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DISCUSSION => Engine + Driveline => Topic started by: e9nine on March 12, 2007, 08:54:26 AM

Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: e9nine on March 12, 2007, 08:54:26 AM
Was @ Road ATL this past w/end. During the 3rd session, the oil temp went very high while the coolant stayed "normal". Next thing I knew..loss of power and rod knock by the time I was making it into the pits. Car had a fresh oil change of 5qts 20w50 Castrol GTX a few days prior with a quart overfill as per my standard procedure at the beginning. It looks like it started off as a spun bearing that lead to the other carnage.

Don't know what caused it. Not gonna bother. It served it's purpose and was a ton of fun to drive for the past year.

I finished the rest of the session on Sunday with the 325i which can't touch the handling on the m42 due to susp. config but it was fun none the less.

189k mi on the motor. Dyno'd a decent amount @ 127rwhp and 117rwtq. Blew some smoke on start up due to piston rings most likely. Drank a tad bit of coolant. Burned a bit of oil. The inevitable death in style :D
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: magnum2066 on March 12, 2007, 09:26:14 AM
Do I smell a parts car?  ^.^
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: e9nine on March 12, 2007, 09:36:36 AM
Quote from: magnum2066;21076
Do I smell a parts car?  ^.^

:eek: Never...have 2 m42 chassis and an m20 to choose from as replacement killers :cool:
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: Febi Guibo on March 12, 2007, 09:52:17 AM
sorry missed this thread...

Well, if you can photoshoot a teardown, always interesting to see...

what are your plans? It's hard to imagine you without at least 4 extremely hot E30s... denis (dude 8383) is looking for a nice roller btw.
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: asubimmer on March 12, 2007, 01:09:54 PM
sorry that you blew the m42.  Tracking your car is the best way to find out what needs to be replaced ;)  Build up that m42 and hit the track again!
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: sheepdog on March 12, 2007, 01:49:39 PM
Did you lose oil pressure at all?
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: e9nine on March 12, 2007, 03:22:32 PM
Oil pressure wasn't lost. No warning lights. Coolant gauge stayed steady. Oil temp gauge went all the way into the 300s.

I'll most likely consider some oil cooling options next time around along with "advanced" warning signs like a buzzer for oil pressure wired in with a more accurate sender. It wasn't too hot, prob 70ish during the moment of the mishap and it was about 5 mins into the session.

I think it was a culmination of all negatives and perhaps fate?

Thankfully I didn't loose power when I "needed" it as it can be disastrous on the track. On friday a C5 'vette zo6 blew it's motor @ 160mph going into turn 10a and believe it or not, no injury to the driver and the car can be resurrected!
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: shellback on March 12, 2007, 04:18:01 PM
A photo shoot would be awesome. Maybe a DIY film on you tube ....?
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: kowalski on March 12, 2007, 06:21:48 PM
sorry to hear man, at least she enjoyed her last few breaths.
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: ecpreston on March 12, 2007, 07:47:41 PM
d'oh! :(
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: e9nine on March 12, 2007, 09:01:23 PM
Quote from: shellback;21107
A photo shoot would be awesome. Maybe a DIY film on you tube ....?

Highly doubt it...too much effort haha

Quote from: kowalski;21112
sorry to hear man, at least she enjoyed her last few breaths.
werd

Quote from: ecpreston;21121
d'oh! :(
Tee hee  hee
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: Alpine003 on March 13, 2007, 07:53:41 AM
Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I recently did an engine swap and my newer M42 just started making ticking noises yesterday in the warmer weather we've had. Maybe your luck is rubbing off on other people. ;)

Did you experience any rattling/ticking before it let go?

Quote from: e9nine;21072
the oil temp went very high while the coolant stayed "normal".

Based on this, I think an oil temp gauge would actually be a gauge that us M42 people can benefit from. I'll have to look into getting one.
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: e9nine on March 13, 2007, 08:53:07 AM
Quote from: Alpine003;21194
Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I recently did an engine swap and my newer M42 just started making ticking noises yesterday in the warmer weather we've had. Maybe your luck is rubbing off on other people. ;)

Did you experience any rattling/ticking before it let go?



Based on this, I think an oil temp gauge would actually be a gauge that us M42 people can benefit from. I'll have to look into getting one.

It was the inevitable in a different form. Transmission was on it's last leg, it burned oil and drank a tad bit of coolant. Purely kept it for HPDE & Auto-x abuse awaiting this day and it came. The fact the 2 prior owners used it for the same probably might have accelerated this as well. All in all - it was just an m42 with an e30m3 5 lug so I'll just transplant the suspension onto my 4 door sedan :D

No ticking/rattling prior to it letting go. Usually there's some tell tale signs or the stupid idiot light, none of the aforementioned popped up...

The oil temp gauge is a wonderful thing. I'm def. a believer in oil temp & press. gauges and looking to get an aftermarket set up. The next HPDE will be in July in the blazing heat so I'll def. be keeping an eye on those gauges.
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: sheepdog on March 13, 2007, 03:16:34 PM
At least it died on the track as opposed a parking lot.
I suspect it died with a grin on its face.
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: shutter on March 13, 2007, 06:05:51 PM
I agree with some of the others, it lived a good life and went down the way a BMW should.  Salute, bows head....

Sorry to hear about the new engine problems Dave.  Let me know if you need a hand with anything.
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: Alpine003 on March 13, 2007, 10:19:06 PM
Quote from: shutter;21223
I agree with some of the others, it lived a good life and went down the way a BMW should.  Salute, bows head....

Sorry to hear about the new engine problems Dave.  Let me know if you need a hand with anything.


Remember me telling you that it was running like a top? I guess I jinxed myself that day as it happened the next day. Tried a new tensioner today and still dieseling. Looks like a new timing chain at the least. Hopefully I don't have to replace the guides as they are $100 and $50 respectively. :rolleyes:
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: BrandC on March 13, 2007, 11:16:10 PM
Guys who track their M42's, I think we need to all do some homework on oil coolers. Let's see what we can gather in terms of REAL data and parts...
Title: Blew the motor...
Post by: shutter on March 14, 2007, 08:34:31 AM
ouch!  Yeah I was surprised to hear about your problems after the other day.  I'm tempted to come over if anything to watch you do the chain.  I've been thinking of doing my tensioner soon, just so I know it's ok on my newish car =]  Damn moving at the end of the month is keeping my free time a little hectic lately though.