Author Topic: Overheating/Starting issuse, please help (Read 2748 times)

Sophia69IS · « **on:** January 25, 2012, 05:08:15 PM »

Hello there,

Overheating problems again. I have been looking through many threads on
e30tech.com as well as M42club.com to see if I can find the answer. I’m still having a hard time finding out what the issues on my car are besides that it is old with a lot of miles. =P

Car: 1991 318is M42 motor 285,000miles

Symptoms:
1. Overheating – when the car is at an idle or stopped in traffic , the temp gauge will slowly climb and never come back down again until the car is going at a good pace with good revs.
Sidenote 1: I do not have a clutch fan or fan shroud installed, I installed an electric fan and it is attached to the radiator that helps a bit at idle.
Sidenote 2: There does seem to be a little white smoke coming out of the tailpipe, but I do not have a catalytic converter installed, just a straight exhaust with a muffler.
Sidenote 3: About a year ago I did a compression test because this problem was present and my compression numbers were good.
Sidenote 4: I have bled the coolant system several times, but I don’t think I am doing it quite correctly, what is the correct way to bleed?
Sidenote 5: There does not appear to be any water in the oil, there does appear to be a small sludge around the oil cap that may be due to water in the oil, but I do know that my vacuum lines also get clogged because the motor is old and there is a good bit of moisture on the top end of the motor.
Sidenote 6: I do know that this particular motor has been planed in the past, other than that I don't know much of the history of the car, I got it out of a ditch after the previous owner had hit it with a deer and left it there and sold it to my friend and I.

2. Trouble with starting – When I get in my car to start it, many times the starter will turn about a half turn and then just stop, starter, battery, and alternator are a little over a year old. I was reading a thread where a guy was having starting problems and it ended up being a headgasket problem. After a few tries the motor usually starts up and runs fine, although it sometimes idles kind of high.

Diagnosis? I’m thinking that there still may be a faulty head gasket, I don’t want to believe this because I am using this car as my daily driver and I don’t have the time or money to do the job right now.

Dilemma: I just moved to Washington State and need to pass an emissions test to be able to register my car. My car won’t pass an emissions test just based on my crappy exhaust, parts for the exhaust total around $500.00 for the catalytic converter and muffler. I don’t really want to put this money into my car and then have to fix the headgasket, but I love my e30 and hate to part with it.

Should I just save my money to invest in another car? Or should I go ahead and put the money into this one? I have a pretty limited income and this car is my only way to get about right now.
Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks for bearing through this long thread post and I really appreciate any thoughts, responses, and advice.

=)

P.S. Issues* I am at work and in a hurry to post this.

Geoff · « **Reply #1 on:** January 26, 2012, 09:48:55 AM »

I think perhaps the lack of response is down to..people dont want to be the bearers of bad news. I am no different, but I did just go thru the same thing. when these cars overheat, the head gasket does not go, the head does. usually. this usually manifests itself as a small crack which leaks into a cylinder. when it fills up, the motor wont want to turn on the starter, because it has a hydrostatic lock. Sometimes it can overcome this and start up, and run sort of ok even, but with the tell tale white smoke from the tailpipe. It very much seems as tho your best option might be a good used motor, as with 285,000 on the bottom end, you would want to rebuild it and not just thro another head on it. sorry..
Geoff

colin86325 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2012, 10:52:21 AM »

Does the white smoke smell like coolant?

Sophia69IS · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2012, 08:25:10 AM »

Geoff, thanks for being straight up. Does it matter that the head has been shaved before? The starter thing makes sense though. Unfortunately I don't have any time, or place or tools to put a rebuilt engine in her right now. How long would I have before she is done? I ususally just make sure she stays cool and she does fine, but if I get stuck in traffic is when it's bad news. I just drove her across the United States actually. South Carolina to Washington State. And she did fine, but it was all highway driving as you can imagine.

Colin, I smelled the smoke, it didn't smell like coolant to me.

Thanks for your replies. =)

n2motorsports · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2012, 03:09:02 PM »

my headgasket just blew too and i drove it around for over a year thinking it was just coolant/bleeding issues. same symptoms like yours except i never had any starting issues. when it finally blew, it was a very very hot day with the car driving under heavy load that caused it to finally go.

hopefully you can source a good motor.

Sophia69IS · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2012, 07:58:31 PM »

Anyone know what motors are compatible with this transmission besides the M42? I just moved here (Washington State), I found one salvage yard I'm planning on visiting next weekend.