Long story short, I had an error code for the secondary air ports being clogged

I tried cleaning them out using AGA's kit (basically you put solvent down the secondary air system pipes and let it soak & then used compressed air to break the carbon loose). After starting the engine after that procedure, I had all the symptoms of a blown head gasket.. so I pulled the head off for the bank that had a misfire code that wouldn't go away

I found that one cylinder was actually CRACKED. I have no idea how it happened, as I turned the engine over without spark plugs both by hand and with the starter prior to starting the engine after the procedure.

When I pulled the engine apart, the bearings looked very very good.. no real wear. All the cylinders (aside from the crack) also had basically no wear.. def. the least wear I have ever seen for a 200K mile engine. They are Alusil blocks, so that is why.. From that perspective it would have lasted to 300K easy in my opinion.

I got an engine out of a 745i and used that as a basis for the rebuild.

Here is the really long thread about it:
BMW E60, 545i N62, Engine Removal, Rebuild, Installation - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums

 

had mine since new right from the dealers in 2006 new car. done 156,000 miles now still drives like new. only things which have been changed is the pully and also had 4 new wheels put on genuine bmw spider alloys, also a respray done again. still cars going until it decides to die. beautiful to drive and reliable so all is good atm.

BMW 520D MSPORT UPGRADED ANGEL EYES REAR LICENCE LIGHTS, TUNING BOX FITTED

 

recently purchased mine from a co-worker that upgraded to 2010 550i. mine is a 04 545i with 142k miles and it is very clean and taken care of. I plan on keeping it for a while. i am actually going to see how many miles i can put on it before i want to upgrade.

 

my e60 525d done 185k miles 05reg these cars are proper tuff

 

i have a 2009 535xi and it has 95500 and its running find besides a few maintenance items i have to change the oil filter gasket, thrust arm bushings, and vanos solenoids

 

Move to the Bay Area from SoCal with. Under 80k miles about 4 years ago. Today she has 168k miles after my many drives up and down California.

I can vaguely recall all the issues.

I had a laundry list of common problems around the 80k -100k covered under warranty
Mainly leaking gasket from driver side, cooling leaks stearing angle sensor. Crushed sensor from speed bump.

After extended warranty expired early 100k
I had oil leak from oil pressure switch witch leaked a lot of oil that got into the alternator ball baring, that had to be replaced.

130k
Valve cover leaks
Leaking from oil pan
Leak from transition pan
Leak from passenger side of gasket

140k
Coolant leak between engine and tranny. It requires to drop the tranny

155k
All 4 shock
Leak from tranny. I decided to rebuilt.
A bunch of work to fix Low Oil pressure error it turned out
To be the oil pressure switch again.
Water leak in battery compartment no damage, thank god.
Ignition coil
Heater issue

Unresolved issues
PDM Park distant malfunction
Passenger door lock switch does not respond to remote (manual)

168k (current)
Spark plugs
Ignition coil

Unresolved
Active steering Malfunction SZL
check engine light.

 

Problem started at around 88k

Oil Leak from engine
Water pump
Thermostat
Vaccum Pump
Transmission replaced
Engine replaced
Coolant leak pipe broke
secondary Air Unit pipe broke
Starter Motor

Worst of all
Brake Booster, i couldn't stop at a red light. Luckily nobody was in front of me. And I had it checked by the dealer on the recall regarding it, they found no issues just few weeks before it happened.

I love my car, with all the fixes, its practically a new car.. but problems just keep coming. don't like the F10. #Lookslike3series #ugly

 

08 528i 89,100 miles--- trans shifts smooth as silk and the engine is smooth as silk. I drive about 6000 miles a year so this car will not see 100,000 miles for quite a while.

 

Just purchased a 2006 (03/05 build date?) 530i, 127,500mi. PO's maintenance records only indicated radiator replacement under warranty and normal maint items. Hope this keeps up.

My 2000 e39 has given me 212,000 relatively trouble free miles. Now my son's first car. I do all my own work and take care of my vehicles...

 

My e61 got 166,000mi, I can say problem free. After last rains got flooded in spare tire compartment...., driver side air spring start to leak yesterday :-(.