M42 from E36 into E30

[Gloff]

Ugh, put the timing covers back on....


And I have a leak. It doesn't even have any oil in it! I can't imagine what the leak would be like when it runs. It's leaking from the profile gasket, in the photo you can see the gasket is folded over on the corner. I tried prying it out from behind the seal, no joy, joint is too tight. Off comes the head! Funny enough, someone PM'd me about doing the profile gasket while it's out of the car, I told him I'd rather not pull the head if it's unnecessary, turns out it is. Also, when I did the head gasket on the motor that's currently in the car, I got impatient with Pelican and ordered a profile gasket and head bolts from the local dealer, so I already have the bolts and gasket, just need to order the HG. Hopefully I won't have to surface the head.

[Gloff]

Side note on the RMS. The new seal appears to be a PTFE composition which should be installed dry, even though TIS suggests to lubricate the seal. Anyone have any input?

[Gloff]

Couldn't wait until tomorrow! Small Pic dump.

Got the Timing Case covers off and the Rear main replaced. Going to get the timing case covers cleaned up and re-installed tomorrow.

Old Rear Main, not leaking, but hell, the motor is out!


Notes for future M42 hobbyists: Seal kit with carrier is part no. 11142247867, it comes with all the bolts for the carrier and the seal for the block face to carrier. It also comes with a "support bushing" that is used for installation that I didn't take a picture of. Basically, you install the support bushing into the seal and use it to keep the lip of the rear main seal from folding over. The two bottom bolts are 13mm Torque: 22NM, the four upper bolts are 10mm torque: 10NM. They had blue (medium) threadlocker on them. The new bolts did not have threadlocker preinstalled, but TIS recommends it. It also recommends lubricating the crankshaft hub, I didn't because I didn't read it before doing it, however the installation went fine. Let me know if I should re-do it.

New Seal installed before torquing make sure the dowels are not damaged and the carrier seats around them (2nd pic)



Upper timing cover off. Notes: all bolts are the same length for the upper timing cover


Lower timing cover off. Notes: Many different sizes of bolts here. I used a piece of cardboard with a diagram of the lower timing case to keep track of which length goes where.



Here you can see the updated deflection rail in place of the Idler gear in the E30 version



Interesting to see how the timing tensioner actually works


Have to clean up the mating surface for the thermostat housing, that paper gasket sucks to remove. Notes: Upon re-installation I use a thin coat of Drei Bond 1209 (or hylomar blue) on both sides of the paper gasket. This does two things, one: seals better as usually these motors have pitting here that the paper gasket can't compensate for Two: makes removal and cleanup easier the next time you have to replace the thermostat.

Interestingly, this engine had a metal gasket that was one piece for both upper and lower timing cases. It was a later update that supersedes the paper multi-piece gasket, apparently they are bilaterally exchangeable according to RealOEM. Both kits are still available from BMW. Clearly it doesn't work any better, as this one was leaking pretty badly, with oil in the usual place of the lower passenger side of the engine and the crank position sensor. I will be using the paper gasket with hylomar blue on both sides all the way around to try to stave off future oil leaks that this motor is known for here.

[Gloff]

Goodies Arrived! Ya know, it feels like less stuff than when I ordered it. Waiting on some Hylomar to get here before I can get cracking bolts.



Workspace ready, will be starting with the rear main seal on Monday. I'm also going to get the R12(!) purged from the car on Monday.

[roguetoaster]

If you think your intake surfaces are so uneven that the gasket cannot compensate you should verify and replace. It's more likely that the clamping load is uneven.

However, if you just want to have them flattened many machine shops will be able to put them on a linisher for you.

[bmwman91]

If the inside of everything is coated in a brownish oily film, that is just oil residue from the PCV system. Every high mileage M42 has a pretty soiled intake system from that.

[Gloff]

MAYBE. What exactly is the problem with them? 1000 grit is probably so fine that it won't do much at all, or if it does, the problem was something the paper gaskets would have sealed anyway. The risk with more aggressive grits is that you round the flanges at the ends/edges and then they are no longer flat or coplanar to one another. If there's crud on the faces, then some acetone and a brass brush should take care of it, and maybe a window scraper if it is really on there.

Good pics and stuff so far, keep it coming!

I see fuel residue when I pull the upper manifold, I'll take a pic when I start pulling it apart again

[bmwman91]

Sweet.

Can I sand out the intake mating surfaces on the E30 intake manifolds? I'm pretty sure they've got a small leak on cylinder 3 on both upper and lower. 1000 grit?

MAYBE. What exactly is the problem with them? 1000 grit is probably so fine that it won't do much at all, or if it does, the problem was something the paper gaskets would have sealed anyway. The risk with more aggressive grits is that you round the flanges at the ends/edges and then they are no longer flat or coplanar to one another. If there's crud on the faces, then some acetone and a brass brush should take care of it, and maybe a window scraper if it is really on there.

Good pics and stuff so far, keep it coming!

[OriginalSterm]

I'll be updating this thread with reseal pics, so keep checking back! Probably about two weeks tho, waiting on stuff from pelican, some of the seals have to come from BMW. I only ordered Genuine BMW seals.

There's a guy named Al that has a bunch of BMW stuff and he's based on the east coast, he's been mentioned in a lot of 2002 forums/grassroots. Might want to shoot him an email, I hear he has everything. I reached out to him but he said I'm to far away. His email is 324tdi@gmail.com

Very cool, thanks for the heads up!

[Gloff]

I might be looking to purchase something from Engine World as a backup motor for my Champcar. I'm curious how this motor turns out, M42's are getting a little harder to come by.

I'll be updating this thread with reseal pics, so keep checking back! Probably about two weeks tho, waiting on stuff from pelican, some of the seals have to come from BMW. I only ordered Genuine BMW seals.

There's a guy named Al that has a bunch of BMW stuff and he's based on the east coast, he's been mentioned in a lot of 2002 forums/grassroots. Might want to shoot him an email, I hear he has everything. I reached out to him but he said I'm to far away. His email is 324tdi@gmail.com

[OriginalSterm]

I might be looking to purchase something from Engine World as a backup motor for my Champcar. I'm curious how this motor turns out, M42's are getting a little harder to come by.

[Gloff]

Sweet.

Can I sand out the intake mating surfaces on the E30 intake manifolds? I'm pretty sure they've got a small leak on cylinder 3 on both upper and lower. 1000 grit?

[bmwman91]

The E30 M42 block is identical to the E36 one and has the knock mounting holes, despite no knock sensors being used. It is fine to remove them.

I am not sure what might have drained out of the fuel rail, if not fuel, but as long as the cylinders are not somehow full of liquid you should be fine.

[Gloff]

I'll have to see if my E30 block had the same holes provisioned when I pull it

I was surprised, the rear main is dry, but the front main needs replaced

[roguetoaster]

Looks good overall.

Not 100%, but the holes for the knock sensors aren't likely to be through drilled, so you might not need to put in a bolt there.