E53 4.4/4.6 on LPG or 3.0D?
Discussion
I asked a while back about X5s and now I'm looking with a view to buying but am stuck on the choice of engine. I hate diesels. I really dislike how they drive. But my circumstances have changed and I may soon be returning permanently from working overseas. The car could now end up doing as much as 20k miles a year. I want to retire my Subaru from daily driver duties.
Sooo.... I'm well aware it will eat tyres and bushes. I can do most things myself, and will do as much work on the car as I can. It really just boils down to an LPG V8 vs the diesel. I keep telling myself the diesel will be boring and I love the noise a V8 makes... then I remind myself it's a workhorse and won't handle in a very rewarding way, so does the noise really matter? But if I'm going to spend that much time driving it then it kind of does...
I've done some crude calculations and figured out that MPG is a bit cheaper than diesel. I know zero about whether LPG systems cause engine issues or anything or if the car should have been remapped for it etc. Should it have some sort of certificate? Anything else I should be looking for?
What are owners' experiences of these?
Sooo.... I'm well aware it will eat tyres and bushes. I can do most things myself, and will do as much work on the car as I can. It really just boils down to an LPG V8 vs the diesel. I keep telling myself the diesel will be boring and I love the noise a V8 makes... then I remind myself it's a workhorse and won't handle in a very rewarding way, so does the noise really matter? But if I'm going to spend that much time driving it then it kind of does...
I've done some crude calculations and figured out that MPG is a bit cheaper than diesel. I know zero about whether LPG systems cause engine issues or anything or if the car should have been remapped for it etc. Should it have some sort of certificate? Anything else I should be looking for?
What are owners' experiences of these?
Different car, but some parallel experience may be of use to you.
LPG conversion isn't really a DIY option (yes you can, but really, you shouldn't) so will be done somewhere that does them all the time and knows what to do.
It will have a certificate, you need to tell your ins. co. & the filter needs changing every year at your local LPG specialist as part of a service on the LPG.
You don't quite get double the £/£ MPG equivalent of petrol (I averaged the equivalent of 54MPG while registering 29.6 on the computer) and there is no noticeable change in the way the car drives.
Mine was an 3.0 e39 & I was told by my installer to completely ignore spark plug recommendations for the car & go simple (around £16/set instead of £21 each) NGK double copper equivalents & change every year, which was a nice saving too, and had no issues at all.
LPG conversion isn't really a DIY option (yes you can, but really, you shouldn't) so will be done somewhere that does them all the time and knows what to do.
It will have a certificate, you need to tell your ins. co. & the filter needs changing every year at your local LPG specialist as part of a service on the LPG.
You don't quite get double the £/£ MPG equivalent of petrol (I averaged the equivalent of 54MPG while registering 29.6 on the computer) and there is no noticeable change in the way the car drives.
Mine was an 3.0 e39 & I was told by my installer to completely ignore spark plug recommendations for the car & go simple (around £16/set instead of £21 each) NGK double copper equivalents & change every year, which was a nice saving too, and had no issues at all.
E-BMW speaks sense. For 20k a year, a V8 will cost a lot to run. They run very hot which is bad for things like the plastics in the engine, they have a water cooled alternator which isn't super reliable, and they seem to kill gearboxes quicker than the smaller engined ones.
My dad has run a 3.0i E53 from new, and it's at the quarter million mile mark now. No gearbox issues, no engine issues, and has returned around 24MPG from new on the computer.
As someone that does 20k per year, I would do it in a V8 X5. I think the V8 engines BMW make are poor compared to their straight six counterparts. The M62 seems nowhere near as robust as the M54.
My dad has run a 3.0i E53 from new, and it's at the quarter million mile mark now. No gearbox issues, no engine issues, and has returned around 24MPG from new on the computer.
As someone that does 20k per year, I would do it in a V8 X5. I think the V8 engines BMW make are poor compared to their straight six counterparts. The M62 seems nowhere near as robust as the M54.
Think I will go V8 then. I've read about the alternators and seen the crazy price of them! But meh. I'll buy one for a couple of grand, replace the suspension arms and bushes and service it regularly. If it throws a huge bill or kills the gearbox I'll likely bin it and get another. Hopefully I won't get burned too badly but I'm aware I might!
EDIT: Do they all come with a tow bar or is that an extra?
EDIT: Do they all come with a tow bar or is that an extra?
Edited by TroubledSoul on Tuesday 16th July 10:51
Timing chain guides, or at the least the tensioner would be a good bet too. What I understand is that the tensioner gets weak, and the chain slaps the guides, breaking them. I know this is the case on the S62, I would imagine the same thing happens on the M62, too.
Towbar was a factory option on these cars. The BMW kit hides nicely behind the door in the bumper.
Towbar was a factory option on these cars. The BMW kit hides nicely behind the door in the bumper.
You would need to get a lower temp thermostat for the V8 or modify yours. The high temperature is killing the rubber - well known valve stem seals issue. Apparently some people are adding shims under the thermostat element to make it open sooner.
I also have issue with diesels and have inline 6 E38 and E39 (M52TU and M54), both LPGed and each approaching 300k miles - incredibly smooth and cheaper than diesel to run. Now got myself an E66 and E64 (again inline 6 N52) and about to convert both to LPG.
I also have issue with diesels and have inline 6 E38 and E39 (M52TU and M54), both LPGed and each approaching 300k miles - incredibly smooth and cheaper than diesel to run. Now got myself an E66 and E64 (again inline 6 N52) and about to convert both to LPG.
As to spark plugs mine last really long - you only need to reduce the gap as LPG gas is a higher dielectric compared to petrol fuel-air mixture - otherwise you put coils under unnecessary strain (the voltage may break the insulation in the coil pack). LPG engine also runs a bit hotter so going with a a one range colder plug makes sense - ideally iridium plug. I extend the life of my plugs just by closing the gap after 50k miles or so. So far changed (think) 3 sets of plugs in 200 odd thousand miles.
I'd be very wary of an old V8 M62 now. In fact, an old E53 full stop. None is better than another, they're all money pits at this stage and one big bill away from the breakers. Buy one that looks and drives okay and spend f
k all on it unless you have to. Nothing you spend will add a bean to its value so....
However, the cooler stat on the V8 is a very good idea as they do like to explode hoses etc - the stat is mapped to run FH at light/part throttle and 115/120 degrees is not uncommon. The viscous and a/c aux fans really do need to work. Iirc it's the E38 740d stat you need, drops it down to 80 degrees or so. About an hour of swearing to fit.
The 3.0i is sort of better/cheaper but they're old enough to be shagged, leaking oil, 300 miles to a litre of oil, knackered CCV and the usual old M54 bks. Really, buy on condition and bills.
k all on it unless you have to. Nothing you spend will add a bean to its value so....However, the cooler stat on the V8 is a very good idea as they do like to explode hoses etc - the stat is mapped to run FH at light/part throttle and 115/120 degrees is not uncommon. The viscous and a/c aux fans really do need to work. Iirc it's the E38 740d stat you need, drops it down to 80 degrees or so. About an hour of swearing to fit.
The 3.0i is sort of better/cheaper but they're old enough to be shagged, leaking oil, 300 miles to a litre of oil, knackered CCV and the usual old M54 b
ks. Really, buy on condition and bills.Edited by Touring442 on Thursday 18th July 10:32
Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff