1978 320i resurrection (Leaving the Fox den)

[Vestri]

Hello everyone, I'm finally making a thread for the car.

8 years ago i was looking for an E30. I've always loved older Bimmers since my neighbors built and raced PRO3. But it seemed like the price of them was still rising
and E30s weren't the only ones i liked. 4 years ago I found a nice 78 320i that i really liked, but had a knock that i foolishly thought, and hoped, were the valves needing adjustment. I was wrong, it was coming from the bottom end (live and learn ).

I found a long block and i'm finally getting to work on it.
The plan is: Drop the motor (done), Thoroughly clean the engine bay, transmission and old motor. Clean all parts off the old motor and transfer them to the new motor, replace any thing that needs to be.
Remove and replace old firewall insulation and adhesive that had torn and melted (onto the transmission as well). Replace fuel hoses above the tanks. repair wiring harness, 2 wires are exposed.
Replace general maintenance items. New right tie rod, the boot on the upper portion has a hole. left tie rod end, didn't have a fork and melted the outer boot while removing it. Replace clutch. Vacuum lines.

There is much more than that, that i'm forgetting. Token expired when i went to preview post the first time .

Some info on the car
78 320i
154000 (thought the odometer didn't work, but maybe resetting the trip popped something back because it rolled over while moving it)
California car
Pastellblau. Though after sitting for 4 years it has become clear it had been resprayed.
Manual
tan interior
non ac
XR700 electronic ignition (older Alison unit)
Seats are shot

Now the car

Leaving its companion


Quite dirty


Could the oil and grime on the transmission mean it needs new gaskets?

[Bimmerknut]

2015-10-27_18-52-50.jpgDSC_0147.jpgVID00122.jpgSo you've removed the 2.0L. What are you putting back in it? What are your plans for the car overall? I'm kinda at the tail-end of where you are. Mine also is a '78 California car. I rebuilt the engine in 06 because a thrustpin circlip came dislodged and ended up in the #1 cylinder. I rebuilt the engine only to have the oil pump fail in 2012 and spun a bearing. It sucked because I just got done replacing the suspension with bilsteins, control arm, tie rods and refreshed the steering rack. I also replaced all the bushings, including the ones for the alternator. 2 weeks before it died, I had just put custom covers on the recaro's and completely rewired a new sound system in. When I rebuilt the engine the first time, I deleted all the emissions stuff and put on a Stahl header.

What I have done during this rebuild is, installed refreshed gas tanks. I have new drums and rotors to go on. I'm going to then replace the rear sway and sub-frame bushings. I already have a 5-speed ready to drop in. I had the engine bay repainted. I've changed the color from Sierra Beige to Fjord Grey. It's like a dark gunmetal gray. I've moved the battery to the rear and the last thing I will do is the rest of the body and paint but before I do that, I'm having the entire rear section cut out due to rust and I have a new one already to weld in.

[epmedia]

Nice car!
That's not much oil and grime for a 38 year old. After a test run you may find that all the tranny and *engine shaft seals are leaking, unless they already been replaced.

Depending how long the engine has not run, the fuel system most likely needs some work; from the tank(s) to the injectors. Fyi: if the fuel distributor has not operated for a few years, the meter piston/plunger may be stuck. Do not force the meter plate open, or it will get stuck worse.

[Vestri]

Couple things i forgot. It came with the blue factory service manual, unfortunately it was soggy and moldy beyond use. A yellow bound Robert Bosch D&L Jetronic service manual in excellent condition, no BMW though .
A a binder full of service history receipts up to 2010 which was a single rocker arm from i think o'reilly.



And this photo had been in the glove compartment. Could the original owner have done the delivery program maybe?

2015-10-27_18-52-50.jpgDSC_0147.jpgVID00122.jpgSo you've removed the 2.0L. What are you putting back in it? What are your plans for the car overall? I'm kinda at the tail-end of where you are. Mine also is a '78 California car. I rebuilt the engine in 06 because a thrustpin circlip came dislodged and ended up in the #1 cylinder. I rebuilt the engine only to have the oil pump fail in 2012 and spun a bearing. It sucked because I just got done replacing the suspension with bilsteins, control arm, tie rods and refreshed the steering rack. I also replaced all the bushings, including the ones for the alternator. 2 weeks before it died, I had just put custom covers on the recaro's and completely rewired a new sound system in. When I rebuilt the engine the first time, I deleted all the emissions stuff and put on a Stahl header.

What I have done during this rebuild is, installed refreshed gas tanks. I have new drums and rotors to go on. I'm going to then replace the rear sway and sub-frame bushings. I already have a 5-speed ready to drop in. I had the engine bay repainted. I've changed the color from Sierra Beige to Fjord Grey. It's like a dark gunmetal gray. I've moved the battery to the rear and the last thing I will do is the rest of the body and paint but before I do that, I'm having the entire rear section cut out due to rust and I have a new one already to weld in.

That sucks! I think i remember seeing that when i was searching for info about spun bearings and all that fun stuff.
Another 2.0 will be going in. When i found it i had my brother-in-law check it out since he'd be on that side of the state, at the very least he felt it had been refreshed as it had all new seals (the seller said it was rebuilt).
Overall plans are to keep it stock for awhile, well, i did pick up a header to remove emissions.

Nice car!
That's not much oil and grime for a 38 year old. After a test run you may find that all the tranny and *engine shaft seals are leaking, unless they already been replaced.

Depending how long the engine has not run, the fuel system most likely needs some work; from the tank(s) to the injectors. Fyi: if the fuel distributor has not operated for a few years, the meter piston/plunger may be stuck. Do not force the meter plate open, or it will get stuck worse.

Thanks!
The grime really isn't too bad, the dust from sitting where it had been hides most of it though. The old motor did have a main seal leak.

It last ran in either June or July 2012. was going to try taking the motor out then (only got the radiator out), but it's good thing we didn't. It was a very distracted attempt, someone only wanted to see what it'd look like without the bumper .
Yeah, the fuel system will no doubt need some work. The meter plate had felt loose, hopefully that means the plunger wasn't stuck.

[Bimmerknut]

This is what my bearing looked like.....oh the Horror!

P1090012.jpg

[benjaminfrankln]

the color is nice. the car seems pretty straight. Are those bbs wheels?

[SilverPuddle]

Nice car...I love the color...I have not seen very many cars this color before.

What size wheel do you have?

[Vestri]

This is what my bearing looked like.....oh the Horror!

P1090012.jpg

Ouch! how was the crank?

the color is nice. the car seems pretty straight. Are those bbs wheels?

RS replicas. Not sure what brand, my friend who gave them to me thought they were Ronal, but there isn't a name on the back (there is a logo that looks like WA merged together).

Nice car...I love the color...I have not seen very many cars this color before.

What size wheel do you have?

Thanks! 16x7 ET20 225/45R16

[Chaseco]

Please keep posting pics I also have a 78' 320i and have hoses hanging and shit is all over the place so keep the pics coming so I can follow whats going on.

[dups]

Please keep posting pics I also have a 78' 320i and have hoses hanging and shit is all over the place so keep the pics coming so I can follow whats going on.

You.could.make.a thread with pics and we can help you.

[Thecatmilton]

You.could.make.a thread with pics and we can help you.

dups, is this what you needed? ttiwwop.GIF

[Vestri]

Please keep posting pics I also have a 78' 320i and have hoses hanging and shit is all over the place so keep the pics coming so I can follow whats going on.

They're right! Your own thread people will be able to help you much more easily. This project will take me a long time, i have a unrealistic (unrealistic for me that is) goal of June.

Very little progress has been made. All components are off the motor, the top of the transmission is cleaned. Firewall is about ready for deadening (what i'm going to use http://www.summitracing.com/parts/THE-14620), not sure how i'm going to apply it, i'll need the space, firewall and shield to be warm.

I've got a big box of parts to my right taunting me, but the Jeep needs attention this weekend .

[Vestri]

Started to work on it again mid last month, slowly chipping away.

Which started with making a throttle body gasket.


New motor on the stand for accessories.


Cleaned it up a little and applied https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1.


Before.


Replacing right tie rod.


Make shift hoist (I do NOT endorse using a tractor, for multiple reasons).


Replacing the resistor wire with a ballast resistor .8 ohms was the closest i could find to .9



Running the wiring harness through.


According to Haynes, the subframe bolts are torqued to somewhere between 130-150 ft lbs. Sounded a little high to me, but i hesitantly set it to 130

Oops, i don't know how many ft lbs it broke at, or should be torqued at. I may just get them tight and check them occasionally.

[epmedia]

Started to work on it again mid last month, slowly chipping away.

According to Haynes, the subframe bolts are torqued to somewhere between 130-150 ft lbs. Sounded a little high to me, but i hesitantly set it to 130

Oops, i don't know how many ft lbs it broke at, or should be torqued at. I may just get them tight and check them occasionally.

Darn typos!

Nice progress you're making.

Is that a 10mm(thread size) grade 10.9 or grade 8.8 bolt?

If 10mm(thread size) grade 8.8 - max torque is somewhere's about 33 lbs/ft.
If 10mm(thread size) grade 10.9 - max torque is somewhere's about 47 lbs/ft.

Use medium strength thread locker on them too.

Maybe someone can confirm the torque specs from a different manual for us. * This will also verify what grade the replacement bolt(s) are suppose to be. If you over torqued and stretched any more of those bolts - they need to be replaced.

[Vestri]

The others are at 25 lbs/ft. The one I broke was the only one I tried at a higher torque. The bolt head doesn't give a grade. I would think it's higher than 8.8 which is all that could be found in town.

[okieflats]

I thought metric also had lines like the SAE but apparently not. SAE 8 SAE Grade 5

[epmedia]

Grade 8.8 and 10.9 metric bolts have the numbers stamped on the hex head (at least every one that I've seen does). If there are no numbers stamped, we don't know what they are.

just fyi:
Metric grade 10.9 is near equivalent to SAE grade 8.

Metric grade 8.8 is near equivalent to SAE grade 5.

Edit: nvmd! Okieflats covered it. I had to zoom the pic to read it

[epmedia]

The others are at 25 lbs/ft. The one I broke was the only one I tried at a higher torque. The bolt head doesn't give a grade. I would think it's higher than 8.8 which is all that could be found in town.

Sometimes you have to take a wire brush to the hex head to read it. If there are no numbers, it's probably a weak grade and should not be used anywhere on your car.

[Vestri]

I was just blind, it was clearly marked 8.8 and I Just focused on the B*T on it .

[Vestri]

When i put a probe on the run wire and the other on the intake manifold, there is continuity. That can't be normal right? I searched and looked at the ETM but couldn't find an answer.

Thoughts appreciated!

[epmedia]

When i put a probe on the run wire and the other on the intake manifold, there is continuity. That can't be normal right? I searched and looked at the ETM but couldn't find an answer.

Thoughts appreciated!

If I'm not understanding your question, please let us know...

How much continuity did your tester show?
Why did you test for continuity?

The run bus wire powers several items that are grounded to the engine block and car chassis, so, there will be some continuity between the run bus wire and the grounded engine metal. An example of this is the points ignition system: when the points are closed, there is a some continuity between the run bus and the grounded engine metal, via the ignition coil and the 0.9 ohm ballast wire.

[Vestri]

If I'm not understanding your question, please let us know...

How much continuity did your tester show? Can't remember
Why did you test for continuity? I was testing resistance from the run wire to the fuse box and then to the +terminal, i wasn't getting anything on the +terminal ( i had forgotten to turn the key to run ) so i checked the -terminal and got a reading. I was a little worried not knowing if that was normal

The run bus wire powers several items that are grounded to the engine block and car chassis, so, there will be some continuity between the run bus wire and the grounded engine metal. An example of this is the points ignition system: when the points are closed, there is a some continuity between the run bus and the grounded engine metal, via the ignition coil and the 0.9 ohm ballast wire.

Thank you!

[Vestri]

After removing the smog equipment, i don't know what i should do with the vacuum line at the bottom of the 4th gear vacuum device.
I thought about plugging into the pressure converter where the blue line for the EGR valve was, leaving the white line on the intake log, and capping where the red line was. I'm not sure how that would work, and i'd rather get rid of the pressure converter altogether.

E21 Vacuum Diagram for Manual Transmission Models.pdf

[epmedia]

After removing the smog equipment, i don't know what i should do with the vacuum line at the bottom of the 4th gear vacuum device.
I thought about plugging into the pressure converter where the blue line for the EGR valve was, leaving the white line on the intake log, and capping where the red line was. I'm not sure how that would work, and i'd rather get rid of the pressure converter altogether.

Assuming the vacuum canister on the dist does not have a vacuum leak, keep the 'electric switching valve' functional for 4th gear vac advance. Same with the 'thermo timing valve' for vac retard.

Remove the pressure converter, it has no purpose whilst the egr valve is removed.

Your diagram will still show the proper hose plumbing for vac advance and vac retard with all the other equipment removed.

fyi: the center port of the 'thermo timing valve' connects to the throttle body, not the outer port.

[Vestri]

Thank you!

It's getting close, need to finish reinstalling the exhaust, and get fluids for it before i can try to start it. Already have a fire extinguisher on hand, though i'd rather not have to use it.