1990 325i Seized up

[MrCrash]

From my org post asking about motor options and other general questions
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=326149

New to BMW as I stated in my first post I am taking this 1990 325i as a project car. I'm looking for some tips on what to do with a sezed motor.

I intended to do a swap to a m30 3.5 down the road but really did want to start the project there. I wanted to be able to drive the car. And still do.

What I was told:
I was told the car had a fuel problem that they change the fuel pump and still did not run and was told it was a fuel pump relay that was still needed and parked the car.

What I have:
Now I have it and to me it looks like it has been sitting for longer then the year maybe a couple years. The motor is very seized I put a wrench on the crank and cant budge it. I was going to try and use some blaster in the cylender to atempt to work it free.

Now is a m20 seized a paper weight ? Is it worth trying to break it lose and get some use out of it ? I thinking if I can get this motor working for less then half of the swap ill fix it.

I suffer from the need of instant gradfaction and lack patients, at least im honest about it :)

[haggardfab]

pull the plugs and try to spin it over again, its hard to turn a motor against compression.. motors generally don't just "seize up" from sitting unless there was a way for moisture to get into the cylinders or there was a problem prior to them parking it..

as for rebuilding it, last I checked its pretty pricey to do a rebuild on them so youd be beter off just swapping in a known good motor or possibly upgrading to an m50 etc.

[haggardfab]

also it wouldn't hurt to pull the accy belts off when trying to spin it over, a seized up alternator/ps pump will make it nearly impossibly to spin over by hand

[Nesset]

+1 on take all the plugs out and accessory belts. After that it should be very apparent if it is seized or not. Good luck man!

[MrCrash]

as for rebuilding it, last I checked its pretty pricey to do a rebuild on them so youd be beter off just swapping in a known good motor or possibly upgrading to an m50 etc.

I'm not going to rebuild it, it fix or replace, ill settle for a kinda fixed just to have something that starts in it.

thanks for your thoughts.

[MrCrash]

Make sure i'm looking for the right donor for a M30B35 (M30 3.5) would be in something like this,

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/cto/4463416757.html

and to start ill need besides the motor is the ECM

am i on the right track ?

[Exodus_2pt0]

I've had engines that sat for a while seam to be seized, but a good twist with a breaker bar free's them up. You can get some surface rust on the cylinder walls that will hold onto the rings pretty good. Said engines always ran fine once installed. (Junkyard motors)

You got nothing to lose, so take a breaker bar to it along with a 4 foot cheater bar if you have to.

[HennaE30]

Make sure i'm looking for the right donor for a M30B35 (M30 3.5) would be in something like this,

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/cto/4463416757.html

and to start ill need besides the motor is the ECM

am i on the right track ?

Hey man, just look at Pick N Pull (assuming they have em up there) you can pick up an entire motor for like $250.

Post pics of the car!


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[MrCrash]

Sad to report, after pulling the plugs out the second from the front looks like it was kissed by a piston, so with that info, i think (unless someone says other wise) im going to start looking for a M30B35

last time i was at the pick-n-pull i did not see many BMW granted i was not looking for them ether. I guess this weekend i'm going to take a walk and see what i see.

from Wiki it looks like the X35 have the M30B35 so im going to start looking for a donor car.

[HennaE30]

Sad to report, after pulling the plugs out the second from the front looks like it was kissed by a piston, so with that info, i think (unless someone says other wise) im going to start looking for a M30B35

last time i was at the pick-n-pull i did not see many BMW granted i was not looking for them ether. I guess this weekend i'm going to take a walk and see what i see.

from Wiki it looks like the X35 have the M30B35 so im going to start looking for a donor car.

Download the app Row52. You can put in what make model and years you are looking for and type in your zip code and it'll tell you availability in the pick n pulls in your area.


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[MrCrash]

Awesome ! thanks

[naplesE30]

Ive got an m30 sitting in my garage on a stand if your interested. Also have all accessories.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=201995

[nando]

I would try to get it running. Worst comes to worst, the bearings are shot and it blows oil past the rings. or, it runs fine. M20s are pretty tough.

[AndrewBird]

Maybe the timing belt snapped and munched a couple of valves?

Add some oil to the cylinders and let it sit overnight or longer. If things are rusty inside, this should help break it free.