So I went to start my m52 today...

[Nick325is]

Well, after what has seemed like an eternity in getting this swap finished up today was the big day to start her up. I filled up all my fluids and went to hook up the battery. When I hooked up the positive post it arced alot. Once I hooked up the negative terminal and tightened it down things seemed ok.

When I went to crank the car nothing happens at all. All my fuses are ok as well as my relays. Any suggestions here? It seems like something has got to be hooked up backwards somewhere.

After I unhooked the battery and stopped cursing I noticed a puddle forming under the car. Upon further examination I discovered coolant dripping out of the end of my headers. My assumption here is I am looking at a bad headgasket/possibly cracked head. The motor is an m52 out of a 98 528i with 74k miles. It has been sitting for 2.5 years at this point with fluid in it. Is it possible for a headgasket to go bad in that time period?

Thanks for any help/suggestions.

-Nick

[sharksforthecup]

Theres no way you filled the coolant and its leaking out of the headgasket, that doesn't make any sense. Is the bolt tightened down on the the drain plug (under the headers). Check the coolant line on the passenger side going to the radiator. It could also be if you didn't seal the water pump properly it could leak down in that direction. With the battery problem I'd just try jumping it. If that doesn't work pull out the volt meter. I just got my m52 running! Good luck!

Nick

[Nick325is]

The coolant is literally running out of the bottom of the header that collects from the 1st three cylinders. The arcing I mentioned with the batter literally melted off part of the postive battery terminal

[jrdeamicis]

The no start is in your wiring. Either in the starter or the adapter.

If you post your pin out for your x20 and c101 connector Ill help you out. Also make sure you have the POS wire hooked up properly out of your engine harness.

The engine cranking is not computer controlled at all.

Please post the model and year of your harness.

And because the girlfriend likes these smileys I am going to post them.

[Nick325is]

The harness is off of a 94 325i and the car is an october 1989 build date 325is. I'm running a treehouse adapter as well.

The car is not getting any power at all. No voltage anywhere...which really perplexes me.

More of my concern at this point is the coolant leaking out of the exhaust.

-Nick

[shiboujin]

uh. did you botch doing the head gasket? Coolant shouldn't be pouring out of there without the car cranking at least. Even then your HG has to be MAJORLY fucked for that. You sure a hose wasn't spraying on it or you didn't pour half a gallon over the valve cover?

[JGood]

More of my concern at this point is the coolant leaking out of the exhaust.

-Nick

It's not leaking out of the headers. It is physically impossible due to the way engines work, unless someone hit the head several times with a sledgehammer and broke apart the casting. Even then, coolant coming out of the exhaust ports would still be defying gravity since there is no water pressure without the water pump pressurizing the system. It must be leaking from somewhere and dripping onto the exhaust.

[evil_twin]

Post pictures!

[Nick325is]

I would post pics but the car is currently two hours away. I will see if I can get my bro to snap some while he is home. The coolant is literally dripping out of the header that feeds from the first three cylinders. I had a rag stuffed in it while it was up in the air and it was soaked in coolant after about 30 min.

I am baffled by this especially on a motor that had good compression #s.

[gregslow318i]

clacked block? or pin hole in the cylinders...

[mattdk318i]

let me know how the shifter works out for you nick

[evil_twin]

So did you look at your head when you had it pulled off and examine it for cracks?

[jrdeamicis]

Well the no crank is for sure wiring somewhere. Make sure you have

A) A good battery
B) The POS and the ground hooked up.
C) Make sure you have the grounds hooked up to the motor. (VERY IMPORTANT)

Coolant out of the exhaust. Wow.

[Nick325is]

Didn't pull the motor apart....I just threw it in as it was. Theres a big lesson in motorswaps for me. Definitly should've rebuilt the bastard first. That being said I still dont get how it would just leak coolant like that without being pressurized.

I wont be back to the car for a couple weeks so all progress is halted at this point.

[evil_twin]

Pull your plugs and look into the cylinder. See if your plugs are wet or what.