Rebuilt head after warping it new problems...

[thedguy]

So I just got my e30 back together after blowing the head gasket and warping the head. I got it all machined, replaced all seals and even did all the seals on the front of the engine for good measure.

Anyhow my issues are 2 fold. I don't seem to be getting (enough) oil to the top end. The lifters are making gnarly noise.
Second problem is my thermostat housing has a leak on the bottom side.

Is it likely that problem 2 is just the t-stat housing warping with the head some how?

As far as problem 1... WTF?

I really want this car running. I'm sick of it sitting. I'm afraid to put any more torque on the t-stat housing bolts in fear it'll strip.

[Dj Buttchug]

1st no. Your tstat housing is leaking because you didnt install the gasket right.

2nd the lifters need to be pumped up. R3v the engine or drive the car until it goes away.

before you do anything :fix the leak

I really hope you got the timing right ect. and you have some idea of what you are doing. im scared for you right now.

[thedguy]

I've done this all before. I had to go deeper when I fixed it on my bro's 318 a few years back. And I've done timing belts a number of times on other engines.
Thanks for thinking about me though :D

I did the gasket a week or 2 ago... how am I supposed to do the gasket?

[Dj Buttchug]

I've done this all before. I had to go deeper when I fixed it on my bro's 318 a few years back. And I've done timing belts a number of times on other engines.
Thanks for thinking about me though :D

I did the gasket a week or 2 ago... how am I supposed to do the gasket?

okay good.


ditch the paper gasket and go with rtv. It works better especially if the t stat housing has some ecthing/pitting from a poorly serviced coolant system/ electrolysis

[thedguy]

okay good.


ditch the paper gasket and go with rtv. It works better especially if the t stat housing has some ecthing/pitting from a poorly serviced coolant system/ electrolysis

Yeah, I should have done that. I did have some gnarly pitting in the housing. I didn't even think about it.

I'm already feeling better About this.

I never thought I'd miss driving my e30 so much.

[gearheadE30]

I use permatex on the paper gasket and have never had a problem. It also helps with sticking the gasket to the housing so it doesn't get wrinkled or misaligned when reinstalled. Good call on not cranking the bolts down more; that would have sucked.

[thedguy]

I use permatex on the paper gasket and have never had a problem. It also helps with sticking the gasket to the housing so it doesn't get wrinkled or misaligned when reinstalled. Good call on not cranking the bolts down more; that would have sucked.

I couldn't procure a new gasket so I'm going to try just using the waterpump/thermostat gasket maker. Still waiting for the shit to dry to find out of it's good to go or not.

I've had to replace the oilpump before, don't want to do that again.

One thing, when I got the motor running I let it run for a good 5 minutes and those damn lifters were still clattering. I've let other motors sit for long periods of time and not taken more than a minute or 2 to start quieting down.

[Simon S]

I’ll throw in having had both of the problems you had after putting my engine back together.

My “lifter” noise was due to mistakes on part. It can be tricky to get everything right timing-wise.
General rules:
- Correct number of teeth between cam sprockets (7 links, mark to mark)
- Arrows on cam sprockets both parallel and pointing upward
- Cam sprockets set in middle of adjustment slots when rear cam “squares” are flat/even


- Timing arrow on crank pully set to TDC


Whole lot of good discussion/reading/pictures/videos in this thread.

Like yeah yeah on the tensioner and lifters.. but if it hasn’t stopped being noisy after a warm-up cycle or two – then I would focus on making sure the timing is right.

My t-stat housing leaked real bad after I put everything “fresh” and back together. It really puzzled me since I do everything super-clean by rule. I basically took it apart – then put it back together. I even re-used the new gasket. I will never know why, but it just didn’t leak the second time.

[irish44j]

I use the copper gasket sealer with all my paper gaskets. It's much better than the red gasket sealer, for some reason.

[Simon S]

I'm a fan of the copper spray as well - but only for things like oil pans and timing casings. I cringe when I see engine casings with loads of that orange goop all over. I'll use the black RTV sealer sparingly when it's called for (like small dabs at corners of rubber profile gaskets).

I would advise not using copper spray for a maintenance part like the t-stat housing. That copper stuff is a holy bitch to remove..


edit: had assumed that by "copper", you meant the spray - which I just now found out can come in a tube as well..

[thedguy]

Well the coolant leak stopped. the noise is reduced from the top end.
The bad news is I think I some how got the thermostat in wrong. It takes a lot of revs to get the heat into the heater core and the lower radiator hose from the head to the radiator doesn't even get warm.

I could have a timing issue, but I don't think it's between the cams, I had those zip tied so they wouldn't move... fuck.

[bmwman91]

The side of the thermostat with the spring goes inside the head. Make sure that the little stamped arrow points straight up when installed, too. When you install the housing, do NOT put one bolts in one at a time, fully tightening them. You'll cock the housing on the gasket or RTV and crack it. Put all 4 in finger-tight and then go corner-to-corner tightening them 1/4 turn each until they are all to-spec. I learned this the hard way years ago. This applies to most of the aluminum castings that bolt onto the engine, really.

As far as the noisy lifters, did you lose the oil check valve that sits between the block & head?

[thedguy]

As far as the noisy lifters, did you lose the oil check valve that sits between the block & head?

That's the thing... I have no idea. I didn't see it in the head and I didn't really look for it on the block side.

I really don't want to have to pull the head back off again. That valve cover is nerve racking.

I didn't even see an arrow on my thermostat...son of a bitch. I usually do a better job of researching this shit before I tear into it. Hell I helped sheepdog do it all to his engine years ago when the oil pump grenaded a block from our house.

Damn my fuzzy memory.

[Simon S]

I had those zip tied so they wouldn't move... fuck.

I had zip tied mine as well - but a prior mechanic had the number of links off (8 instead of 7) between the sprockets. Adjustment slots were set at max to compensate. Took me a while to figure this out.. and in my reading over the years, I noted this same occurrence happened to at least two other people..

And yeah, the valve cover is a little nerve racking. Just take your time and use a small 1/4" socket wrench as you don't want to strip threads in the aluminum head. Get them seated + 1/8-1/4 turn. Use blue loctite. Better loose than stripped. Job is considerably less fun with COP in place.

Good luck.

It takes a lot of revs to get the heat into the heater core and the lower radiator hose from the head to the radiator doesn't even get warm.

Have to ask.. did you install a new water pump when you were doing the work?

[bmwman91]

The lower hose from the radiator to the t-stat housing should not get warm. It is the cold/return line. The top hose that connects to the radiator by the expansion tank is the "hot" one.

Did you mix up the heater core hoses? Maybe you have the hot/cold lines mixed up and there is a check valve in the core or something. It could be that there is a bunch of air trapped in the heater core. The lower pipe at the firewall connects to the cylinder head and the upper one connects to the plastic pipe. They are easy to mix up.

Can you tell if the lifter noise is coming from one lifter, or is it all of them? Is your chain tensioner piston properly expanded and functioning / did you replace it?