m30 fucked

[Garageaholic]

I had my car all ready to go last summer. Took it for a drive. Ran fine! Then it started leaking from the area between my tranny and engine so i immediately thought, "rear engine seal". I should have changed it when i had it out of the car in the first place, but I knew that if i didn't address it, it would have gotten worse. I rented an engine hoist and went to work. Removed the engine/tranny all by meself and changed it completely. After realizing what had caused the leak, I realized that after looking in the tranny bell housing that I put too much grease in there for the throw out bearing. Turns out that the grease inside the bellhousing was melting from the heat, liquifying, and dripping out at the engine/tranny area. Didn't even need a rear engine seal!


But i did it becuase it had to be done. I wasn't giving up on the m30 just yet. I'm sure that a rod won't be too much harder to fix. I hope not at least.

it could be a great opportunity to replace or even upgrade other M30 parts while it's out of the car!

[JoeMadoo]

Sounds good. I noticed the same thing coming out between the engine/trans and thought the same thing too, but i'm just lazier than most.

[george graves]

Man, sorry to hear that...

[JoeMadoo]

So now that i have my block apart is there anything i can do now to beef it up for turbocharging?

I recall having 0 oil pressure. i tried several different oil temp switches, and a vdo gauge with a good sending unit and still had no oil pressure. I also tested my pressure light and it is wired correctly. I just dont understand how there can be no oil pressure and it still ran fine. What can i do to check to see if i have a oil pressure problem while the m30 is apart?

[Garageaholic]

You gonna put low comp pistons on it?

MLS headgasket too...w/ head bolt kit

[JoeMadoo]

Well I know the m30 has pretty low compression already.

Now that i think about it having no oil pressure could kill connecting rod bearings, and mine look pretty bad.

[SpunkyE30nOk]

are u gonna post up pics of your motor torn down?

[gotKRAUT]

post some tear down pics...stat! so we can help figure this shiz out

[kylebes1]

m30 bottom ends don't break. Not with a mere 200k miles...

[JoeMadoo]

Found the culprit. This is the #3 rod bearing.



The rest don't look to hot either.



So do you guys think i should have the crank grinded and get oversize bearings or not? And replace piston rings or not?

[T.Dot_E30]

I think you really should get the crank re-surfaced because the bearings seem bad and im sure there must be some groves on the crank.

Since you need to take it all apart, it might be better to just get stuff done now.

[SpunkyE30nOk]

I think you really should get the crank re-surfaced because the bearings seem bad and im sure there must be some groves on the crank.

Since you need to take it all apart, it might be better to just get stuff done now.

+1....what if you use certain over sized pistons/rings will it make it a 3.6? :p or how bout a 3.8

[JoeMadoo]

Boring and new pistons cost alot of $$$, but if I could i would in a heartbeat.

Anyway, I found something else that could probably add to or even be the cause of the knocking. There was a missing bolt on my cam timing gear and the other 3 were barely hand tight, so the gear was floppin around, and only god knows where the last little bolt went, i can't find it. And yea, I'm the dumb ass who didn't tighten them.

[triggrhaapi]

Awwwww. Dude that sucks. Don't worry, this is a good thing. You NEEDED this rebuild anyway. Old motor, tired motor, needs revitalization. This will end up giving you a practicality that you never had before.

[euroshark]

only god knows where the last little bolt went, i can't find it. And yea, I'm the dumb ass who didn't tighten them.

Doh!