The 1986 325iX -3.0L Stroker - Now up and Running!

[downforce22]

Thanks guys it is really motivating when people appreciate the time you put into a build. I need to get the econometer working now. Got an iX tranny cover, so hopefully the getrag rattle will not be quite so loud. I do not want to dive into the rest of the kick panel and radio wiring yet as it is looking like a nightmare and quite intimidating.

I did notice the brakes go further to the floor before they engage but do stop the car quite well. After the first engagement the ABS light comes on. I have a spare ABS computer but am wondering what would cause the ABS to fail.

Also the engine temp is slightly above half. My 91 iX is usually around 1/3 max on the temp gauge. Could this be from the different coolant routing/early radiator and thermostat or from the increased displacement? I am wondering if there are any precautions I should take.

I worked on getting the alignment better and will be hopefully replacing the swaybar endlinks and replacing the windshield wiper stalk.

Any idea why the odometer/speedometer would have a bad connection?

One step at a time. Possibly iX weaves coming soon.

[downforce22]

I have good and bad news.

I finished putting on the swaybar endlinks before I was getting an annoying misfire. I suspected the bosch platinum spark plugs, so I swapped in some NGK5's I had lying around and took it for a test drive. I also put a new wiper stalk on and it actually came to use right after I installed it. I also straightened the alignment and put the steering wheel on straight.



The misfire was gone and car was running smooth. I took it on the highway for a couple of miles to see how the new diffs were and the spedometer/tachometer.

I had gone about 10-15 miles and everything was going great. Then all of a sudden as I'm merging to the highway exit I felt as if I had no throttle. I downshifted and I felt the usual engine braking before I tested the throttle again and nothing. I couldn't tell what was happening so I moved the shoulder and coasted to a stop. I initially thought it was a clutch or something but that obviously wasn't it. It was then I realized the car was not running. I tried starting it only to hear a buzz coming from the starter, but no engagement. The engine was not cranking.

I popped the hood to see liquid dripping out under the car and some fluid on the top of the valve cover that looked like it sprayed from near the firewall. I touched the fluid leaking underneath to see oil and coolant.

Long story short I got a tow back home until I could look at it in the daylight.



After I had some time to look at it I check the oil. It is slightly dirty, but not cottage cheesy which tells me coolant did not mix with the oil, so HG should be ok. There were no visible leaks or problems. Next up was the timing belt. I found a couple bits of what looked like belt and feared the worst. So I pulled off the timing cover. Here is where it gets weird.



The belt is still intact and tensioned. It was a new belt and new tensioner but it looks like it has come off track somehow. The right side must be where the belt shavings came from. I believe I found the coolant leak out the back of the head. But how the hell would the belt get off track to begin with? and then what the hell happened when I was driving (about 75 mph or 3000 rpm)?

I then checked the valve cover to find this.


No broken rockers. I would expect atleast one broken rocker at 3000 rpm. I need to pull the fan to check the timing belt did not shred, but thy would it?

The only explanation I can come up with is the coolant hose sprayed out, leaking onto the starter right below it, and at the same time either the headgasket blew. Any other ideas?

Keep in mind I have stroker pistons with large valve reliefs. Could that possibly have saved my head? (intake: 0.22 in clearance and exhaust: 0.175 in clearance

[F34R]

^ Nice! That's light...stock is 18lbs right?

I believe it is 21lbs could be a little more. I had my last one lightened to 13lbs, I weighted it before and after. I forgot though and cannot find the info here.

[Kershaw]

well that sucks. :(

[A Sucked Orange]

I remember your crank belt gear was originally broken. Could your belt issue be related?

Could you have an electrical short?

Is your alternator/battery dead?

[downforce22]

I remember your crank belt gear was originally broken. Could your belt issue be related?

Could you have an electrical short?

Is your alternator/battery dead?

The crank gear was stripped, but I replaced it with a good one. I hope its an electrical short, but will have to wait and see what turns with the timing belt, unless somebody has some trick to check the head/valves are ok?

[downforce22]

I had a chance to dive in. Check this out.The belt was rubbing on the lower timing cover. Maybe that is why the coolant temp was about 50% on the cool evenings I drove it. I figured it had to do with the stroker kit and higher compression ratio.

Here are some belt strips found in the engine bay.



Next I pulled the bottom cover off and the belt was somehow rubbing on the metal cover. I don't know how it would get off track like that, but it wore a groove in the metalprobably a half cm deep.

You can see the damage to the belt and that silver line is the groove I am talking about.



Here is the belt. It is still intact and tensioned. Keep in mind this was a new belt about 75 miles ago. I will remove the tensioner after I check the timing marks are still lined up to see if something could have pushed it off track. Either way this could be a blessing in disguise; I may have dodged a bullet when the belt would have finally snapped.

[tinkerputzer]

It looks like you may have lucked out. That looks like the stamped aux shaft gear that is known for failing. Could be your problem. I highly suggest replacing it with the later better built version.

[downforce22]

It looks like you may have lucked out. That looks like the stamped aux shaft gear that is known for failing. Could be your problem. I highly suggest replacing it with the later better built version.

I have never heard of this, can you elaborate or provide a part number?

It is as simple as swapping out the aux shaft gear and bolt/ washer plate with a newer one?

[tinkerputzer]

It's a very common problem in the early models. The gears are interchangeable though so just get one off a late model motor.

Found this thread with a quick google search of e30 intermediate shaft gear failure

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=263502

[downforce22]

Thanks guys, I am not sure about the int shaft gear.

If you look in my picture above I have a theory as to what happened. The int shaft gear bolt must not have been tight enough and worked its way out after a few miles until it was only held in place by the timing cover. This caused the int shaft gear to rock off center since it was only held in place by the key way. With the gear loose/able to rock it allowed the belt to rub on the lower timing cover and start to shred. Somewhere along the belt was loose enough to skip a few teeth as the timing was off by 10 teeth, which bent some valves and shut off the engine.

I also found the coolant leak in the hose from the heater core to the head. I plan on changing the cast gear just make sure and locktighting the gear bolt in place. I believe the only way to tighten it is to use the engine as resistance only AFTER the belt is on and tensioned (or with a torque gun, which I don't have). Thinking back I don't remember doing that...

As they say, Hind sight is 20/20...

[LEANE30]

Hows the euro ix progressing? So the intermediate gear was loose?
I gotta come check this thing out sometime soon

[downforce22]

Hows the euro ix progressing? So the intermediate gear was loose?
I gotta come check this thing out sometime soon

Hey Pete, yeah the bolt worked its way loose and caused the belt to strip and jump some teeth. About to put the head back on maybe this week/weekend. I need to trouble shoot why the ABS light comes on for the brakes. I think it has bad ABS sensors. Also need to find out why the heater fan is not working at all. I checked the resistor, it looks good, and the fuses should be right. Other than that just buttoning up loose ends.

Also, what does this plug go to? This picture taken from strictlyeta says it powers the obc. How do I hook it up to the motronic 1.0 car harness? I already tapped two wires, one for the tach and one for the econometer (still not working)

http://www.strictlyeta.net/technical/328i_6.html

I have already done this: http://www.strictlyeta.net/technical/328i_8.html

[efficient]

i like your engine stand lol. i have my m20 sitting on pieces of wood. did you break your front main seal on the tire?

[downforce22]

The timing belt had shredded, skipped teeth, all 6 exhaust valves contacted the forged pistons, the coolant hose at the rear of the head had a hole, and after dis assembly and inspection the head also had a hairline crack from a coolant passage to an exhaust valve. Yeah crazy. I had to get the car in my garage so i put an old belt back on and lined up the timing and though it wouldn't run below 1000 rpm it still managed to make it up my driveway into the garage where i did the rebuild.

I got a new oil pump gear, the sintered, newer version rather than the cast, old model, new hose, headgasket and belt and found a new head and put the beast back together. At first it was smoking like crazy, kind of white, kind of blue, I was nervous something had gone wrong. I am talking like plumes of smoke.

I drove it a bit more and a lot of the smoke has cleared. I think a lot of it was residual from the damage done before, like coolant under the hood, and oil in the intake manifold.

How the engine looks now. Now to figure out the abs, radio, and powersteering,