'55 BMW 320d - new engine needed :(

[phatmanace]

Hello folks.

my '55 plate 320d (~60k miles) developed a bit of a rattle on the clutch and gearstick, I took it to get it looked at and they diagnosed a broken dual mass flywheel. When they replaced the part, the car still wasn't right, and after some more investigation, it turns out that there is a ton of play in the crankshaft.

I went to look at the car on the ramp, and there is play both longitudinally and laterally.

The gentleman at the garage suggested it would be cheaper to find a reconditioned engine than to rebuild it.

So couple of questions.

1. (more of a poll really) - would you pay to fix? - sort of think I have no option as morally and logistically, it would be difficult to move the car on with the fault unrecitified
2. Any idea approx how much it's going to be for a new power plant?

Quite gutted, but trying to remain pragmatic!
-Ace

[mekondelta]

Sorry to hear that! Can't answer your question but the sooner manufacturers move away from using DMFs to whatever they had before (SMF?) the more reliable (and slightly more rattly) our engines will be. I'd trade those features any time.

Just a quick google:-

rear damaged 320d with a good engine?

[phatmanace]

indeed - the chap said that most manual diesels have them now - and they don't work very well on any cars that have them.

the part for the BM was ~800 quid. Had I had a vauxhall, he said they are around 2 grand.

-ace

[rb51]

Your crank is broke happened to an 320d I had a while back same symptoms as you describe car drove fine but strange vibration from it took a long time to pin point problem

[phatmanace]

got rid of the car and have bought an Audi. I'm sure i was very unlucky, but a very disappointing ownership experience. Something of a stretch to see me buying another beemer.

[amir_j]

phatmanace said:

got rid of the car and have bought an Audi. I'm sure i was very unlucky, but a very disappointing ownership experience. Something of a stretch to see me buying another beemer.

How do you find the audi driving wise compared ot the BMW, rear wheel drive and all that.

[phatmanace]

amir_j said:

How do you find the audi driving wise compared ot the BMW, rear wheel drive and all that.

it's a quattro, which I think is FWD most of the time, but 4wd has been awesome in the snow. particularly since the BM was woeful.

I also went back to petrol(2.0T), didn't really think that we did the mileage to justify DERV. so all in all:

- Audi Feels 1/3 of the weight of the BM, I'm sure it isn't, but it feels tighter and not so wallowy in the corners. I kid you not, it feels like my old Golf GTI ('02 plate) - *really* nice steering as well. Perhaps I'm being unfair, as the BM was a bog standard 320d estate, and my audi is the sporty S-line one.

-I've read on the forums people think that Audi's are better screwed together on the interior, I'm not sure this is true, it's very nice, but I'd say a whisker worse than the BM

-Loving being back in a Petrol car, much more lively engine, and doesn't feel as torque-less as I thought it would.

- Ride without the runflats is a load better, my BM used to tramline a little - believe it's a common complaint.

HTH, Ace

-Think that it's a shade smaller than the BM, but Mrs C didn't want the A6 - so we'll just have to suck it up.