Lifted E30 V2

[GunMetalGrey]

So the biggest issue with this car currently is that the main relay on the engine harness never turns off. I tried unplugging the ECU, c101, and ignition switch at the same time and the main relay still turns on when plugged in. 
This confuses me, as well as drains my battery. 
I had continuity to pins 2, 5, and 17 of the c101 engine side, and those all appear to be just level sensors. 
The ECU is supposed to ground this relay out, and it is always grounded. 

I'm tempted to do a bad fix and just put a switch on the wire, so that the main relay is controlled in the cabin.

[Jdesign]

I would check to see where the power is going after the relay. I know that on my E24 it goes to the OBC which has a fuse or a resistor that fails and can cause issues. Maybe not the same with your car, but its worth a look.

[GunMetalGrey]

Jdesign said:

I would check to see where the power is going after the relay. I know that on my E24 it goes to the OBC which has a fuse or a resistor that fails and can cause issues. Maybe not the same with your car, but its worth a look.

The main relay is always hot, and the ECU is supposed to supply the ground when the key is turned (it's a weird system the more I think about it) 
So it's not so much a matter of where the +12v is, but more of "what is grounding this thing out"?

[GunMetalGrey]

Not much to update. 

I have never been able to get this thing to hold its temperature so far. The radiator isn't getting hot, the top row gets fairly warm but nothing else happens. 
I've tried bleeding air out many times, have replaced the thermostat, and made sure the radiator was flowing. I'm starting to wonder if ice killed the water pump blades. I will probably take the pump out soon and check.

Any other thoughts? It will sit at about 3/4 temp with the cabin fan on high, but will start going higher if I go on the highway.

[GunMetalGrey]

Did some digging last night. 
I was impressed by the amount of time that isn't required to pull a head on one of these things. This is clearly due to not needing to pull the cam and various timing components. It took 45 minutes from start to finish to get the head off with the help of a friend, neither of us having done it before. 

I was very surprised to see how clean the pistons were, and that though the cylinder walls are pretty smooth you can still see some crosshatching. This thing has around 250k miles, so that's always amusing. It also looks like someone had a little valve to piston contact at some point in its life. 
I don't see any super obvious signs of HG failure, but all of the symptoms are there. 
Misfiring (cold and hot lol)
Long crank times
Touch of white smoke
Overheating

Pictures of stuff. White exhaust valves and all. (probably due to my lack of exhaust most of its life)

The really dark part of the HG between the pistons is odd, and something that I have not seen before. 

I'm torn between swapping head gaskets or replacing the motor with on of Mr. Young's spares.

[Earl]

If you don't see any cracks and it is all pretty level I would say just throw a head gasket in and see if it fixes your issues. Not much else internally besides your water pump scenario would make sense. Plus you save the time of swapping the motor again and who knows how the inside of the other motor looks. This way you have peace of mind on that

[Jdesign]

GunMetalGrey said:

The really dark part of the HG between the pistons is odd, and something that I have not seen before. 

I'm torn between swapping head gaskets or replacing the motor with on of Mr. Young's spares. 

It also looks like someone had a little valve to piston contact at some point in its life. 

My guess would be that dark portion could be carbon deposits from a bad gasket? In the past I have seen cylinders connect before and cause all kinds of weird issues, and normally there is a path of discoloration between the two.

If I was you, I would check the head and make sure its square, and just toss a new gasket on it VS swapping the motor.

Also where do you see the valve and piston contact, would it be possible you have a bent valve? I would check into that as well. 

PS- We are all still waiting to see rear flares.

[jc43089]

Look very carefully for cracks in the head between the exhaust valve seats and the cooling passages.

[GunMetalGrey]

I pulled the water pump and it was A-Okay. 

I will closely inspect the exhaust to coolant passage area on the head to ensure there are no cracks. 

I think I will end up ordering stuff to do the HG as it will cost a bit less than replacing the motor, and be less work. If that doesn't fix it then I shall take more drastic routes. 

I will be taking the head in to have it decked / checked as I am assuming it is no longer straight.

[GunMetalGrey]

Jdesign said:

PS- We are all still waiting to see rear flares.

I should start on that soon. 
But then I come up with other really bad ideas and want to try those first

[Jdesign]

I love bad ideas, I am full of them. 

[GunMetalGrey]

Dropped the head off at the machine shop last night. Guy pulled the plugs (I forgot to) and looked at them and said, oh yeah, this head gasket has been bad for quite awhile. I never mentioned the head gasket being bad. 
This amuses me.

[Earl]

[Jdesign]

Well there ya go. LOL

[GunMetalGrey]

Head gasket and head bolts have been received. 
Waiting on the head to come back from the machine shop and then it's reassembly time. 

I'm still hoping to ice race this weekend if the event isn't cancelled.

[B C]

How much for the inspection and machine work?

[GunMetalGrey]

$60

[Earl]

That sounds like a great deal=) Wasn't the place you used for your exhaust manifold was it?

[GunMetalGrey]

Earl said:

That sounds like a great deal=) Wasn't the place you used for your exhaust manifold was it?

Hahaha, nope! I won't set foot in that place again. 
It's a local guy that has always done my motor work, and does it at a good cost and his work is always great.

[Earl]

haha just foolin=) Did they end up getting you that new manifold?