Putting my 745i back together - need some guidance please

[cdnalpina]

Hey Everyone,

It has been ages since I posted on here and it has been ages since I have had a chance to work on my 745i. I am now finally able to work on it and have been reassembling the engine after doing valve adjustments and going through the ignition system. Problem is that was started 3 years ago (shame on me I know) and my memory is failing me on these two wires. I just can't figure out what the heck they go to! I test fired the car today and it ran smoothly aside from the water pump making noises (needs replacing, parts en route). So these are not critical for the engine to run but they must have a purpose and it bugs me they are just sitting there.

Additionally can someone point to where all the grounding straps go? I have one leftover that I can't figure out where it goes - about 8" long with loops for bolts to go through on either end. I know one goes on the end of the valve cover on the right side, but not sure where this one was placed.

Finally, does someone have a vacuum line diagram I could follow to ensure I have all the hoses and that they are going to the correct places?

Anyway - here's the pic of the mystery wires. They come out of the big group of wires along the fuel injector rail.

Many thanks in advance!

745 mystery wires.jpg

[Hit Man X]

Coolant sensor wires.

[cdnalpina]

Thank you hitman - I thought that was what they looked like, from other BMWs, but wasn't sure. Are they just lose like that or supposed to be in some sort out connector or boot?

[Hit Man X]

Little connectors is correct. Slips on the sender for cluster gauge.

[cdnalpina]

I couldn't or the life of me figure out where the sensor wires attached and then I noticed this:
missing sensor.jpg

Pretty sure that the car didn't come with that plug seeing as there are no other places these wires could attach. Is this in fact where the coolant sensor for the dash goes?

[cdnalpina]

Duh - I just realized that what I thought was a wire holder are the pins to the sensor 🤣🤣🤣

[Hit Man X]

Better late than never. Hahaha

Is that a stack of washers on that thermo housing fastener?

Either way, grab the 'A' model when you can. Apparently this is the latest and greatest casting which helps to distribute coolant more evenly.

130mm water pump pulley is a given too.

[cdnalpina]

Sorry for the slow reply, in the middle of packing up our house and trying to get this old girl back on her feet.

Yes indeed I now have a surplus of washers, anyone need one? Lol someone had been in there before and obviously lost a bolt and couldn’t bring themselves to buy a proper one. That’s all remedied now.

Shoot I’m not sure what the pump size is but I made sure it had a metal impeller.

Have to change all the belts today as one was looking quite suspect. Better to do them all at once. Hoping to get her running today and bleed the system. Then idle for an hour to circulate the hell out of the tranny fluid as it has not been on the road in over 10 years.

Feel free to throw out suggestions of other things to check, here’s what I’ve done:
- Valves
- oil and filter
- air filter
- intercooler cleaned out
- ignition system done (new plugs, spark plug wire check and replace as needed, new coil, cap and distributor)
- Tranny fluid checked - clean and correct level
- fuel filter
- HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FILTER - be sure to check yours, mine was mushroomed and cutting off circulation to the steering pump
- inspected vacuum lines that I can see but will be replacing once at new digs
- waterpump, thermostat replaced and coolant flushed
- all calipers pulled and rebuilt (two were seized)
- suspension inspected - seems ok but road test the true tell

That’s all I can think of at the moment so please chime in if there’s anything else you recommend before our maiden voyage!

Cheers

[Hit Man X]

Try to stay out of full throttle until you fix vac lines and dial in AFM. You want 14:1 on your wideband at hot idle, around 850rpm.

Do not have one? Time to buy one.

[cdnalpina]

Duly noted thank you. I plan to go east on her for the first bit. Will definitely invest in a wideband. What other gauges do you recommend

[lynnbilodeau]

In addition to the AFR gauge, I have an oil temp gauge and a boost/vac gauge and a fuel pressure gauge in mine. If something is amiss, I can usually tell right away.