the pump is shot, another typical problem. You can test the pump with some wires off your battery ... Read More
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Re: 1997 BMW 528i Rough idle at cold start [Mr_Shiftright]
Written by: shipo on Jun 20, 2007 10:07:14 AM
If memory serves, the problem isn't that the oil is too heavy, it's that the oil is leaking past the "O" rings, thus reducing the pressure brought to bear against the VANOS spring. That said, you may have something there in that the oil would be far more likely to leak past the "O" rings when warmer/thinner than when cool in a newly cold-started engine. The absolute heaviest "cold" oil allowable ... Read More
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Re: 1997 BMW 528i Rough idle at cold start [shipo]
Written by: Mr_Shiftright on Jun 20, 2007 9:47:32 AM
I was thinking that if the oil is too heavy on cold start up, it won't work the hydraulics for the cam shift.
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Re: 1997 BMW 528i Rough idle at cold start [Mr_Shiftright]
Written by: shipo on Jun 20, 2007 9:01:03 AM
That makes sense. That said, all accounts of VANOS acting up that I've been privy to were a result of worn oil control "O" rings in the VANOS assembly itself. Could it be that incorrect oil usage is responsible for the worn rings? Ain't no way I'd rule that possibility out. Based upon my very unscientific observations, there seems to be a very hit and miss nature to this problem. Take ... Read More
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Re: 1997 BMW 528i Rough idle at cold start [shipo]
Written by: Mr_Shiftright on Jun 20, 2007 8:13:54 AM
I think some people can also run into problems with VANOS if they are using the wrong weight of oil, can't they?
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Re: 1997 BMW 528i Rough idle at cold start [udive200]
Written by: shipo on Jun 20, 2007 7:10:08 AM
Most likely the problem is with your VANOS cam timing system. Said system uses oil pressure to adjust the timing if each cam shaft by pressing against a spring loaded collar gear. As the seals wear out they are not able to maintain the neccessary oil pressure required to conteract the force of the springs, and as such the cams are mis-timed upon start-up. As the problem gradually worsens over a ... Read More
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Re: 1997 BMW 528i Rough idle at cold start [udive200]
Written by: cdnpinhead on Jun 20, 2007 6:09:47 AM
Sean, Couple of things -- first, george. . . posted a month short of two years ago and hasn't been heard from since. He posted once -- if you put your arrow on the screen name, it'll tell you how many posts the person has, when they last posted, etc. You're very unlikely to hear from him, but there are others who prowl these boards regularly who may be able to ... Read More
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Re: 1997 BMW 528i Rough idle at cold start [georgewmb]
Written by: udive200 on Jun 19, 2007 7:18:13 PM
George, If you don't mind email me and let me know what you found out about the problem above. I have the same car same year doing the same thing, rough idle and after giving it gas it runs fine. Thanks Sean Sullivan spsullivan@cox.net
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Remote Key Battery
Written by: 6_speed on Apr 8, 2007 5:13:18 PM
I have a 1997 540i 6spd. I have changed the remote batteries once before. Today, I tried replacing the battery in my key fob again. These were the steps: 1) Car is locked. 2) Remove the 2 batteries (CR1220) from the fob. 3) Drove another car to Walgreen - can't find CR1220 batteries 4) Drove back home. Reinsert old batteries BUT didn't properly do the +- matching - I didn't realized ... Read More
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Re: 1997 BMW 528i Overheating while idling [ddat]
Written by: pearl on Mar 19, 2007 5:43:29 PM
I have a 97 528 and have had the same problem. It could be many things; however, I have heard of any number of people who have had to have new head gaskets or even new cylinder heads - now THAT is a very expensive job (looking at $5K depending upon what else they do).
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timpdix
Written by: div2 on Jun 24, 2005 8:15:15 AM
I have a 1997 528iA with 122000 miles on it. It still looks, runs, and drives like new. In the past 40000 miles all it has needed is scheduled maintenance and brake pads. 1997 was the first year for the E39 platform and thus they did have a few more gremlins than the later cars. That said, a car with 80000 miles has probably had those problems sorted out by now. ... Read More
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Re: 1997 BMW 528i w/ 80,000 Miles [timpdix]
Written by: sdg380 on Jun 24, 2005 7:04:56 AM
My information comes from Consumer Reports, where they show high incindence of problems with cooling, electrical, and power equipment systems for earlier E39 models, with problems decreasing dramatically in '00, '01, '02, and '03. The ratings show '02 and '03 models to be almost Camry-like in reliablity (my '02 has been virtually trouble-free). So I'd look to see if any problems in these areas have come up and been addressed--also suggests ... Read More
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1997 BMW 528i w/ 80,000 Miles
Written by: timpdix on Jun 24, 2005 5:49:25 AM
For several weeks I have been researching the reliability of a 1997 or 1998 BMW with 80,000 miles and haven't found too many recent reviews. With strong research on the specific vehicle's maintenance record, can anyone give me any specific feedback or advice on whether purchasing such a vehicle is a good or bad move and what to look out for?
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fishdreams
Written by: div2 on Mar 23, 2005 6:30:23 AM
The dealer is trying to hose you big time-tell him I said so...;) Is the car cranking slow? You need to top up the battery cells with distilled water every six months or so. Do that and your battery will last quite a while; my 1995 318t1 and 1997 528i still have their original batteries. The BMW OEM batteries don't seem to be as robust as the ones that come with ... Read More
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New Car Buyer - Help soon
Written by: carfan3 on Feb 20, 2005 1:53:11 PM
Hey everyone. I am in the market for a new car. My choices are Nissan Armada, Inifiniti QX56, and BMW 545i. All cars loaded. I am leaning towards the Armada and QX. I got one dealer to get the price of the 2005 QX down to $50997 (LOADED). I test drove the 545i yesterday, and it was beautiful. I did not want to get out of the car. Problem is, the ... Read More
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rgrossman
Written by: div2 on Jan 1, 2005 9:05:02 PM
I can't say that I've found BMWs to be expensive to run; the repair and maintenance costs on my wife's 1997 528iA work sled have averaged about $84/month over the last two years/30K miles-and that number includes an Inspection II as well as changes of the AT, final drive, brake system, and cooling system fluids, a set of BMW OEM brake pads, and four V-rated summer tires. And by the way, ... Read More
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Re: 1997 540i Salvage Title/Good Deal? [dhandelsman]
Written by: jas on Dec 15, 2004 2:06:25 PM
BMW's, like alot of cars, can be very expensive to repair if they have major damage. So, at the 5 year point, a major accident could very easily total the car from the insurance companys standpoint. I was just talking to an independent BMW mechanic, this morning actually, that buys cars under salvage, rebuilds/repairs them and then drives them for many years. It sounds like you are not worried ... Read More
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erice
Written by: div2 on Oct 19, 2004 9:30:08 PM
If I had to drive my wife's 1997 528iA all the time, here's what I would do: 1.Larger front and rear anti-roll bars @$400 2.Bilstein HD Shocks @$500 3.540i front calipers and rotors @$350? 4.16 or 17 inch wheels and summer high performance tires @$1200-$3000 5.Conforti Shark Injector and Cold Air Intake $710 The brake upgrade really isn't necessary, but it more than doubles the front brake pad life and you ... Read More
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erice
Written by: div2 on Oct 16, 2004 8:42:06 AM
Here's an excerpt from a post I made in the 5er forum a few weeks ago: >My wife uses a 109000 mile 1997 528iA as her commuter sled. Aside from a failed windshield washer motor($35), the fuel door hinge($12), and a power steering hose($80), it has only required scheduled maintenance over the past two years and 32000 miles. City/suburban fuel mileage averages 21 mpg while an 80 mph interstate cruise will ... Read More
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debra5
Written by: div2 on Nov 4, 2004 8:58:54 PM
You really need to get a second opinion from a good independent BMW tech. My wife's 1997 528iA work hack has 109,000 miles on it and, aside from a radiator cap-a whopping seven dollars, NONE of the items you mentioned have needed attention. As for the suspension, one tie rod end has been replaced. The autobox is also operating perfectly As a matter of fact, I service her sled by the ... Read More
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cmr530i
Written by: div2 on Oct 17, 2004 8:01:33 PM
The 1997 E39s suffered from the teething problems most new BMW platforms experience(by comparison, the 1992 E36s were a real nightmare). My 528iA has a 5/96 build date and had a few problems(water pump, thermostat, and the emissions air pump) all of which were covered by the BMW CPO warranty. In each case the part that failed was replaced with an improved part and the problem has not recurred. I later ... Read More
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ricecub348
Written by: div2 on Oct 2, 2004 7:41:42 AM
My wife uses a 109000 mile 1997 528iA as her commuter sled. Aside from a failed windshield washer motor($35), the fuel door hinge($12), and a power steering hose($80), it has only required scheduled maintenance over the past two years and 32000 miles. City/suburban fuel mileage averages 21 mpg while an 80 mph interstate cruise will net 28 mpg. In most cases, the best way to keep maintenance costs reasonable is to ... Read More
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quint1
Written by: div2 on Sep 22, 2004 8:40:02 PM
My wife's work sled is a 1997 528iA with 108k on the clock. In the past couple of years the only non-scheduled maintenance has consisted of a windshield washer pump($31), the fuel filler door hinge($12), and a couple of tail lamp bulbs($4). I wish that BMWs weren't so darned expensive to maintain-those repairs are killing me... :0
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Re: 1997 525 with 163k... good buy??? [quint1]
Written by: kyfdx on Sep 22, 2004 7:08:29 AM
One point... Even if you buy it for the same price, you won't own that BMW for the price of a '99 Accord. At 168K miles, even if the parts weren't more expensive (and they are), the extra maintenance and repair of a car with 168K miles, will eat you alive.. You'd be better off spending $8K more for a '97 or '98 with low miles, in the long run. regards, ... Read More
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Re: 1997 525 with 163k... good buy??? [shipo]
Written by: quint1 on Sep 21, 2004 8:07:05 PM
thanks -- I stand corrected. It is, in fact, a 528i. Its at a BMW dealership. Is there any sort of a check list I should make sure they have taken care of or anything like that? It sounds like there are not any real known issues with this model....
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Re: 1997 525 with 163k... good buy??? [quint1]
Written by: shipo on Sep 21, 2004 6:35:20 PM
Ummm, for starters, there is no such a thing as a 1997 525i (at least not in the USA). In 1997, there were only two models, a 528i and a 540i. The question is, which one are you looking at? Assuming that it is a 528i, and assuming average condition, average maintenance and average equipment (auto, sun roof, leather seats), $6,800 is probably a fair price, but no steal. Regarding what ... Read More
