Messages

1

Engine + Driveline / Oxygen Sensor fails again after 25 miles

« on: May 01, 2011, 10:21:28 PM »

unrelated to the O2 sensor issues that you are talking about but your running problem could also be the cat.
I had a 1999 E36 compact M44 that died.  The stealer changed a whole bag load of stuff including the O2 sensor -twice- and eventually the ECU.  

After that they still couldn't get it right so disconnected the exhaust before the cat and it ran fine again.  I got the cat changed with a non-BMW part but the dealer never admitted that the ECU wasn't at fault.  Even the dealer principle stuck by the service dept line, and they never proved the ECU was at fault.  
I put the old ECU back in but they had recoded the EWS system and the car wouldn't do anything with the old ECU in it.

My advice?  Don't forget to check the cat.  Mine had blocked and collapsed. The car would start and then slowly die.  I believe it was because the cat would heat up and completely block when the car was running but then when it cooled during more fault finding it allowed flow through until it got hot again..

2

Engine + Driveline / Strange Head Damage

« on: April 27, 2011, 09:33:02 PM »

If you've got a good welder friend, you could grind it out, weld in and re-machine ti to the same height.....

I would just leave it alone.  the material thickness is adequate for another few hundred thousand miles and unless you need an as new finish it will survive.

Make sure you use the right coolant and all that kind of stuff that we all know.

3

Engine + Driveline / camshaft help

« on: April 12, 2011, 07:35:57 AM »

If you dont have any luck here you could always try over at http://www.318ti.org, they have good info for M42 and M44 cars based around compacts though.

I believe you could get a set of Schrick Cams if your cashed up. Also Cat Cams do M44 and M42 cams.

Don't try and fit M42 cams to the M44,  They are different in a big way.

Hope this helps.

Cristian

4

Interior / Broken seat back mechanism...

« on: April 04, 2011, 06:29:15 AM »

check the pivot point on the base.
Most of them go there.  The set base frame cracks through and pivot comes away.
It's easy enough to see with the seat out and upside down.  

I think the only fix is for the base to be welded or replaced.

Hope this helps.

5

Engine + Driveline / Coolant boiling, bleeder hole leaking

« on: April 02, 2011, 02:23:39 PM »

I've had a read back through the thread but I couldn't find if you replaced the rad cap.
When I got my M42 it was loosing coolant (about 1/4 ltr per week).

I decided to change my thermostat, hoses, cap etc (basically service the cooling system) and this fixed it until I changed the plastic return pipe on the induction side of the block.
When I changed that I couldn't get it to seat properly and it continued to weep.
The water wouldn't hit the ground after driving as the water would pool on the block web  behind the the oil filter housing and then evaporate, before it cooled when I could stick my hand in and feel around.

I was doing some other work there yesterday and it had definitely been weeping.

The pipe if the black plastic one the fits into the block above the oil filter housing and runs along the side of the block and connects to the heater return and the radiator bottom left side.  The seal in the block on this pipe might be a little dodgy, or the typically the pipe cracks around the recess for the seal and leeks.

Hope this helps.

6

Engine + Driveline / m42 head w a m44 block?

« on: February 16, 2011, 08:04:33 PM »

The cams are different and the M44 has roller rockers in place of the standard items.  Also the rocker covers are different.  I think you could use the M44 cover on the M42 head but not the other way around.  The M44 has oil squirter's in it to lube the cams.
The M42 timing gear has an idler cog at the bottom of the exhaust side of the engine and the M44 has a "solid" guide.
The cam gears are interchangeable, but make sure you get the right ones for the EMS that is installed on the car, as they are different designs and trigger at different times in the cycle.
The position and speed sensors are different between the engines, so, again depending on which EMS is fitted, will determine which timing covers and sensors you fit.
 
Long story short, you should be able to do it physically.  Just take your time and double, no triple check everything before you commit.

I hope this helps.

Regards

7

Engine + Driveline / Profile gasket? No.

« on: February 15, 2011, 08:27:49 PM »

Something else to check is you radiator cap. Do you know when it was last replaced?

My car had a similar problem and when I replaced the radiator cap and thermostat it went away.  It now holds the same level nearly perfectly year round.

Caps aren't that much, but I would advise getting an OEM item.

Regards

8

Engine management / Camshaft Position Sensor

« on: December 06, 2010, 07:51:20 PM »

They are different to each engine.
They are different heights (ie IRRC the probe part is longer on the M42 one).

I think from memory they throw different voltages on the outputs as well.

Hop ethis helps.

Cristian

9

Site and club discussion / Plug and Play it is but....

« on: May 28, 2010, 05:46:30 AM »

Any more details?  Is it plug and play?  Do all the timing components from the M42 work or do you need to use M44 gears?

Any first hand experience is appreciated.

I put an M44 head on an E30 M42 block.
There are a few things to remember.

They are interchangeable, but as indicated the series 2 M42 heads and M44 heads used a 4 wire single sensor for temp.  This does not work with the E30 gauge cluster.

The timing components are the same and interchangeable, but if you use M44 timing covers the cam positon sensors are in different places.  You may need to "reset" the cam position so that the computer still gets the right signals.

If your using a series 1 inlet (E30) with the "log" manifold, you cant use the rockercover, it hits the inlet.  If you change over to the "curvy" series 2 or M44 manifolds, no problems.  
Also the M44 rockercover has oil squirters in it to lub the roller rockers.  I changed all the gear into the early rockercover.

After a little work the M44 head will fit.
I've now done over 20,000 km since I did my head change and have had no problems with it or the top end of the engine except for not having an accurate temp sensor on the dash.

Cristian

10

General Topics / mystery bracket

« on: March 05, 2010, 04:53:23 AM »

If your talking about the one that is vertical with the nut on the bottom and a slot cut in it, it should be connected to the intake as a "support".
In the photo, if you see the bolt sticking out of the inlet manifold at the top of the bracket, it should go through the bracket.

I have no idea if actually does anything, but that is how it should be connected.

Regards

Cristian

11

M42 Reference / Hi from Australia + Stalling issues

« on: November 21, 2009, 02:44:57 PM »

tjcrowther, did you fix this up?

I have been offline for a while.

It is true that teh AUS delivered E30 M42s didn't have teh check engine light.  They did have diagnostics but unless you have an interrogator is difficult to get anything out of it.

I bought a kit off ebay and was able to get the software version and codes but did not find any diag codes so I don't know if it worked or not.

As for help....

Try checking your intake (as described above), check all your elec plugs are on properly, look for any leaks around the top of the engine (shown up with greasy residue and heaps of dust stuck to it).

12

Engine + Driveline / E36 M42 engines how to quickly tell them apart

« on: October 24, 2009, 05:03:27 AM »

Also check the cam position sensor.
On the E30 and early E36 they were on the inlet side of the exhaust cam.  Then they moved them to the inlet cam.
The M44 also had them on the inlet cam.
Make sure you get the sensors as well. They are slightly different in size, but an adaptor can be made to fit early sensors to a late engine.

13

Swaps, Turbos, Buildups / Depends......?

« on: June 28, 2009, 05:40:56 AM »

do you use the m42 or m44 valve cover when you do the swap?

Eric,

It depends on what your doing.
If your using an E30 M42 with E30 inlet you have to change the internals of the M44 Rocker cover into the M42 rocker cover.

If your using the M44 inlet (DISA curvy one) then you can use either rocker cover, but you have to make sure that you put the oilsquirter stuff into the M42 one if your going to use that.

If you have an E36 M42 just use the M44 rocker cover and save yourself heaps of PIA work.

I used the E30 manifold so transferred all the M44 oilsquirter stuff into the E30 M42 cover.

PM me if you want more details.

Regards

Cristian

14

Engine + Driveline / e30 engine stopped..

« on: May 23, 2009, 06:03:26 AM »

Check your battery.

Mine did this to me a couple of months ago.

I ended up getting new brushes in the alternator,  charged the battery and never looked back.

15

Engine + Driveline / Can't figure this out?

« on: April 01, 2009, 07:26:41 PM »

That all sounds good now.

I would go for another drive (about 30 mins) use the full rev range and then let it cool overnight.
Top up the water when coll and enjoy the ride.