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Thread: BMW 318iS M42 Cooling and Idling issues

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    5
    My Cars
    1995 318is Coupe

    Post BMW 318iS M42 Cooling and Idling issues

    Hey guys, i am new to this forum site and i am having cooling issues and idling issues with my BMW 318is
    Car info:
    Year: 1995
    Make: BMW
    Model: 318I
    Colour: BLACK
    Submodel: S
    Transmission: Automatic
    Odometer: 192,600 Km

    I got this BMW as a freebie because it was gonna be sent to the dump and be crushed, when I took ownership of the car the old owners said it needed a new radiator, as the one in the car at the time had split just below the upper radiator hose. And that the exhaust manifold was leaking.

    When I inspected the car at home the car had no coolant in the radiator and no oil in the engine too.

    I full the engine with the correct oil and per the owners manual. I also replace the radiator with a radiator I got at the junkyard and a new thermostat and water pump as well. At this time the idling wasn't rough but when you turned the key on it would crank and then something in the engine bay would spin, which then you'd turn the key all the way off then turn it on and it would start.

    I also got the exhaust manifold out and had the leaked welded and put new gaskets on it.

    the car was fulled with tap water and bleed, but then the car started to overheat (needle between the 3rd line and red). after 10 minutes of running. and assume that the head gasket has gone when the radiator cracked.

    So I decided to replace the head gasket as the car was free and this would all be mechanical experience for me. I pull everything apart labeling wires and hoses as i go, and also zip tying the timing chain to the cranks. After the engine was TDC. I loosen the head bolts and pull it off. the gasket didn't looked like it exploded but when inspecting the gasket the coolant lines were blocked with like rusty clay the thing.

    I clean both engine block and cylinder head with polish. Just to get rid of as much gasket i can. so the news one would have a better seal.
    I also inspect the cylinder head only for visible cracks and also check both cylinder head and block with a feeler gauge and a straight edge and that only on the cylinder head it had a gap of .0002mm in between cylinder 2 and 3. The engine block was flat and the smallest size wasn't gonna go thru the straight edge. I also pull out the temp sensors on the clyinder block and clean them with a wire brush.

    I have the headgaskets ordered and the head bolts too

    I install the headgasket and cylinder head back onto the block and tighten down headblots (with oil rubbed on them) with the correct tighten pattern. Cant remember the torque seqence and have lost the paper to that came with the headgasket, but it was all followed on the paper.

    I reinstall the exhaust manifold and the intake manifold, fuel injectors, maf, all the plugs to the correct sensors as marked.

    Then I come to reattached the timing chain to the cams and everything lined up with tdc, i tighten the bolts on the cranks to the camshaft,and put in the chain tensioner, and the little plastic guard that sits inbetween the cranks. then i give it a few rotations to see if anything binds and nothing did.


    I put everything back together like the valve cover and sprak plugs coils and all that in there correct spot, but i leave the termostat out as i wanna to do a radiator flush and the cooling system was rusty inside the block.

    the car starts up but and runs, but it sounds like it has a supercharger on it (i dont remember it having that sounds when i first got it) and it also whistles for a few seconds but then comes right and idles the 500rpm mark. also a loud air suction noise coming from the back of the engine. so i adjust the screw on the throttle body so that it revs at 1000rpms. i notice that the car smells like its burning fuel running rich and sounding like its a v8/tractor. i keep the car running and the tempature doesnt climb to hot, it stays in the middle keeping in mind that the thermostat is out at the time. I drain the radiator of the dirty water and decide to keep the thremostat out for now until i fix the rough idling.

    (re fulled the radiator and bleed but notice that the air coming out inside the car is stone cold and not blowing hot)

    i checked to see what the loud suction was coming from the back of the engine thinking that the valve cover gasket wasn't on properly, but it was and the half moons where sitting on the block nice and tight. i think it could be the air con of something?

    i decide to google the rough idling thing and clean the maf and throtle body, i also clean the icv and put clamps on the hoses that connect to those things just incase it was a vacuum leak or something. i had a close look at all the hoses connecting to those things and i couldnt see any cracks or splits. also during this time i replace the spark plugs with new ones

    the maf was cleaned and it had like a white powdery substance in there
    the thrtootle body was also cleans and that also had the white powdery substance. it almost looked like corrosion in there
    the icv was cleaned and was told its susspose to ring like a bell. the icv does have a little clunk to it when rung but does not ring like a bell

    i put it all back together and plug it all in and start the car up and it still has the rough idle and still sounds like it has a supercharger and exhaust sounds like its a v8/tractor.

    i take the car out for a spin just to see it anything would clear and it didnt, the car also started to overheat after about 15-20 minutes of driving and the needle went past the 3rd line just, and the car cut out and it wouldnt start. i get the car towed back home and let it cool. then start the car up and reverse it down the drive, whilke the car was in reverse in was sputtering and idling at 500rpm.

    i start the car up again and let the needle go to the middle line and preform the first cylinder leak test since i got the car. the 4 cylinders ranged from 127psi and 125psi (warm). i think that means the head gasket hasnt blown?.

    i decide to put the thremostat back into the car and drain the radator and engine block of coolant. and put proper coolant in(50/50 NULON BRAND) and bleed the system for air bubbles

    i start the car up and the revs are now jumping from 700rpm to 1500rpm but not wanting to cut out. still sounds like a v8/tractor and it burning fuel, you can smell a fume in the air. thinking its just air leaving the engine block i let it run like that just to let the coolant go thru the block and warm up. the car then starts to overheat again (go past the third needle) and also whislt bleeding the cooling system the air inside was blowing cold and the thermostat didnt sound like it had opened. the idling came right when the car was in the middle at 1000rpms before it overheated.

    so im sitting here puzzled and wondering if anyone has any ideas where i should look into next or double check again. i really dont wanna scrap the car cause i like it, but i dont have an endless money pit at the moment.

    Also the oil hasn't been changed since i put it in when i got the car
    Also the car still sometimes, when you turned the key on it would crank and then something in the engine bay would spin, which then you'd turn the key all the way off then turn it on and it would start.


    Thank you for your time.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    162
    My Cars
    '06 530i, '16 320i
    There could be so many different things causing it, I'd just take it to a mechanic if I were you. I am not saying have him fix it. Just find out what all is going on.

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