M20 Sounds Like A Boxer Engine...

[E30 Dreams]

I was driving my car hard as always, and then it just lost all of its power...
My head has always been loud since I got the car.
I checked for vacuum leaks and found one but it didnt make it much better.

Here is a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6gGQZqoUog

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

[Herr Faust Schinken]

That sounds like a valve that's seriously out of adjustment but that wouldn't cause a huge lose of power , have you pulled the valve cover off yet ?

[E30 Dreams]

I pulled the valve cover off and I know I have to do a valve adjustment.
I disconnected the spark plugs one at a time and it seems like cylinder 5 has a spark but its not firing.

[lcoleman]

Revs too well to be a timing problem, or a cylinder not firing. I definitely agree that one of the rockers probably came loose, so pull the VC and check it asap.

Also, baby jesus cries when you r3v the shit out of a cold engine.

Edit: You can unplug the injector to cyl 5 and see if idle quality changes. Telling you though, revs too well to be on 5 cylinders.

[E30 Dreams]

Well...I took the valve cover off in the dark when it happened and couldn't see anything wrong...
Now I just took it off and I snapped the rocker on cylinder 5.

Can I replace them with the head on the motor or do I have to pull it?

[jeffnhiscars]

I'd say that rocker broke from pounding on seriously loose valve clearances. If it was just that one that came loose, you can replace it. Check them all though before you remove the head since if others are quite loose you can figure they have also suffered metal fatigue and their turn to break is coming.

Just sayin'

[Herr Faust Schinken]

You might want to take the opportunity to take the head off and rebuild it , hotter cam , heavy duty rockers , valve job and seals and if you can't do all that I'd still recommend you replace all the rockers with Ireland engining hd ones

[e30trooper]

check all spark plugs

[MR 325]

check all spark plugs

Read thread. ;)

[e30trooper]

read thread. ;)

:d

[euro2fast4u]

compression check?

i have turned these beautiful bmw engines in to boxer/subaru engines quite a few times adds character.