After the mess under the intake

[LoneWolf]

Well I went ahead and tidied up the mess under the intake.

I everything went smooth until my last bolt....

The last bolt I had to torque was the rear upper intake bolt. In my haste, I did not realize that the nut had the fuel rail wire under it . When I started to torque on it I noticed something felt mushy:confused:


Fuel injector line by LoneWolfman, on Flickr


When I looked I realized I had pinched the wire very hard and broken through the insulation. The wire itself looked intact, so I wrapped it in some electrical tape.

This seems like a big screw up on my part.

When I fired the car up, mind you it hadn't been run in almost a month, the car ran rough. Could this damaged wire be causing this?

I was thinking as well it could be my gas.

Any input on how to repair would be great


I also have another issue to contend with, an oil leak

I can't seem to find narrow it down all the way.

While doing the mess under the intake I went ahead and dropped the lower pan to check the upper pan bolts. I found one bolt in the pan and the rest were all finger tight :eek:

I went ahead and pulled them all, applied loctite, and torqued them down.

I had hoped that this was the cause of my oil leak. But I still have one.

The leak is coming off of the front somewhere and dripping down on to the top of the lower pan then off.

It doesn't look like it is the upper pan leaking. It looks like it starts from up higher.

The seam/gasket under the oil filter can looks pretty suspect. I degreased the engine in hopes of getting a better look.

If anyone has any tips or input on my oil leak that would be great too!

I just want to get it back running so I can enjoy it!

Thanks!

Edit: Started the engine after the degreasing. I was able to see right where the oile started to come from, Under the oil canister.

It doesn't seem to be leaking from the front, but instead back where I can't see, then it runs out to the front.

Anyone know what gasket is there to leak or if this is common?

Thanks!

[Geoff]

the oil filter cannister has an o-ring and a paper gasket where it attaches to the engine, I guess either one could leak.    the wire,  if damaged could definitely be a problem, I'd address that.
                                                    Geoff

[LoneWolf]

the oil filter cannister has an o-ring and a paper gasket where it attaches to the engine, I guess either one could leak.    the wire,  if damaged could definitely be a problem, I'd address that.
                                                    Geoff

Yeah I am most worried about that wire. It is hard wired into the fuel rail I believe.

The engine won't idle evenly, It keeps wanting to stall especially when coming down from revs and doesn't seem to run smooth.

I am wondering if the wire being damaged is causing the injectors not to fire properly?

Orrr I could somehow have a vacuum leak? But I am not sure how considering everything just got simplified???:confused:

Update Still stumped on the rough running, fearing it is linked to that plug board wire I pinched. Going to take a better look at the damage to the wire.

I did order the oil canister gasket and o-ring. It should be here by the weekend. Will I have to drain my brand new oil should most of the oil be in the pan and away from the higher oil canister, allowing me to remove it without draining?

Thanks!

[bmwman91]

Does the car run super rich; can you smell raw gas in the exhaust even after the motor warms up?

There are three wires in the injector harness: +12V, ground for injectors 1 & 3, ground for injectors 2 & 4. IF you actually damaged the harness, here are some possible outcomes:
- If you completely broke the 12V wire, the car wouldn't run at all, so you are probably good there.
- If you mashed the 12V wire & a ground, then the injectors on that ground wouldn't fire at all (running on 2 cylinders).
- If you mashed the grounds together, then the injectors would fire 2x as much as they should and you would be running super rich. You might also burn out the driver chip in the ECU.
- If you completely broke one of the grounds, you would be running on 2 cylinders.

Did you check to make sure that there weren't multiple wires with broken insulation? I'd cut the main sheath off around the damaged area and inspect each of the wires individually, ONLY if you know that you broke the insulation on the inner wires. If it was JUST the outer sheath, then there was no harm done.



My bet is on a vacuum leak though. Check the vacuum line coming from the valve cover. The stupid little hose barb/molded rubber thing under the throttle body has a tendency to crack, even when brand new. I just ran a piece of generic vacuum line form the valve cover straight to the 90 degree fitting that goes to the little piece of vacuum line directly on the throttle body. I was stumped for over a month at my poor running since I replaced ALL vacuum lines like 2 months prior. Well, stupid part #17 had already cracked, so I just byassed it!

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AF93&mospid=47305&btnr=11_1272&hg=11&fg=35&hl=18

[LoneWolf]

Thanks for the input! It is a huge help.

I am heading into work now so I wont have time to give it all a look until tomorrow sometime. I am very curious what kind of damage I did the to plug board wire

I think the rough running is a vacuum leak though, it seems to be "sucking" when it idles down.

I am going to go ahead and put hose clamps on everything just to be safe, especially that barb.

The one you mention under the throttle body, you don't mean the barb fitting in the intake boot do you?

Thanks again!

[bmwman91]

Don't worry about hose clamps. You are probably looking for a fairly substantial leak.

I was referring to part #17 in the diagram.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AF93&mospid=47305&btnr=11_1272&hg=11&fg=35&hl=18

Now, if you got rid of all that stuff with the re-arrangement of the hoses in there, then I am not sure what else it could be. If there is a crack, it should be pretty easy to see / feel.

[LoneWolf]

I deleted everything except the vacuum coming off the valve cover that goes to the throttle body and the one coming from the icv to the intake boot.

That is the right way to do the mess under the intake right?

And isn't part 17 in that diagram splter for when they were all connected?
If so that was gone with the mess

[Geoff]

when some folks have done the mess under the intake, there was a few issues with the manifold not seating correctly.  Sometimes they hang up on a locater pin.  If you did not replace the intake bellows,  they can develop sneaky cracks, especially after having been moved around.
                                                                    Geoff

[Nelson_40]

How about the line from the fuel pressure regulator to the TB, I know I have missed connecting it once upon a time. As for your oil leak are you getting pooling on a "lip" the block right below the oil pressure sender, if so I would bet on a cracked sender, which is a cinch to replace.

[bmwman91]

I have't done the "mess under the intake" mod myself since I tend to take the car out to the eastern Sierra, sometimes in really cold weather. I can't risk icing my throttle shut!

Anyway, if all the nonsense hoses are gone, then that makes the hunt for a leak easier. As someone else mentioned, check to make sure that the upper intake manifold is properly seated on the lower one. Nelson is right about the FPR line...I forgot that once, too.

How about that little air valve at the charcoal canister? Maybe you put it in backwards (which would let in unmetered air). The electrical connector should be on the engine side, rather than the fender side.

[LoneWolf]

when some folks have done the mess under the intake, there was a few issues with the manifold not seating correctly.  Sometimes they hang up on a locater pin.  If you did not replace the intake bellows,  they can develop sneaky cracks, especially after having been moved around.
                                                                    Geoff

I actually replaced my intake boot with a newer one, as the previous one had cracks all the way through. This newer one is showing fatigue but not broken all the way through I dont believe. I will pull it to inspect it better.

I want to replace it with a new one though soon anyhow, maybe I will spring for it soon.

Looked at the manifold and it seems like it is solidly seated. I torqued it down.

Where are the locator pins you are talking about that it can get hung up on? Just to double check.

How about the line from the fuel pressure regulator to the TB, I know I have missed connecting it once upon a time. As for your oil leak are you getting pooling on a "lip" the block right below the oil pressure sender, if so I would bet on a cracked sender, which is a cinch to replace.

I am pretty sure that is connected, I remember seeing some wear on it though.

Possible to replace it with the manifold still on? What size is that vacuum line?

I have't done the "mess under the intake" mod myself since I tend to take the car out to the eastern Sierra, sometimes in really cold weather. I can't risk icing my throttle shut!

Anyway, if all the nonsense hoses are gone, then that makes the hunt for a leak easier. As someone else mentioned, check to make sure that the upper intake manifold is properly seated on the lower one. Nelson is right about the FPR line...I forgot that once, too.

How about that little air valve at the charcoal canister? Maybe you put it in backwards (which would let in unmetered air). The electrical connector should be on the engine side, rather than the fender side.

Hmmmm I hadn't thought about the air valve there, I don't think I even messed with it?? Where exactly is it located?



Thanks a lot guys for all the responses and input! Keep em coming:D

[bmwman91]

The air valve is in the middle of some hoses on the driver's side, coming out of a big black cylinder thing. It is sort of in front of & below the power steering fluid reservoir.

As long as you can't see a gap between the upper & lower manifolds, you are good. Torquing it down might not fix anything if the alignment sleeve/pins are crushed between them already. The alignment sleeves are at the base of the two really long studs coming out of the lower manifold. Since you got rid of all the junk under the TB, I guess it is super easy for you to pull the upper manifold & check! I am sort of jealous about that.

[LoneWolf]

The air valve is in the middle of some hoses on the driver's side, coming out of a big black cylinder thing. It is sort of in front of & below the power steering fluid reservoir.

As long as you can't see a gap between the upper & lower manifolds, you are good. Torquing it down might not fix anything if the alignment sleeve/pins are crushed between them already. The alignment sleeves are at the base of the two really long studs coming out of the lower manifold. Since you got rid of all the junk under the TB, I guess it is super easy for you to pull the upper manifold & check! I am sort of jealous about that.

I will take a peek at that air valve.

I really like how clean everything is now that the whole mess is gone really. and I went ahead and relocated my icv so it is not tucked behind the engine.
It looks a lot better organized, if it only ran like it looks right now:(

I did just think about somthing.... When I relocated my ICV I used heater hose. But it is not the very flimsy kind.

When the car was running it did not look like that hose was collapsing or anything. That problem would be something I could visibly see correct?

[colin86325]

I also crushed the injector wires between the manifold halves one time.  I was making a roadside repair on a cross-country trip and neglected to take care in my haste.  I did smush a few wires but no harm was done.

I'd start spraying around with carb cleaner to try to detect a vacuum leak.  It's possible the intake manifold gasket was damaged when the wires were compressed.

[LoneWolf]

I also crushed the injector wires between the manifold halves one time.  I was making a roadside repair on a cross-country trip and neglected to take care in my haste.  I did smush a few wires but no harm was done.

I'd start spraying around with carb cleaner to try to detect a vacuum leak.  It's possible the intake manifold gasket was damaged when the wires were compressed.

Oh ok, good to note.

It wasn't smooshed under the manifold but actually pinched under the washer and against the manifold when I tried to torque down the rear manifold bolt. It actually took a little chunk out I think.

Hopefully I have some luck Saturday.

thanks for the tip on the carb cleaner, I hadn't thought of using that as a way to detect vacuum leaks