Messages

1

General Topics / 91 318is build.

« on: January 25, 2011, 10:41:25 AM »

nice job, very clean, however…….

being that far into the engine, i don't understand why you didn't refresh the valves/seals or change the rod bearings. 120K is not a lot of miles, but new piston rings and a re-hone and the bores would have 0miles. new engine internals would make me sleep better then a clean engine bay.

2

General Topics / z3 m shifter on 318is

« on: January 25, 2011, 01:19:12 AM »

i used a E21 shifter. very short and smooth, not like the Z3 shifter that was in the car.

3

Engine + Driveline / no start, plugs fouled within seconds

« on: December 20, 2010, 12:52:22 AM »

you should be able to hear the injectors cycling. sounds like they are staying open.

4

Engine + Driveline / What year M42's drop into a '91 318i?

« on: December 20, 2010, 12:43:03 AM »

i will alway rebuild a engine rather than replace it with a used one. and even if i have to replace it with another, i will always rebuild that one before i install it.

5

Engine + Driveline / Long Block Weight?

« on: December 19, 2010, 12:05:52 AM »

M42 and M20 both complete and with transmissions.

6

Engine + Driveline / Anyone know the angle of the M42?

« on: December 18, 2010, 11:43:30 PM »

i put a m42 into my 77 e21. the M42 swap is actually pretty popular with the 2002/E21 groups.

i'm running a 3.91 diff and get 27 mpg. with the M10, k-jet injection, and a 3.64 diff, the best i could get was 19 mpg.

this is the engine that the 2002/E21 was meant to have.

it was easier to put a level on the oil pan than to gauge a 60° angle. i guess you could also attach an angle gauge to the top of the head.

7

General Topics / is my m42 Done for?

« on: December 15, 2010, 01:12:58 PM »

i'm sure you won't find any damage to your M42. as stated above, the part you found is from the timing chain components. i rebuilt a M42 with 183K miles on the clock. the engine internally was great. the timing parts were a mess. the rails had self destructed and where scattered about, but the car still ran.

you will need to replace the timing rails. the cams gears look okay, and i'm willing to bet the chain is also.

8

General Topics / When should the timing chain be replaced?

« on: March 09, 2010, 09:56:44 AM »

i striped down a m42 at 180k miles. the chain was in pretty good order. the timing rails on the other hand, were trash! i wouldn't worry much about the chain. but, look closely at the rails.

tom

9

General Topics / Removing front end

« on: March 01, 2010, 01:47:03 AM »

i've always stabbed the engines from above. however, this past summer i removed and replaced engines/trans from two e30s and a e21. and i did them from below. couldn't believe how much easier it is.

bolt the trans to the engine. bolt on the front crossmember and the trans mount and place the whole thing on a floor creeper. strap your hoist around the core support and lift the front of the car. roll the engine/trans under car and lower car down. bolt on suspension.

10

General Topics / Found a diff now I need advice.

« on: March 01, 2010, 01:21:17 AM »

it's the right diff! this is a medium case and a little longer/wider, just loosen the nut where the two halfs of the driveshafts meet and shorten the lenght. run some redline gearoil. put it in and enjoy powering out of the corners.

11

Engine + Driveline / Selector Rod bushings???

« on: October 04, 2009, 11:04:32 PM »

all repair parts are available at the dealer.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AF91&mospid=47256&btnr=25_0026&hg=25&fg=05

12

Suspension / camber correction - offer your input

« on: August 13, 2009, 09:00:29 PM »

i first replaced my strut bushings with OEM parts. after 10k miles i replaced the stock rubber with vorshlag camber plates. there was no noticeable difference in either the ride or the noise. this was my e30 m3 and maybe the ride quality is less than that of the e30 318is.

13

Off-topic discussion / Movies to watch while...

« on: August 10, 2009, 01:56:53 AM »

hey guy,

it's been three and one half months since you started this post. i've been thinking about you and wondering how you made out. i figure that your last radiation treatment was around the middle of june and you should be starting to feel better. taste will take longer to come back, but will improve. are you back to work? how do the doctors feel about your condition?

drop us a line.

tom

1 year 3 month cancer surivor

14

Engine + Driveline / Cylinder Head Gasket Cams Out of Timing? Please Help.

« on: July 02, 2009, 01:41:21 AM »

hard to tell without the full picture. post more pictures of the cams, the locking tools, the crank timing mark, the slack of the timing chain and confirm again with a rod down the #1 cylinder that it's at TDC.

actually i see the problem, in the smaller photo the cam timing arrow is pointing to 11 o'clock istead of 12. you need to move one or more link on the crank.

15

Suspension / Can early struts swap with our later ones?

« on: June 15, 2009, 08:23:26 PM »

the struts are interchangeable. i just did this, putting 51mm 318is struts onto a 1984 318 with 45 mm tubes. everything fits, brakes and all, however there might not be a bracket for the abs sensor wire.

the 1987 325is came with 51mm struts.

all M42 318s came with 51mm struts