E46 Things

[B C]

Jdesign said:

Did you make or buy that Nylatron guide?

purchased

http://www.beisansystems.com/products.html

[B C]

Two steps forward, two steps back.

+1) Replaced the belt idlers that were beginning to sound like a tiny elephant with a kazoo.

+1) Replacement o-ring and teflon seal arrived. VANOS rebuild is complete. Just waiting on oil pump disk to be machined before I continue re-assembly

-1) The idler pulley bolt is so long that I couldn’t remove it without removing the electric fan which required permanent removal (see also breakage) of the fin mounted zip strips. While I was investigating whether I could run longer ones through the condenser+radiator to make future removal easier (im not going to drain the coolant and remove the radiator when I want to remove the fan) I noticed the AC condenser fins are almost entirely Aluminum Oxide instead of Aluminum. They fall off when you touch them, so a new condenser is in my future. I have never seen them so brittle before. I may see how corroded and brittle the front  side of the radiator tubes are and replace the radiator at the same time.

-1) I found a broken power steering line mounting bracket under the car. Very minor inconvenience. Looks like a transmission mount and is only sold with the hard line.

UPDATE: The part appears to be the same mount the secondary air pump uses so I have it on order.

[Rekpoint]

God damn stroopwafels.

[B C]

Condenser fins crumble just the same

[B C]

VANOS installed.

Cams are timed perfectly.

It took a few hours and some patience and a little bit of experimentation to make the timing perfect. I had it set within the acceptable range but it needs to be perfect because quite simply it’s an S54 and the S54 deserves it.

What I believe prevents some people from getting it perfect is a slight advancement of the cams while tightening the sprocket hub bolts and the slightest bit of timing chain slack.  You can follow all the directions to the T but it can still be slightly off. There are plenty of forum threads where people had incorrect timing and error codes simply from using a non-BMW timing tool or by wrongly assuming they had it close enough. It is a fairly involved process and do not want to revisit this at a later time. It is as perfect as it can be. If by some chance it throws a code or is off, I will write myself off and quit working on cars.

Later today I should get around to the valve adjustment and get it all put back together.

[YoungCR]

That engine bay is marvelous. Great work.

[B C]

4 valves adjusted.  Only 1 was out of spec, the other 3 were borderline. I like these adjustment shims more than the adjustable eccentrics that the M20 has.

The allowable range is

.007”-.009” intake

.011”-.013” exhaust

[B C]

Fired right up, smoother and quieter than before!

On to the next project!

[patsbimmer1]

B C said:

Damn that's an ugly airbox.  It ruins the whole engine bay.  Absolutely unacceptable.  If only a solution existed...

[damnboy037]

patsbimmer1 said:

Brian I gothcu boo- this for the low low price of $8200!

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-european-bmw-parts/euro-csl-intake/11617833496kt/

Would this fit a s50b32? BTW it’s $8554 now

[patsbimmer1]

damnboy037 said:

Would this fit a s50b32? BTW it’s $8554 now

From what I can tell it does not fit a euro s50 and the price did go up but not to $8554 when you've got a wholesale account.

[B C]

 

https://youtu.be/ZjFVV5HXU0Q

[B C]

My fingers are frozen from installing these spinnybois tonight.

Replaced the hardware because oxidized hardware does not belong on sexy new underdrive pulleys

[B C]

Next on the list. 

 

I dont foresee much time in February for wrenching but my goal is to get the shifter in, oil changed, and other items finished up the 2nd week of March so I can be prepared in the event we have an early start to Driving Season.

[jc43089]

Do you have the DSSR as well?  It is at least as important if not more than the short shifter IMO.  I have that same shifter in my non operational e36 and it is very nice.

[B C]

jc43089 said:

Do you have the DSSR as well?  It is at least as important if not more than the short shifter IMO.  I have that same shifter in my non operational e36 and it is very nice.

Yes, as well as a selector rod joint. The UUC stuff is pretty magical

[B C]

Inner Monologue A: “you should spend a few minutes today working on the new shifter install”

Inner Monologue B: “Hey, that’s a good idea!”

Inner Monologue B: “Before I do that I better take the headlights out and delete the headlight sprayer system and install the new trim pieces I got from my Secret Santa”

I removed the headlights and found out the new trim I have is for an early non-M E46 and they are just so subtly different so I cannot use them. Darn

While removing one headlight the solder joint on the halo wiring broke. So I mended that...

Then I removed the headlight sprayer nozzles, hose, and disconnected the pump for it on the reservoir. No more washer fluid splashed all over the hood!

I noticed some less than stellar turn signal wiring.

so I fixed it.

 

So I made 0 progress today on the shifter but it was nice to take care of those small items

[Jdesign]

Its sooo subtle. Ughh WHY, JUST WHY?!?!

[B C]

Jdesign said:

Its sooo subtle. Ughh WHY, JUST WHY?!?!

[B C]

Date: 2/29/20
Mileage: 157,429

Fresh oil change for driving season 2020

I went to Pegasus Racing to pick up the Redline oil. The guy at the counter was a bit of a space cadet. 
Pegasus: “What can I do for you”

BC: “ I need 6 quarts of Redline 15w-50”

Pegasus: “what is that?”

BC: “That’s motor oil”

Pegasus: *clicking away on the computer for a while*.....”Is that shockproof?”

BC: “IT’S MOTOR OIL.”

‍️

I replaced the broken PS hose mount as it had broken and was resting on the belly pan (shown dangling circled in red). RealOEM didn’t show the part separate from the PS hose but it turns out to be the same part as the secondary air pump mount. Dorman makes them and a box of them can be had on the cheap. 

I started on the shifter rebuild and tallied a list of other small parts to order. If tomorrow is as warm as it looks like it will be I expect to get some more work on the shifter done.