5Toes 5er

[TheTacoMan]

^ It's the rusted hood causing all your problems.

It really isnt.. I am looking for some solid help. Not bullshit, not games, not trolling.

That said, I did get the intake manifold off in 45 minutes without breaking anything out in the cold ahaha

[AbsorbantNut]

Just realized 5toes is not5toes

[not5toes]

Hooray! Got her all back together and she fired right up and battery reads 14.2votls at idle. Mission accomplished!

Im stoked, time for a drive

[Nick_S]

Had almost identical symptoms on my E30 last year. Ended up replacing the voltage regulator and hasn't had an issue since. Hope it's that simple for you.

[not5toes]

Reinstalled oil filter housing today. I cleaned it up very nicely and made sure to blow it out with compressed air good.

The grooves for the seal I laid a bead of threebond in, then pressed the gasket in and applied another thinner bead of threebond. I used threebond 1194.

Installed it on the engine and observed a nice pushout if the threebond. Its gonna have 24 hours to set so it shouldnt leak anymore :)

[not5toes]

Thats the plan - just emailed blunt.

Removed the oil filter housing assembly today too and will give it a good cleaning tomorrow. Super easy job with the intake off.

I hate that my car let me down, but I love how easy it is to work on!

So this issue turned into:
new voltage regulator and alternator cleaning
oil filter housing seal and cleaning
all new fuel lines in engine bay

guess its a good thing after all <3

[Ryann]

New regulator/brush assy. and you should be good to go unless you cooked a diode.

[not5toes]

the slip rings are the part that the brushes are in close proximity to - on the shaft of the stator assembly right? I am unfamiliar with these things.

if my slip rings check out gonna slap on a new voltage regulator and call it good.

EDIT - went and checked out the slip rings. They look to be evenly worn and in good condition - no oxidization or anything.

[Ryann]

Those brushes are 'Toes'd. Pic of the slip rings?

[not5toes]

here is a pic of my voltage regulator + brushes. The one looks very worn?

The alternator had no leaves in it and was very clean behind the black plastic cover

[not5toes]

Bearings feel fine - no play and it rotates very easily and smoothly.

Im going to take it apart and examine it, found this article as a general guide - http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=516680

A used alternator is $20 so Ill likely go that route. ahaha

[LJ851]

Yup its my alternator - took it down to oreilly and had it tested. The asst manager did it and said both times it made a strange/weird whirring noise AND it failed the tests.

Replace it or replace brushes?

Have the bearings failed? Is the regulator bad? Bad diodes? Is there a break in the windings? Is the commutator damaged or glazed ?

You are in over your head, replace it.

[not5toes]

Yup its my alternator - took it down to oreilly and had it tested. The asst manager did it and said both times it made a strange/weird whirring noise AND it failed the tests.

Replace it or replace brushes?

[dirtbag30]

Alternator.........

[not5toes]

OK - did more work to it this morning.

I removed the alternator, which wasnt very hard I was surprised LOL.

I re installed my original battery (its reading 12 volts) and the 80AMP fusible link. Made sure the connections were tight and then went to the engine bay. I checked the voltage between the following points and got around 11.5 volts +/-.1 at these locations:

alternator + cable and grounded to engine
starter + cable and grounded to engine
positive terminal near fuse box and grounded to engine.

I tightened down the starter bolt and tried cranking it and to my surprise it cranked over (very weakly though because of the battery).

I am running to the store to get some brake cleaner and degreaser, and to get my alternator tested.

Making some major progress and its not even 11AM :)