Simon's take on: 'Mess Under the Intake'

[roguetoaster]

Started tearing this stuff apart. Unfortunately it's a real mess inside. For the harness input on the alternator do I just yank it off or is there a special trick? I don't wanna screw up my harness disconnecting.

This is not a difficult project and you really need to relax a bit about it. For my alternator harness there were two layers of nuts and it may at first appear that you have all of them, but look again after you remove the top wires from the mounting stud. If you are just doing the mess deletion you don't need to touch the alternator, but I am assuming you are planning a general clean up, if so you can simply bag and tape closed any areas you don't want getting wet.

Further, relax, everything will go fine, and if something does go wrong you can fix it easily enough, after all the M42 is a supremely simple car to wrench on.

[MattBimmer]

^ sorry mine doesn't appear to have nuts on it, but it looks like black plastic knob on the back of the alternator. I am trying to be able to pull the wiring harness up and out of the way like Simon did in his write up. Did some more today this thing is absolutely filthy from the foam underneath the good falling down overtime and dirtying everything up
Edit: looked at Simons pics and there is just a cover I am missing to pop off. I am sorry, mine is just covered in gunk couldn't see that!

[roguetoaster]

Ah, thought you were past that step. I guess I should never assume. Glad you figured it, and hope yours came off without breaking as they are prone to doing. I still wonder why you guys are removing the wiring in front of the area to be worked on unless it is just to degunk as you can easily work around it.

[MattBimmer]

I am putting my new plastic core for the coolant in and the plastic isn't seating onto the block the rubber gasket won't let it go any further what should I do?

[jntar]

I am putting my new plastic core for the coolant in and the plastic isn't seating onto the block the rubber gasket won't let it go any further what should I do?

I had to lightly tap mine with a rubber mallet after cleaning up the block area that it fit into. It finally went in securely.

[MattBimmer]

Okay that's what I was gonna try but I just really didn't wanna crack it and then have to order another lol. Did you do that with the bolts already in and lightly tightened down?

[N2MYE30]

Ive never owned a 4 banger bmw but if I did, this tread would be in my favorites bookmark. Simons threads are always so informative.

[jntar]

Okay that's what I was gonna try but I just really didn't wanna crack it and then have to order another lol. Did you do that with the bolts already in and lightly tightened down?

I dont remember 100% but I do believe that I did have the farthest bolt barely threaded. It should work either way.

[MattBimmer]

I smacked it down and as I tightened down my bolts it popped out and then I tried using the bolts to pull it in and it snapped a bolt. Headed to lowes in the morning to try and find a new bolt

[Simon S]

speaking of the coolant pipe..

i suggest that for the block pipe you purchase BMW OEM only. there seems to be issues with other brands not having proper molds for this part causing them to leak.

I'll second this. It's a really cheap part, don't "cheap out" on an aftermarket one.

DAMMIT !!
Just want to reiterate the importance of going with OE coolant pipe (p/n 11531714738 ).

Look at what the f@%k I even said:

Agreed. This particular part is quality-sensitive indeed.

* Another reason to deal with Blunt Tech - you get hooked up with the good shit *

I’ll be a son of a bitch to notice a small pool of coolant on my engine block right under the pipe area a week ago as I type this. Kept an eye on it and noted ¼ to ½ cup loss of coolant after taking short drives.

Just spent an hour going through an inch and a half of project receipts. Found the part included with a miscellaneous BMA order I had placed. It had a manufacturer designation of “APA”. The price was $11.50. The real fucker is that I also found a blunttech estimate with what I presume to be the OE part for $16.41. This was in the fall of 2009, I was totally strapped at the time, and I didn’t know any better.

Nutshell: the aftermarket coolant pipe started leaking after an estimated 5 to 6K miles, it’s the middle of winter, and I’m pissed (at myself mostly).


(a trick for installing it more-easily is to smear a small amount of engine oil on the [new] pipe O-ring before fitting it)

[MattBimmer]

Okay did the rubber hammer trick o ring a
Seated well and I have the same 1 to 2 mm gap between the flange and the block like several other people have had (read this in different thread). Just for the hell of I I took RTV and smoothed it all around the flange just in case the part was to fail. I did use Blunttech so the part is definitely a good one.

Now I am just curious as I finish the last two hoses, who has ran an oil catch can from PCV to throttle body. I saw someone using a small fuel filter and I was interested at how well that worked.

[decay]

Just spent an hour going through an inch and a half of project receipts. Found the part included with a miscellaneous BMA order I had placed. It had a manufacturer designation of “APA”. The price was $11.50. The real fucker is that I also found a blunttech estimate with what I presume to be the OE part for $16.41. This was in the fall of 2009, I was totally strapped at the time, and I didn’t know any better.

fuuu. i had that pipe replaced by a shop when it broke last time i was on active duty. i guess i can plan on doing so again soon.

[roguetoaster]

Now I am just curious as I finish the last two hoses, who has ran an oil catch can from PCV to throttle body. I saw someone using a small fuel filter and I was interested at how well that worked.

An in line fuel filter works decently as a catch can, the limited capacity can of course get to some people. Just be sure to get a drop down one which routes flow into a U pattern, not a straight through. IMO a catch is not really needed, but if you are having lots of oil seepage into the TB area you should look into replacing the gasket on the oil separator which is on the bottom of the valve cover.

fuuu. i had that pipe replaced by a shop when it broke last time i was on active duty. i guess i can plan on doing so again soon.

Not all URO/other knock off water pipes fail, the one on my Moms car is going strong after nearly two years. Comparing fit and finish the two parts are just worlds apart, so it is possible you will need to replace it. Look at needing to replace it as an excuse to service your injectors or something.

[decay]

Not all URO/other knock off water pipes fail, the one on my Moms car is going strong after nearly two years. Comparing fit and finish the two parts are just worlds apart, so it is possible you will need to replace it. Look at needing to replace it as an excuse to service your injectors or something.

one upside of the dbilas setup is you don't have to remove the intake mani to get to that bit anymore :) after i did that, threw out the clutch fan and put an electric in front, suddenly i could reach EVERYTHING:



have only done TC tensioner, not the full job, but i "antishipate no shignificant problemsh".

[roguetoaster]

Forgot you have that. Now I feel slightly envious/cheap with my stock intake manifold/TB, stock clutched fan and stock ignition. Then your pic reminded me that I need to change my cam sensor gasket which will force me to look at my dead stock engine bay. :(