Author Topic: Well, This Sucks. (Read 6489 times)

keflaman · « **on:** June 11, 2012, 09:23:54 PM »

In the midst of resealing my engine and checked the crank endplay...

I sure learned a lot about crank walk and M42 thrust bearing problems today.:mad: So I guess I'm looking for a crank, short block or engine. I guess in the meantime I can always throw the M50 in there and come back to the M42 later.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2012, 07:05:09 AM »

That looks ugly. Sorry to hear of your problems - I'd go with a later model e36 block and a nice matching M50 bearing set to get the full radius thrust bearing.

I've been thinking about this myself for a while - I never start the motor with the clutch pedal in, and keep from riding the clutch while idling. Not sure how much that'll help, but it can't hurt.

keflaman · « **Reply #2 on:** June 12, 2012, 07:43:42 AM »

Yeah, I was really disappointed considering how well maintained this car has been over its life. Factory specs are 0.003"-0.006" and mine is over 0.090". I'm pretty sure the cylinder bores are toast, so I think I may just throw it together and put it back in the car while I look for another motor.

We'll be up in Pittsburgh the Fourth Of July weekend, so keep an eye out for a good motor!

keflaman · « **Reply #3 on:** June 12, 2012, 11:00:56 AM »

So the M42 gods decided to smile upon me and in less than three hours I had a line on three different cranks, one of which was local.

Forum member "4v/cyl" contacted me and based on previous buying experiences where he treated me right, gave honest descriptions and shipped immediately I decided to go with him. What a relief to get his PM!

Now I need to research what I'll need in the way of bearings, bolts and torques!

keflaman · « **Reply #4 on:** June 12, 2012, 11:08:02 AM »

Maybe I'm color blind, but what color would you say these dots are?

I say red, but the TIS only lists red marks for the conn rods. Crankshaft should be yellow, green or white if I understand this correctly.
http://tis.spaghetticoder.org/s/view.pl?2/27/72

My gut instinct says they're yellow and have been stained over the years to appear red(dish-brown).

wazzu70 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 12, 2012, 11:49:06 AM »

Wow, thats a canyon between the thrust washer face and the crank! I will never understand BMWs decision to cheap out in that area.

Glad to hear people pulled through for you and set you up with a proper crank.

Any new bearing set should have a full 360deg thrust bearing. I would just go that route.

I also dont recall my crank having that painted dot. Best bet is to measure the journals and order the bearings for that size.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #6 on:** June 12, 2012, 04:52:48 PM »

I'd vote yellow too. Given, I have no experience either way, so YMMV.

Great to hear about the newer crank. I'd toss it back in as well, hopefully won't strand you...and the bottom end of these motors seem to work regardless of slightly worn bearings. Bet it's a matter of degree though.

keflaman · « **Reply #7 on:** June 12, 2012, 09:48:16 PM »

I posted a CL WTB and a local guy contacted me with a '91 318i M42 that he pulled to replace with an M52. If it looks good I will throw that in the car to get it running and take my time to build the original engine correctly.

Or at least, correctlier.:p

Here are pictures of the #4 crank journal and bearing and the #3 connecting rod bearing.

I had a spare overflow tank in much better shape then the original, so I swapped it out...

While I had everything tore apart I decided to rinse out the radiator and tanks. There was a bunch of stuff in there that I thought was something like Stop-Leak...

But it crumpled a lot like silt. It was all situated in the left hand tank near the drain petcock. I'll go by Lowes tomorrow and pick up some plumbing test plugs and perform a pressure test of the radiator.

Has anyone reading this ever encountered this crap in their radiator?

DesktopDave · « **Reply #8 on:** June 13, 2012, 07:11:13 AM »

Nope, I usually see the white corrosion...but that doesn't look like StopLeak either. :confused:

keflaman · « **Reply #9 on:** June 13, 2012, 11:05:45 PM »

Lowes didn't have the particular test plugs I was looking for, but I did pick up some hi-temp primer and gloss black for the engine block.

I went over and looked at the M42 engine this evening. It also had end play in the crank, but not as much so we dickered a little on price and came to an agreement. $300 for a plug and play motor with all accessories and if it gets me through the summer I'll have gotten my money's worth out of it; it's actually pretty clean on the outside.

I didn't want the tranny because I already have a spare I'm constantly tripping over, so we were we in the midst of seperating it from the engine when I got a call that my niece was in an accident with my Jeep TJ.

Naturally I dropped everything and took off to meet my wife at the emergency room. Thankfully my niece escaped with just a few bruises, but my wife thinks the Jeep is totaled after rolling over once or twice. My neighbor drove my wife to the scene and he called to say he thinks it's totaled also. We'll see in the morning.

The main thing is my niece is okay and for that I am truely grateful.

Very grateful.

Geoff · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2012, 06:22:07 AM »

that black goo does look like this one type of radiator sealant that I used once a few years back, unfortunately I cant recall what the name of it was..the crank end play is a dissapointment, methinks the full radius thrust bearing would be a good modification to perform while its all apart. an unfortunate decision by BMW to use the 1/2 radius bearing causes these motors to be much less robust than they can be.
Geoff

DesktopDave · « **Reply #11 on:** June 14, 2012, 04:44:41 PM »

Quote from: keflaman;113170

I didn't want the tranny because I already have a spare I'm constantly tripping over, so we were we in the midst of seperating it from the engine when I got a call that my niece was in an accident with my Jeep TJ.

Naturally I dropped everything and took off to meet my wife at the emergency room. Thankfully my niece escaped with just a few bruises, but my wife thinks the Jeep is totaled after rolling over once or twice. My neighbor drove my wife to the scene and he called to say he thinks it's totaled also. We'll see in the morning.

The main thing is my niece is okay and for that I am truely grateful.

Very grateful.

When it rains it pours! Glad to hear your niece is OK! :eek:

Some Jeeps aren't for inexperienced drivers...prone to rollovers. Maybe suggest a BMW for her next ride?

keflaman · « **Reply #12 on:** June 14, 2012, 09:46:33 PM »

She normally drives the 318is or my Zcoupe when I'm working on the former, but when she starts school back up in the fall she has no need for a car.

I think her small stature actually saved her from injury as the roll bar and everything else crumpled around her. It was a fairly low speed rollover (<35-40mph). Not a scratch on her, literally.

E30 318is approval:D

Uploaded with ImageShack.us