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FAQ / REFERENCE => Member Profiles => Topic started by: toddnos on August 03, 2009, 07:51:55 PM

Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on August 03, 2009, 07:51:55 PM: Hello,
Im a new member, been lurking around several bmw forums since i became the owner of a 1991 318is, and decided to join.

Here are some pictures:
(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/000_0001-1.jpg)
(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/000_0002-1.jpg)
(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/000_0003-1.jpg)
(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/000_0005.jpg)
(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/000_0006.jpg)

I am the second owner, it belonged to my friends mother inlaw. It overheated, and she was just going to park it indefinately. My friend pursuaded her to sign it over to me as i would give it the love it needed.
She agreed, and it became mine for free.
The car runs, but the i believe the headgasket or perhaps the head is bad.
It was overheated and driven for some time. Initial plans are to pull the head, and have it milled and a valve job performed. New gaskets throughout, and whatever else needs replacing while the head is off. I would like this to be a car i can drive to the track and home again after. focus at first will be on suspension and brakes.
This is my project car, and has no deadline for completion.
My daily driver is a 2003 infinfiti g35 sedan with a few mods.

Anyways, thanks for viewing.:cool:
Title: Toddnos
Post by: Jorgeconrico on August 03, 2009, 08:28:21 PM: Damn a free e30...I'm jealous. Good luck with the project. Keep us updated.
Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on August 03, 2009, 08:36:38 PM: Quote from: Jorgeconrico;76300
Damn a free e30...I'm jealous. Good luck with the project. Keep us updated.

Yea, i was very happy about the price..lol.
I havnt spent a penny yet, just pulled the interior, and shampoo the carpets, and detail the seats and center consol. The seats have been covered since 1991, so they are in perfect condition:D.
I am pulling the head this weekend.
Title: Toddnos
Post by: JP 91iS on August 04, 2009, 11:12:48 PM: Score! Since it is a project car you might want to consider sourcing a decent used M42 and rebuilding that up (2.0L ?) rather than starting with a motor that needs head work. You've already got a great head-start on the budget with a Free platform!

Are those wheels gold? Or is that just some serious brake dust?
Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on August 05, 2009, 07:09:28 AM: Quote from: JP 91iS;76349
Score! Since it is a project car you might want to consider sourcing a decent used M42 and rebuilding that up (2.0L ?) rather than starting with a motor that needs head work. You've already got a great head-start on the budget with a Free platform!

Are those wheels gold? Or is that just some serious brake dust?

that is some serious brake dust on those wheels. i havnt touched them yet, because two of the rims leak at the bead, so i will be replacing them.

what is the going rate for a used m42?
Title: Toddnos
Post by: JP 91iS on August 06, 2009, 12:44:51 AM: Quote from: toddnos;76358
what is the going rate for a used m42?

Hard to say, there is one up for sale right now at $450, but I've seen them listed as cheap as $150 and even free. If I was looking for a spare I wouldn't want to pay more than $250, depending on condition and location of course.
Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on August 06, 2009, 07:02:10 AM: i will look in the local junkyards and see if i can find one.

but the plan is to start removing the head this weekend and inspecting the cylinders, and HG.
Title: Toddnos
Post by: xwill112x on August 06, 2009, 10:57:59 AM: haha good luck finding one in a jy! you may be able to find a m20, but the m42 is much more scarse
Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on August 06, 2009, 06:24:05 PM: Quote from: xwill112x;76419
haha good luck finding one in a jy! you may be able to find a m20, but the m42 is much more scarse

i live in the inland empire of southern california, and have about 20 junkyards to choose from in my area..i have found lots of unique automotive goodies at them.

but if i find a m20 i will take the flywheel...:cool:

but the real plan is to repair the m42 i have.
If the head is unrepairable i will go to a plan B.
Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on September 10, 2009, 09:42:16 PM: Quote from: Jorgeconrico;76300
Damn a free e30...I'm jealous. Good luck with the project. Keep us updated.

Updates:

Intake and exhaust manifolds removed.
Valve cover and upper timing cover also removed:
(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/000_0007.jpg)
(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/000_0009.jpg)
(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/000_0008.jpg)
Title: Toddnos
Post by: Ramblin MAn on September 10, 2009, 09:59:09 PM: Free has me beat.

What color is that anyway? Is the graphite?
Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on September 20, 2009, 05:57:17 PM: did some more work on the M42 this morning before it got too hot.
Removed the cams:

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/101_0068.jpg)

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/101_0069.jpg)

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/101_0070.jpg)
Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on October 13, 2009, 06:33:24 PM: Worked on the e30 this weekend. pulled the head to see if the HG had failed.

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/101_0125.jpg)

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/101_0126.jpg)

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/101_0127.jpg)
Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on October 13, 2009, 06:34:54 PM: (http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/101_0129.jpg)

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/101_0130.jpg)

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/101_0128.jpg)

(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n318/toddnos/101_0131.jpg)

i like the stock exhaust manifold. i dont see myself buying a header because the oem unit seems more than ok.
Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on October 13, 2009, 06:36:14 PM: it looks like a profile gasket failure.

i may just replace the gaskets, and slap it back together.
i may still send the head out for refurbishing.

i dunno yet.
Title: Toddnos
Post by: Vladi on October 14, 2009, 12:13:14 PM: Dude, who makes those trolleys the car sits on? In the second picture on the topic.
Title: Toddnos
Post by: toddnos on October 14, 2009, 07:11:07 PM: Quote from: Vladi;79886
Dude, who makes those trolleys the car sits on? In the second picture on the topic.

not sure who makes them..they were given to me by a friend.
maybe harbour freight has them..i will look and see if they are stamped.

they make moving the car around the garage for cleaning very easy.:cool:
Title: car dollies
Post by: dj91318is on October 14, 2009, 07:41:58 PM: I picked up a set at Tractor Supply and those look just like mine.
Title: Toddnos
Post by: JP 91iS on October 16, 2009, 05:35:05 PM: Don't waste your money on the harbor freight car dollies unless your floor surface is smooth and crack free. We had a set on a relatively smooth floor and a bunch of the caster wheels still broke from nuts/bolts/oil dry getting stuck beneath them, and the car can be really difficult to roll across small cracks.