M42 reliability and high mileage

Vicarious · 07-19-2007, 04:19 PM

Hey guys, i'm shopping for an M42 318, and i've seen some for very good prices, but they have high miles, as in 200-230k. The owners say they've replaced a lot of stuff, like water/fuel pumps, t-stats, radiators, etc, all that preventive maintenance goodness. Now i know that the M42 has forged internals and is one of the strongest engines, but how strong. Should i stray away from the ones with 200+k miles?

e30_kid89 · 07-19-2007, 04:27 PM

around that mileage, i would automaitcally consider that the timing chain,rail,guides etc and tensioners will all need to be overhaule'd. also check the oil sump becauce they are know for falling out and sitting in the lower oil pan leading to engne destruction.

Vicarious · 07-19-2007, 04:29 PM

how much do you think that stuff will run me? From what i've read those things can be done by ones self easily.

jrobie79 · 07-26-2007, 02:09 PM

how hard is it to change the timing chain by myself? and whats the cost of a new one. my car is 222K on it i bought it with 180 so im thinkin about taking a look at some of the stuff u mentioned.

BrandC · 07-26-2007, 03:35 PM

Brendan Percel's (spelling?) webpage is the most excellent 318i/is resource. It is filled with DIY's for anybody decently mechanically inclined. He also rates the difficulty levels of tasks like Pelican Parts DIY's.

The M42 is a very easy engine to work on, you will have fun doing the work yourself.

jrobie79 · 07-26-2007, 03:39 PM

whats the URL for that site?

Funkmasta · 07-29-2007, 06:26 PM

If you find a motor with that mileage, don't immediately discount it.
I just this weekend, saw a nearly 300k non-rebuilt M42 just lay down 220-190 in every cylinder.

frost_dxb · 08-17-2007, 07:52 PM

300k is just mid life they are strong engines with forged Con-rod and Crank

Simon S · 08-19-2007, 12:33 PM

BP's BMW E30 318is Site

stellar resource.

strad · 08-20-2007, 04:56 PM

Mine has 195k with no chain noise (just installed a new M44 tensioner). Had the lower pan off and all the bolts were tight too. Pulls strong. I'm thinking about selling my 2000 mustang, which though very well maintained is turning into a POS at 90k miles, and keeping the little M42. The wife likes the M42 because it's red!

golde30 · 08-20-2007, 06:00 PM

you guys should see the 226K miles m42 that was in the 318is i bought. that thing looked like some1 put a grenade on top of the #1 piston. i believe it dropped a valve, and the PO decided to keep driving it as long as he could till it just stopped moving.when i dropped the oil pan, there were HUGE chunks of metal in there. ever since then i have been scared of driving my m42 hard, i baby the shit out of it. my m20 on the other hand, gets driven quite hard...

NOMAD · 08-20-2007, 10:59 PM

Do NOT let them overheat. From what I read it's a really strong engine but dayum if mine didn't just take a dump. The little plastic water pipe under the intake manifold cracked, dumped coolant out and the engine overheated. I replace a bunch of hoses etc but the damage was done. I'll find out tomorrow if it's a warped headgasket or a cracked head.

There are a few nitpicky issues with these engines, the later M44 has all the kinks worked out from what I see.
No more issues than other cars like it but issues nonetheless.

Get the best condition engine you can find, then still plan on replacing critical components and DO NOT WAIT. Once you take care of hoses, vacuum lines, water pump, t-stat, timing chain, chain tensioner, fluids, gaskets etc you should be really happy.

07-26-2007, 03:35 PM	#5
BrandC E30 Addict Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 444	Brendan Percel's (spelling?) webpage is the most excellent 318i/is resource. It is filled with DIY's for anybody decently mechanically inclined. He also rates the difficulty levels of tasks like Pelican Parts DIY's. The M42 is a very easy engine to work on, you will have fun doing the work yourself. __________________ -Brandon

08-17-2007, 07:52 PM	#8
frost_dxb Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 40	300k is just mid life they are strong engines with forged Con-rod and Crank __________________ 2002 C200 KOMPRESSOR 1995 318i - M42B21 on the making 1986 325e - Just another Project 1989 M6 - SOLD in DXB Last edited by frost_dxb; 08-20-2007 at 04:33 AM..

08-19-2007, 12:33 PM	#9
Simon S No R3VLimiter Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 3,742	BP's BMW E30 318is Site stellar resource. __________________ ----------------------------Zen and the Art of e30 Maintenance - / - Zen TOC - / - Zen Summary

08-20-2007, 06:00 PM	#11
golde30 R3V OG Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: SF, CA Posts: 9,430 Images: 266	you guys should see the 226K miles m42 that was in the 318is i bought. that thing looked like some1 put a grenade on top of the #1 piston. i believe it dropped a valve, and the PO decided to keep driving it as long as he could till it just stopped moving.when i dropped the oil pan, there were HUGE chunks of metal in there. ever since then i have been scared of driving my m42 hard, i baby the shit out of it. my m20 on the other hand, gets driven quite hard... __________________ 1988 325IS LM '89spec Sterling Grey Metallic-S52 OBD1 Powered-E30 M3 5lug-CF Bits all over FRONT VALENCE IS ZENDER!!! STOP FILLING MY PM BOX PPL!!! Last edited by golde30; 08-20-2007 at 06:18 PM..

07-19-2007, 04:19 PM	#1
Vicarious Wrencher Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Ridgewood NJ Posts: 223	M42 reliability and high mileage Hey guys, i'm shopping for an M42 318, and i've seen some for very good prices, but they have high miles, as in 200-230k. The owners say they've replaced a lot of stuff, like water/fuel pumps, t-stats, radiators, etc, all that preventive maintenance goodness. Now i know that the M42 has forged internals and is one of the strongest engines, but how strong. Should i stray away from the ones with 200+k miles?

07-19-2007, 04:27 PM	#2
e30_kid89 E30 Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 484	around that mileage, i would automaitcally consider that the timing chain,rail,guides etc and tensioners will all need to be overhaule'd. also check the oil sump becauce they are know for falling out and sitting in the lower oil pan leading to engne destruction.

07-19-2007, 04:29 PM	#3
Vicarious Wrencher Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Ridgewood NJ Posts: 223	how much do you think that stuff will run me? From what i've read those things can be done by ones self easily.

07-29-2007, 06:26 PM	#7
Funkmasta Sitting in timeout Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chicken Saw, Oregon Posts: 7,189	If you find a motor with that mileage, don't immediately discount it. I just this weekend, saw a nearly 300k non-rebuilt M42 just lay down 220-190 in every cylinder.

08-20-2007, 04:56 PM	#10
strad Wrencher Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Vegas Posts: 239	Mine has 195k with no chain noise (just installed a new M44 tensioner). Had the lower pan off and all the bolts were tight too. Pulls strong. I'm thinking about selling my 2000 mustang, which though very well maintained is turning into a POS at 90k miles, and keeping the little M42. The wife likes the M42 because it's red!

08-20-2007, 10:59 PM	#12
NOMAD E30 Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,468 Images: 5	Do NOT let them overheat. From what I read it's a really strong engine but dayum if mine didn't just take a dump. The little plastic water pipe under the intake manifold cracked, dumped coolant out and the engine overheated. I replace a bunch of hoses etc but the damage was done. I'll find out tomorrow if it's a warped headgasket or a cracked head. There are a few nitpicky issues with these engines, the later M44 has all the kinks worked out from what I see. No more issues than other cars like it but issues nonetheless. Get the best condition engine you can find, then still plan on replacing critical components and DO NOT WAIT. Once you take care of hoses, vacuum lines, water pump, t-stat, timing chain, chain tensioner, fluids, gaskets etc you should be really happy.