A few problems

[darkhorrus]

Ok, so after a headgasket replacement I reassembled my engine, timed it and started it. At first it started then Immediately stalled- every single time. After doing this several times, I decided to search online to figure out the cause of this- eventually after some trial and error testing- I found that the root of the problem was the temperature sensor and the MAF. I disconnected the MAF and the car ran rough and then smoothed out into it's normal idle(more or less) I went to advanced auto to get some MAF cleaner, sprayed the crap out of it and then let it evaporate. I havnt started the car yet after this- but I'm hoping that this is the root of the problem- can anyone confirm this?

Second is that when I was removing the head, some of the copper nuts were frozen to the exhaust studs and the studs came loose with the nuts. Upon trying to put them back in I think I might have stripped a few of the holes. Is there any sort of good solution for this? I also stripped 2 of the holes on the top of the head(that the stud-bolts go into)

I have a 328is (M52 engine) and while the engine was apart I decided to do the m50 manifold mod and also the Fan Delete Mod. With the MAF disconnected it's running really fuel rich(exhaust smelled like gas), with a LOT of white smoke coming out of the exhaust(kinda if you could imagine what the exhaust of a car looks like on a COLD winter day). The head was not warped and there were no visible cracks in the block or head.
When I read the freeze data(when MAF was connected but not cleaned) it read something about short term fuel trim being positive and long term fuel trim being something like negative 106%

Also- My CEL is on for the Camshaft position sensor(was on before HG replacement too)- after taking off the valve cover, I saw that the intake Cam sprocket was about 75% covered in bubbling surface rust... what can I do about this- aside from replacing the cam?

[coconutmnky]

Ok, so after a headgasket replacement I reassembled my engine, timed it and started it. At first it started then Immediately stalled- every single time. After doing this several times, I decided to search online to figure out the cause of this- eventually after some trial and error testing- I found that the root of the problem was the temperature sensor and the MAF. I disconnected the MAF and the car ran rough and then smoothed out into it's normal idle(more or less) I went to advanced auto to get some MAF cleaner, sprayed the crap out of it and then let it evaporate. I havnt started the car yet after this- but I'm hoping that this is the root of the problem- can anyone confirm this?

If you disconnect the MAF, the engine goes into limp mode because it isnt getting a signal. The MAF is not the problem, you might have timed it wrong. Temp sensor really isn't going to prevent your engine from starting.

Second is that when I was removing the head, some of the copper nuts were frozen to the exhaust studs and the studs came loose with the nuts. Upon trying to put them back in I think I might have stripped a few of the holes. Is there any sort of good solution for this? I also stripped 2 of the holes on the top of the head(that the stud-bolts go into)

Might have to re-tap the holes.

I have a 328is (M52 engine) and while the engine was apart I decided to do the m50 manifold mod and also the Fan Delete Mod. With the MAF disconnected it's running really fuel rich(exhaust smelled like gas), with a LOT of white smoke coming out of the exhaust(kinda if you could imagine what the exhaust of a car looks like on a COLD winter day). The head was not warped and there were no visible cracks in the block or head.
When I read the freeze data(when MAF was connected but not cleaned) it read something about short term fuel trim being positive and long term fuel trim being something like negative 106%

White smoke means coolant is entering the combustion chamber, which means the headgasket might be on wrong or something... unlikely. Are all the gaskets secure? No air leaking out?

Maybe you have to allow the ECU to adjust for the increased flow that an M50 provides.

Also- My CEL is on for the Camshaft position sensor(was on before HG replacement too)- after taking off the valve cover, I saw that the intake Cam sprocket was about 75% covered in bubbling surface rust... what can I do about this- aside from replacing the cam?

Replace the cam. I've never heard of a rusted cam, unless your oil was full of water from the coolant for a long time or something


And there you have it

[darkhorrus]

Well I'm pretty sure that I didnt time it wrong.. I stuck the TDC pin in all the way, put both the cams to TDC with the holes at the end up, sat both the cams in the blocks, took the blocks off and put the vanos on, then I turned the cams back to the top, retimed it again(with holes facing up) then put it back together. I cranked the engine over by hand to make sure that everything went smoothly and then I started her up and got those symptoms

Then the next day/yesterday I went and got some MAF cleaner, cleaned it, hooked it up and started it- car idled rough for a minute and died when I pushed on the gas. Then I waited a min, started it, let it idle for about 5 or 10 min then I revved the engine to 1500(slowly) then slowly up to 2k, 3k and just under 4k- with no problems and the smoke disappeared and is now the normal smoke(doesnt smell like fuel or anything and is almost clear).

Then I decided to take the car for a ride(~6 or 8 miles). I drove back and forth on the road going by my house and to a nearby friends with no problems, frequently going up to 70 and mostly around 60. Thermostat(75*c and new) functioned fine with my Fan delete and m50 manifold and cycled the coolant 3 or 4 times- going up to half and then down to a quarter.

However, THEN I took it about 30 more miles and it started to overheat. I shut it off before it got to the red and I believe that now either the thermostat is stuck or there is still air in the cooling system(I didnt/forgot to bleed it)

Also, when I stopped my car and checked the oil cap there was stuff on the cap that seemed like the milky headgasket mixture- I'm not sure if this is just some of the leftover crud from the HG in the first place(hoping) or if something else could be wrong.

Also, lastly when I stopped my car and checked the oil, there was white smoke coming out from the oil filler cap. i googled it and a lot of people said that sometimes water vapor builds up under the valve cover and burns off in the form of steam. The smoke did not smell sweet... smelt more like burning oil than anything and the oil level was unaffected from what I could see on the dipstick

The car is currently about 20-30 min away and I'll be going tomorrow to bleed the cooling system and see how things go/try to get it back home or to a garage.

[flyfishvt]

did you actually have the head tested or did you just do a visual check? That answer will tell us alot to help you. My answers will assume you had it professionally tested and serviced.


Well I'm pretty sure that I didnt time it wrong.. I stuck the TDC pin in all the way, put both the cams to TDC with the holes at the end up, sat both the cams in the blocks, took the blocks off and put the vanos on, then I turned the cams back to the top, retimed it again(with holes facing up) then put it back together. I cranked the engine over by hand to make sure that everything went smoothly and then I started her up and got those symptoms

Sounds like you did it right.

Then the next day/yesterday I went and got some MAF cleaner, cleaned it, hooked it up and started it- car idled rough for a minute and died when I pushed on the gas. Then I waited a min, started it, let it idle for about 5 or 10 min then I revved the engine to 1500(slowly) then slowly up to 2k, 3k and just under 4k- with no problems and the smoke disappeared and is now the normal smoke(doesnt smell like fuel or anything and is almost clear).

Good so far. The MAF was just dirty.

Then I decided to take the car for a ride(~6 or 8 miles). I drove back and forth on the road going by my house and to a nearby friends with no problems, frequently going up to 70 and mostly around 60. Thermostat(75*c and new) functioned fine with my Fan delete and m50 manifold and cycled the coolant 3 or 4 times- going up to half and then down to a quarter.

guage should go to half way and stay there. It shouldn't drop back down. Certainly not that much. Sounds like a bad thermostat or maybe something from the headgasket job is stuck in the tstat.

However, THEN I took it about 30 more miles and it started to overheat. I shut it off before it got to the red and I believe that now either the thermostat is stuck or there is still air in the cooling system(I didnt/forgot to bleed it)

Same answer. Bad tstat or something stuck in it preventing it from working correctly.

Also, when I stopped my car and checked the oil cap there was stuff on the cap that seemed like the milky headgasket mixture- I'm not sure if this is just some of the leftover crud from the HG in the first place(hoping) or if something else could be wrong.

This could be just left over from the HG job. Is the oil clean or is it milky as well? Did you do an oil change yet? That would be next. Then go from there.

Also, lastly when I stopped my car and checked the oil, there was white smoke coming out from the oil filler cap. i googled it and a lot of people said that sometimes water vapor builds up under the valve cover and burns off in the form of steam. The smoke did not smell sweet... smelt more like burning oil than anything and the oil level was unaffected from what I could see on the dipstick

Not sure. Could be nothing. You need to address the other issues first. It could be just gas fumes from running rich.

The car is currently about 20-30 min away and I'll be going tomorrow to bleed the cooling system and see how things go/try to get it back home or to a garage.


Good luck and post results.

[darkhorrus]

I preformed a visual check and checked for head warp with a set of feelers to see that it was perfectly flat. I dont think that there were any cracks because there wasnt any oil in the coolant and the coolant/oil looked clean after 10 miles.

There was white smoke at first when I started the engine- with the MAF disconnected. the smoke smelt like fuel
When I reconnected the MAF(when it was dirty) and started the car, the smoke went away(mostly) and smelt like there was less fuel.

The engine cut off when i attempted to accelerate(dirty MAF connected) so I got the freeze data and it was as follows(from memory- there was more that I cant remember)
-RPM 975
-Short term fuel trim something like +5.6%
-Long term fuel trim something like -106.7%

after I cleaned the MAF I started it and the smoke was gone after about a minute and smelled like regular exhaust(not sweet smelling or anything)

I was able to accelerate smoothly all the way to 4k when I stopped accelerating and/or to shift

Also- the oil doesnt look milky on the stick, there is no oil in the coolant and the exhaust is still normal smelling/looking.

Also, lastly the car feels like it has about 100rwtq but it comes back to life after 3k... I assume that this is from the m50 manifold, leaking/half unbolted exhaust and that somehow I actually forgot to put on 2 nuts that thread onto the intake manifold studs.

My friend also proposed the idea that the engine might be also running hot(ter) than normal b/c the intake is leaking from the lack of those 2 nuts, the m50 and the leaking exhaust.

I'll be going to check the thermostat for HG pieces that could be clogging it, then I'll fill and bleed the cooling system and see how that goes... hopefully I can get it back to my house w/o incident.