1991 BMW 325i Coupe - Build Thread - The end is in sight!

[Dj Buttchug]

so lets get this straight. You had a shop inspect the head but they didnt clean it for you...? seems odd. All that shit in this engine will likely shift around and become lodged in oil passages during reassembly. done right first time... ehhh, debatable

[MaksV]

not trying to dick up your thread but this engine is dirty as shit. no cleaned head? no check for warpage?

Im all for the swap but im not feeling the dirt. sorry

Lol, I dont think anyone "feels" dirt. The head was inspected by a shop for warpage, as well as a leak down test was performed. The head checks out perfectly, I took a straight edget to the block. Also ok.

As far as the dirt is concerned, I have no clue what the previous owner did to this thing, but I have tried to powerwash, sand, scrape, and burn off the crud on the engine. No dice.

just cause the stuff is physically dirty on the outside, doesnt mean I didnt meticulously check every internal mechanical component.

I am presuming that since he took the head to get looked at, they checked it out.

Way to go. you can read, the other guy cant.

[mRodiek]

not trying to dick up your thread but this engine is dirty as shit. no cleaned head? no check for warpage?

Im all for the swap but im not feeling the dirt. sorry

I am presuming that since he took the head to get looked at, they checked it out.

[Dj Buttchug]

not trying to dick up your thread but this engine is dirty as shit. no cleaned head? no check for warpage?

Im all for the swap but im not feeling the dirt. sorry

[MaksV]

WOW what a build, I love it when enthusiasts take the time to replace everything & do it right the FIRST time.

Great work

Thanks. Universal rule of thumb, either do it right, or do it twice.

Man, I remember doing that to my S50 with the VANOS. The entire head reassembly is intense. There's so many little steps that it can get hard to keep track of every single nut and bolt. I had a similar experience with a bag splitting. No bueno! Do work, man, do work.

Thanks - ya the next time i do this I need to come up with a better system.

[ck_taft325is]

Man, I remember doing that to my S50 with the VANOS. The entire head reassembly is intense. There's so many little steps that it can get hard to keep track of every single nut and bolt. I had a similar experience with a bag splitting. No bueno! Do work, man, do work.

[mRodiek]

WOW what a build, I love it when enthusiasts take the time to replace everything & do it right the FIRST time.

Great work

[MaksV]

Got off work early today so decided to get some e30 loving in there.

The engine is just about done, I have the plastic valve covers on, almost all the hoses are hooked up and all the electronics are set. So basically all that remains

-install last 8 exhaust studs when they come in
-replace RMS during swap
-install headers
-finish up the fuel line, last air lines, and coolant line

I had to o to autozone to get the remaining hoses i needed afterwards so that will get finalized tomorrow probably.

Couple of things I learned - on the M50 the crankshaft plug has a red wire, and the cam shaft plug has yellow wire - you have to pull back the boot to figure out which is which.

Anyway I need to finish the hoses tomorrow, and get start studying for tests and stuff.

Also big thanks to JT for spending like half an hour with me on the phone helping me ID stuff.







and my reward. Papa Murphys Stuffed Pizza :nomnom:

[MaksV]

so another update. but first I need your help...

Can someone please post a picture of a NV or Vanos M50 from the side. I cant figure outs some of the wiring, brackets, and hoses, on the side of the engine and the Bently is being helpful. Big thanks. For helping you will get a cookie.


Anyway I have been swamped with work/school but I am so close to being done with this engine. The swap is still scheduled for mid August.

wHere we sit today:


here we go.


bolt that bitch up. This takes care of one plug i Couldnt label


got frustrated at this point and I needed new bolts for my motor mounts so I called it a day.


Found thsi shit in my shed - the guy i gotthe engine from gave it to me, going to try to use it to match some stuff up.



got the belts on



The longer e34 motor mount bolts on the intake sideare too long. So I got shorter ones


The bolts that go up into the intake mani for the mounts were no where to be found so I bought those too.


This is where the day ended



Questions:
1. How do i know that the cam and crank sensors are plugged in the right place... They both seem to have the same plug and are interchangable.. Can I pull the shrouding back and match wires orwhat?
2. What is this thing? found it in my shed as well.

3. please post some side of engine pics for me to finish thsi thing already...

[MaksV]

Anyway I am currently swamped with life but I broke away to do a little more work on the engine.

Stopped at lowes to get some extra nuts that I was missing. Also I found that one big bolt I "lost" last time. FML

All my S50 coil packs are in


crank sensor in place.


crank and pully are on


AC in place


wire cover in place.


Put this bracket in palce, only to find out my new wiring harness already had one attached to it.


wiring harness working its way into place


coil wires in place


these two only plug up one way, my problem will be the cam/crank sensors as their plugs are the same...


New seals, rebuild injectors, all clean


bolted on


can anyone confirm this is the right place to ground the rail?


injector electronics bolted on


mess of wires, I need to sort


I know this goes on the intake side somewhere, but not sure where. Cant seem to find it in any pictures, help?


forgot about this thing, pulled it out for cleaning


also need a new fuel cable to run between these two bad boys.

[MaksV]

just read entire build, great attention to detail and very quality work

Thanks, there is much, much more to come. :up:

[bzboardz]

just read entire build, great attention to detail and very quality work

[MaksV]

Nice post. Are you building this in like a 5 foot wide storage locker?

yup. Its a 5x10 :up:

[Click]

Nice post. Are you building this in like a 5 foot wide storage locker?

[MaksV]

Well after a 70 hour work week, it was time to get a little R&R puttin this engine back together.

I wentto autozone yesterday, nd when we tested the alternator for 80A it passed. :thumbsup:

So I got up today with the intention of having the engine pretty much completely together by the end of the day. I didnt get as far as I wanted to but progress was definitly made. Problem was every time I moved on to something I would realize I was missing one bolt, or rtv, or some other stupid shit.

This Morning, got the trunk the back seat loaded up. I think the rear coils are starting to realize some shit be going down.


starting point


random parts and stuff I brought.


clip this on


spent close to an hour scraping off the old oil pan gasket


oil pump gear, nut, and lock wire on


VR lower engine rebuild kit doesnt include the gasket for this thing. Shitty


the bently suggested RTV in the front and rear of the oil pan. Had to go buy some.



next the water pump.



put this thing back on while i was at it


Al thermostat housing, new thermostat and gasket in, except I couldnt find one of the bolts. First trip to Lowes to get another bolt




Next the oil filter housing going back on the engine



Put the AC holder thng back on


new pully


put the alternator back. As i was doing this I found a bolt hole with no bolt in the oil filter hausing. Again back to lowes to get another bolt. Starting to get tired and hungry at this point.





thought about calling it a day at this point but then decided to put the valve cover on just to be safe.


new S50 coils and new OEMboots.





going to start keeping this shit here.


So I have the AC side of the engine to reasemble, dipstick, oil level sensor, wiring harness, pullyes, intake and exhaust manifolds, and then it shoudl be getting done