Our BMW Master tech Emil walks you through a rod bearing job from start to finish answering many of the common questions that we’ve received over the years on these cars.

Questions, and our responses:
I just bought my e46 m3 and have no idea if the rod bearings were done. Should I do them? Yes. These cars need them done every 60k-100k and if you don’t know when they were done, it’s always a safe bet to do them before spinning a bearing. Emil explains in this video all of their components so you can make a more educated decision if you want to have them done. For us, it’s a no brainer - if you buy a car with no service history, it’s better safe than sorry and spinning a bearing, saying good bye to your engine. (4:35)

My car is a 2004 with the upgraded bearings, should I do them still? Yes. These cars need them done every 60k-100k, regardless of the upgrades on the 04’s and up. (4:35)

What are Rod Bearings? 1:23
Why do I need rod bearings? 2:09 / 4:35
Why do they matter so much on the e46 m3?
Why do they matter in the combustion process? 1:37
How to tell if they’re too worn? Short answer: you can’t until you take them out. When you do take them out though, this is how you can tell:
What do worn bearings look like compared to new bearings? 2:27
Will not replacing them blow my engine? 3:21
What else happens if they get too worn? 3:31
How to extend the life of my bearings? 5:27
How do you get to the rod bearings? 6:32
How do you replace the bearings? And are there any tricks I should know? 9:02

If there are any further questions you might have, feel free to leave us a comment and we’ll be happy to respond!


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@jonnyaperture
www.jonnyaperture.com

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