Messages

1

Electrical / Help - Determining correct coil connectors

« on: June 15, 2010, 08:37:54 AM »

1991 m42 Engine Replacement under way.

There are no markings to determine which connector coming from the harness is number 1,2,3,4, to the corresponding coil & spark plug wire.

No problem getting the right plug wires identified with an ohm meter.

Anyone know an easy way to tell which connector is which.

The only way I can think of is to trace back to the ECU connector and try and figure it out there with a wiring diagram and ohm meter.

2

For Sale / FS (CT): Complete m42 engine/harness/tans/ecu; $250

« on: May 20, 2010, 07:29:13 AM »

Sent PM

3

Engine management / AFR - O2 sensors & consider quality of gas

« on: January 08, 2010, 09:37:51 AM »

After melting pistons in my race car and dealing with and tuning an aftermarket ECU for 4 years I learned quite bit about AFR readings.
Truth is an O2 sensors are really only good enough to get you in the ballbark.
The quality of gas (ROM Octane), the compression ratio, cams and where you run your motor - AFM are critically related.
I ran a 13.1 motor with radical cams burning VP 112 gas (which is a very high grade gas) with AFR reading at around 12.5 WOT this is a tad on the rich side but rich is always safer. At the end of the day you ideally should try to keep your AFR at WOT just south of 13.0 around 12.8. You can run leaner if you want to extract every last bit of power out of a motor but you run the risk of off detonation. Also wide open throttle is not alway the biggest engine killer. You have to be look at partial throttle conditions as well this is the area most people don't look at when tuning a motor it also happens to be where a motor can be under signifcant load and suspect to dentonation.
This is the area that was the cause of melted pistions in my motor. - Beware

4

Engine management / AFM Pigtail / Extension - what is this thing ??? HELP

« on: January 08, 2010, 09:11:09 AM »

My 91 318 with of course the M42 engine starting dying on me, luck was with me as I was just about pulling into my garage. An examination of the check engine fault code indicated the the AFM.

Looking for the cause I was suprised to find that in between the factory connector and the AFM there was an extension . Not pin for pin this thing looks factory and has male/female round connectors. But when I peeled back the rubber boot it has about a 3/4" square black encapsulated juntion where some alteration of the wires going from point a-b occurs. One of the pins at the AFM becomes a no connect and there is now some measured resistance betweeen two other. The cause of my problem was a broken wire in the factory harness/connector which I repaired.
The car runs fine again and the check engine light is off. I reconnected the pigtail extenision since it has been there all along. But what the heck is this it. I'm thinking maybe a factory upgrade or it's some kind of aftermarket item.

Can anyone shed any light on this thanks

5

Engine + Driveline / What is this thing HELP - pigtail on AFM

« on: January 08, 2010, 08:15:25 AM »

My 91 318 with of course the M42 engine starting dying on me, luck was with me as I was just about pulling into my garage. An examination of the check engine fault code indicated the the AFM.

Looking for the cause I was suprised to find that in between the factory connector and the AFM there was an extension . Not pin for pin this thing looks factory and has male/female round connectors. But when I peeled back the rubber boot it has about a 3/4" square black encapsulated juntion where some alteration of the wires going from point a-b occurs. One of the pins at the AFM becomes a no connect and there is now some measured resistance betweeen two other. The cause of my problem was a broken wire in the factory harness/connector which I repaired.
The car runs fine again and the check engine light is off. I reconnected the pigtail extenision since it has been there all along. But what the heck is this it. I'm thinking maybe a factory upgrade or it's some kind of aftermarket item.

Can anyone shed any light on this thanks

6

Engine + Driveline / Small Case LSD Fluid - .95 or 1.8 quart capacity ?

« on: September 21, 2009, 02:19:46 PM »

Just installed a small case 4.10 LSD into my 91 318is.
Went in sooo easy compared to the e36 I used to own.

To make life easy I put a quart of red line 75/90 gear oil in before bolting the diff in. According to my "Owners Manual" the diff has a capacity of .95 US quarts. However when I asked a few people about it I was told, all the small case diffs take just under 2 quarts.

I know the best way to know for sure is to pull the fill plug and if fluid comes out it's full.

But I'd like to know if the manual is correct and I have enough in there without the aggravation of getting back under the car to check it.

Anyone know the answer for sure.