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Beach Bum posted:That definitely sounds like the VANOS noise. Ah, figures  . At least it doesn't seem like too difficult of a fix; I'm guessing that I'll need both the seals and rattle repair kit from here? Another thing is that I won't have access to a garage/tools until Thanksgiving weekend. Will it cause damage if I keep driving ~30 mins round trip per day until then? I'd rather leave it alone until I can work on it but I have no alternate transportation. edit: Whoops, new page. Have a picture! (Ignore my work friend's mad tyte parking) 
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Nov 13, 2010 02:43
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evobatman posted:Buy a Carsoft kit from Dealxtreme and check/delete the ABS error codes (this will cost you less than ONE code deletion at a shop). Disconnect the battery overnight and see what happens. Thanks for the handy tip! Ordering one monday. awesome-express posted:1998 E39 Triangle: Check your ABS sensors, yaw sensor under passenger seat Slow steering: Sounds like your hydraulic assist (aka power steering) is out of hydraulic fluid (aka power steering fluid) and has a leak.
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Nov 13, 2010 03:24
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spodycart posted:So my 2001 330i has developed a nasty rattling sound at idle. Afaik, unplugging the disa harness won't make it stop rattling. The pin in the flap is loose and rattling around. It is supposedly very easy to take out so maybe try that first. If a pin falls out when you pull the valve, be thankful it didn't get sucked into the intake.
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Nov 13, 2010 05:09
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awesome-express posted:How do I reset the sensors? ReSEAT, which means disconnect and reconnect. It's a bit embarrasing to spend tons of time and money when it could be just loose wiring.
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Nov 13, 2010 11:15
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Fun old BMW failure of the day. The little plastic bleeder screw on my radiator cracked in half while I was driving. Thank god for the coolant sensor. It bled about half the coolant out of the radiator before warning me, allowing me to pull into a gas station just as the temp was approaching the three quarter mark. I drove a small screw into what was left of the plastic screw and all was well. Might just leave it that way as it seems like a better solution than the original screw.
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Nov 13, 2010 22:03
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8ender posted:Fun old BMW failure of the day. The little plastic bleeder screw on my radiator cracked in half while I was driving. Thank god for the coolant sensor. Lliterally every part of the BMW cooling system is failure-prone and already solved with an aftermarket part: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=17111712788B http://store.bimmerworld.com/brass-radiator-bleeder-screw-p1261.aspx You can find them many other places too.
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Nov 13, 2010 22:37
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How have I escaped all this cooling system woe? I had an E46 and never had a problem with it (I did do the precautionary water pump replacement), and I now have a 200,000 mile E30. It loses a little coolant, but that's probably the wonders of "that" M42 profile gasket (the precision-engineered constant loss oil system taking care of the coolant). The only things that have properly broken on the E30 are a rusted-out silencer, the usual selection of suspension bushes, an original 16 year old brake caliper and the equally ancient seals on the tie rod ends of the rack.
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Nov 14, 2010 12:11
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Yesterday I finally found out where my oil was going on my 2002 e46. I was waiting for my wife with the engine running and the blower on for some heat and smelled oil smoke. Popped the hood and looked on the right side of the engine and spotted it : oil grime on the small heat shield above the exhaust manifold. Looks like valve cover gasket replacement is in my near future. I'm decently handy with wrenching on this car, so I'm not worried, it's just the fact that I'm unemployed and hope the gasket is cheap.
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Nov 14, 2010 14:49
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Taco Box posted:Yesterday I finally found out where my oil was going on my 2002 e46. I was waiting for my wife with the engine running and the blower on for some heat and smelled oil smoke. Popped the hood and looked on the right side of the engine and spotted it : oil grime on the small heat shield above the exhaust manifold. Looks like valve cover gasket replacement is in my near future. I'm decently handy with wrenching on this car, so I'm not worried, it's just the fact that I'm unemployed and hope the gasket is cheap. Valve cover gasket on my e36 was about 30 bucks, plus about 50 cents each for all the sealing washers on the gasket cover.
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Nov 14, 2010 17:47
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So I've been wondering - do most people get the OEM water pump replacement or the high-end one that costs $195? (this is for e46es)
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Nov 14, 2010 23:59
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Shadowhand00 posted:So I've been wondering - do most people get the OEM water pump replacement or the high-end one that costs $195? (this is for e46es) Unless I really screwed up, there are many non-OEM options for water pumps with metal impellers for a lot less than almost 200 bucks... For example: http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Engine/Cooling/Water_Pump/
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Nov 15, 2010 02:09
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Oh God what have I done...?  First thing I did when I got it home was take off those awful bumpers. It's a '74 with a 4 speed and the condition is really good inside and out. I love living in the Bay Area... I got this for a fraction of what it should have gone for anywhere else.
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Nov 15, 2010 09:06
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Sterndotstern posted:Lliterally every part of the BMW cooling system is failure-prone and already solved with an aftermarket part: Funny stuff. I just read your post and said to myself "ahhh, all these goons are exaggerating, the BMW coolant system isn't so bad". Cue yesterday, when I got a DING sound and a message about my coolant being low. Oh well, I thought, just a normal, small loss of coolant over time that has built up. I fill it up. Today, as I drive into my parking spot in my local parking cellar - the same spot I left that morning - I notice a huge pool of coolant next to my car. WTF. So I look under my car, and sure enough, it was dripping. My very first though was towards that stupid plastic screw, because the head had actually snapped off it as I screwed it back on after replacing the thermostat a year ago. Sadly though, the top left plastic stud on the radiator had broken, with the broken half still inside the coolant hose, and it was leaking slowly. So much for the amazing BMW coolant system, I'm off to buy an entire new radiator. In retrospect, I've also had to replace a water pump (fan bearing broke) and viscous coupling on my previous E34, so maybe they're not that amazing.
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Nov 15, 2010 19:46
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Shadowhand00 posted:So I've been wondering - do most people get the OEM water pump replacement or the high-end one that costs $195? (this is for e46es) Totally depends on how anal you are. No way to really measure, but my guess is most people buy the OEM one for $60-70 with the composite impeller. At 60k miles per pump, you would have to drive 180k miles on the stewart pump to make back the difference.
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Nov 15, 2010 20:09
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Is the Stewart pump really superior? I replaced the cooling system when I bought my E46 and was planning on getting the Stewart, but I read that the water pump failures usually occur in the bearings and that metal impellers increase the probability that the bearings will fail. So I got the OEM composite and plan on swapping it out every 60K or so. I'd love to find aftermarket solutions that would really give me peace of mind regarding the cooling system.
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Nov 15, 2010 21:41
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ozziegt posted:Totally depends on how anal you are. No way to really measure, but my guess is most people buy the OEM one for $60-70 with the composite impeller. At 60k miles per pump, you would have to drive 180k miles on the stewart pump to make back the difference. barakus posted:Is the Stewart pump really superior? I replaced the cooling system when I bought my E46 and was planning on getting the Stewart, but I read that the water pump failures usually occur in the bearings and that metal impellers increase the probability that the bearings will fail. The only reason to go to a Stewart pump (e: in a street application) is if you're planning on upgrading to an all-aluminum radiator and thermostat housing. Otherwise you'll want to be doing the whole cooling system on a 60-100k mile basis. Personally, I would rather spend $500 doing the cooling system right just once -- $600 for the Stewart I guess -- and never have a worry about it again. For a race car, you're going to be running a nice big alum radiator and probably want that 1-2 extra hp. Sterndotstern fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Nov 15, 2010 |
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Nov 15, 2010 21:49
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I haven't found any non-M E46 aluminum radiators, but then again I haven't looked very hard.
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Nov 15, 2010 23:25
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Pilsner posted:Funny stuff. I just read your post and said to myself "ahhh, all these goons are exaggerating, the BMW coolant system isn't so bad".  If I'm totally honest, I'm not exactly sure I will be able to figure out how to put this thing back together. Then again, I plan to delete all this vacuum/coolant crap mod as per this thread. so hopfully I can figure it out? v vI really have little idea what I'm doing, I'm just unbolting things and tossing them aside. Oh god. Expect an update in like a month when I can't figure it out.  Click here for the full 1024x768 image.  Click here for the full 1024x768 image. All that for fuckin this:  Click here for the full 1024x768 image. Maybe this will solve my  engine running horribly problem but probably not with my luck.
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Nov 16, 2010 03:44
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Pimpsolo posted:The trials of a brave, brave man I don't have any idea what could be making that noise, but if you need help getting the thing back together, I just finished a 2-man resto of a '90 M42 car, and we had the motor torn down like that and it was easy pickins for me putting it back together. Do you have a Bentley manual on hand?
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Nov 16, 2010 16:11
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BTDT on the m42, ask away. Check your fuel lines near the fuel rail, they are right at that age to start failing.
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Nov 16, 2010 22:49
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Pimpsolo posted:Maybe this will solve my Hmm, if that engine had valve lifters I would have said it sounds like a serious case of valve lifter clatter, although I see it has hydraulic lifters. Perhaps they are completely busted, and/or the cam is worn? Also, is the exhaust tight? Almost sounds like it has no downpipe, just a manifold.
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Nov 16, 2010 23:04
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Pilsner posted:Hmm, if that engine had valve lifters I would have said it sounds like a serious case of valve lifter clatter, although I see it has hydraulic lifters. Perhaps they are completely busted, and/or the cam is worn? Also, is the exhaust tight? Almost sounds like it has no downpipe, just a manifold. The self-adjusting doohickeys can stick, but shouldn't be anything like that bad. Not until something else in the engine has broken. Could that be the sound of a very hosed camchain (or a camchain sprocket) smacking into the cases? IIRC it's a double-row chain. What happens if something breaks on one row? If it's noisy and running like poo poo - woodruff key almost but not quite sheared off the end of the crank?
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Nov 16, 2010 23:26
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Saga posted:Could that be the sound of a very hosed camchain (or a camchain sprocket) smacking into the cases? To be honest, this was my first inclination, however when I went to pull the timing chain cover, I noticed the vacuum line from the valve cover that goes to under the intake manifold to that crazy mess was totally cracked, and I noticed all the lines were, so I figured I'd try that first, but I don't have high hopes. The thing that gets me is the car was idling perfect at a stop light, and then it INSTANTLY started making that noise, and running that way. If the camchain sprocket was rounded, wouldn't it happen more gradually, likewise for a stretched chain? Others have suggested a skipped tooth, however it was my understanding that the car would not run if that were the case. If replacing the vacuum lines don't correct the problem (which I don't expect it to), I'll be pulling the valve cover and timing chain cover to see. I've also heard this noise from m42s with a bad oil pump, if anyone recalls, I did hit a curb and bashed my pan in. When I replaced the pan, I inspected the pump and the bolts were tight and the pickup looked undamaged. The car ran fine for months after that. Also, the oil pressure light is off, so I've basically ruled that out and am leaning toward timing issue, but hoping vacuum issue. I'm open to all ideas though.
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Nov 17, 2010 03:49
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Hmm, how about the timing chain tensioner? Some very brief googling yields some relations between poor running / rattling and a busted tensioner. It would explain both the rattling and poor running (due to the timing being a bit off). http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/318isfaults.html#timingchaintensioner http://forums.eurocca.net/showthread.php/18240-E36-M42-Timing-chain-rattle It's cheap and easy to replace, I'd give it a go. It should be something like part #17 + gasket ring here.
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Nov 17, 2010 11:28
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Are E36 and E46 water pumps the same part?
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Nov 17, 2010 16:05
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I have a '97 bmw 328is, that has a couple things wrong with it. I don't know that much about cars, but I'm a wiz at taking technical things apart and fixing them. (IT) My driver seat has something wrong with the seat adjuster - the seat slides forward and back fine, and tilts forward and back fine - but the part that just adjusts the upper backing part of the seat is a bit hosed - it'll tilt backwards, but not forwards. lol, so I've been driving around in a car for like 6 months that's pretty wack. I can tilt the entire seat around enough such that it doesn't bother me too much, but it's been on my list of things to do. Before I go out and buy a service manual or whatever I'd need to figure out how to fix this, I figured I'd ask you guys if it's even worth messing with. Is this even a DIY at home type repair? I presume it's either wiring or the motor that's out, is that horribly expensive? I know if fixing it involved unbolting the entire seat from the car or something like that I probably wouldn't want to attempt doing it for safety reasons. Oh also, equally annoying is that the little knob thing on the side of the seat that lets you tilt it forward for someone to get in the back is broken too. There's no tension at all in it anymore, I suspect some plastic or a spring broke somewhere?
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Nov 17, 2010 18:56
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I wouldn't be scared of taking out the seats and seeing what you can do, in an E34 it's a matter of: 2 screws on the floor seatbelt + adjustment cable wiring harness (if applicable) Pretty much impossible to mess up. Many parts of the seat are sewed together so you might have to rip them open to get to the internals, making it tough to fix and look good again. You also won't find these types of very rare and specific repairs in a service manual, so you're on your own. I'd get a portable 12V battery for testing the motors when you have the seat out, so you can pinpoint the problem. Go to bmwfans.info, choose your car, go to Seats, and find some good diagrams of the seats.
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Nov 17, 2010 19:22
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Just had the timing belt belt replaced on the e30 iX I bought a couple weeks ago. Looks like I had it done just in time, here's a chunk of the belt that was on there: Click here for the full 640x480 image.  Click here for the full 640x480 image.
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Nov 17, 2010 19:29
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Pimpsolo posted:Others have suggested a skipped tooth, however it was my understanding that the car would not run if that were the case. If replacing the vacuum lines don't correct the problem (which I don't expect it to), I'll be pulling the valve cover and timing chain cover to see. Cars will easily run with a skipped tooth, it only advances (or retards, I forget which) the timing a couple degrees, depending on the # of teeth on the sprocket. Buddies 03 merc skipped teeth and it was still driveable, but with a horrible rumbling sound. Should be an easy check if the M42 has hashmarks for crankshaft/camshaft alignment.
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Nov 17, 2010 23:54
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All this talk about preventative cooling maintenance made me think I should go ahead and replace the water pump--then I saw it was 450 friggin' dollars, minimum. Sometimes the M tax is pretty demoralizing. I have roadside assistance, so I'm running it till it quits.
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Nov 18, 2010 01:30
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spodycart posted:So my 2001 330i has developed a nasty rattling sound at idle. Update on this, I was able to get a good look and found that the sound is coming from the water pump pulley (pretty sure that's what it is, it's A on this diagram). It's moving in and out and causing the rattle. What's weird is that everything I've read about water pumps going bad says that there's a grinding or whining sound, nothing about a moving, rattling pulley. Is there something that might not be tightened correctly or should I just go ahead and replace the pump?
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Nov 18, 2010 02:40
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spodycart posted:Update on this, I was able to get a good look and found that the sound is coming from the water pump pulley (pretty sure that's what it is, it's A on this diagram). It's moving in and out and causing the rattle. The pulley attaches to the pump via those 4 bolts in the picture. If the bolts have come loose for some reason then there you go. Did you reach in and try to move it by hand? Could you tell if it was the pulley or the pump itself visually when you wiggled it? Odds are more likely that the spindle is hosed somehow as opposed to those bolts loosening I'd guess.
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Nov 18, 2010 05:04
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wallaka posted:All this talk about preventative cooling maintenance made me think I should go ahead and replace the water pump--then I saw it was 450 friggin' dollars, minimum. I'm sure you're talking about a shop quote, right? The pump itself isn't the real failure point -- there's a whole matrix of possible issues (which apply to most other cars but are somehow surprising in the BMW context) but fortunately, they're all known and addressed by people who sell convenient and inexpensive packages like these: http://www.bimmerzone.com/category/BMW_Parts_Cooling_Package.html The things you'll want to address on any 80-100k mile BMW are: - radiator (plastic necks crack) - expansion tank (plastic fatigues and cracks) - water pump (plastic impellers crack and gaskets leak) - thermostat housing (because plastic cracks) - thermostat (because eventually they'll fail) - coolant bleeder screw (plastic cracks, note a pattern here) - hoses (because why not) It comes down to simply replacing a bunch of parts that were stupidly (or deliberately  ) made of plastic before they crack and strand you on the side of the road.Look at those kits: for less than you've been quoted for a water pump, you can spend a weekend doing ALL of the above parts. Similarly, you could order those parts, put the box in your trunk, and ask the shop for the labor portion of your quote on the water pump (probably around $400). Since the required work is the same, it'll be the same (or very close) to replace ALL of the above parts! I'm getting kind of tired of people who whine about the "M tax" or the "Hans the Mechanic raping my wallet" or whatever: you drive a luxury car, easily one of the best cost-to-performance values out there, yet you refuse to either a) learn to maintain it, or b) pay someone to do the same. Parts costs are quite reasonable, as is labor cost. If you want an appliance, buy a Corolla.
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Nov 18, 2010 05:32
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Minimaul posted:Just had the timing belt belt replaced on the e30 iX I bought a couple weeks ago. Looks like I had it done just in time, here's a chunk of the belt that was on there: Stop making me nervous about having not replaced the TB on my newly bought E30.
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Nov 18, 2010 10:44
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Sterndotstern posted:I'm getting kind of tired of people who whine about the "M tax" or the "Hans the Mechanic raping my wallet" or whatever: you drive a luxury car, easily one of the best cost-to-performance values out there, yet you refuse to either a) learn to maintain it, or b) pay someone to do the same. Parts costs are quite reasonable, as is labor cost. If you want an appliance, buy a Corolla. loving thank you for saying it. BMWs are great cars that require a little more attention and everyone complains about it. Mine needs all kinds of attention but I gladly do it all because it's best car I've ever owned. In many cases, the parts cost less than their Japanese counterparts. My wife's civic just needed a new engine mount to the tune of $92, and that's getting off cheap!
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Nov 18, 2010 14:11
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revmoo posted:Are E36 and E46 water pumps the same part? No. mindphlux posted:My driver seat has something wrong with the seat adjuster - the seat slides forward and back fine, and tilts forward and back fine - but the part that just adjusts the upper backing part of the seat is a bit hosed - it'll tilt backwards, but not forwards. lol, so I've been driving around in a car for like 6 months that's pretty wack. I can tilt the entire seat around enough such that it doesn't bother me too much, but it's been on my list of things to do. The plastic gears that work the backrest tilt mechanism wear down over time and stop working. This is a fairly common problem, so you can find replacement gears and instructions online by googling for "e36 power seat gear repair". This is DIY repair, no problem. And don't be afraid to take the seats out of the car - it's just 4 bolts. Sterndotstern posted:I'm getting kind of tired of people who whine about the "M tax" or the "Hans the Mechanic raping my wallet" or whatever: Assuming he's got an E46 M3, it's a semi-legitimate whine. The M uses a different pump from the other E46s that costs substantially more ($70 vs $480 for OEM at Pelican)
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Nov 18, 2010 15:27
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Sterndotstern posted:It comes down to simply replacing a bunch of parts that were stupidly (or deliberately Haha, I wish you were right. The pump, by itself, is $450. Hoses, gaskets, coolant and the plastic pulley you have to replace are another $100+. The "Water Pump Super Kit" from Pelican is $798 and doesn't include a radiator. I do my own maintenance. I just changed the oil and VANOS filter yesterday, I've installed headers, a full exhaust system with 200 cell catalytic converters, Royal Purple transmission fluid, short shifter, coilovers and ceramic brake pads. So, in summary, there is an "M tax" even when you do your own labor. Parts are inflated considerably, and even regular maintenance requires a ton of parts you wouldn't need on a regular 3-series. It's worth it because of the glorious sound, but that doesn't mean I can't bitch about unreasonable prices.
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Nov 18, 2010 17:50
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wallaka posted:So, in summary, there is an "M tax" even when you do your own labor. Parts are inflated considerably, and even regular maintenance requires a ton of parts you wouldn't need on a regular 3-series. It's worth it because of the glorious sound, but that doesn't mean I can't bitch about unreasonable prices. Are you an engineer? Do you know why they decided to change the pump or what is so special about the pump? If not, then I would stop calling it unreasonable. The M cars are known for pushing the engines to the limit (which is why they are so awesome) and sometimes that requires a few expensive parts.
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Nov 18, 2010 17:55
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ozziegt posted:Are you an engineer? Do you know why they decided to change the pump or what is so special about the pump? If not, then I would stop calling it unreasonable. The M cars are known for pushing the engines to the limit (which is why they are so awesome) and sometimes that requires a few expensive parts. They've been making water pumps basically the same way for 60 years now, I don't think there is some special technology involved here. Unless by "special technology" you mean lovely plastic impellers to save a buck. A water pump shouldn't cost more than a full aluminum radiator for the same car.
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Nov 18, 2010 19:27
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Sterndotstern posted:I'm getting kind of tired of people who whine about the "M tax" or the "Hans the Mechanic raping my wallet" or whatever: you drive a luxury car, easily one of the best cost-to-performance values out there, yet you refuse to either a) learn to maintain it, or b) pay someone to do the same. Parts costs are quite reasonable, as is labor cost. If you want an appliance, buy a Corolla. Well said, although it does sometimes seem strange that a part that looks the same costs 50% more because it's for an M-model. Maybe it is tougher built, but maybe it is just the same in a slightly different shape that the M engineers wanted, and hence the part is produced for a small market and upped in price. On the other hand, you're right, it was a super expensive car to begin with, and particularly in Europe (where we don't have cheap, powerful US cars), BMWs offer some of the best bang for for the buck.
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Nov 18, 2010 21:00
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