[girmis]

I am driving E60 535i (n54 engine) so I believe this topic is relevant here.

The problem is that my accessory belt shredded to pieces while driving and got sucked into the engine. The end story according to dealership - I need a new engine.

I am fine with that but I would like to know if that is possible. Basically pieces of belt got inside the engine through the crankshaft seal. Dealership had to take the oil pan and wash the engine out. They replaced crankshaft seal but the oil was leaking through it anyway and now they need to replace the whole block together with crankshaft. Sounds pretty mysterious..

There is another thread on bimmerfest from 2009 with the same situation. Everybody I've asked cannot believe that it is possible but ... I spoke with my SA, the manager and they are saying the same. I don't think there is a reason for them to make this up just it is so hard to believe it...

Is this only n54 problem or it happens to other models as well? Did this happen to anyone else here?

2008 535i with 49,xxx miles.

[KyLu II]

how is that possible?

[CHECKERED]

Originally Posted by KyLu II

how is that possible?

Its not, dealerships is on crack

[k3m0-330i]

Originally Posted by CHECKERED

Its not, dealerships is on crack

+1

[cookiesowns]

I'm almost positive that this is a troll thread. Or OP is being screwed over by the same dealer that screwed another member a few weeks ago.

[theinfamousdrew]

I'm not a BMW tech but I could possibly see this happening, its highly unlikely but still possible.

Simply put, there is a pulley on on the end of the crankshaft and a rubber seal in between the two. I can see how the frayed belt could wrap around the the shaft between the engine block and the pulley. With all that force its possible for some of the belt material to breach the seal and possibly score the block where the seal sits. If that happened then yes you would need a new block since a new seal wouldn't cut it.

Since you say you're fine with getting a new engine I would assume you are still under warranty?


The seal is #2 in the picture

[JamesM3M5]

This is entirely possible!! I will try to dig up a thread I saw on a professional shop forum, but it happened to an N52 engine I think. It sucked nearly the entire belt into the oil pan and then clogged up the oil pickup tube on the pump.I couldn't believe what I was seeing in a photograph, but the techs at that shop said they had to look at it for a while to really comprehend what they were seeing in real life. Just a huge lump of belt shreds sucked into the engine, through that small gap where the seal used to live, and tangled up like an oily bunch of vines.

[girmis]

Thanks guys.

BMW's goodwill is paying for the repairs...

[EUROE90]

its possible had it happen to my friends n54

[girmis]

I thought it is impossible but ...

[bigdnno98]

Damn. I wonder if insurance would pay for this if you were out of warranty? It would suck to have to come out of pocket for a new engine because of something like this.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by girmis

I thought it is impossible but ...

In for pics...

[Fun w/N54]

In addition, since the belt is not callout out for in the service manual at a predetermined interval (like auto trans fluid at 100k) CPO and owners with ext warranty should be covered.

[JamesM3M5]

Here is a pic from another shop that found the shreds of a belt sucked into the oil pan and subsequently sucked into the oil pickup. It's hard to make out due to the low quality pic, and this is the only one they posted, but you can see the tangled mess of oily shreds was the serpentine belt.

This does not happen on the older BMWs since the vibration damper was larger than the crank pulley, and sits between the engine and belts. So there was no way for a shredded belt to wrap around the crankshaft and destroy the front seal.

[See5]

I've actually heard of this happening with the N54.

[ken1137]

Wtf! That looks alien. OP...hope you aren't going to Elmhurst or Perillo.

[J Boy]

This is crazy

[girmis]

Originally Posted by J Boy

This is crazy

indeed

[theinfamousdrew]

Originally Posted by J Boy

This is crazy

But here's my number......

[fenixxishot]

How can I check for this? My accessory belt has been shredded recently (twice) and I am going to a shop to have the crank seal replaced as it is leaking. I am really hopeful that this has not happened to me but how can I check if this belt is up in the engine?

[nikitino25]

I've heard of it happening too, I think it happened to somebody who's power steering pulley hit the subframe (design flaw) which shredded the belt.
Scares me because my car is an '07 and I think it may have the same design flaw. Not sure what they did to later cars or when, but they changed somthing I believe. Thinking about getting the 335is updated motor mount on driver's side to prevent this scenario....

[mocny77]

Crazy