M5 problems. Woe is me. Any thoughts?

"Tapas" (tapas) 07/12/2019 at 18:54 • Filed to: None

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1. AC fan quit on me. When car is stationary or at low speeds, it blows no air. At highway speeds when fan setting is on 10 (max), it blows at a 2 speed.

It threw a chunk of plastic at me the last time I drove and the fan started working normal.

Next time I used the car, problem reappeared.

AC itself works.

2. Pretty audible rattle (sort of random knocking sound wthout arhythm) seems to come from underneath the arm rest. It’s sounds like it’s metallic and in the under carriage.

Ithought it was the driveshaft bearing. But the rattle happens only during bumps, turns and uneven surfaces. It does not increase with RPM.

Do you guys have any idea what’s causing this?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 19:08

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Inner tie rods on the clunking maybe?

sony1492 > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 19:11

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Official diagnosis: Terminally German.

P otentially bad endlinks rattling

Goggles Pizzano > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 19:18

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P ew, pew.

Tapas > sony1492 07/12/2019 at 19:18

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Terminally indeed. My wallet i being murdered.

What are end links?

Tapas > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/12/2019 at 19:19

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What do tie rods do?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 19:21

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On my Tercels, they clunked.

On my dad’s Rialta, they also clunked.

Basically their job is to clunk and fuck up your alignment.

Tapas > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 07/12/2019 at 19:29

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Ohhh on the front wheels.

I don't feel that rattle from the steering/driving. It feels like it's going from underneath or behind me. I can feel it sometimes when I rest my hand on the arm rest. But it's always audible.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 19:34

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Rear sway bar links perhaps.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Goggles Pizzano 07/12/2019 at 19:35

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Im glad Im not the only one who thought this.  

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 19:40

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Ohhhh

Tapas > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 07/12/2019 at 19:42

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Oh... Okay. I never thought of that.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 19:49

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You might put the car up on stands and poke around the underside. For its time, the attention paid to controlling airflow under an E39 is pretty impressive. The number of different under panels, and the way that they only fit together in a very specific way, is, well, very German. There’ s plenty that could get knocked around by road debris and move around under there to make some noise.

Sovande > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 19:57

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End links link the sway bar to the frame or other mounting point. The essentially support the sway bar and make it work. 

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 07/12/2019 at 21:40

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Yeah sway bar end links or mount bushings will make those noises.  

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 22:13

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If the bushings for either the sway bar or the end links are shot they’ll def rattle and clank over bumps.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 22:34

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I thought you found a tiny plastic gun

Tapas > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 07/12/2019 at 23:16

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Do nt we all.

Tapas > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 07/12/2019 at 23:17

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Ok, that's cheaper than a drive shaft bushing. I think lol

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Tapas 07/12/2019 at 23:21

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Check your exhaust hangars too.

Tapas > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 07/13/2019 at 01:43

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Oof yes!

j.davism5 > Tapas 07/13/2019 at 09:23

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Hedge hog fuse (fsu) or the blower (big fan behind the dash is cactus. Mine has just done the same thing, I need to replace the Fan. Was sounding like it was contacting at low fan speed before it went.

As for the clunking, have you checked the tailshaft coupling? Otherwise the other peeps are on the ball in that they have a tendancy to break sway bar links. I needed to replace mine after snapping them driving the car as it was intended. It is heavy, and it is getting old. Mine is just about to click over 200,000km but it is my automotive one true love.

Tapas > j.davism5 07/13/2019 at 21:02

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Yikes! Replacing that big fan will require a dash removal?

Yeah the fan works at 80% speed but only when I go fast. On a long drive today, it kicked in at regular speed for like 5 minutes. Then went back down to partially working at lower speeds.

I g uess the rattle/clunk is too generic a description to diagnose. I’ll take it to a mechanic for these issues. Hopefully they can fix it for not too much money.

The problem is this is my only car. And the indie mechanic I like is very far away. So it’s really inconvenient and expensive when it has problems.

j.davism5 > Tapas 07/14/2019 at 06:32

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Yeah, it's a time consuming job, but there are some videos on youtube of it being done if you are handy. It's hard when you are dailying a 20year old high performance car, I know how you feel. I have other cars I can rely on, so is getting another car an option? Whatever you do, don't sell the M5. I made that mistake, the Lord was merciful and I managed to get it back, 4 years later....

Tapas > j.davism5 07/14/2019 at 12:26

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I don’t have another car and I’m not handy. I don’t need it to get to work, but it is my only car.

I will at least get quotes from mechanics and see what they say...