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View Full Version : white smoke and a slow start



gfycorp
10-23-2009, 01:41 AM
so right now my 92 535i is having a bit of trouble starting (it takes probably 5ish seconds for it to catch and start) and once it starts it puts a ton of white smoke out the tailpipes. Occasionally when I get on the throttle (a little or a lot) from no throttle it seems to seize like it missed, and then go.


What I just did to my car before this:

replaced water pump and hosing
put new gaskets on the lower timing case

what that entailed/what I messed with:
removed entire intake muffler/volume air flow sensor
removed valve cover (was going to do upper timing cover too)
removed distributor cap/rotor
removed water pump/fan
removed thermostat
loosened power steering pump/removed belt
removed pulleys/crankshaft pulley (or harmonic balancer pulley or w/e it's called)
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/223919779/crankshaft_pulley_harmonic_balancer_pulley_or_Vibr ation_damper_for_BMW_E34_E36_E38_E39_Z3.jpg_200x20 0.jpg
removed lower timing case cover
removed timing sensor? http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/Engine/Data/Timing17.jpg
removed a TON of oil buildup from everything

replaced/tensioned everything and then this started.

Now, what did change:
the timing sensor had been so caked with oily gunk that there was enough to touch the camshaft pulley teeth (and only what touched would get moved, but there was nothing but gunk between the sensor and the pulley teeth)

when I replaced the distributor rotor/cap the caps dust shield was cracked and on one side the bolt went past it

there could also be a very small amount of Chemtool in the oil as it could have missed the rag as I cleaned the block with the front of the pan exposed


now once all that was done it started up slowly like this and when I went to take it out of the garage to test drive it, the power steering pump got noisy, and frothed over everywhere (don't ask me why now, it just did even though I didn't even take it out of its comfort zone.)

That caused me to replace the pump/reservoir/hoses. This fixed the PS problem. The slow start is still occurring (as it should since the PS shouldn't effect it)



What would cause it to have trouble starting and put out white smoke?
Would that timing sensor being covered in gunk for so long and then being cleaned make a difference?
Would a slightly loose distributor cap cause these symptoms?

Hopefully someone can give me an idea of what to check next because I've been without my baby for nearly 2 weeks now and I'm itching to drive it again. It doesn't help that I've seen more E34's in the past 2 weeks than I have in the past 6 months in town and I feel like everyone is mocking me :(

well nevermind

apparently she just felt like acting out because she was neglected for 2 weeks. When I went to recheck the oil/coolant levels/colors I decided to start her up again and she started up like a champ, didn't smoke and handled the 30 minute backroads shift/throttlefest and windup to 120MPH perfectly.

LouieD
10-23-2009, 10:38 AM
Glad it's sorted out. That is a great looking car. Any more pics?

gfycorp
10-23-2009, 11:12 AM
Glad it's sorted out. That is a great looking car. Any more pics?

thanks :D

there are some other old ones that don't have the tint and some other minor stuff done to it that I have done now. I plan to get some more taken now that it's mobile again.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh256/gfycorp/535irearprofile.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh256/gfycorp/535ifrontprofile.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh256/gfycorp/535iwheels.jpg

LouieD
10-23-2009, 11:17 AM
oh those wheels :eek2

ILoveMPower
10-23-2009, 11:24 AM
Those wheels are just amazing, nice ride

M30 for life

m60b30530i
10-23-2009, 11:30 AM
Dinan Turbo ?

jbondbmw
10-23-2009, 01:28 PM
Wow, those wheels are awesome.

filmy
10-23-2009, 01:51 PM
+1 on the wheels. Actually the entire car looks amazing! Well done.

gfycorp
10-23-2009, 07:45 PM
Dinan Turbo ?

basically everything but the turbo :(

a turbo is the next on my to do list after a new set of PS2's go on this coming weekend.


thanks for all the nice comments everyone ^_^ I'm off to wash/claybar it and get some new pics up

only got three before my camera died because I'm lazy and never charge it -_-

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh256/gfycorp/E34%20enigne%20bay/e34001v2.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh256/gfycorp/E34%20enigne%20bay/e34002v2.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh256/gfycorp/E34%20enigne%20bay/e34003v2.jpg