Messages

1

Engine + Driveline / no more m42 :(

« on: October 25, 2009, 12:02:48 AM »

By far cheaper to buy a used engine. How would a failing alternator have anything to do with an oil pump failure? Oil pump is driven from the crank no connection or anything to do with the alternator.

2

Engine + Driveline / pics E36 M42:blown head gasket...not convinced

« on: October 24, 2009, 11:57:55 PM »

Why are the 2 valves just hanging open?

3

Engine + Driveline / waterpump stuck will not budge

« on: October 24, 2009, 11:45:48 PM »

You do know that you install 6mm jack screws in the holes provided and turn these screws in and they push the water pump out? If it still doesn't come out, then the water pump is stuck/rusted in place. I don't think using a big bar will do much as it will twist the water pump and make it stick more. Maybe if it is rusted hammering on the shaft might jar the rust loose.

4

Engine + Driveline / Can I make the radiator self-bleed??

« on: October 10, 2009, 05:25:07 PM »

I'm beginning to think that all this bleeding problem is largely due to poor circulation through the  oldrad. Also, when the water pump is running with the rad cap off, there is no pressure. This will cause the water pump to cavitate on the suction side. What cavitation does is lower the pressure, lowered pressure causes the water to flash to steam at low water temperatures with the resultant bleeding problems. I had no problems with bleeding at all. All the cooling system was new. Has anyone ever had bleeding problems with new rads?

5

Engine + Driveline / Who has changed their own Head Gasket?

« on: October 03, 2009, 01:48:05 AM »

You are supposed to lock the crank with the crank locking tool. I made one out of a 12mm bolt and ground down to 8mm. Then the cams are supposed to be locked in place with a special alignment gauge. (Basically the squares at the back ends of the cams are supposed to line up. The alignment tool holds them that way.) Once that is done hook up the chain and attach sprockets and tensioner.  Then you want to turn the whole thing over by hand 2 revolutions to make sure nothing hits (pistons vs valves) and you are good to go.
Buy the Haynes manual it has all the technical info you will need. If you haven't done it properly, you may have bent the valves.

6

Engine + Driveline / Thermostat and Coolant Bleeding Issues

« on: October 03, 2009, 01:38:46 AM »

How old is the rad? If it is the original one you might want to install a new one because it is just a matter of time before it goes. The problem with the cooling system on these cars is that it is a parallel circuit. The pump pumps through the engine and at the same time through the rad. If the rad is plugged all the flow goes through the engine and none through the rad. Other systems are just one flow path so the water would get forced through the rad until it is really plugged.

7

Engine + Driveline / Thermostat and Coolant Bleeding Issues

« on: September 30, 2009, 10:55:27 PM »

Are you sure the thermostat is the correct way around? The temp sensor part should be facing the engine. If the temp gauge read way low with no thermostat and then you installed the thermostat then have over heating problems I'd say the problem is with the thermostat.
By the way, I drilled the hole in the thermostat and then squeezed the right side rad hoses as I filled and refilled the rad. Once the level wouldn't go down in the tank I closed it up and that was that. Added a bit of water in the next couple of days.
I'm driving the car to Houston next week for my daughter. I'll be passing through Cheyenne.

8

Engine + Driveline / WTB: Water pump delete plate.

« on: September 30, 2009, 10:38:57 PM »

If done correctly, an electric fan could fix the poor BMW cooling water path.
There would have to be a block in the profile gasket area preventing water running from the head back to the water jacket. Instead it would run through the thermostat into the top of the rad. Backwards to the way BMW designed it. The electric pump would then be installed in the lower rad hose pumping into the water jacket. Only other mod would be to extend the heater core return line directly to the rad and block of the head fitting. If I was going to do another BMW engine there would be no question I would do this and avoid all the "my engine is overheating" problems.

9

Engine + Driveline / 318is engine troubles

« on: September 30, 2009, 10:30:20 PM »

There are two knock sensors. Both located under the intake manifold. The front one is approx between cylinder 1 and 2. The rear between 3 and 4. They hook up to the electrical connector that goes from the top of the lower intake to under the intake. The two other connectors there are the cam sensor and crank sensors. You might be able to get to the front knock sensor without removing the lower intake. You would have to remove the alternator for room. The upper intake would have to come off in any case. If you do remove the lower intake make sure the knock sensors get hooked up the same way. There is supposed to be plug differences but I used colored markers to code them.

10

General Topics / Dissapointed

« on: June 22, 2009, 10:12:04 PM »

I had a modified GM diesel have a go at me. I was just driving away and already shifted to second when I heard the truck roar. I managed to pull ahead by the top of second gear. I was also in my CTS-V which has 400/400hp/torque.

11

General Topics / black plastic coolant pipe - anyone have issues w/ new part & o-ring leaking?

« on: June 22, 2009, 10:02:48 PM »

That part would have been injection molded. To make the O ring groove the mold would have had a couple of slides built into it. The slides are supposed to seal off and leave just a witness line. Obviously, you part had plastic flash
from not sealing properly or injecting with too high pressure. You could have just trimmed off the flash carefully and it would have been fine. I've got one of these on order so I'll have a look at it when it arrives. (I'm in the plastic molding business and I make some parts that seal with O rings so we watch those areas carefully.)

12

M42 Reference / engine rebuild manual

« on: May 26, 2009, 06:38:04 PM »

I'll be rebuilding my 1995 M42 engine and I'm looking for a detailed engine rebuild manual.
I have the Bentley manual, the Haynes manual and I just downloaded the BMW manual. However, none of these manuals have any internal engine specs.
Any suggestions. I've been searching and I thought the BMW manual would cover it but no luck.

OOps, while looking at my Haynes manual, I notice it does have what I'm looking for in Chapter 2 Part C. Part A was for 4 cylinder and Part B was 6 cylinder so I didn't look past Part B!

Problem solved!

13

General Topics / wrong ac compressor

« on: May 18, 2009, 03:22:26 PM »

I'm new to BMW and I'm trying to get up to speed. I have a 1995 318IS. I'm pulling the engine to fix a spun bearing. I happened to notice that the AC compressor mounts differently than the one shown in Bentley. I just did a search and found it is from a E30 series! What happened? It looks like it is supposed to be there. The engine looks original, all lines etc look original.
Did someone modify this? Do I just use this compressor or should I update to the correct one?