Chris’ e34 extravaganza
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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.
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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.
Dan
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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.
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Yes, moisture over the course of ten years will cause that.
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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
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That's very cool!
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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
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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
Dan
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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
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This thing is cool.
Please don't disassemble it and put parts on a 540! -
This thing is cool.
Please don't disassemble it and put parts on a 540!I vote m60 swap it
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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.
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If I were you
I would pull the engine, just because it appears to be my favorite activity.
Maybe even put it in a lifted E30.
Who knows.But for real. This thing is cool and uncommon.
I know a mix of ATF and Seafoam with the oil is good for clearing stuff out (only let it run for a bit).
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great link!
Dan
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All good suggestions. I’d over prepare for the first start being a high tolerance motor. If you want to pull the tank, they are fairly simple on e34’s, just two tank straps to undo. The front strap bolts can be tricky if things are rusty though.
Really cool that this car still has its dealer tags on the keys. The keyless entry system is easy to reprogram too if everything is working.
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It sounds as though you have already cranked it, did the oil pressure light turn off? If not I typically remove the spark plugs before cranking a dormant engine so that there is no load on the bearings. Also adding a squirt of oil to the cylinders wouldn't hurt. A bore scope would be handy to look in the cylinders for rust but if you already cranked it over then you already are past that.
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All good suggestions. I’d over prepare for the first start being a high tolerance motor. If you want to pull the tank, they are fairly simple on e34’s, just two tank straps to undo. The front strap bolts can be tricky if things are rusty though.
Really cool that this car still has its dealer tags on the keys. The keyless entry system is easy to reprogram too if everything is working.
The car has a new fuel pump and fuel lines, the previous owner just put the tank back in in the last two years
It sounds as though you have already cranked it, did the oil pressure light turn off? If not I typically remove the spark plugs before cranking a dormant engine so that there is no load on the bearings. Also adding a squirt of oil to the cylinders wouldn't hurt. A bore scope would be handy to look in the cylinders for rust but if you already cranked it over then you already are past that.
I havent personally cranked it, but in the last two years the previous owner tried to get it to run on multiple occasions
I really appreciate the advice from everyone, I'm definitely going to put some oil down into the cylinders before I try to start it and put a quart through the motor. I'm probably going to pull the valve cover gasket to take a look at the sludge and make sure I see no obvious damage
For now, there isn't a chance I could have gotten it to run today. I went over the engine bay very thoroughly and found several different issues that would prevent the car from running.
The cam pulse sensor that surrounds a spark plug wire is destroyed. Unfortunately this is a $170 sensor, and is s38b36 specific and only available as a genuine BMW part. @straight6pwr you were right, it's already expensive
Next pretty much every vacuum line is bad. The one off the fuel pressure regulator is completely split in half
The intake boot post-maf is torn wideee open
The maf plug was half plugged in
So I need to order that cam sensor and a intake boot, and redo the vacuum lines. All pretty simple things, I'm going to pull the plenum off and redo all the vacuum lines while I wait for the sensor.
I did put power to the car today though, just to see if everything worked. All headlights, tail lights, turn signals all work. Blower motor works, windows work, all seat functions work. Radio turns on but nothing comes out of the speakers, assuming It's thanks to the hellish wiring and amp/sub set up in the trunk.
It was a good feeling to see the car come to life with power
Just under 192k miles
A lot for having sat the last 11 years, would probably be over 250k if it never stopped running
I spent most of the day just degreasing and cleaning inside the engine bay, it was really bad and now I have a pretty clean motor to work with
The itb throttle linkage was pretty gummed up, I really focused on that and it's much better now
Gave the car a wash on the outside the best I could without running water, I just wanted to make it look less like a abandoned car in the parking lot of my apartment haha
But yeah, no wonder the car wouldn't start... More to come
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