Hi all, new owner

I've been looking for a cheap RR for a few weeks , I know, I know, buy the best example but I'm all about bottom of the market bargains.

I've bought a 2003 FF HSE, it's a running driving car with MOT until April, no advisories at all on any MOT, seller is a really nice guy who's even arranged delivery the 60 miles to my mechanic.

recon gearbox last year, front suspension and brakes this year, changes gear smoothly, everything works apart from the electric adjustment on the steering wheel, one rust spot on a wheel arch and a scuff on the front wing from a suicidal duck

Now the problem, it's got low compression on one cylinder, mechanic won't see it until Saturday , seller had it diagnosed and they thought piston rings.

I've been looking at BMW engines on ebay as he says the engine will have to come out anyway if it needs a piston and rings so it might be cheaper just to swap it

the problem is BMW 3.0 engines vary from £100 to £3500 with different engine numbers , most of the ones that look from sellers with good feedback seem to be in the £300-500 band so which one would be compatible, this one looks promising as it's only 50 miles away so I could collect it and it has some spare parts on rather than a bare engine

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-5-E39-3-E46...SwXxhZ6f4c

Last edited by wack61 on 23rd Nov 2017 10:56am. Edited 2 times in total

Welcome to the forum. Just a small point, your header says TDV6. The M57 is a straight 6. So as not to cause possible confusion as there is a later TDV6 3.0 litre.

As far as changing the engine is concerned I would want to have an idea of the condition, mileage etc of any proposed transplant. It is worth remembering you get what you pay for in looking at prices. John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

Thanks for that, it's definitely not a V6

Mechanic suggested looking for a running car thats been rammed or has a gearbox problem but time is a factor as i don't want it sat around for weeks, seems to be a buyers market though, dozens on ebay

Your engine, if diesel, is a bmw m57, 3litre, TD6.

It's a diesel , so it's just the m57 part that's important as there seem to be variations of numbers after M57, thanks

It's a BMW M57D30 used in the E38, E39, E46 and E53, although there are different outputs and the Range Rover uses the least powerful version. So there may be differences with injectors, camshafts and turbos, but they should all be interchangeable with your engine!

Wikipedia has a list of applications for the M57 engine! Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Thanks I'll look that up

From what I can make out it's the same bore and stroke as the Range Rover, so I'd imagine that the block is the same, but it does have a slightly higher output (5Kw) I'd expect that to be just ECU difference, but there is a chance that the cams could be different (although highly unlikely as it's from an X5, which is BMW's Range Rover) The chances are the sump is the same, as the X5 has a lot in common with the L322.

The only real advice is don't dispose of the old engine until the new is fitted and running, as there might be different brackets etc.

And if you ahead with it post the result, as I'd imagine that there will be others in need of a replacement engine!! Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

+1 for what Miggit says. I’m no expert but I think the X5 had the swirl flaps in the intake manifold and did not have baffles in the sump to stop oil starvation at extreme angles like the Rangie has. Just from reading....... have a check....

 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

Forgot about Swirl flaps, thought they were a Mercedes curse... I'd forgotten that BMW tried to share the pain.. So the first thing to do is swap inlet manifolds and do away with the Swirl Flaps  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Thanks very much , I bought it anyway , at £200 it would be rude not to

If it is just ecu difference would a remap sort that out anyway

The guy in the link above isn't you're usual scrap yard dealer with an angle grinder , every plug and pipe was disconnected correctly apart from one water pipe which looked like it didn't want to come off

You shouldn't need to re-map the ECU as the engine will end up running the LR map, which I assume will give the maximum low end grunt.... although that is up for debate, as there is a strong suspicion that BMW just wanted to ensure that the Range Rover didn't perform as well as the X5.

The best thing to do is sit the 2 engines side by side and just compare them, any differences will be apparent... as I said change the inlet manifolds, as you really don't want swirl flaps, and the Range Rover ECU wont run them, that is assuming that the swirl flaps are in the inlet, they could be in the head, I honestly don't know, just assuming that it'll be similar to the Mercedes setup. A bit of research on BMW swirl flap removal / delete is needed!! Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Just had a smurf, and they are in the inlet manifold, so swap it for the Range Rover one and problem solved

Just one note, the BMW setup is vacuum controlled so you might have to swap over the vacuum lines from the LR engine. Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Thanks for the all the advice,it's much appreciated , I bought a Maserati a couple of years ago and found a lot of very helpful people via sportsmaserati , as a new poster on here i'm getting the same vibe.

The biggest problem is going to be it's not even running yet and I'm looking at upgrades on ebay