Messages

1

Engine + Driveline / Just Started, Need a little help.

« on: July 28, 2010, 10:56:45 PM »

I've moved apartments, and now I have a Garage
all the utility deposits and various other moving expenses ate my cash, but I'll have extra at the end of the month.

Alright, I'm trying to make a checklist of the things I need for the rebuild, I'm going to buy them all this month, and then complete the build with a friend of mine.

I now have some experienced assistance for the build, but I'm still working on gathering all the supplies

So far I know I need

Tools:
Torque Wrench
Torx Sockets
I have pretty much everything else.

Parts:
Gasket Set
Fuel Injectors (replacing/upgrading to 5.0 mustang injectors)
Plugs/Plug Wires
All the Hoses and clamps required for the Hose Mod
New Coolant
New Oil

Some of the questions I have are:

Should I have the head machined at a local shop?
Who can tell if my valves are bent once I remove the head?

Also I was wondering if there are any other tips before the build?

2

Engine + Driveline / Just Started, Need a little help.

« on: June 24, 2010, 01:06:54 AM »

taking a bit bigger step next

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11162

found this quite helpful, it relieved the fears I had about doing this, yet I still need to find a Torx socket and breaker bar, I'll have to borrow these from a friend.

3

Engine + Driveline / Just Started, Need a little help.

« on: June 23, 2010, 11:07:32 PM »

What a great link, thank you very much for that.

Trust me, the inside of my intake manifold had 1/4" thick black build up. I used a ton of carb cleaner on it, and fresh hoses seems like an easy enough job.

I also found a link for cleaning my fuel injectors
http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/JF-Tech/BMW_E30_3_Series_fuel_injector_cleaning.htm

I'll get all the intake and injectors cleaned by Sunday, hopefully get all new hoses fabricated, I still need to tear it down and remove the head, and check the valves and piston heads, might as well clean it up while I'm at it.

4

Engine + Driveline / Just Started, Need a little help.

« on: June 23, 2010, 07:54:08 PM »

Alright, The Metric Mechanic Sport Kit is 3,900$

They say its good for 160hp without a turbo, for now until I finish the rest of the car that is plenty.

The only problem is I won't have the money for a little while, and still need to find exactly whats wrong with it.



I pulled the upper intake manifold, and throttle body to get to the fuel injectors and fuel rail, I want to soak my injectors in some fuel and injector cleaner to help break up any build up that might be keeping them from making a good spray.

The problem I've run into is I cant get them or the fuel rail to come off? I've heard you disconnect them, pull the little clips under need and give a sharp tug, I'll wait for a response because I don't want to damage them.

I also pulled the cam cover to check the timing chain for tension, you said to check if they are lined up, where do they need to be positioned in order to tell if they are lined up?





One last thing, the large hoses around under the intake manifold are old and cracked, they don't fit together with a good seal anymore, what are they and should I replace them?

5

Engine + Driveline / Just Started, Need a little help.

« on: June 22, 2010, 02:47:23 PM »

I've been looking at metric mechanics work, I wonder if they sell a rebuild kit?

That would be less hassle than trying to make the custom mounts for other engines.

6

Engine + Driveline / Just Started, Need a little help.

« on: June 22, 2010, 02:04:00 AM »

I've been thinking about it,

if after I pull the head I find bent valves, chipped piston heads, and worn rings (It does have 184,000 Miles) I think I'm gonna do a swap.

I bought this car as a play car and a project, I already have an incredible fuel efficient and reliable daily driver (hence the need for a play car) so I'm am definitely not opposed to pulling this thing apart, or stripping it down.

It would be interesting to see what I could fit in there though.

I put a 350 small block in a Mark 3 Supra once, to replace the straight six.

I may look at some domestic options for crate engines, perhaps an LS1?

I can find a good LS1 for 2,000 dollars with low miles, and I don't think it would weigh substantially more than most swaps.

I can cash in my CD's next year for around 10,000$ which should be enough for the whole swap, my only issue right now is that I've become an apartment dweller and do not have a workshop or garage....

Or perhaps I should look towards a different engine?

7

Engine + Driveline / Just Started, Need a little help.

« on: June 21, 2010, 06:27:21 PM »

I'll pull the CEL bulb and see if its working, hopefully I can get some codes out of it in the next few days.

lol, well I was a bit ahead of you dave, I just tried the spoon full of oil idea before checking this again, a local repair shop recommended it to me.

I know that gas has leaked down past the rings because my oil reaks of gasoline, I'm gonna do an oil change soon so I don't damage my engine with mixed cruddy oil.

This is most likely why there is no oil around the rings, something that you have already mentioned.

I also swapped out the plugs with another one of my cars, It sputtered about 3 times and spat out white smoke, and when i pulled the plugs out white smoke came out of the cylinders, but I tried the compression test wet and got nothing.

I figured I'd test the compressor gage, and it worked fine on another car, so its not the gage.

I guess next is the cam cover, to check the timing chain.

Could bad head gasket be giving me this trouble?

8

Engine + Driveline / Just Started, Need a little help.

« on: June 21, 2010, 03:19:03 PM »

Bad Day

I went to check the CEL Codes and could not get the light to flash, I tried it in a variety of ways but could not get it to work.

Next I checked the compression and got nothing, No compression whatsoever.

Also, I'm still getting oil all over my spark plugs, this is making me suspicious that my rings are gone.

Anyway, with plenty of spark and gas, and yet lack of compression I think I have narrowed down what is wrong with it.

9

Engine + Driveline / Improving an ebay catch-can.

« on: June 20, 2010, 01:29:17 PM »

This catches sludge or build up in your oil?

I like your mod, just confused as to what a "Catch Can" does.

10

Engine + Driveline / Just Started, Need a little help.

« on: June 18, 2010, 03:14:25 PM »

Thanks for the reply, and I'm excited to get this thing in good shape.

I'm busy with work today but tomorrow I'll log all the CEL codes.

I didn't know about that until you mentioned it, but after looking I found a good list of the fault codes, thanks for the tip
http://www.bimmerzone.com/fcodes.htm

I noticed those relays coming up on some other threads, I pulled them out the other day and they looked all right but I doubt you can tell by appearance alone. I'll get that done.

I have a multimeter, and I'll test both the crank and cam sensors, to save me a little time, where is the crank sensor located?

I know the fuel pump is working though, It pumps well when the car turns over, in fact before I put the new fuel filter on I forgot it was off and tried to start it, made a mess all over the ground.

11

Engine + Driveline / Just Started, Need a little help.

« on: June 18, 2010, 01:14:42 AM »

I've been putting back cash for sometime now for an M3 E30, yet I've been finding it very hard to find one in my area.

Then, I was driving a friend home and saw a 318is in this guys yard. It had grass grown up around it so I figured it wasn't being used, after two weeks of driving by it, I stopped and asked the man if it was for sale, he said that it had quit running and he needed to get rid of it, so I bought it for 500$

/cool story bro







I really have no formal education with engine mechanics, but I have a bit of common sense and I want to learn all I can, I'm good with mechanics, but I have never embarked on such a large project on my own.

anyways, down to business

To start with all I got was a click so I had the battery tested and it would not hold a charge so I replaced it.

It then turned over pretty well so I pulled all the plugs and made sure they all sparked, I got strong sparks and double checked that cables were in the right order. Can I assume the coil packs are good if I get spark?

Since that was working I assumed it might not be getting gas and I checked the fuel pump and it pumps well, I bought a new fuel filter and while I was at it, I drained the tank of its old gas by hooking the fuel pump up to a 12 volt source and collecting it where the Fuel Filter hooks up (it was dark orange), then I put some fresh 91 octane in it.

After that I assumed that it might be a problem with the injectors, so I borrowed a Noid Light and checked the plugs on the injectors, I got a solid light on all of them. I'm pretty sure this is wrong, I think it is supposed to flash, but I'm not sure what electrical component controls the fuel injectors

I get the occasional "Putt" or backfire when I use some starter spray on it, but thats about it, when it does "Putt" it spits black smoke out of the exhaust.

Also, I've checked the plugs after turning it over and they are wet with gas.

I'm really not sure what to try next, I borrowed an Engine Compression Gage, and I will test it in the next few days, I figured if it was getting both gas a spark that maybe there is no compression?

Like worn rings or something?

Regardless, I hope to become an adequate and knowledgeable M42 and E30 Owner. I'm glad to have found your forums, and any help is heavily appreciated.