Another S52 swap... but this time with a newb!

[jahnaboi]

Yea, that's the thing. I took my intake manifold off 3 times to double check everything... I mean everything... =/ There's no blistered/busted vacuum lines, or anything that is loose. I just don't understand. It started on Friday night. At around 2 am in 40 degree weather I decided to flush my coolant several times as there was some rust from it sitting for a while in the engine when I bought it. So after I flushed the system about 4 times, just buttoned everything up and put it back in the garage. Keep in mind, it ran / idled perfectly when I put it in the garage and turned it off.

So I wake up the next morning, start the car and it started then shortly after the idle dropped then stumbled then died. So, I was like okay... weird. So I start it back up and it doesn't even want to idle so I give it some gas to maybe warm up the car and see if it'll act any different yet nothing. When I let the gas go, the idled dropped then died... No idea how it could go from running great to dieing and sounding like it has a mean ass vacuum leak... any inputs?

[e30serg]

Do have a stethoscope? A length of vacuum line will do. Maybe it's one of your gaskets, even though they are new? Did you torque everything correctly?

[jahnaboi]

Anyone have a vacuum line diagram? For some reason I seem to have a vacuum leak so my car doesn't want to idle but I know I connected every line where it should be....

I currently have the vacuum lines connected as so...

Crankcase (valve cover) - 2 lines - 1 large to throttle body boot 1 small to icv nipple
FPR to intake manifold near Intake Temp sensor
ICV - 2 big : one from intake manifold to icv, and one from icv to throttle body boot

Am I missing something? My car is making a noticeable "air is leaking from somewhere" sound. None of my gaskets on my intake manifold are bad and I highly doubt its my injector o-rings as they are still pretty new.

This leak wasn't here last time... and it just popped out of no where... could it be a faulty icv that isn't opening up causing back pressure to build up hence the horrible idle that won't stay up on its own?

[jahnaboi]

I tried drilling in as far as I could, but you could only go so far till the metal gets thin for the face that mates on the head. If I went anymore the threaded nipple would have literally came off the housing of the coolant feed. But what I did was I actually cut 1/4 of a inch of the thread off from the threaded part of the feed so that the probe was exposed about 1/2 inch within the head. This should allow it to read correctly and be grounded to the head.

[318isbmw]

Looks good. Only worry is it'll read a lil off since the probe won't be in the coolant flow like it normally is inside of the head. But is easier so its a trade off. Looks like it worked out good.

[jahnaboi]

Picture of the adapter I made with a modified coolant feed that was chopped then hollowed with a 11/32nd drill bit to fit the probe and a 1/2 inch drill bit to tap the inside with a 14mmx1.5 tap where the sensor bolts up to. Worked out fine, just very tedious work. Little to no extra metal to waste so its a hit or miss. I did it right the first time so I got lucky.




-Jasper

[jahnaboi]

Didn't tap the head. I ranked out. Lol. But I did do something better / safer and just as effective. I'll snap pictures for you guys. I already slapped it on but I'll probably fab up another one.

[sheefo2k]

good now take more pics and keep us updated on the tap.

[jahnaboi]

Done with my finals... now the progress begins again...

[318isbmw]

Can it be done without cutting oil or using some other form of lubricant?

You should use oil. For sure tapping, and preferrably w/ drilling as well, but just a little bit.

[logger]

Can it be done without cutting oil or using some other form of lubricant?

Ah I guess you will be ok with out any oil for drilling is you don't get it to hot. But I would use some for tapping so the thread dont start to strip.

[formula driver]

Wow, this is quite disapointing...

Atleast I learned a few things before it went south. You guys cant seriously think its easier to tap a head (might not be that hard but its tedious) than it is to make a cut to a hose and use a few hose clamps...

[jahnaboi]

Can it be done without cutting oil or using some other form of lubricant?

[logger]

Use cutting oil it is only aluminum and will drill/tap eazy.

Exactly the answer I was looking for. So essentially it would be more of a hassle to rethread a sensor than the head? I'll just tap the head. Already bought the drill bit and tap. Any suggestions before doing so from any experience person's point of view?

Also, my biesan systems kit came in today, after finals on wednesday I'll be tapping the head and rebuilding the vanos unit. Thanks for the response.

[jahnaboi]

A 12mm die will not fit over a 14mm thread. It will have to be turned down.

Exactly the answer I was looking for. So essentially it would be more of a hassle to rethread a sensor than the head? I'll just tap the head. Already bought the drill bit and tap. Any suggestions before doing so from any experience person's point of view?

Also, my biesan systems kit came in today, after finals on wednesday I'll be tapping the head and rebuilding the vanos unit. Thanks for the response.