Messages

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For Sale / Re: 1991 318is (e30) Part Out Turner Chip Jackson, MS

« on: March 03, 2016, 08:53:31 AM »

Thanks for resolving this so quickly DesktopDave.  I think I've gotten caught up on responses to inquiries.  If I missed someone, let me know.  Several bits gone, but much/most still available.  Slow going and still will be a while before I can get the exhaust, trans, clutch etc, pulled.  Meanwhile can continue to make progress on easier to access items.  Thanks for the patience and interest thus far.

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For Sale / Re: 1991 318is (e30) Part Out Turner Chip Jackson, MS

« on: February 03, 2016, 07:52:32 AM »

Hi

Suprised Your oil pressure light didn't come on?
Photos?

Cheers Rohan

I'm sure the oil light did come on...a bit of a touchy subject...I wasn't driving the car...
Will get some photos up in the next day or two. 

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For Sale / 1991 318is (e30) Part Out Turner Chip Jackson, MS

« on: February 02, 2016, 12:29:28 PM »

*Update:  have sold several pieces but still have most of car...very busy, so slow going...will still be a while before I have time to pull tranny/clutch exhaust, etc..thanks for the patience.  Meanwhile, still able to do easier access/ship stuff.

I am parting out my e30 318is.  Engine is toast (sudden oil loss due to shattered oil pan from pot hole). 170k on the odometer.  Color is diamond Schwarz...has had a repaint in its history...fair.  Euro front bumper setup (turn signals on fender not on bumper). Interior black...driver's seat shows moderate+ wear, passenger and rears in very good shape.  Only able to pull relatively smaller, easier to access/ship parts at this time, so if you're interested in interior/exterior trim pieces, lights, easily accessible engine bay let me know.  Parting out a vehicle is new to me and time is an issue so please be patient as I figure up prices, shipping, get things pulled etc.

Will still be a while before I'll be in a position to pull more involved items (have new clutchmasters clutch with recently refreshed JB racing flywheel, supersprint muffler, bilstein HDs). Wheels are original 14" basketweaves, overall in good shape, some curb rash, missing one center cap, spare has rash/dent but is serviceable.  Tires have good tread, two falken, and two other(can't recall brand at the moment).  This car was just a fun daily driver. Have had it for five years.  You will see some posts from a year or two ago on this forum on which I was sorting out timing case rebuild...which was successful thanks to the help from this forum...sadly, now, death by pot hole...

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Engine + Driveline / Re: Timing case refresh done; Timing chain noise after warm up

« on: January 11, 2014, 09:22:39 PM »

This is only at idle? No noise at other RPMs when it is warmed up?

Is it almost a "rocks in a coffee can" type sound? When the noise occurs, try pressing the clutch pedal in. If it goes away, then it is probably just typical "Getrag rattle". The G240 is pretty notorious for having a sloppy input shaft and it can rattle a lot with the clutch pedal up at idle, mostly after the tranny fluid warms up & thins out.

Good thought, and the car does have a light flywheel so there is quite a bit of chatter when clutch pedal is not depressed; but I'm afraid the noise is present even with the clutch pedal depressed...definitely from the timing case.  If I recall correctly, I believe I read one of your previous posts in which you had the adjusting screw on the driver's side chain guide back out or strip after replacement.  I'm wondering if something like this has occurred, though it still doesn't make since to me that the noise wouldn't be present at cold idle.  As to whether the noise is present at other RPMs, I can't hear it in the car as it's not super loud and didn't think to blip the throttle from under the hood to test this as I was so sure it was from the timing case.  An additional issue I noticed is that there is a slight wobble at the crank that seems to have developed. I don't recall it being present when I put everything back together initially...this could be damper/balancer wear I suppose.

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Engine + Driveline / Timing case refresh done; Timing chain noise after warm up

« on: January 10, 2014, 05:13:06 PM »

As posted on a separate thread, I refreshed my timing case with new chain, tensioner, sprockets, guides...also dropped pan and clear out all debris in the pickup and secured loose pan bolts (all done less than 1500 miles ago). Recently, while checking on another issue, I noticed timing case noise at idle after having driven the car.  The noise is not present at idle after cold start, even after letting it idle for some time, only after driving it a while.  The car runs great.  I went ahead and changed the oil for good measure and saw no evidence of any debris in the oil.

The fact that it does it after warm up and not cold has me stumped.  I know these engines tend to be noisy; can slight chain noise be "within normal limits" on these cars? Any suggestions?

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Engine + Driveline / Re: Timing chain noise/crankshaft will not fully rotate - Update: Success! mostly...

« on: November 11, 2013, 11:15:30 PM »

Well, I've got it all back together and it's essentially running very well.  The 81mm technique was a lifesaver in the process of getting timing together.  Again, my thanks to the helpful input provided along the way.  The only flies in the ointment are:

1) I've been fighting the dreaded idle gremlins since getting back up and running.  I got the AFM code (1215, as I recall). Was initially getting the crazy rapid surging or high idle with rythmic drops. Now after reseating and snugging up a few fittings things seem to be better, but I'm still getting high rpm idle (2kish) at cold start at times and then, either on its own, or after a quick restart, idle will drop down low briefly to near stall and then settle in to a healthy range.  Once going, it runs like a champ; pulls strong.  I've sprayed around a bit with brake cleaner and so far have not found any clear signs of vacuum leaks. Any suggestions of likely sources of idle issues after doing the timing chain?

2) I noticed the first couple of days some white smoke coming out of the exhaust with a bit of water collecting at the tail pipe.  Bleeding was a real PITA; temp kept creeping up past mid point at extended idle, so a bit concerned about my head gasket.  Hoping its just moisture/condensation from sitting a bit and coolish mornings in the always humid south, but the smoke seemed heavier than I recall seeing before and did have a rich (maybe sweet?) smell to it.   Haven't noticed it smoking the last couple of days but the exhaust still smells a little funny to me and still seeing some moisture collecting/dripping from exhaust.  May just be being paranoid...?

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Engine + Driveline / Re: Timing chain noise/crankshaft will not fully rotate - Update: timing question

« on: October 28, 2013, 12:44:39 PM »

So it's about time to get my camshafts back in (I may have some separate questions about this later) and I wanted to get some input on the best approach to take at this point to get things timed back up without bumping valves and pistons. I have read a great deal on this forum and others but a couple of points I'm not confident about in my situation.  Below are the steps I have in mind; please correct, clarify or make suggestions where necessary:

Before replacing cams, turn crank to about 270 degrees past TDC (the point of alignment of oil filter housing arrow with mark in crank tooth).  This will put the pistons in the midway position across all cylinders for the last time prior to reaching TDC at 360 degrees.  This will allow me to install the cams at the "sweet spot" (where load is only on cam at cylinder one, valves will be open) referred to in the Pelican Parts article and, once installed, I should be able to turn them to TDC without bumping valves on pistons.

Once cams are at TDC (I plan to lock in place with rigid metal rule with C-clamps at rear squares), I should then be able to rotate the crankshaft the final 90 degrees to TDC without bumping valves.   I don't have stock flywheel so have no holes to lock crank at TDC....suggestions? I do plan to confirm crank TDC using the 81mm measurement between cylinders 1 and 2.  But not sure how to ensure that it stays in place as I install and tension chain.

From here I'll pretty much be following Brendan Purcell's DIY.

Any input welcome and appreciated.

Thanks!

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Engine + Driveline / Re: Unexpected snag while removing alternator

« on: October 25, 2013, 06:56:15 PM »

Is that the metal spacer thing from inside the rubber bushing? If so, that is not normal and it explains some of your difficulties.

The metal liner in the rubber bushing was intact.  What you see in the pic is a piece pressed into the alternator assembly.  It was caught in a slight impression on the bushing, deepened I'm sure when the pivot bolt was torqued up.  It was happy where it was and didn't want to come out and play.  Perhaps my memory fails me but I just don't recall seeing this on other alternators I've removed.  Perhaps an aftermarket piece using inserts of various lengths for different vehicles?

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Engine + Driveline / Re: 91 318is timing chain noise/crankshaft will not fully rotate - Update-Yikes!!

« on: October 25, 2013, 06:48:55 PM »

Encouraging feedback.  I'm going to go forward expecting the best at this point; again, it's all a learning process and I really enjoy the heck out of this stuff, so if I end up with bigger problems, I'll have still learned a ton in the process.  The oil analysis is a great idea.  I may have already tainted it beyond a valid analysis, but will look into it.  I continue to find little bits of plastic debris in the little nooks and crannies of the timing case.  Also found some small bits in the oil filter housing.  It's definitely important to comb through several times to ensure it's all out of there.

Funny, my idler sprocket is fully intact, spins smoothly and has only the tiniest bit of play in it.  I know it's not ideal, but after reading the timing case replacement posts and having difficulty sourcing an M44 or newer M42 case for a reasonable price, I decided to keep the existing set up and replace the feared sprocket along with the other bits.  Pray for me

I've got the upper oil pan bolts threadlocked and back in place (still need to check on the others that can be accessed through the bell housing), and the oil filter housing back on with fresh gasket (+ sealant) and o-ring.  Hope to make some more progress tomorrow, but still waiting for some key parts so, with my schedule, I'm still a good week out before having it buttoned back up and putting it to the test.  I'm moving pretty slowly trying to clean things up a bit along the way, and getting the old gasket material off is painstakingly slow when you don't have the little bristle brush drill attachment (does this really work without marring up the surfaces?).  Still have to get the cams back on as well and have some trepidation about getting the timing back in order....have been reading as much about this as possible, including the very helpful threads on this forum, so I think I'm going to be okay.

Again, all of your helpful input has been most appreciated.  I'm sure I'll have more questions as I continue on.

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Engine + Driveline / Re: Unexpected snag while removing alternator

« on: October 25, 2013, 12:57:45 PM »

Attached is a pic showing the metal spacer/bushing pressed into the back pivot bolt hole.  This was recessed a bit into the bushing preventing it from coming out.  Is this typical for M42 alternators? I don't recall other alternators I've removed having this pressed in piece. 

(BTW, I realize this is associated with my other post regarding my timing case rebuild, so if admin needs to combine or what have you, I understand.  Just thought others might run into a similar issue when removing alternator so thought I would give it its own thread.)

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Engine + Driveline / Re: 91 318is timing chain noise/crankshaft will not fully rotate - Update-Yikes!!

« on: October 25, 2013, 12:35:30 PM »

Well, this is turning into a big adventure...

Good news: did a leakdown test and got 8-10% on each cylinder on a cold engine.

Bad news:  dropped the oil pan after reading about the pan bolts....found 5 in the pan, and the one remaining bolt had backed out a couple of threads...holy canoli!

Wait, it gets better:  also found an alarming amount of plastic and metal bits from the disintegrated timing chain guide lodged in the oil pick up; together with the bolts rumbling around down there, I'm thinking, ruh-roh, oil starvation, but just don't know how much over how much time.

And it gets better still:  pulled the oil filter housing off to do the gasket while all is apart and found an impressive amount of sparklies in the oil...need to filter some out to better check the color but I'm afraid of bearing damage, of course.  Already have all the timing case rebuild parts here or on the way. 

Would sure appreciate some guidance at this juncture.  Is there any way I can assess for bearing damage without pulling more things apart?  Is there any degree of bearing damage that still allows for a serviceable motor for daily driving?  I'm already in to new territory, so pulling heads, replacing bearings or rebuilt blocks, etc. is way out there for my experience level, though eager to learn...the problem is the need to get a daily back on the road sooner than later.   Perhaps I should shop for a tested used M42 and have the fresh timing parts installed before having the engine dropped in?  Thoughts, advice welcome and appreciated.

Update: So, I'm guardedly optimistic after further inspection.  The particles appear to be primarily silver in color, though I did see a very few that appeared copper.  Very difficult to discern at first due to amber color of oil and reflections in sunlight.  When I took a closer look at the busted up chain guide I saw at least one area that had clearly been milled by the chain and noted some copper colored metal used in the guide construction, which you can see in the attachment...also included a fun pic of the guide pieces-parts in the attachment. 

I also confirmed with my son that the oil pressure light never came on.  So, I'm hoping the particles are from the milled guide rail rather than a bearing, but, WOW!, that oil pain and oil pick up looked scary, so still not sure about the bearings.

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Engine + Driveline / Re: Unexpected snag while removing alternator

« on: October 25, 2013, 05:30:31 AM »

The persuadinator it is then.   Looks like new bushings will be in order.  Thanks for the tip.

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Engine + Driveline / Unexpected snag while removing alternator

« on: October 24, 2013, 08:33:27 PM »

I am in the process of changing timing components and decided to go ahead and replace the oil filter gasket while at it.  I've hit a snag while trying to remove the alternator and was hoping someone had some experience with this.  First, yes, I have removed all of the bolts necessary to remove the alternator.  It should simply pull up off the bracket at this point.  However, the alternator is hung up at the rear pivot point.  It is difficult to see in the small area but it appears that there is a shaft (hollow so that bolt passes through) attached to the alternator continuous with the rear bolt hole and it seems to insert into the bushing.  At first I thought it was the bushing inverted in some way but it is metal and attached to the alternator from what I can tell.  I can't slide the alternator back far enough for this shaft to clear and allow me to free the alternator. 

I've taken alternators out of other cars and have never seen anything like it.  It's almost like an incorrect alternator was installed at some point, but if it went in, it's gotta come out, right?  Before I take out the various persuadinators and go nuclear on it, I wanted to see if this rings a bell for anyone and if a more, umm, elegant solution might be offered.

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Engine + Driveline / Re: 91 318is timing chain noise/crankshaft will not fully rotate

« on: October 15, 2013, 06:57:16 PM »

Have begun the hunt for a late M42 or M44 case.  Will update as I have more and will try to compile a little DIY/parts list when (if) I get that far and don't cave and just go with a refresh of the existing case to get this daily back on the road as soon as possible...of course, I may have it back off the road in a couple months with a disintegrated sprocket/casing like others of you have experienced and be kicking myself....

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Engine + Driveline / Re: 91 318is timing chain noise/crankshaft will not fully rotate

« on: October 14, 2013, 09:39:32 PM »

Learning, Learning, Learning!  So, I went ahead and pulled the cams off to ensure that I wouldn't bang on the valves while getting the crank bolt off per your suggestion DesktopDave's. The cam gears actually looked good. Teeth had nice flat tops.  Cams came off without a hitch following the technique outlined in the video you referenced,Mabeer.   Was able to starter bump the crank bolt free, drained the oil per bmwman91' and was happy to find no bearings or shavings present. Finally after fussing with the compressor/bracket was able to pull the lower cover.  The idler sprocket was intact, all bearings present as the oil check suggested.  I found eight different loose pieces of the driver's side chain guide in the case and the lower chain guide was broken in the middle. 

Now, before I pony up for timing kit parts, I've got to look further in to the M44 case update option.  Hope to find a link or two with guidance and a parts list (anyone have one handy?).

More importantly, before I spend any money on timing case, I need to assess my valves.  If they're damaged, may have cry uncle and let a shop take it from here.  I know I should have done a compression test before breaking things down, but getting the chain bound up as I was trying to assess alignment at TDC took that option off the table.  At this point with the cams off, is my best bet to blow some compressed air into each plug socket?  5-10psi? Unfortunately my tools are limited so will have to borrow a tester from a local parts place.  Any other ways to assess valve status at this stage? 

Again, thanks for all of your help.  I wouldn't have made the progess I've made thus far without it.