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Thread: 03 e39 head gasket?

  1. #26
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    Awesome.... yeah I’m going to replace all of it regardless of it working or not. But stick with the stock set up on the ccv.

    Either way now that I’ve taking the whole engine apart besides for the block..... not that terribly hard to fix anything if it does go bad. Yeah an annoyance but they make everything very easy for all the stuff they have in the car.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Ooh. A lot of you said get the head machined. Did you also machine the block? If so good.

    As this all being an aluminum set up the block and head should warp together so long as the head bolts are holding.

    Have one half machined will cause more of a nightmare than only doing it to one side.

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nicholas.Tambou View Post
    ...
    Ooh. A lot of you said get the head machined. Did you also machine the block? If so good.

    As this all being an aluminum set up the block and head should warp together so long as the head bolts are holding.

    Have one half machined will cause more of a nightmare than only doing it to one side.
    No, it isn't true that they warp together. The amount by which parts distort (warp) under heat depends on the base metal & particular alloy, structural shape within the part, cooling paths in the part which leads to which bits of each part reach what temperatures. Temperature over critical points cause the micro-structure to change, that changes volume of that bit of metal. When some bits of the part grow larger while others don't reach critical temperature and remain the same size one winds up with distortion.
    EDIT: should have said "some bits of the part grow larger or smaller, either can happen depending on the alloy"

    The general rule based on decades of experience (not mine personally, the entire piston engine industry) is that heads are much more likely to warp more than blocks. It's fairly routine for a head to need machining flat or to be so warped as to be impractical to repair while the block is OK as is & simply needs cleaning off all remnants of the old gasket.

    But regardless of the general rule, one must measure then decide for each part.
    Last edited by rdl; 02-20-2019 at 05:10 PM.
    Regards
    RDL

  3. #28
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    Yes, I spent some time checking flatness today on two M54 blocks that had overheated. One heads was approx 11 thousandths warped and the other at least 15 thousandths. Both blocks were essentially flat using the same straight edge and feeler gauges.

  4. #29
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  5. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nicholas.Tambou View Post
    Awesome.... yeah I’m going to replace all of it regardless of it working or not. But stick with the stock set up on the ccv.

    Either way now that I’ve taking the whole engine apart besides for the block..... not that terribly hard to fix anything if it does go bad. Yeah an annoyance but they make everything very easy for all the stuff they have in the car.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Ooh. A lot of you said get the head machined. Did you also machine the block? If so good.

    As this all being an aluminum set up the block and head should warp together so long as the head bolts are holding.

    Have one half machined will cause more of a nightmare than only doing it to one side.
    Just FYI, my engine machinist with decades of experience on lots of exotic engines told me that warpage on a block that uses a MLS gasket should not exceed .0025" in any direction. In my case, the block was about .004" between cylinders 4 and 5, making the block unusable.

  6. #31
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    2003 530i, 2014 320i
    so got the whole engine back together! Then we moved the next day.
    finally got the car up and running.......??!!
    let me first say I sanded down the corners of a 1/4" socket extension for the cam plate lock and worked better than the locking pin!
    I am having a misfire issue ......think just replace the plugs?
    mixed up the O2 sensors....what is the easiest way to figure them out? all 4
    Also I keep pulling this stupid steering angle sensor code.....what is it.

  7. #32
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nicholas.Tambou View Post
    so got the whole engine back together! .....
    let me first say I sanded down the corners of a 1/4" socket extension for the cam plate lock and worked better than the locking pin!
    I am having a misfire issue ......think just replace the plugs?
    mixed up the O2 sensors....what is the easiest way to figure them out? all 4
    Also I keep pulling this stupid steering angle sensor code.....what is it.
    what does this mean" I sanded down the corners of a 1/4" socket extension for the cam plate lock and worked better than the locking pin"
    Are you referring to the TDC pin in the flywheel? or a pin that connects the two steel blocks use to lock the camshafts in place?

    How did you time the vanos? What did you use ?
    Pulling codes using a code reader should help identify misfire.

    The 02 sensors leads are different lengths so it should be easy to identify front and back. A little tougher to figure out bank 1 or 2. This may be related to misfires.

  8. #33
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    To answer the original question; Sensors are not considered wear items but at least examine the knock sensors for deterioration.
    Everything under the intake is a nightmare to service independently so every hose, plastic pipe, oil seal(oil filter housing is peanuts with the head/intakeoff), p/s hoses get done every time I'm in this situation.
    Good luck with the head/engine.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  9. #34
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    The flywheel lock pin. but not alone....yeah I wouldn't trust that.

    Honestly I don't remember/know how we timed the Vanos. marked all moving parts with arrows as far as cams and Vanos. zip tied Vanos all together as we removed them.

    All the hoses and plastic did get replaced, a whole heep of sensors, pretty much anything I could repair/rebuild/replace we did.

    the spark plugs and O2 sensors we did on the last shop day on the car so hoped they were still good.
    besides running a little rough and those few codes all is good. a little suspension wobble at high speeds but that's it.

    First 1/2 engine tear done/build with my pops!
    first BMW project!
    first car project!

  10. #35
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    Don’t know/remember how you timed the vanos? I hope somebody did it correctly.

    You pretty much need the timing jig, used correctly, to properly time the cams. Yes there are those who have done it with wood or whatever, but simply reinstalling to old marks won’t cut it on vanos timing.

    Review 50’s kid video on vans timing to see the proper method.

  11. #36
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    2003 530i, 2014 320i
    hold up....You hope someone did it correctly.....whats with the attitude. as I've mentioned this was our first build so explaining the exact process of how we did things is a little tougher for me. Also you "don't need" anything! you can do your best with what you have and hope you followed correct procedures. yes tuning and electronics you need software. But why are you trying to knock me. all cost less than $2,000.00. Sourcing parts and info for over a year. out of my garage no lift no engine hoist, and using my contracting tools, Since I am a home builder. Car is awesome now and a track car so I mean I'm letting people know how we did it and sharing what we ran into. Things I've stated and learned are also from a 35yr machining, engine operator, builder.
    FYI we did not use any special tools on anything.
    WE HAD FUN! that's all that mattered.

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