PorscheDude's 325ix Chronicles

[PorscheDude]

So I have acquired this during the sale of my e24.

It is an '89 325ix sedan automatic base model. 164k miles, diamond black over tan vinyl comfort interior, recent replacement transfer case, rebuilt axels fairly recent timing belt water pump and a good set of Michelin Alpine snows.


This thread is to capture its repairs, refurbishment, my questions and musings.



What it needs:
headgasket (it is starting to weep oil)
motor mounts
shocks, strut inserts and mounts
a bent wheel fixed or replaced


Yesterday I ordered

Head Gasket Set
Head Bolt Set
Copper Exhaust Nuts
Spark Plugs
Timing Belt Kit with Tensioner Roller
T/belt Tensioner Pin
Timing Belt Tensioner spring
Air Filter
Fuel Filter
Thermostat
O-ring
Thermostat Housing Gasket
Breather Hose
Throttle Housing Boot
Oil Press Switch
Oil Filter
Motor Mounts

I still have a few more parts to order and will be installing new fuel lines and vaccum hoses. Next order will be all of the coolant hoses because they have never been replaced.

It gets horrible (worse than expected) gas mileage. about 12mpg no matter where or how I drive.

Not really sure I'm digging the car or not. It drives ok but I don't think it's really what I'm after.










I am more active on Bf.c but I will try and keep this thread up to date in parallel

What I'm messing with now 95 540/6
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1943859

What I have done in the past
89 635
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1509574&page=4

95 525 Touring
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1941672




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[kronus]

welcome and good luck with it!

[kid325e]

Looks just like im except mine is a 5spd. Your other cars look GOOD! Hoping you keep the iX for a little bit. : )

[PorscheDude]

It's an auto and a slug.

I have to say BMAparts (who I've been using for years) is just too awesome.
Order placed yesterday and parts arrived to day.

[spdracrm3]

nice looking IX,welcome

something seriously wrong to only be getting 12mpg, does it reach full temp? might check O2 sensor output see what it thinks engine is doing....

nice floor mats BTW

[PorscheDude]

Thank you on all accounts!
Temp gets to middle of the gauge.

When I do the head work, I'll probably throw new sensors on everything. Another possibility is a clogged cat. It's gonna be a couple weeks before I start tearing down. In the mean time, I'll just keep driving it. :-)

[PorscheDude]

What a let down...... We hardly got any snow.

I did manage to verify the driveline works as it should. I will say I'm pretty impressed when it snows. Too bad it won't snow 300 days a year for my appreciation....

[mtnbimmer]

Think twice before using the Victor-Reinz head gasket. I've used several of them now and they all have failed within months of installation. Check this and other forums for other people's experience with these gaskets. If you are going through the trouble of rebuilding the top end, bite the bullet and use the factory gasket and head bolts. Money well spent, I've been there (more than once..)

[PorscheDude]

Thanks, but after 20 years of messing with BMW's I have never had a problem with the VR stuff. I chulk most of these reported problems to inexperiance or improper installation.

[nando]

in general they aren't that bad but the M20 headgasket is just not good.

also, all M20s seep oil. the gasket isn't going bad.. that's just how they made it. think of it as rust protection. ;)

but no, really, I'd put money on the thing leaking again after you've replaced the gasket. usually from the corners of the block near the oil drains.

[gw ix]

Check the head bolts near the leaks, in fact check all of them.
I had a few leaking that turned out to be loose head bolts. People that don't know try to reuse tty bolts.

Not a win win by any stretch.

Edit: Sorry I almost forgot, Nice clean looking ride. I just sold my diamond schwarz 2 door.

[jute91]

http://www.metricmechanic.com/pdf/M20-Engine-Booklet.pdf

read that part about cylinder gasket failure.

[flyboyx]

About your bad fuel economy.... bmw says that car is supposed to get17/24, so 12is definitely bad. Some things to look into: intake leaks foremost. This is the most likely problem on an m20. The boot and vacuum hoses are you likely culprit. Throwing a lot of money blindly at replacing sensors is probably a waste of money. If you want to play the parts swap game, it would be better to just buy used ones at a jy and slowly rotate them into the engine as you drive it. The best solution would be to buy a bently manual and go through the trouble shooting sequence which takes an hour or two. How is the idle? The next likly culprit might be your o2 sensor. That one might be worth buying new.

[e30rescue]

I have your exact car ;89 325ix;auto, 4 door, same color in and out. Mine has 80,000 miles and I got it from the original family.
I get 18-21 mpg and it is no slug. All stock. No rust. I love this car and have a 91 318ic and a 91 318is.

[Kershaw]

I regularly got 24-26mpg in my auto ix. In my manual (current) ix I get 20-21mpg, however I also have larger injectors. My obc seems to think I average 23.5mpg, if I had stock injectors I'm pretty sure that'd be about accurate.

So, obviously something is wrong like everyone else is saying. Vacuum leaks, injectors, o2 sensor, afm, all possible culprits.

The auto feels like an absolute slug. No denying that. No sudden rush of torque like you get when you drive a manual. That said, in reality it's not that much slower. Yours may be just that much more off the mark because it's having fuel issues.