M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Engine + Driveline => Topic started by: KenC on September 09, 2008, 05:11:21 AM

Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: KenC on September 09, 2008, 05:11:21 AM
So I put a new block from an E36 M42 into my e30 and swapped everything else over to it from my E30 engine, but now that everything is back together, it doesn't want to run upon start up.

Yes, timing is perfect.  I'm getting spark and fuel.  It will sputter a bit when the starter is going, but will immediately die after that.

I think I may have hooked some of the electronics back up incorrectly.  Is there some sort of visual depiction of the wiring harness and how it hooks to both the engine and the power distributer block?  Where is the fusible link in the e30 318is?
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: hesgone2fast on September 09, 2008, 09:02:38 AM
Make sure you connected the crank and camshaft sensors in the correct place, if you don´t know, just switch them and try. check the coils for the correct position, and maybe the throttle sensor..., AFM is OK?
I assume you have the crank in the correct position with the cams (not 180º around) If not, the timing would be OK, but the crank sensor would not read properly (it would read with a 180º error).
Having all this in order, it should run. or at least start...
Good luck!
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: nickmpower on September 09, 2008, 09:22:51 AM
fuck im about to do this same thing, i pick the engine up tomorrow and i have to leave for school in like a week! you make me nervous.

if the fusable like was bad you wouldnt be getting spark or fuel. coils, cams, and crank sensors are a great place to start, do you know if the injectors are firing? if your cam gears arent i the right place that would give you problems even if your timing is right.
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: KenC on September 09, 2008, 10:18:56 AM
I'm 100% confident that the timing is spot on, the injectors are firing, and I have spark.  Whether or not the spark is timed properly is another issue.

1. My temp gauge shoots all the way to max when I turn the key.  I think it may be hooked up incorrectly.  It's the white one with two wires that plugs into the front portion of the head, no?

2.  I checked the resistance of the crank position sensor, and according to the multimeter, it was about half the resistance of what the Bentley says is good (500 ohms or so).  I checked an M20 that was laying around and got the exact same reading.  This made me a little suspect of the multimeter.  Does anyone know what the spec resistance of an M20 CPS is supposed to be?

3.  I suppose I should check the cam sensor as well.  Does anyone know the correct reistance?
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: nickmpower on September 09, 2008, 07:23:03 PM
you need to switch one of the coolant sensors from your old head. theres one that only has one wire
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: KenC on September 10, 2008, 12:33:07 AM
Crossing my fingers my crankshaft isn't 360 out.
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: KenC on September 10, 2008, 12:33:57 AM
Quote from: hesgone2fast;56370

I assume you have the crank in the correct position with the cams (not 180º around) If not, the timing would be OK, but the crank sensor would not read properly (it would read with a 180º error).


Where can this "180º error" be read?
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: hesgone2fast on September 10, 2008, 02:31:14 AM
Quote from: KenCopperwheat;56429
Where can this "180º error" be read?


Well, I´ve ben thking this over and it wouldn´t matter if the crank was 360º over(which is what I meant), it would read the same position. Sorry I was confused...
as long as cyl1 is on tdc, and cams are pointing up on cyl1, your timing is OK.
I think your problem is that you have the cam and crank sensors plugged in backwards.
About the temp gauge reading that, the sensor might be ok, but you could have plugged the water temp switch on the oil pressure sensor. this happened to me. it sucks b/c it´s hard to get to it under the manifold...

Keep us informed!
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: KenC on September 10, 2008, 08:09:46 AM
Ummm.... the valve pockets aren't symmetrical.  If the crank is 360 out, the valves are toast upon first start up.

Cam and crank sensors are plugged in the correct spots.

Would the temp sensors in the wrong spots keep the engine from starting up?
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: colin86325 on September 10, 2008, 10:18:20 AM
Make sure the fuel lines are connected properly.  They're easy to mix up.
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: KenC on September 10, 2008, 12:08:15 PM
Quote from: colin86325;56446
Make sure the fuel lines are connected properly.  They're easy to mix up.



well the plugs are wet when I pull them.  Wouldn't that indicate that they're hooked up properly?  I know what you mean by mixing them up though... the two are close to eachother.
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: nickmpower on September 10, 2008, 04:21:35 PM
what all did you change on the e36 engine?
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: EN318isPDX on September 10, 2008, 05:16:52 PM
Have you checked all your grounds so make sure they are all connected?
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: KenC on September 10, 2008, 05:19:25 PM
Quote from: nickmpower;56468
what all did you change on the e36 engine?


The only thing I used from the e36 was the block.  Everything else is from my original e30 engine.


Oh, and I guess my cam gears were 180degrees off.  I put #4 at TDC placement instead of #1 :-/
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: nickmpower on September 10, 2008, 08:02:00 PM
well i just picked my my engine, took the VC off and the cams were rusty and one of them was about 1/4 turn off from where it should be. back on the trailer it went

i was going to offer to help you figure it out since i no longer will be busy with my car, but it looks like you have it figured out
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: KenC on September 10, 2008, 10:55:41 PM
Wow, that sucks man.

Yeah, engine is up and running now.  Cam gears were opposite of what they should have been.  I hear a bit of chain rubbing though... I think I may have wiggled the chain out of one of the guides a little.  I'll have to check it out.
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: hesgone2fast on September 11, 2008, 09:53:26 AM
Quote from: KenCopperwheat;56441
Ummm.... the valve pockets aren't symmetrical.  If the crank is 360 out, the valves are toast upon first start up.

Cam and crank sensors are plugged in the correct spots.

Would the temp sensors in the wrong spots keep the engine from starting up?


If the crank is 360º around, it would be back in the same place... therefore nothing would happen. it would work with no problems. when the piston is at TDC, and you turn the crank 360º, the piston is back at TDC.


The engine would start with the sensors in the wrong place, even with them unpugged.
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: KenC on September 11, 2008, 10:41:36 AM
Yeah, it took me a while to get that.  I guess the block can't distinguish between TDC on cyl 1 or 4.
Title: Reassembled Engine - Won't run now
Post by: Burnall4 on September 13, 2008, 09:40:38 PM
Vacuum leak, my car did the SAME exact thing

check my thread on R3vlimited about my 325is rebuild, it has helped others, I replaced every damn part on the car, and tore it back down etc...until i gave up took it to my buddy who is a master bmw tech of 25 years and he took one look at it and said you got too many gaskets on your intake, he fixed it in 25 min. I forgot to to even consider the gaskets might have been stuck on the intake when i original took it off. I felt like an idiot. Up side, my 325is motor is darn near new.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=117377