head removal advice needed

[nando]

you don't need LSD additives in the IX rear diff

[ethirdy]

you don't need LSD additives in the IX rear diff

Thx ;) front same? I grabbed 3 qts of synthetic 75w90...should cover both.

[guibo09]

ok guys, need more help!

#1 - can't get the fan clutch off. dam thing keeps spinning and i can't break it loose. any advice?

#2 - injector wire harness. i disconnected it from the main harness, but the connector is still attached to the metal bracket that holds the engine wire harness. i can't seem to separate it. what do i do?

#3 - rear coolant hose, can i get to that after shifting the head a bit?

#4 - thick spring loaded hose from the head to the engine block. is this the EGR or something? what the hell do i do with that, access is so poor.

#5 - brake booster vacuum hose, dam thing is so seized, can't seem to separate it

[ethirdy]

#1 - can't get the fan clutch off. dam thing keeps spinning and i can't break it loose. any advice?

Are you trying to spin it clockwise? It's reverse thread, righty loosy lefty tighty ;) if you don't have the Bmw tool that holds the pulley in place, use large channel locks to hold the water pump pulley still.

#2 - injector wire harness. i disconnected it from the main harness, but the connector is still attached to the metal bracket that holds the engine wire harness. i can't seem to separate it. what do i do?

There's a thin plastic lock ring holding the connector to the bracket. Unscrew it and they'll come apart. You can leave the bracket on the manifold and remove it like that.

#3 - rear coolant hose, can i get to that after shifting the head a bit?

you really can't get to it with the intake manifold still on the head in the engine bay. Trace the rubber hose to it's other end and separate it there-you'll want it on there when you reinstall the head anyway (ask me how I know that one)

#4 - thick spring loaded hose from the head to the engine block. is this the EGR or something? what the hell do i do with that, access is so poor.

nothing. When you remove the head it'll pop out of the manifold and block.

#5 - brake booster vacuum hose, dam thing is so seized, can't seem to separate it

Keep that end in the brake booster, separate the joint ends going into the throttle body :)

[guibo09]

thanks for those tips.

#1 ill try channel locks. do i grab onto the small bolts, or squeeze the belt?

#2 the connectors are separated, i unscrewed the ribbed collet. but the injector side of the harness is still connected to that long bracket. and that bracket holds a bunch of other stuff that i dont want to remove. so how do i remove the harness connector from that bracket?

#3 gotcha! that should work well

#4 sweet! saves me trouble

#5 ill keep trying, there are about 3-4 joints, and none come loose. ill just pull harder i guess.

[ethirdy]

thanks for those tips.

#1 ill try channel locks. do i grab onto the small bolts, or squeeze the belt?.

Neither - get around the pulley that's bolted to the water pump by four 10mm bolts - it's metal, and will hold it still. Belts will just slip, bolts won't give you any room to turn the fan. I've also wedged a big flathead between the water pump pulley bolts and used them as leverage against the wrench, but that one takes longer...

#2 the connectors are separated, i unscrewed the ribbed collet. but the injector side of the harness is still connected to that long bracket. and that bracket holds a bunch of other stuff that i dont want to remove. so how do i remove the harness connector from that bracket?

There's two connections - one for the harnesses, which you've undone, big, fat two sided connector, but then there's a thin plastic ring screwed onto the connector sandwiching it onto the metal bracket. Take a look at your diagnostics plug connector mounted on the intake manifold - see the locking ring that you unscrew to remove the plug from the bracket? There's one just like that holding the injector side of the plug to that long flat bracket :)

#4 sweet! saves me trouble

Just make sure you either stuff it into the block before putting the head/intake manifold back on, or have someone on the driver's side guiding it into the intake manifold :)

#5 ill keep trying, there are about 3-4 joints, and none come loose. ill just pull harder i guess.

Looking at the throttle body, there are two aluminum 90 degree joints coming out of the side of it, on the right side. Stick a screwdriver between the throttle body and each joint and pry them out. Then rotate the whole ass'y out of the way. I fought with mine but got it out of the brake booster - then took it to Autozone and rebuilt it using new hose and clamps :) yaaaay!

[guibo09]

thanks again for the tips. ill let you know how it goes when i try again later this week.

[guibo09]

alright time for an update!

after 4 hours of work today, i managed to get the fan off, all the accessory belts off, the alternator, the timing belt, water pump, the remaining water hoses, and the hard headed brake vacuum line!

the head is now loose, and ready to come off. the only thing holding back is still that dam connector for the injectors. i assume i have to screw the locking ring off with some channel locks? i couldnt get it to spin with just my hands. its a right hand thread right?

[Chells_88ix]

Sounds like you had the same person put the fan pulley on that we did. Ended up having to get another to replace it as it bent some while taking it off. I didn't have any trouble getting the connector for the injectors off. I take it you left the intake on? We did and figured removing it on the bench was easier since they made the bolts damn near impossible to get off.

[guibo09]

bump for more injector connector removal from bracket advice before i try again tonight.

[guibo09]

head is off! yay!

got the exhaust manifold off. didnt have the right sockets to get the intake mani off however. man the clearance around the bolts is terrible! this germans got to learn to use flared/reduced heads.

lotsa carbon on the piston heads, gotta clean that up with some brake cleaner. the cylinder walls look stellar however.