doug73cs

Thanks, I have checked for vacuum leaks at the carb.

No spark on cyl 3 points to the distributor as most likely problem.  Petronix?  Probably not coil since it sparks 1,2 and 4 just fine.  Hope it's no the distributor itself but agin works on 1,2 and 4 so....

Winter finally gave up and the car is back on the road but running poorly - was fine last fall when took it off the road.  Stock engine with 15,000mi since rebuild with 38/38 webber that starts instantly and idles well at 800rpm - slight stumble.  Timing set to factory numbers. 

Symptoms are missing/rough running as rpm increases and air fuel ratio becoming very lean under throttle.  Plugs 1 and 4 black and sooty, plug 2 very lean and 3 light tan with sooty base.

Checked valve at .007 throughout, plug leads from new dist cap to correct plugs, Petronix wired correctly and everything involved is new within the last 3 years and very low mileage.  No pitting or carbon on the rotor or distrib cap.  Carb settings unchanged since last fall and set using wideband A/F meter.  Checked vacuum advance by sucking and blowing on the hose with the engine running which may be crude (and rude) but should an effect on the engine operation.  

With the engine running I pulled each plug lead off the plug and the engine stumbles on cylinders 1,2 and 4.  Pulling lead 3 had no effect on how the engine ran so thought I had found the problem.  Replaced plug lead on 3 but that had no effect so it seems there is no spark to cylinder 3 and it is upstream from the plug lead. 

So before I start replacing parts - culprits would be coil? dizzy wobble?  

Comments?

Doug 

Can't hurt then - thanks.

Is there any benefit to giving the brake pedal a pump while pressure bleeding the brakes? Does putting the MC through a full stroke help chase out any air in there? Are there any risks of damage or introducing air(can't see how) into the system?

Just curious given it took 5 complete bleeds including cracking the hard lines at the MC twice before my brakes were finally up to snuff.

Doug

When did BMW stop using threaded gearshift knobs and start with push on (bayonet?).

Thanks,

Doug

EDIT: E30 and on

mrdew:

Did you solve your braking issue? My brakes were similar and after bleeding the top two hard lines at the MC a second time I must have finally got all the air out and now can lock up all four corners (well 3 out of four - still some adjusting to do). Give it a try.

Good luck,

Doug

Same issue and questions for me too!

What year is your car? Does it have a Brake Pressure Switch 34321115861 and do these things fail?

Did you bleed the MC first? Pressure the system and crack open the connection on each of the hard lines. Be prepared for the mess.

I'm having the same issues after upgrading front and rear to 320i with all new/rebuilt parts. 2 New Tii MC (first one was defective = blowing bubbles) and calipers right side up. Pressure bled MC and lines multi times.

What is the correct distance between pivot points on the rod from pedal to booster?

Doug

How does it idle? Surging? Does it die when you pull up to the stop? All of those were symptoms of a vacuum leak on my EFI.

Doug

The Tii master cylinder I installed (bought new July 09) as part of my 320i F/R brake upgrade is blowing bubbles up the hose to the reservoir which, according to my Haynes manual, means the MC is leaking. This would explain the mediocre braking that has kept me from driving it - part of a continuing series of brake issues if this sounds familiar.

Is this a case of replacing the MC (defective part/casting?) again or is the rebuild kit enough. It looks like there is a rebuild kit (34311103743) but the MC is less than 4 yrs old with at most 500mi on it - do I need the full kit or just O-rings?

Doug

The browser search for http://massivebrakes.com/ returns "domain expired" for lee's site - is there a new address?

Doug

Buy a Haynes repair manual and use it - best $15 you'll ever spend.

Doug

Found it thanks

http://www.samstagsales.com/bmwtools.htm#brake

Looking for a retailer of the offset wrench used to adjust the rear brakes - Sauter? Or the link to the manufacturer.

Thanks

Excellent, thank-you eastsidebimmer.

Doug

I have a very nice (near perfect) 320is steering wheel I want to use in my '76 ex-autobox but here is a problem (of course). The carbon contact pin resides in the long gone bus wheel and the 320is has the same brass contact ring that the steering wheel housing has.

The lack of the spring loaded connection must be common to a lot of other steering wheel combinations so wondering if anyone has a solution here - a part that can be substituted/modified etc.

What to do?

Doug

Not sure if this is what you are looking for but Pat Allen did an extensive flow comparison of several heads and manifolds. Great work from Mr Allen.

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,313512/

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,355426/

Sorry, but I must have missed last years event - what is the pricing policy?

I have a list.

Doug

From the e9coupe forum - http://www.stanceworks.com/2012/05/t...ory-preserved/

Anyone know the Collector?

i sure hope your head bolt holes in the block

were clean of all dirt, coolent, oil, carbon right to the

bottoms? and the head bolts were either new, or

threads clean with a light smear of motor oil on

the threads and the bolt head at the washers?

C.D. - the way I read your advice (thanks for it) is either buy new bolts or re-use the old ones as long as the bolt holes and threads are very clean and the threads and washers at the bolt heads are lightly oiled. OK to re-use.

Doug

Installing a head gasket requires further torquing the head bolts after 15min by 33degrees and then a further 25 after full warm up. Torque angle means a further tightening by 33 degrees regardless of however many ft/lbs is being added - just take the bolt through another 33degrees clockewise. No fancy tools required as long as the initial torque setting specified by the head gasket manufacturer (Renz in htis case) is met.

Correct?

Doug

CD:

It's the lower timing cover that is low not the block. Why that is the case, I don't know. Whoever rebuilt the engine (stock engine with no issues) probably used covers from other engines and didn't check.

So either the engine comes out and the block gets decked .011" to match the lower timing cover - which is hard to justify for an oil seep - or a new/diferent timing cover which may/may not match the block height or RTF.

I'll consult the local knowledge base and report the results.

Doug

I finally got around to pulling the head to replace the head gasket/upper timing cover gaskets in the hopes of eliminating the classic oil seep at the timing/head junction.

In this case it is the lower timing cover surface that is low relative to the block. Pretty significant at .011" at the upper (high pressure oil port) side and .006" at the lower. I'm hoping that RTF will bridge that gap. Any suggestions on maybe building up the timing case surface? Lay down a couple of thin layers of RTF allowed to dry?

No rush - heavy snowfall warning in effect.

Doug

My secret vice would be a 98 - 2000 z3 MCoupe - the infamous clown shoe. Lots of punch, seating for two, tons of upgrades for more go - what's not to like?

Always had a soft spot for hatch backs cause they are actually useful but it's also the automotive equivalent of a pug and those dogs just make me laugh.

Doug

Red looks gorgeous with Polaris - personal reference of course.

Thanks, I'll pass that on.