Chris’ e34 extravaganza

[straight6pwr]

very very cool.  i do hope you can get it running. and if you DD it, I hope you have deep pockets!

[jc43089]

If the engine has problems, let me know.  I haven't rebuilt an S38 but I have done a few others and although high output it isn't that different.

[Jdesign]

^^ Same. They are fairly straight forward, and I have had my hands on just about every part of an S38 minus the bottom end internals. 

Fun Fact: the S38's have a few variables in the castings, components, and other features from Model to model, year to year. Not everything will bolt from one S38 to another. Example: S38B36 may have different engine mount tabs vs. S38B38. (kind of typical for BMW though)

[P_Roloff]

Really excited to see where this goes. Cool pickup!

[ChrisO]

Real promising start here, took me 3 seconds to see the crank position sensor wires are cut clean in half, not sure how or why that happened. Also I've noticed inside of the oil cap, the head has a nice creamy sludge pooled at the bottom off the head bellow the cams in those pockets. It's pretty thick gunk... I know moisture can cause stuff like this but it's pretty thick. PO told me he changed the oil last year when he tried to get it to run, and the oil in the pan looks perfect (although very thick). One observation I made is the oil is way overfilled. I wonder if the motor was filled with sludge that wouldn't drain completely when he added 8 quarts of fresh oil?

Under no circumstances does it seem normal to me, but I might be mistaken? the car did sit with the same oil in it for 10 years... I can't run most of the blown headgasket tests thanks to the car being a no start, and the cooling system being completely dry/ probably not holding pressure due to old hoses. I can do a leak down and compression test. Opinions? When I have more time I'm going to pull the valve cover gasket to better get a look at the inside of the head. 

also I discovered some subs and a amp under all the garbage in the trunk 

Looks like it has some kind of custom box for e34's, if anyone wants it all for super cheap let me know haha

[SteelBlue]

Love it. Sell me those throwing stars.

[patsbimmer1]

ChrisO said:

I can do a leak down and compression test.

I don't know if I read that correctly in context but how can you do a leak down or compression test if you can't crank the engine?  At this point the only option I see is to disassemble the engine, clean it, reassemble and hope it starts.  10 years worth of oil not running will absorb moisture over time so milky color doesn't surprise me.  There's not an effective way to clean that sludge without a running car and I wouldn't try to start the car seeing what's in that engine right now.  Not an easy task but that would be the right way to do it.

[straight6pwr]

the oil mixed with condensation, acidic goo, etc etc is obviously no good, but draining it the best you can and filling with fresh oil (maybe with some cleaner with it, like seafoam) and running the engine for a little while to clean the rest shouldn't hurt. maybe putting some oil directly into the cylinders days prior would be helpful.  then just change the oil again with fresh stuff. i'd think disassembling the engine would cause more problems than it would help.

[ChrisO]

patsbimmer1 said:

I don't know if I read that correctly in context but how can you do a leak down or compression test if you can't crank the engine?  At this point the only option I see is to disassemble the engine, clean it, reassemble and hope it starts.  10 years worth of oil not running will absorb moisture over time so milky color doesn't surprise me.  There's not an effective way to clean that sludge without a running car and I wouldn't try to start the car seeing what's in that engine right now.  Not an easy task but that would be the right way to do it.

Oh my bad, the car cranks, has spark, but no fuel. Of course the crank/pulse sensor wire is sheared in half. I was planning on wiring it up on Saturday and trying to figure out the no fuel issue. But really just the consistency of the sludge in the head is what concerns me and I was wondering if it could be possible from just moisture. I can’t make any assumptions based off coolant consumption/oil in the coolant/air in the coolant because it has none nor could I put some in it and bleed it as it won’t start. 

I agree tho, it seems wrong to try and start it as it sits.

[patsbimmer1]

Yes, moisture over the course of ten years will cause that.

[ChrisO]

Here’s just a few more pics of the car and some interesting things 

PO gave me a bucket of stuff from the car and these diagnostic tools were in it, along with a custom ground down spark plug socket (s38’s have very narrow spark plug holes)

also in the bucket was a 12v adapter that plugs into where the glovebox flashlight goes 

Car has all the keys it came with from the factory, I think. Also has full documentation from the dealer 

Break in period sticker from when the car was new, assuming this is pretty damn rare to see

full size m system spare and a almost complete tool kit

Few interior shots 

[patsbimmer1]

That's very cool!

[B C]

Yes! 

I love that they even suggest the idea of running at max speed for a long duration in the break in label.

amazing to see keyless entry from that vintage as well.

id squirt some oil/atf down the cylinders and look into priming the oil pump before firing it up. 

Fun project

[Rekpoint]

Pretty sick to have already owned 2 m3s and an m5 at your stage in life 

[straight6pwr]

i don't mean to rain on the P.O.'s parade, but there's a perfectly good spark plug tool in that tool kit...yet there he was, grinding and grinding and grinding

[ChrisO]

straight6pwr said:

i don't mean to rain on the P.O.'s parade, but there's a perfectly good spark plug tool in that tool kit...yet there he was, grinding and grinding and grinding 

Wow I didn't even notice that lmao, sweet

[SteelBlue]

Thanks Chris, very cool!

[GunMetalGrey]

This thing is cool.
Please don't disassemble it and put parts on a 540!

[Rekpoint]

GunMetalGrey said:

This thing is cool.
Please don't disassemble it and put parts on a 540!

I vote m60 swap it

[Jdesign]

That documentation alone would be enough for me to try and save it.

If I were you, I would fill that motor with marvel or a detergent and let it sit a day or two. Then I would drop the pan and remove the VC. Thoroughly clean it and pour new oil through the head and allow it to flow through the motor until its clean and no longer gross. Rotate the oil pump and motor by hand till it seems to spin free and easy. Then reassemble and do the basics. Motors are pretty durable, its just contaminants and lack of lubrication that usually cause failures.

Also: http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=123682