New daily - E36 content

[JCarp90]

Hey yall,

Thought I'd toss this up here since I know virtually nothing about E36s and even less about M42s and I'm looking for some recommendations.

A friend of mine bought this for a daily and has recently lost interest in it. He drove it for over a year and the head gasket started to give, he pulled the head off, had it re-finished and just sort of stopped caring about the car. It's sat for about 2 weeks before he came to me and asked if I wanted it. $800 later, it's mine. It's an automatic, unfortunately, but it's a 4-door which is what I wanted. Also it's only got 150k on it. He took the liberty of having the head re-finished and all I have to do is put it back together. Like I said, I don't know anything about M42s so I'm looking for some recommendations on what all I should do while I'm putting it back together. So far on my list:
-Head Gasket set
-Head bolts
-Thermostat
-Thermostat housing/gasket
-Water pump/gasket

Otherwise, the car is straight. Needs a little cleaning, but everything is in-tact and functional. Even A/C!









The wood trim has to go and the glove box cover needs to be re-glued, but I think it's a pretty solid deal all the way around. Oh, the front tires are new as well. Rears could use new ones soon, though.

[Le_Garagiste]

Check the timing chain tensioner - about $50 to replace and 10 minute job. It makes a huge difference if the engine has a loud chain noise.

[bmwstephen]

wtf is the deal with the wood?

[JCarp90]

Check the timing chain tensioner - about $50 to replace and 10 minute job. It makes a huge difference if the engine has a loud chain noise.

Noted, thank you.

wtf is the deal with the wood?

Yeah, I have no idea. That will get painted or something... but I hate everything about it. WhatinthefuckBMW

[Dj Buttchug]

make sure you get the profile gasket sealed up right the first time. I use a thin bead of RTV top and bottom before installing the head.

Also do not mistake the gap in the crank pulley tone wheel to be TDC. it is not. Look for a small hairline notch in one of the teeth. this is what you line up with the oil housing arrow.

GL OP

[UNHCLL]

Also, while the head and the intake are off, you need to do the 2 plastic cooling pipe tubes. Only use OE BMW pieces. One goes on the back of the cylinder head, the other goes on the side of the block. They get brittle and old, and will fail. Replace them while everything is apart.

[e30construction]

let me get those fog deletes lol..nice find man i just recently picked up a 93 325i e36 for cheap as well..hope u like it as much as i do mine


how i got it looking so far

[cabin]

That wood is definitely not OEM. Looks like some aftermarket stick-on garbage.

[NVfive33i]

Nice I DD a 1995 318i with 285k great everyday car.

[einhander]

Nothing like a good E36.

[JCarp90]

Haven't even been able to drive it yet and I already love it. Ordered a bunch of parts to do the HG job and this weekend I will order tires as well.

Most of the wood trim has been stripped off and the carpets have been cleaned. Woot.