I Made 15 Repairs & Replaced 67 Parts On My Manual V8 E39 BMW In A Crazy DIY Budget Repair Marathon!
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What you’re about to see is a crazy BMW DIY repair marathon! I literally fixed 14 things on my rare V8 Manual E39 BMW and replaced 67 parts in 1 video. This is my longest video but it goes by really quick as it’s nothing but action. I hope you guys love this one and don’t forget to subscribe! Looking at analytics only about 30% of people who regularly watch my channel are subscribed so if you like the show, hit the like button and subscribe for more!
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1992 Mazda Miata that is a bit drippy, thank god for rock auto, for saving my ass countless times so far
You need to stop saying you have warped rotor. Rotors don’t warp!
Working on my 88 Jetta GLI. I just rebuilt the fuel distributor, and I need to reinstall it to see if that fixes the fuel issue.
Two 1998 Dodge Rams (intake pan gaskets, front mains, timing chains, tune ups), one 2009 VW GTI (low oil pressure when warm), one 1997 Toyota T100 (gas tank, fuel pump, shifter bushings), and one 1998 Corvette (supercharged) (Shifter linkage). All projects purchased while broken except one of the 1998 Rams which are showing wear after picking up all the project cars and hauling them back home.
Excellent video but I’ve gotta admit, I was a little stressed for a second when you didn’t wipe off the fuel filter at first. It’s the small things lol
Awesome work, Alex!
Thanks bro!!
Collab?
@@LegitStreetCars COOOOMMING UP
Hi praise from the Master
The thought totally crossed my mind that you should do a collab! So happy to see you here all the way from Frankfurt : )
Nice love those long videos.can’t wait too see this bmw getting detailed and looking shiny again.I think it deserves that.
Amazing. Knowledgeable person fixing and dealing with stuff, explaining what he is doing and why, using simple terms while not producing tv show drama with non existent issues. Not having e39 at the moment but still watching this episode and learning new tricks.
Hi Alex if I’m not mistaken I think you need to put a small bead of rtv in the corners of the half circle shaped portion of the valve cover gaskets and in the cracks where the timing cover meets the head I am pretty sure that’s what I had to do on my 540i.
Older Volvo is the same way. The 1/2 moon seal 😁
Spent all morning refreshing KZhead to see this video posted! Saturday morning routine. Thanks for the content Alex.
Bro even me
Notifications are a thing and they work quite well.
@@joshuagibson2520 without a doubt they are but sometimes I’m a little impatient when I know a video is coming out soon.
Alex, this is such a great series. I really think I test drove this car back in 2009 around Kansas City. I was 24 and not ready to tackle a 540i yet :) It had spare parts galore too and I always wished I'd bought it. I did buy an e46 5spd 330i that I had for 9 years, very reliable and helped me to get on my feet after college despite everyone in the midwest telling me bmws are crap. Thank you for your series. You have an awesome attitude and I laugh out loud at your show all the time. We are the exact same age, I get all of your jokes. THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT HANDS ON CONTENT. YOU ARE A NATIONAL TREASURE. Come visit OP, KS. I'll buy the coffee, and bbq.
LSC is definitely is a top-five must-watch on KZhead. You mentioned what got you into becoming a content creator, but I'm old and forget. Whatever the reason, I am really enjoying your drops and can't wait for the next in the series. FYI, Eli really did remind me of you. A nice young man with a bright future ahead of him.
Cheap effective rusty bolt remover formula: 50% acetone, 50% ATF. Shake before use to mix. Just solid work and great tips. Good lighting.
Hey Alex! Your little chat at the end cemented the reasons why I love this channel! Upfront, honest, witty informative and down to earth! Would love to buy that car!! Keep up the great work!
Exactly
Love it. I picked up a '97 540i auto, same color combination, with 240,000 on the clock for $600. I did all the typical E-39 fixes, suspension components, valve cover gaskets, complete cooling system replacement, blower motor resistor, etc. It is by far the easiest car I have ever worked on in my 35-plus years of experience in general auto repair.
is it even worth doing that on the car from 97 with 240000 miles?
@@armanx2 It wasn't.
@@theamerican7080 engine died?
@@armanx2 The fella I sold it to drove it hard and the timing chain guides disintegrated and took the rest of the engine with it.
You need to put ngk-r’s back in it, they run like shit with the Boschs. This is a MUST.
Quite possibly your longest video, but the content and the editing made it seem much shorter. Fantastic job Alex. 👏 😀
Can’t wait to see it cleaned up! Great job!
too bad he doesnt do 2,3 videos per week
@@Chris-hw4mq dude he just worked 40hrs on the BM then another 15 editing..
@@stuartd9741 he should have split the video in 3 parts it would have been better.
@Johnny Chimpo ideally its 11 minutes, people dont have time to watch a 1h video.
@Johnny Chimpo why the fuck do you think all the other youtubers do max 20 min. videos. People are just going to skip threw the video to get done with it and he looses more. its just my 2 cents dont care if he makes the videos 10hours or 1 minute.
You always make it look easy. If it were me I would be breaking vacuum lines and clips on fuel rails etc. I disagree that you can do it without a lift I hate working under a car on my back and getting rust and dirt in my eyes. Keep up the good work.
A lift is an absolute game changer. If you like to work on cars, renting a garage with a lift is worth every Penny in my opinion. You just need to do enough work on other people's cars to pay the rent on the rented garage. Personally, I think I have enough family and friends, and friends of friends that need work done all the time, so I do believe I could probably make it work and have the garage and lift pay for themselves even if I did the work for friends and family on the cheap. It saves them money, it pays for my garage, and I get to do my hobby work happily and fix my own cars and everyone wins.
It's 100% doable without a lift, but you've got to be agile & in shape, especially depending on the job. Sometimes it's actually nice literally laying down & taking breaks hahah... I did just do both flex discs on my E350 coupe, & you really do need a lift to do that without annoyance, frustration, etc. Prying the driveshaft with almost no room was hell, but doable.
Safety glasses
i can vouch i did a full drilled and slotted rotor swap on my 02 BMW X5 SPORT i got for 2k
@@startingtech3900 nice find. I've got my eye out for an e46 that needs work for around that money. How was yours when you 1st got it?
You are the #1 automotive KZhead car mechanic of the decade!
As always, love your style Alex, the hour just flew by. I don't know what exactly it is but you have something special. Some other people on KZhead's videos who 5 minutes long feel like 5 hours and then there's yours that I am sad when they're over. I don't even like BMWs!
Repair marathon - perfect for a work-out channel! Great job Alex!
I had (and loved) a 2000 540iT wagon for about 15 years. I’m surprised you kept the old fan when swapping the fan clutch. The E39 was known for the fans coming apart as they aged, causing damage to the shroud and hood, as well as potentially the radiator. Cheap insurance since you have it out to do the swap. Just an FYI for future repairs. The BMW plastics are an issue as these cars age.
Not specific to BMW! Any plastic that’s heat cycled like any engine bay in any car will turn plastic slowly into brittle crap and eventually powder! Coolant “reservoirs/overflow” jugs are the worst!!!
Have you sold the BMW, 540 yet ?
As a e39 540i 6sp owner I really appreciate all the fact check that you do and how encouraging you are for all your fans. I have no hesitation at all now doing these same jobs when they come up on my bmw
Fantastic video Alex!! The oil level sensor/alternator light tip is a great one. I’ve been trying to figure out my light for 2 years! Thank you!!
What was the tip on the oil level sensor? My oil lamp comes on for 15 seconds after I start the car
What I like best of your channel is no matter how much your channel has grown you still educate. You don’t skip it all or spend half the time pushing brand deals. It’s nice and appreciated
Thanks brother!
Thank you sir for the great content
The lighting and close up repair shots are excellent quality! Way to step it up!
For the injector clips on BMW's - a long thick flathead screwdriver works wonders. Place the screwdriver an inch apart from the injector clip and simply pry and "pop" them up, no need to mess with the clips individually 🤝
The sound of removing an old main valve covert gasket is so satisfying Thank you
The manual says to add a dab of RTV on the front timing case cover where it joins the head, also on the half moons , when doing valve covers.
Please remember to replace every flexible rubber fuel line and check the clamp tightness. My E38 750il just split one under the hood spraying gas everywhere
Great explanation of labor "costs". Most hobbyists or enthusiasts never consider their time as "labor". Love this channel, always keeping it real!
I love these Saturday videos. It always feels like it's a good friend telling you what they're doing in their garage. I'm at work at this and alone in the office. It's awesome to have Alex here to keep me company!
Alex, you see how hard the valve cover (rocker box) gaskets were. I guarantee the upper timing chain cover gaskets are even harder and will be big sources of leaks. They're only $10 each from BMW. They take time to replace but must be done...as well as the solenoid seals. It's not too hard once you have everything out of the way--fan and fan shroud, for example. Best wishes.
One hour of goodness, sweet! Reminds me of a fellow KZheadr in Germany, now he needs to work on a Mercedes one day! 😁
Love the idea for the series. Flipping a car or two just because you enjoy wrenching is what a ton of people do. You explain what and why you are doing the repair and that's great. Can't wait for the sale of the car.
It would be nice to see the labour hours at the end so people would know how long something would take to fix. Kind of as a guide, before they decide to do a similar repair.
I couldn't repair a car, even if my life would depend on it. But still love this channel, your enthusiasm gives me the feeling I helped repairing the cars
I’d recommend watching M539 Restorations, by far the best KZhead channel out there!
Great video! Bring on the long format! Makes me wanna dig into a euro car again. Youre definitely succeeding in giving people the confidence to get out there and work on stuff. Thanks so much!
Nice to have Max helping you out!
A silent watcher. Not a mechanic but always love watching someone fixing anything. Love your videos. You are so detailed and professional in your time and expertise in troubleshooting and repairing vehicles. Alex you are just awesome! Please don’t deviate from what you’re doing. Love your content, professionalism, honesty and just excellent vibes in your videos. Don’t stop what you’re doing. I would definitely want to possibly buy one of your flips based on your attention, detail, honesty in repairing vehicles in the future. I’ve learned so much about vehicles by watching you, Again, excellent content, editing and attention to detail. Keep it up and thank you for sharing your creativity and honesty.
Love this type of content. I've been flipping stuff like this for the last 20 years. It's amazing how much you can make when you buy a car with the right history for the right money that just needs some basic parts and labour. Those flips make the extra money (tax free) to help buy other projects or investments.
You might want to check w/ your CPA about that “tax free” part :-)
The editing in this video was awesome. So overlooked in videos, but here it was spot on. Especially in longer videos. You need great editing to keep the pace going and you have that.
Great video Alex as usual. I think most home mechanics looking to do the maintenance on their own vehicles understand that the time spent replacing parts and doing scheduled maintenance is just part of owning vehicles. Those that choose to do the work themselves take pride in knowing they did the work and have the satisfaction of not paying for dealer rates!
Really enjoyed this one. All the explanations and different angles make it really educational for am old guy like me learning to work on my cars for fun.
You should always do valley pan and rear tubes too! We got stuck for two days waiting for it to be fixed!
I really liked this format, I watched it kinda like a tv show where id watch the remainder of the video later. It was nice to see the whole thing start to finish vs multiple videos
Something so satisfying removing old dry rotted gaskets and replacing them with brand new ones. Great video Alex!!!
Alex’s flips, good for him and good for whoever buys them!
I would watch 100s of these videos per day because i love these sooo much :) great work alex :)
This was so cool! Thank you for the content Alex. Love these videos man!
Every mechanic has their favorite BFH. It's one of those tools that may not always be wanted, but definitely needed.
So TRUE . That goes for all trades lol
I am watching this for the second time, you have really worked hard building this channel and it shows. Thank you and Max and Peter; y’all are awesome!
Thanks for all your hard work and videos. I’ve never mentioned this but I’ve flipped a few C55’s and E55’s due to your videos. You have saved me time and money on repairs. Agains, we truly appreciate your hard work and I too look at it as a hobby 👍🏼👍🏼
Some of the best content on KZhead right here. Really enjoy watching you tool in the old BMW. Brings back memories of my e21. Maybe half the banks of cylinders, though. ⚾️ keep dreaming buddy, you’re an all star mechanic. ⚾️
I’m biased because this is my dream car but this also has been your best video to date. SOO much fixed all in one video! You’re amazing and I love the explanation about how much work you put into your craft and channel that you have built. Keep it up Alex! Also BMW > Merc
Great one Alex... the fact that an hour went by without making this one boring, just shows that you have great communication skills!
I love how you're experimenting. It's great! This is a much longer feature and very reminiscent of what Sreten is doing over on M539 Restorations. I love both of your channels btw. Keep it up my brothers. Happy New Year!
Coming Up!!!!
Stop being so hard on yourself! You do a great job everyone who watches you loves the work you do, Keep it going and remember all your subscribers ❤️you 🇬🇧
Alex you nail it man! I just watched the entire video without forwarding anything and this is AWESOME content and very entertaining! Keep up that outstanding work dude! - A friend from VA.
Removing the cabin air filter boxes would have made the job to replace the spark plugs and engine cover gaskets a lot easier but thumbs up on a very informative well narrated video for any bmw e39 enthusiast
Loved the video! Extra long workout for me this morning just so I could finish it all in one treadmill run. Thanks Alex!
Just watched the whole thing and still didn't want it to end! You're doing it right by only counting parts cost. Looking forward to seeing the results after details/bodywork.
Is it christmis? I love the hour special, they should all be like this. Prep drinks and snacks and enjoy the LSC universe of honest and hard work, positive and energy no matter what. Keeping it real and legit and fun!
I used to watch some of the *ahem* Kansas KZheadrs but Alex, you are truly LEGIT indeed! Great to see someone actually doing the mechanical work and not concerned about cultivating a celebrity persona. The giveaway car episodes are awesome so I'd appreciate seeing some more of those. Generosity and kindness does not go unrewarded!
I usually dont watch videos this long and thought i was going to get bored with in 10 mins but an hour later i watched the whole thing love the content alex ❤️
Thanks for watching Sebastian!
I always enjoy your videos! I am not a mechanic at all, I can barely change a light bulb, but I learn a lot from you, and you really explain things in a way an idiot like me can mostly understand. Plus, you're a nice guy and a good person. I always like to see talented folks doing what they do well. I'm a professional musician, so I think you get it. Thank you!
Great job Boyz. Having Matt is a great asset.
As an E39 540i owner, I found this video quite helpful! Great job!
Watching this made my head gasket and injector job on my Cummins diesel seem less difficult.
Awesome video. Can't believe an hour went by. I loved watching every minute of it. You could make hour long videos multiple times a week and I'd watch them every time. Can't wait to see the 540i when she's all cleaned up and detailed after all these fixes and part replacements. I don't think I could bring myself to sell such a perfect E39 after putting in 40-50 hours and Only $2k. These are one of the most loved BMW's ever made for a good reason. They are fantastic to drive, they have the perfect balance of power, handling, comfort and good looks. It's a classic car at this point, and as scary as that is to say for me, it's the truth. I wish I had bought a 6 speed version of the Chevrolet SS that was lovingly compared to the E39 M5 as the closest thing to a reliable version of the analog classic E39 M5 that would ever be made. You don't EVER see the SS for sale, because the people that bought them generally love them and won't sell them.
I love the Rolls in the background. It's simply ART!
This dude puts so much work in! Installing something & then not being happy with how the shot came out & going back to re-installing it!!! & Also the extremely useful & detailed descriptions he writes *with links!* No other youtubers out here are doing this This man is giving out genuine advice on how people can make their own lives better
Great work Alex..thanks for helping the people who enjoy working on their own cars.
Great job. Excellent quality!! We all enjoy your videos, so the longer the better. I know it’s hard work but you and Max are killing it. Great duo crew!!!!
Wow the amount of work and time put in to this video is crazy.. the editing, the knowledge , the takes, the lighting and working on the car.. WOW! And it's all free content.. I would have payed for this type of content on Amazon Prime or Netflix!
Again Alex, awesome video. Yes, you’re longest thus far. However, I watched in parts, life doesn’t wait (lol), very well worth it!!!
I just finished watching the E39 and own a E38. I love the detail you showed. Unfortunately I can't work under a car or basically do any of the work you did any more due to a injury I had happen a couple of years ago. My 740iL needs a lot of the same work needed you did on the E38 and I won't ever get it done. I'd love to buy yours and give you mine just to see if you'd fix it. Mine runs great and drives OK. Just leaks oil and Wanders a little. It's a Florida car so rust isn't a issue. The interior needs some help but if you can do basic stuff it's not terrible.
Great job. Very informative. Hope you get a parts washer soon. It's always seems more rewarding putting clean parts back on a car.
"Ad a little bit of persuasion " Alex says I love it you are the man sir, and the love tap is what I always use lol
Need to do the valve cover gaskets on my E38..so I was pleased to see the video now. Tip for all the steering box BMWs. Check the idler arm, they get an up and down play in them. When I replaced mine it made a huge difference to driving the car. Before the steering was a little vague and required a little too much attention to keep the car exactly where you wanted it on the road. Afterward, the car goes exactly where you want to, in its fact better than most modern cars. Checking the idler arm is not easy. You really need a 4 post lift and an assistant to move the steering wheel. Mine had almost 1/2 an inch of up and down play at the end which had been overlooked in many inspections of the suspension.
You never disappoint with your uploads Alex and i love the long videos.
Thank you for these videos, and massive thanks for taking the time to redo filming on certain sections, because you were not happy with the result. I cannot imagine what a headache that must be sometimes. I agree with your points on why it's not viable to count your working hours.
That was a total joy to watch! It is always great to see these old cars getting the love they deserve! If it was me, the only extra thing I would do is get under it and wire brush all that rust and then cover it with fluid film to protect it in the future! Other than that great job
Great video! I really like how you try and release end to end videos, worth the wait. Looking forward to the detailing and the listing!
Over a hour long video!! It's like a dream come true. Love it ❤
"Mechanically upside down" cars are definitely gems in this market, especially if they are models that are in your bread basket of knowledge. Use your extra time to be productive, gain something done well and the way you would do it in return.
The sweetness is when your knowledge allows you to get them for free. I'm $200 into an old W126 Mercedes that the previous owner had just put new tires, brakes, and battery on.
Love it…it’s like Hoovie, Ninja & Wizard in one bloke…congrats on the vlog…
Great job, Alex. This is by far the longest of your videos I’ve watched, but totally worth it. I agree with your opinion about the labor cost. You’re treating these flips as a hobby, so it makes sense to disregard that as a cost. Of course, every hobby has costs associated with it. (I ride bikes. Boy howdy.) Great looking E39! Good luck with the sale.
Love the video! I believe that the bolt, tightened at 08:29 is a stretch bolt though (and should therefore not be reused). Looking forward to the next video
Alex once again making my Saturday morning awesome 👏
You smashed it with this flip. You are spot on that your labor isn't worth counting. Shoot first rule of building a hotrod you will have more time in it than it is worth. But it was fun and you learned stuff.
For anyone that thinks Alex should add in his labor time. If you want to get real technical you should expect him to add how much he has made per video in this series. Keep doing what you do Alex! Looking forward to seeing how much you get!
I loved the process 💕💕 this car is so nice I can’t wait until your done cleaning it up ! I know it’s extra but you should tint your windows 🤣🤣 the green with those rims would look so sick! 🤷🏽♂️ I don’t see it doin any damage lmaoo it could be a lil experiment if you wanted to try yourself lol
Love the cinematography with the new equipment Alex. These types of videos are my favorite!
I am always blown away by what kinds of things you are able to pull off in your own garage at home. DIY inspiration forreal..
Yeah, his own 6000 sq. ft. home garage with a bunch of 2-post lifts and every tool known to man. It inspires me to sell my house, buy a ginormous garage, and live in a tent. Hey Alex - love your content, but the storage compartment between the front seats is a "CON-soul", not a "COWN-sul". A council is an advisory, deliberative, or legislative body of people formally constituted and meeting regularly (or hobbits, elves, and humans meeting once to decide what to do with a magic ring).
Looking forward to the exterior and interior clean up pretty sure it would look really good 👌
24:55.. You don't have to tighten it, the engine does it for you because of the reversed threads😅 other than that, great video, love your channel :)
Additionally, no special tools are required to work on the fan clutch.
Thanks this video Alex. For the little bit of wrenching I have done on my cars, I wouldn't include how much my labor time came out to. However, I do appreciate you listing yours, as it could serve as a good gauge as to what a shop would charge to do the same job. As a BMW homer, I look forward to more videos in this E39.
Great Video Alex. I finished this throughout this first day the video was out. It was Posted about 14 hours ago and it’s awesome that (at this moment) I am 1 of about 100,000 people who spent an hour of their Saturday to see the work you have done this week. Feel proud of your work. I am a fan and I love this Flip series
This is what you call a perfect diy video 🔥
Excellent video. Alex, what are your thoughts on changing automatic transmission fluid on a high mileage BMW?
If it’s never been changed which is highly likely because it’s supposed to be a lifetime fluid and it’s a zf transmission I would leave it alone if you do change it plan on a rebuild because it’s almost guaranteed to start slipping and they are very expensive to rebuild.
Glad to see you made it one longer video and didn’t break this up into like 13 different videos
Excellent work, Alex and Peter. Love ALL your videos. Its the ONLY channel I enjoyed watching even longer than 1hour.