Bringing my dad's car back to its former glory and beyond

[mjweimer]

Congrats! That's a big step and I'm sure you are relieved. Sounds like you are on the right track with diagnosing the shifting issue. I'll be curious to hear what you find out.


MJ

[dadsbmw]

And the motor is OFFICIALLY running. Finished reinstalling the clutch trans and everything else just in time to watch the superbowl yesterday. Before I sped off to my friend's house I gave her a quick start to find the noise gone! phew!

I left work a little early today so I would have some light to do her first warm up and check for leaks, etc. Turned over and started almost immediately and dropped right down to 750rpm. Probably not the best considering it should still be in warm up enrichment, but hey, I'll take a strong idle! Checked that the oil light on the dash went out and grabbed some water and coolant to fill the cooling system. Let her fully warm up and topped up the PS reservoir with fluid. As the temp needle approached the middle of the gauge the SPAL fan kicked on! Sweet! Always nice when at least something goes exactly to plan!

No leaks and everything was looking good (except for super loud lifters), so I wanted to go for a quick drive around the block... just to see how it felt. Put it in reverse, let out the clutch, and GRIND. Tried again, GRIND. Pushed the shifter hard and held it forward and finally it engaged reverse. Pulled into the street and started off in first. Accelerated up to about 4k rpm and it popped out of gear. wtf? Dropped it into 2nd and finished going around the block to pull back in the driveway. The car does not want to go or stay in the forward positioned gears (R,1,3,5). I'm now beginning to wonder if maybe I received the wrong DSSR (too long) and there's not enough room to fully engage the gears. Going to pull off the center console tomorrow and see if I cant get it to stay in gear and work correctly.

Anyways, still have a few things to do to get her driveable:

• bleed the clutch again
• get an appropriate hose to connect the brake booster to the IM- potentially a new check valve as well
• connect the exhaust midpipes to the rear muffler
• put the drivers and passengers footwells back together

Will try to have some vids up later!

[dadsbmw]

It's good to stay positive! Glad to hear there weren't any bad metal-on-metal issues inside the engine.

Thanks man! VERY happy it wasnt an engine issue. On another positive note, trans has been dropped and clutch removed today. One of the good things about the issues I've run into is that I've got disassembly and reassembly down pat for pretty much ever system! Ha!

[mike.bmw]

It's good to stay positive! Glad to hear there weren't any bad metal-on-metal issues inside the engine.

[dadsbmw]

Posted on FB e30 group and figured out it's likely that I installed the clutch disc backwards. On a positive note, at least I've got the engine running! On a negative note, now I have to drop the trans to turn the disc around...

[dadsbmw]

So I pulled the VC and pulled each cam cap to give them some more assembly lube. Lubed up each individual cap. Then I poured oil over all the caps and lobes, pulled the spark plugs ignition coils and disconnected the engine harness from power to disable the injectors. Reconnected the battery and turned the motor over... screeching. It sounds very metal on metal. First try I only cranked for about a second. Next try I paid close attention to the oil light and turned it over for a bit longer to see if it would turn off, and it did not. Also pulled the cap off the oil filter housing and sure enough it was full of oil. Now I'm kind of afraid to do anything!

I'm making my girlfriend come outside with me to turn the engine over for a second to see maybe its the alternator or AC compressor bearings squealing, as those are both used while all the idler pulleys are brand new.

Any thoughts?? What besides bare metal cam to bearing surface action, would make a high pitched metallic squeal from the rear of the head?

I am wondering if disconnecting the engine harness from power could potentially affect the oil light and cause it not to go out? Maybe I'll actually find the injector fuse and reconnect the harness to power and see if that changes anything.

edit: gf turned the motor over while I listened and DEFINITELY coming from the rear of the head. WTF!

[mjweimer]

Plan tomorrow is to remove the VC and pull the cam caps one by one to check for any wear and apply some more assembly lube just in case. Also want to find a way to hook up an oil pressure gauge, as now I'm freaking out that there's no oil pressure! How is everyone else hooking up a sensor for an oil pressure gauge? Would I be getting a warning light or something, if the pressure was too low?

Fuel lines backwards is an easy mistake! Is your oil pressure sender wired to the cluster light? If I'm remembering correctly, the factory oil switch closes above 7psi so the light should go out fairly quickly when cranking the car. I also assume you filled the engine with oil (had to ask....I assume you would have done this).

The only place I know of to hook up an oil pressure gauge is the port on the oil filter housing where the pressure switch for the dash light lives - circled in green on the pic below. The threads are M12x1.5 FYI if you need an adapter to your gauge.




I think it is a good idea to pull the valve cover to see if you are getting oil up there from your attempted start. You could also pour some lube over the cams while you're in there.

Another way to check for oil pressure or build oil pressure prior to start-up is to pull the fuel pump relay/fuse, pull the spark plugs and crank over the engine with the starter. This method ensures it won't start and helps the starter spin the engine faster (and help build oil pressure faster). If you've wired the oil pressure sender to the cluster it should go out quickly using this method or your gauge should show pressure build quickly.

Making awesome progress - hope you get it all sorted!


Edit - picture is not showing up in the post so I attached the file...maybe this will work.....


MJ

[dadsbmw]

Was able to get some no start diagnosing in today. Checked all the relays and fuses in the engine bay fuse box and they checked out. Then realized I had +12v constants for the engine wiring harness connected to the wrong post, so moved those and got power to them. Hoped that would be the fix, alas it was not. So I figured I'd better get serious and check for the obvious... fuel and spark.

Removed the fuel rail and turned the engine over to find that no fuel was spraying. Disconnected a fuel line at the IM and sure enough it was bone dry. Disconnected the other and fuel sprayed everywhere! Must be a bad FPR I thought! Went to pull the FPR out to get a replacement, but as I explained the story to my GF I realized that I was an idiot and that in reality the feed and return lines were switched! D'oh!

Ended up having to get a new FPR anyways because I'd somewhat crunched the old one when removing it (double d'oh). Picked up the new one, put everything back together and gave it a test start. Sure enough it stumbled and attempted to start! But a couple seconds into cranking I started hearing a screech and my mind went straight to dry cams! It was dark out by then and I surely wasn't going to turn it over if the cams were dry so I ended for the night.

Plan tomorrow is to remove the VC and pull the cam caps one by one to check for any wear and apply some more assembly lube just in case. Also want to find a way to hook up an oil pressure gauge, as now I'm freaking out that there's no oil pressure! How is everyone else hooking up a sensor for an oil pressure gauge? Would I be getting a warning light or something, if the pressure was too low?

[dadsbmw]

Ha!

This swap came with a 944 booster, which is what I was planning on using until I read the thread on the e90 booster. I absolutely hated my pedal feel in this car recently, and maybe it was just a bad stock booster or MC, but it sounded like this would fix it no matter what, which is why I went in this direction.

[2mAn]

I dont understand why more people dont use the IX Booster. It was perfect for me and my swap.

Use E30 parts on an E30. ..... when you're installing an E36 motor haha

[dadsbmw]

Definitely do not do the x3.

Mine was black because I painted it, twas silver when it first arrived. This thing had issues all over the place... the only thing that was actually correct about it was the location of the brake line ports on the master cylinder. The mounting bolts were too narrow and required slotting, the shaft for the clevis wasn't long enough (true for the e90/e92 as well) and required a bolt to be welded on, the diameter was too big (not everywhere, just towards the firewall, but still interfered) for the IM to fit at all. The e90 just fit and worked so much better. Bending and flaring the custom lines really wasn't that difficult, only cost about $125 extra, and will put an extra tool in your belt.

Obviously I don't have the car running yet, but I'm very hopeful it will improve brake feel/power as compared to the 944.

*Edit: Looked at the other starter I had laying around and realized the kick-out and spin of the starter gear are separate inputs. Pulled the manifold off to the side to take a look and sure enough, I didn't have the lower (kick-out) input connected. Got 'er on and she turns over now! Still doesn't even attempt to start though. I've done absolutely no diagnosis as of this point. I'm going out of town tomorrow morning but will be back on Friday and trying to get this beast running next weekend!

[KIRIEIW]

Damn that's sad to heard the news about the X3 brake booster. My crazy self just bought another e30 this afternoon and already have a S50 in my garage.. Safe to say you see where this is going. Was the X3 booster that much wider then the e90 or what was the big issue with fitment? Hit the manifold? Kinda weird but my X3 booster is Silver and yours seems to be Black. I'd be interested to see if the non painted boosters aka silver in color from X3's are wider then the black ones. I know mine is forsure a X3 booster cause I grabbed if from pick n pull.

I really don't want to go the 944 booster route with my new build.

[dadsbmw]

Woke up this morning with the thought of a first start in my head. I'd fabricated a new throttle cable bracket yesterday and let the pain dry overnight, so first order of business was to get that working.


Test fit it on the IM and it was the correct distance from the TB and fit in the engine bay as well, however the angle to the TB was off.




Took the grinder out and cut a slot to bend the bracket a bit and welded it back up. Not perfect, but certainly workable!




This was basically the last fabrication step I was waiting on, and went ahead and installed the intake manifold.




Got it all basically together and filled her with oil and decided to go ahead and try the first start. Hooked the batter back up, got the in the drivers seat, turned that key and... whir...
Turned it again to hear the same whir of the starter spinning but not engaging. Shit. So at this point I'm thinking either I have a bad starter, which is totally possible, or there's a spacer of some sort on the flywheel that I didn't install? I don't hear the kickout of the starter gear like you usually would, so I'm VERY hopeful that it's the problem. For now I think I'd rather save some disappointment and enjoy the day with a round of disc golf. Tomorrow is a holiday so I can always address this then.

[dadsbmw]

So I got my parts order in for the week, and made some good progress today. Purchased a new brake flaring tool because the first one wasn't producing good quality flares and eventually broke. I bit the bullet and went with a more expensive unit that could do both bubble and double flares and it was definitely the right choice! Soooo much better than the first one. Perfect flares every time!






Installed at they fit pretty darn good. I bent them to follow the stock path and fit in the stock guides.


Also finished mounting the relocated brake fluid reservoir


Filled it up with fluid and bled the brakes and clutch. This thing pushes a LOT of fluid... what used to take 25 pushes of the brake pedal with the stock booster, took 6 with this one. Very hopeful for the final feel! The Condor steering linkage came in as well, and while it wasn't quite as small in diameter as I'd been hoping, it does barely clear the oil pan! No more binding!




With all of that squared away, I'm finally in a place I can actually install the intake manifold. With any luck, the first (attempted) start will be tomorrow!

[dadsbmw]

Well good news, I've calmed down since the other day! After prepping the 944 booster I gave it a quick test fit and found that the IM barely fits. Great news! But as my rational mind had taken back over, I knew I still wanted that firmer brake pedal and was willing to wait a bit longer to have it. In fact, I'd decided not to try and hold myself to any sort of completion date, and just make sure I did things right. So with that, I went on ebay and purchased an e92 brake booster and master cylinder. Ended up welding on a M10 1.5 bolt (IIRC) so I could thread on the stock clevis and have adjustability. Went to install it and sure enough, it fit directly in the stock holes. That X3 booster setup was a pure nightmare, whoever posted that as a possible better option was smoking crack! DO NOT EVEN TRY THE X3 BOOSTER!! You have been warned.

So anyway, the e92 booster went on without issue, and like the 944 booster, the IM just BARELY fit. Im talking like 1mm-2mm, and that's with the fins shaved off.




I removed the brake fluid reservoir and installed the grommets and adapters to mount a different reservoir. If I were using the stock TB I could definitely just mount the e34 (?) reservoir directly to the master cylinder, but the 540 TB is just too big and in the way. In the vein of wanting to do things right, I decided to just custom make new brake lines instead of frankensteining the stockers. I'd need to do this on my other project car as well, so I figured I might as well learn it now. Ordered copper lines, fittings, and a bubble flare tool kit. Put together a couple lines that I basically thought would be good enough, but after sleeping on it, knew I needed to get them perfect. Don't want to mess around with a less than perfect braking system!




Started tying up loose ends with the intake manifold. Found a preformed hose that fit perfectly for the ICV to throttle body elbow

Then started work on the throttle cable mount. There's very little info on the 540TB, let alone how to mount the throttle cable. So I took the stocker, cut it off, and went to work.


Still working to figure this one out, as it will basically have to sit back underneath the intake manifold. While doing some other work which required me to turn the steering wheel, I found that the steering linkage is once again contacting the oil pan. So despite not wanting the extra NVH, I ordered a Condor unit. Hopefully will be here mid week.

A few more parts came in the mail as well. Installed studs all around and 8mm spacers in the rear


Was perusing CL as I always do, I ran upon an offer I just couldn't pass up. Set of essentially new condition Arc 8 wheels (17x8 +25) for $575. Knew they wouldn't be listed for long so picked them up the very next morning. Not sure if I'll like them or not but in the midst of considering a few different styles. I'll be doing some rather hilarious test fitting in the future.