E30 M52

B C

The valve cover gasket I received is for a non vanos engine.

I first started trimming off these locating pegs from the gasket, passing it off as a small difference between X50 and X52 cylinder heads. Then after laying down a nice bead of RTV I lay the thing on and it doesnt clear the vanos unit ‍️

The header flange openings match up pretty well with the exhaust ports on the head. Since the gasket is large enough, I decided to radius the edge of the port to help with flow

B C

Curse BMW and their silly plastic power transmission components

I have aluminum pulleys to replace them with. I just thought it was important to draw attention to these plastic abominations before they hit the trash

KaiserRolls

I will need to do that to my headers. Thanks for the reminder!

B C

I looked at the project timeline I slated for this project and it should have been done by this week. I hadn't foreseen the Helicoil conundrum, but had that not been an issue I would have been pretty close.

I am a fan of making a goal and mentioning it to people so it gives me some accountability. I rarely hit the intended goal but I am sure I wouldn't make as much progress otherwise.

With that said, the new goal is to have the engine in the car and fired up by the Saturday after Halloween.

This week's goals are:

-Cleanup and install PS pump (the one I originally had for it doesn't fit)

-Blast the headers, order ceramic coating

-Modify shift linkage

-Replace trans input shaft seal (I don't think I recessed the seal far enough onto the shaft last time so I had some drops inside the bellhousing)

-Clean up and identify all connectors on wiring harness

-Mount wiring harness to engine

-Modify and install oil pan once and for all

-Install new rear main seal, flywheel, clutch, PP, and trans

Reasons why It wont be complete before Halloween:
-New control arms, resonator, Y-pipe, e-fan, and new master cylinder haven't been ordered.

-Still have not renewed the registration. Going with a Hobbyist plate this time.

-Needs exhaust welding

-Needs alignment

-Needs a few small odds and ends and probably a new battery.

Jdesign

Hobbyist plate. Very good idea.

I like that you devise a timeline. I do that in my head hoping its realistic but it rarely is.

Jeff

Hobbyist plates are awesome!! I need to get one on the 740il next year

Daggerty

Is hobbyist plate one time fee? Is it like a collector plate, just for modified cars?

B C

That's how I understand it

Daggerty

Ok, I like to tell people at my work about my car plans, because they tend to ask you consistently why you aren't driving that car to work.

B C

Im getting more acquainted with my ground-based spaghetti monster (as opposed to the flying variety).

Off the top of my head I think all I have left to identify are the connectors for the:

-Vanos solenoid

-oil pressure switch

-TPS

Aaaaand a whole bunch of ring terminals, grounds, and things I may wrongly identify as grounds which will fry something.

(Halp!)

jc43089

Oil pressure switch has only one prong

TPS has 3

vanos - I can't remember

I can go take pics of my car at lunch if that would help.

B C

Between the idle control valve and the TPS, they are both 3 pin with RED YLW GRN rastafari wires so I will need to trace those back to the ECU connector

If you can take a picture of the battery power block that would be beneficial [emoji1303]

jc43089

Will do, yell at me if I forget.

Jdesign

Ahh yes. Wiring. the best part

Daggerty

When in doubt ground it out

B C

What is a 3 pin connector that isnt for the TPS or idle control valve?

Remember this is OBD1.

Could it be the oil level sensor?

I havent checked to see if thats a 2 or 3 pin connector.

I will also be wiring the CEL so that it works properly

KaiserRolls

Cam sensor is 3 prong

Vanos solenoid is 2 prong

CPS is 3 prong

Intake mani is 2 prong

Oil pressure is 1 prong

TPS is 3 prong

ICV is 3 prong

E36 coolant temp sensor for ecu 2 prong

M20 coolant temp sensor for cluster is 1 prong, but the harness has a 2 prong connector

Knock sensors are 2 prong (3 spaces though)

Purge valve solenoid guy is 2 prong

I forgot to look at my e34 pan for the level sensor- don’t think my harness has a provision for it though (haven’t seen any stray Bosch style connectors)

B C

I am pretty sure it is the oil level sender, which leaves one connector with two pins that is wired into the X20 connector, and all the +/- ring terminals. I just cant trust that all the black wires are grounds and all the red wires go to the battery block so I will spend tonight tracing those all back to the connectors. There are also a couple connectors that clip into the harness bracket under the manifold. I need to find out which connectors fit into those spots (on the M20 it was the crank position sensor and the cylinder reference sensor) and get an idea of how the harness is supposed to lay/mount in the bracket. If anyone has or can find a good photo of an M50/S50 under the intake manifold it would be much appreciated. I'm just seeing a lot of pictures that are OBD2 or are obscured by the spidey hose

The wiring harness sleeves are a little tedious but very satisfying, thanks to Mitch for introducing them to me. I picked it up from Pegasus

KaiserRolls

The knock sensor connectors are secured into a bracket and oppose one another. Right under the icv. The other connectors that “slide” into brackets are the crank sensor and maybe the vanos solenoid wire? And cam sensor maybe?

jc43089

I have the worst memory known to man. I didn't take a pic of the power block, text me tonight and I can take a picture of my other e36 engine that is sitting in the garage on a furniture dolly, it will be easy to see where the harness goes. I pulled it with the harness attached. So it is laying in the tray like it is supposed to be. Mine won't have the oil level switch but otherwise should be just like yours.

WIBIMMERS

E30 M52