Messages

1

General Topics / The mess under the intake

« on: February 15, 2010, 06:56:39 PM »

so, im trying to sort through all the info in this thread.

I am wanting to do this, but i am confused because of all the different things i am reading.

I want to remove the heater plate along with doing this. But i do not think i want to plug the nipple on the block.

What hoses do i need to purchase? the original posts says 1 vac hose, and then goes on in the pictures to say you need two.

Just wondering how many vac hoses i will need, heater hoses.

I only specified the diameter, not the number of hoses needed. I bought a foot or two of bulk hose and cut off the pieces as I needed them. If you are deleting the heater plate but keeping the nipple on the block then the only coolant tubing you would need would be from the coolant pipe to the nipple on the block. All of the other tubing would be vacuum hose (with the exception of the new fuel injector hose for the injectors, of course).

2

General Topics / The mess under the intake

« on: December 26, 2009, 11:31:20 PM »

Where are you all getting the 19/32" vacuum hose?  I went to Advance, Autozone, and Carquest and no one had even seen 19/32" before.  Is there a different size I can use instead?

I just brought a piece of each hose i needed and found the closest size I could. They were pretty nice, they let me sift through all of the bulk hoses they had in the back.

3

General Topics / The mess under the intake

« on: December 05, 2009, 05:42:02 PM »

I haven't looked at this manual, but it may be of help:
http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7748

If not, check out the wiring diagrams in the Bentley:
http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2282

4

General Topics / Vacuum hose sizes?

« on: December 04, 2009, 12:42:18 AM »

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3621

There's a lot of discussion about deleting the heater plate in that thread. Most people haven't had any problems what so over. If I recall correctly it helped with emissions in the states more than dealing with cold temps. But, read the thread for details.

5

General Topics / Just picked her up today!

« on: November 17, 2009, 07:17:44 PM »

http://www.tinypic.com

6

Exterior / Alpine White touch-up spray

« on: November 10, 2009, 10:43:17 AM »

I painted my IS spoiler with paintscratch.com spray cans, and it was a dead-on match.

7

Engine + Driveline / Why does my e30 m42 sound like a diesel engine?

« on: August 30, 2009, 01:20:26 AM »

Take a long screwdriver and hold use it like a stethoscope on your timing chain cover. Is it coming from there?

8

General Topics / E30 318is steering rack question

« on: July 01, 2009, 03:08:53 AM »

E30 racks are the same. Grab an E36 rack for a quicker ratio, 95 M3 or a Z3 rack would be the best.

9

General Topics / The mess under the intake

« on: June 30, 2009, 07:13:41 PM »

Cool, glad you figured this out, but I'll reply just for clarity:

What size is the vacuum hose from the valve cover to the throttle body?
What size is the vacuum hose from the ICV to the intake elbow?

The vacuum hoses are all the same size. Just buy a few feet and cut off sections.

Is the 5/8" coolant hose on the parts needed list for the coolant pipe's outlet to the nipple on the head?

Yes. I'll have to go back and find the size of the other coolant hose to the nipple on the block, but the 5/8" hose fits the plastic coolant pipe. Again, this is all irrelevant if you choose to plug the holes, unless you want to attach a short section, throw some bolts in to plug it and put a hose clamp around that.

And what is the 5/16" fuel hose for? I didn't see any reference to it in the pics.

The fuel lines go:
Hard line from tank -
Short rubber section by fuel filter in front of rear driver side tire -
Hard lines along the bottom of the car -
Approx 1.5-2' section from hard line ending behind front tire -
Approx 1' long section hard line -
2" section from hard lines to fuel rail

You will definitely need to replace the 2" section to the fuel rail (there are TWO of them), but I figured that I might as well replace the rubber on the other side of the hard lines while I'm down there.

10

Engine + Driveline / The Tale of the Missing Guide Rail Bolt

« on: June 29, 2009, 05:12:44 PM »

I'll preface this post by saying it is for a few reasons. Primarily, just to let me blow off some steam. Secondly, to serve as a heads-up for other M42 owners. Lastly, as a warning about a certain engine remanufacturer, whom shall go unnamed until I hear what they have to say.

After three years of just routine maintenance and loving care, my M42 finally gave me a repair week from hell. I've battled with the idle/stalling ever since I bought the car and it seemed to get worse over time. Finally it began stalling out regularly, but after cleaning up the vacuum hoses as documented here, and unplugging the "Make-the-car-run-shitty" wire as discussed here, that seems to be gone (fingers crossed, of course).

Once I got that side of the engine back together, it idled fine, but I heard a strange noise, like a lady of the streets slowly swirling marbles around her teeth. It was silent above idle, but I still did not like the sound of it. I parked the car again, and ordered the M44 tensioner from Pelican. After overnighting it across the country and putting the new one in, the marbles were still swirling.

Now, to their credit, this company seems to have done their research. The tensioner I took out seemed to be in great shape, and was the M44 variant instead of the M42. I suppose I shouldn't be completely surprised, since the engine only has a little under 50k miles on it since the prior owner dropped this one in.

After expressing some desires to club a baby seal and set my car on fire and pushing it off of a cliff, my brother calmed me down and advised me to take the car apart. After a week of working on the car to no avail, the last thing I wanted to do was tear the other side of the engine apart. He graciously did most of the work with my help (and by help I mean handing tools and drinking beer) and we proceeded to remove the timing covers.

As we were pulling off the upper cover, my brother noticed something awry.

The bolt that holds the timing chain guide to the block had threaded itself out, and as such the chain was rattling ever so slightly against the guide rail. The rail itself appears to be in great shape, which makes me think that it only worked itself out in the week or two prior. I did not hear this marbles sound when I was inspected the car a week a go diagnose the idle issue.


Which leads me to my gripe about the engine remanufacturer. After doing some research on realoem, I found out that yes, there was indeed supposed to be a bolt inside this hollow bolt. You can see it here, part 9. I believe the larger hollow screw is a part of the guide rail, so it doesn't have a part number of its own, someone please correct me if I'm wrong here.

So we pulled the oil pan, as if it was indeed installed and had worked its way out, it would end up there. The engine ran fine prior to this noise, and the pickup filter was intact, no signs of a bolt making it through to the upper pan/engine. So, unless I am way off the mark here, and am making up parts that do not exist, the rebuilt engine that the prior owner paid nearly $5k for was void of what I would consider to be one of the more "vital" bolts in the engine. Not exactly premium service for a premium price.

While cleaning the gasket residue off of the covers, I found this little gem. Obviously this hollow bolt has been working its way out for a while.

11

General Topics / The mess under the intake

« on: June 29, 2009, 04:15:41 PM »

tjts1, can you update the first post? I’ve been scouring this thread and the board to finish this project, and I think one post in the beginning would be a lot easier to read! This is my own summary of what other members have said and my own experience. And by the way, a thousand thanks to all of you! I couldn’t have done this without all of your help.

Parts you will need:

•   Plastic Coolant Pipe from Block (Part # 11531714738) (Diagram Link)
*NOTE: Make sure this is OEM! Aftermarket pipes have been found to leak, as noted here*
•   O-Ring for Pipe (Part # 11531709157)
•   Throttle Body Gasket (Part # 13541743261) (Diagram)
•   Upper – Lower Intake Gasket (Part # 11611717761) (Diagram)
•   Lower Intake – Block Gasket (Part # 11611734684) (Diagram)
•   BMW Antifreeze (Part # 82141467704)
Or whatever brand you choose, of course.
•   5/8” Coolant Hose
•   5/16” Fuel Hose (Make sure it is fuel INJECTION hose, not fuel hose for a carb)
•   19/32” Vacuum Hose
I found all three hoses at Advance.
*NOTE: DO NOT use fuel hose for vacuum hose or vice versa. If improper lines are used they could expand or collapse.*

Under the manifold, as pictured in this thread, there is a mess of hoses.

In addition, you get rid of the throttle body heating plate, which as many have said, is of no use. Most of the hoses are unnecessary, and we’re getting rid of them as well as rerouting the vacuum lines to make future maintenance easier, and limit the number of possible leak points. Most importantly, you’re getting rid of the two junctions. You’re replacing the plastic coolant pipe because it’s relatively cheap, and they tend to crack over time on M42s. In the end you’ll have three hoses:
•   One vacuum hose from the valve cover to the throttle body

•   One vacuum hose from the idle control valve to the intake elbow

(the other side of the idle control valve will go to the same place, but you can extend the hose if you’d like to make the ICV easier to access.)

•   One coolant hose from the coolant pipe’s outlet to the nipple on the head. This is a personal preference; some have simply plugged the two holes. Read more here.

These two hoses are NOT the same size. Even though I trust the results found here, I'm still wary of my head cracking, so I thought I would connect the two just to be safe. A local plumbing supply store rigged this up for me, and I haven't had any leaks. It's not pretty, but it works.

I'll report back in a few months, but it seems fine. Just in case I do find a leak, I ran this just outside of the lower intake, so I can plug the lines with some bolts if necessary.
When you’re done, don’t forget to bleed the cooling system! Here’s how.

Other things to think about while you’re down there…
•   Are the two rubber coolant hoses that meet the plastic pipe we’re replacing in good shape? (#s 4 and 22 here)
•   Do you want to install a catch can? It’s really not necessary if you use synthetic oil, but some have put one in line between the valve cover and the throttle body.
•   Is it time to upgrade your injectors? Many have upgraded to Ford’s 4 pistil injectors (as opposed to our 1 jet) for better atomization of fuel. Read more here.
•   If you don’t want to change out your injectors, at least give them a clean! Pelican Parts explains how.
•   The rubber hoses going into the hard lines on the lower intake. You have to buy some short pieces that lead from the hard lines to the fuel rail, so you might as well do a little preventative maintenance and buy a few feet. (#s 15 and 16 here)
•   Clean out your AFM sensor!

12

Electrical / Can someone check some wires for me?

« on: June 25, 2009, 12:37:45 PM »

Thanks so much Dave!

13

Electrical / Can someone check some wires for me?

« on: June 25, 2009, 11:43:13 AM »

Hey guys, I'm in the process of putting my car back together, and stupid me, I didn't take pictures of everything before taking things apart! There's a switch that goes into the side of the radiator with three wires, I believe they are red, green, and black. Can someone tell me the order of how they plug in? I apologize for the cross-post from r3v, but a speedy response would be awesome!

Thanks!

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...99&hg=17&fg=05

#10

14

Engine + Driveline / Did we ever figure out the "Hot Start Problem"

« on: June 14, 2009, 11:06:57 AM »

Here's a few quick tests that won't take much time...do the stomp test...post your findings here.  I'd check the throttle position sensor, the coolant temp sensor, the AFM air temp sensor & flap resistance.  How old is your O2 sensor?  Not to snipe, but if you think cleaning the throttle body is the works...you'll have so much fun learning on this car...:p

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I left out a few details because I was in a bit of a hurry trying to get my car back together!
-Stomp test gave me the incredibly helpful lambda code (1222)
-Throttle position sensor was replaced in January, 2k miles ago.
-Where is the coolant temp sensor and the AFM temp sensor?
-o2 sensor is a year old.
-I know, I have no problem pulling things apart on my car, but there's only so much I can do down at school, away from my garage! :p I threw in new plugs, threw in some Techron in the gas tank and used a zip tie on the throttle cable to raise the idle by 300 rpm and the car drove well enough to make it home! Now I've got the intakes off and I'm replacing all of the vacuum lines.

Hopefully this will sort out my idle issue, but I'm not sure about my A/F ratio. Whenever it comes back together I'm going to test my fuel pressure, and while I'm waiting for gaskets to arrive I'm going to check the coil resistance. Any other suggestions?

15

Engine + Driveline / Did we ever figure out the "Hot Start Problem"

« on: June 11, 2009, 04:03:19 PM »

My car is running like absolute crap, with or without the wire . It's running VERY rich and it stalls very, very frequently. Since I've had the car (approx 40k miles) I've replaced the ICV, the camshaft position sensor, cleaned the throttle body, put fuel injector cleaner in, the works!

I really need your help guys, this is my only means of transportation Thanks!