pilotnbr1

Is to possible to have a warped pan? Maybe lay a straight edge on the mating surface and check if they are true....

Polaris and black. Car is currently in surgery having rust cut out and will be all polaris when repainted. 

I just noticed the hood was not latched in this pic....

Alright that's fair. Is that somehow common on these? I just thought it interesting to mention as a possible cause right after an engine rebuild.

Always prudent to suggest/consider all the possibilities- especially when diagnosing over the internet. 

MC seals could have dried out or during the rebuild something got tweaked... 

As for the OP I think a look at your plugs would be a worthwhile way to spend a few minutes. IF you have more time and the equipment a compression test would answer even more...

How about calling the machine shop with a few questions?

Nice write up!

I gave my wife instruction on how to check the oil level of her 325ci. She dutifully checked one day and poured a quart of oil into the power steering reservoir. That was fun sucking out, flushing, and refilling...

If you are referring to spatial orientation as basically the general direction the wires are pointed- no that makes absolutely no difference...

The order that the wires plug into the dizzy cap is all that matters and that the other end of each wire goes to its correct spark plug... Of course the 5th big wire out of the center of the dizzy cap goes to your coil...

Just think of the dizzy as a 4 way switch that is triggered by the rotor arm swinging around and triggering the "on" switch for that spark plug...

Sounds like you found TDC for cylinder 1 by siting the ball on the flywheel- thats good. Then when you inserted the dizzy the rotor arm should end up pointing to wire 1 on the cap- you probably noticed how the arm slightly turns as you insert the dizzy and the gears mesh. You have to take that turning of the arm into account as you insert the dizzy so that when it is finally in place the rotor arm points in the right direction which would by the contact point inside the dizzy cap for wire number 1....

All this is my experienced based on a stock setup- not sure how things may be different with an electronic trigger! You probably knew all this though...

I think you should pay the body shop to do the job unless you really WANT to get into body work and have other areas to tackle on this car.

However consider that the welder will set you back $350 on the low end. Maybe you can find something used for less but you do not want a flux core only setup. You will need to run gas so you will also need a bottle and gas itself. Now you also need gloves, apron, auto darkening helmet, wire, and other odds and ends. You will need a way to grind your welds down and clean them up- so angle grinder and abrasives. Before you even weld you need to remove the rust so wire wheels, sand paper, and at least a metal cutoff wheel will be needed.Your finished work will also need to be painted which is a whole other ball of wax. SO just in tools and materials you will easily blow through $600.

If you go the DIY direction DO NOT skimp on a welder, if you do it will be a constant source of frustration, sub par results, and perhaps cost you more in the end... Popular Mechanics did a quick review of several welders that is interesting just google it. Personally I can recommend the Lincoln Handy Mig and Eastwood Mig-135 as good intro welders.

As far as rust repair I don't consider this to be a very complex area to fix.. The rust higher up on the side of the window will require at least the detachment of the headliner in that area as well as the foam material there behind the headliner. Otherwise the welder will catch the foam on fire. You will have good access to one side of the rust to cut it out, however the back side of the weld and repair is internal to the structure built around the window frame. To protect the back side of the repair and mitigate any rust/moisture within the window frame I would use the Eastwood internal frame protector system- http://www.eastwood.com/internal-frame-coating-w-spray-nozzle-qt.html

Creating the sheet metal patches should not be that difficult either however keep in mind that some of your rust is running into visible portions of the body. You will need to be confidant in your abilities to make a clean repair.

EDIT- rereading your post it appears you believe that you will be welding just cracks- that will not be the case. You will be fabricating small patches out of sheet metal and welding those patches into the rust areas you have removed. The more rust the bigger the patch generally. Really big complicated patch means possibly finding a donor car or order the whole body panel (which is most likely not the case here). Small areas can also be fixed with Lab Metal. Also take a look at where your parsel shelf meets the lower rear window frame you may find rust there too. The more you can learn now before the car is torn apart, the better.

I think in the end you need to decide what your long range goals are for this car, how you will get there, and what your budget it. If this is all you want/need to fix for some time then pay to have it done. On the other hand if you have the time but a limited budget and have other rust areas I say invest in the tools and fix it yourself.

Here are a couple shots of what I recently dealt with on the back window. BTW none of this was visible or apparent until the window was removed-

I did two patches- one for the inner where it attaches to the shelf and then another for the frame itself.

Heres the end result after an afternoon of work-

Here is the right side all media blasted...

I decided to fix the hole below the kink first-

The cut-

The patch traced it on some scrap paper,cut, then bent in vice using adjustable wrench as a brake-

Welded in with initial grind-

The heat caused some shrinking so had to do a couple rounds of primer, sanding, and then some hammer off dolly metal bumping.

Here is a shot after some sanding-

Got it leveled and primed-

Still needs some touch up work around where the kink out bevel meets the lip of the quarter panel... 

Back to the kink. I decided to make some access cuts through both layers of metal in the kink and then bend the tabs up.

Rust was a little worse then I initially though and will have to replace a little bit of the side wall within the channel.

Formed the patch, once again with just a vice, hammer, and pliers-

Patch in place ready to be welded-

Got most of the welding done but then ran out of mig gas... 

Obviously more grinding to be done....

Shortly after my 3 inch cheap Chicago Electric Harbor Freight metal cutoff tool died.. The cord shorted right where it entered the grinder. I will fix it but with no gas and then the cutoff tool down it was a sign to call it a day.... TO BE CONTINUED....

Right now am going to do the other side. I will take some more pics and angle the camera differently!

The biggest gaps around patch number 2 were not all that big- but there was alot of variation to the gap size around the patch because I did not spend that much time cutting the outline of the patch. I read a quote somewhere "if you can walk across it you can weld it" - it has some truth.

I am just learning welding myself but what I have found when it comes to welding is that the size of the gap is not as critical when compared to the thickness of the metal- So for example I would much rather bridge a big gap when welding rather than go from thick good metal to thin rusted metal. I have found that if i go from thick to thin suddenly the weld puddle will burn through and make the bead unpredictable. In this particular case I just did a bunch of spot weld and jumped around alot to control heat.

Additionally nice clean metal on both surfaces to be welded is far more critical- it is super annoying to have one side give you a nice good arc but the other side just pops and you don't get good penetration.

My welder is just an Eastwood Mig-135 running 75 argon 25 co2 with .025 wire. I love this welder, it is cheap, and has infinite variable control for power and infinite variable speed for wire speed. Has plenty of power- for this job was on about a 3 out of 10 for power and it runs off 110 volt plug.

Other tools for anyone interested were

-drill with bits, spot weld cutting bit, carbide burr for grinding

-4 1/2 inch electric angle grinder running metal grinding disc and flap discs

-3 inch electric high speed rotary saw - cheap harbor freight and works great!

-Eastwood air high speed metal saw- another favorite of mine for only $40

-center punch

-body hammers and dolly set

-vice

-autobody magnets

-hand metal file

-optionally I used a Speed Blaster abrasive media gun and a syphon feed blasting gun to remove paint 

-For patches was just a sheet of 20 gauge mild steel

-Weld thru primer to protect the welds and beneath the plug welds

-cutting oil- get more life out of bits and saw blades

-of course all the associated hearing, eye, body protection, fire extinguisher...

A short summary of an afternoon spent repairing a rusted Hofmeister Kink... Its a tough area to work due to all of the bends and lack of access...

I am taking care of the rust in my car's body and like many 2002's the side quarter window seals were not changed when they should have been. 

The problem-

The first cuts and one spot weld to remove the first portion-

The second portion removed-

Patch one-

Patch one welded in with the last bend left up so as to provide access to weld and grind within the channel-

Ground welds,bent the fold down, and then welded the fold into place. Leaving the fold open on patch one was the key to the whole repair...

Positioned patch number two-

Welded in and cleaned up. Did alot of the final metal shaping with a hand file-

Sprayed some primer on for protection until I sand blast it and really protect the kink-

Still needs some final touch up put it was getting late and had to call it a night.... Hope this helps some people. I was very fortunate that the rust had not compromised any of the outer defining structure. With well placed cuts my patch number 2 required minimal shaping other than a slight bend down the length with a slight crease running top to bottom at the center...

EDIT- sorry all the pics are sideways.... On my laptop they are correct but when uploaded they are not. A little frustrated with the picture upload as the first time around I attempted to just embed a link to my google drive but the forum disallowed that...

Agree with FB73tii- if the CSV is constantly spraying fuel there is no way it is going to run correctly. I know you tried capping the CSV fuel  line but I would try that again. The first way you tried to cap was what I would do but you said the pressure was too great. Try taking two pieces of wood, sandwich the CSV fuel supply hose in the middle then 2 c-clamps on the outside of the wood-fuel hose-wood sandwich and just pinch the line shut....

Fix the known problems first.

Get on Amazon and order a fuel pressure test set of tools... Real testing requires real tools and effort. Guessing at problems and then trying to fix things based on assumptions and guesses will often make things worse. My money is still on a blockage somewhere that is raising your fuel pressure too high- but we won't know till its tested.

Are you really getting white smoke- IE the smoke does not disappear but drifts and accumulates? OR is it water vapor? I would imagine wherever you live it is getting colder and now the water vapor that ALWAYS came out of your exhaust is now being cooled on exit, hitting its dew point, and then condensing into visible moisture--- entirely normal.... The colder your engine, longer it sits, colder ambient temperatures= more visible water vapor until the engine warms up.

Additionally, if you do discover the fuel pressure being too high and or the csv is spraying constantly, after you fix it and before you go drive the car I would give the engine an oil change. You have now probably compromised your oil with alot of gas and had gas run down your cylinder walls, rings, bearings, etc... EDIT- just realized Feb73tii already said that - beat me to it!

If you have the correct distributor in a 74tii you should have vacuum retard timing. Maybe the timing is not advanced enough then when coming to a stop the vacuum increases and overly retards the timing...

Could also be a malfunctioning dizzy overly retarding the timing in response to vacuum.

+1 Bill.. Until clean, proper psi, and proper volume fuel is verified everything is conjecture. Once debris got loose into the system all previous psi and volume tests go out the window.

Personally I would not go chasing after the dizzy springs just yet... Achman said it idles and ran fine once it was started. I don't think the dizzy is very far off for start if it was running fine before the CSV and fuel problems began.

As for myself I would be really concerned with debris in my fuel system. It would be a bad day to ruin the KF pump because of crap floating through the fuel system. Achman running the system without the screen in the tank even for a short time makes me nervous (I am not sure you have a screen in the electric fuel pump since it is a 5 series pump but you should have your main fuel filter to protect you).

I would start by pulling the fuel tank inspecting/cleaning/repairing. I really liked por-15 fuel system repair package- http://www.eastwood.com/por-15-fuel-tank-repair-kit.html . Then check the fuel collection canister near the electric pump. Fuel filter just prior to the KF pump would be next. Blow out all the lines.

FB73tii I am no electrical engineer but I think the CSV only OPENS WITH electrical power sent to it and it CLOSES during the ABSENSE of power. Please chime in I would really like to know if I am wrong...

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzvIcW8mkEjpbHVLZkdBeGtONGM/edit?usp=drive_web

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzvIcW8mkEjpTzBta1NSSlVicU0/edit?usp=drive_web

A CSV that opens without power applied would be dangerous- for example you shut the car off but residual fuel pressure forces fuel out of the CSV...

Achman I feel your pain- the tii is amazing when its running right but a major pain to make it so.. It like a Rube Goldberg machine when it comes to starting and fuel...

Your CSV was a known problem and I would start there. IF the CSV remains shut when electrical power is NOT applied you should be able to just electrically unplug it, crank the ignition, and a properly working cold start system will NOT spray fuel. It sounds like you have already done this and it is spraying fuel despite being disconnected.

Because your CSV is still opening I would do some further investigating into why... Chances of getting a defective CSV are slim. As someone else said- maybe your electric fuel pump is boosting fuel PSI too high forcing the valve open. Test fuel pressure right at the point where the CSV connects. The manual says you should see 28 psi. You have said you already had to deal with a clogged fuel screen and have put a fresh filter in. It sounds like you had a blockage at one point which caused cutouts on the highway. IF you have a fuel blockage in your fuel return line it WILL INCREASE your fuel psi above the boost achieved by the fuel return valve on the backside of the KF pump.

A test light or multimeter would answer questions and be a good double check as well.

After you sort the CSV I would chase down any other problems... You mentioned you thought the ignition wires might be out of order. It sounds like you have a good handle on the distributor and timing. As you said the firing order is on the valve cover. To iterate the rest for anyone curious FIRST: I just figure out which way the rotor in the distributor turns. Most sure fire way to find that is to crank the engine and watch the rotor arm. Both of my distributors have an arrow engraved on the side as well but with these cars being so old and often modified with a different dizzy you can never be sure by just an arrow. SECOND: find notch on lip of distributor where cap rests- this is the TDC mark on the dizzy. THIRD: wire to cylinder 1 plugs into cap roughly on that mark. Now that you have a starting point and know which way the rotor turns work your way around the cap plugging in the wires as per the valve cover firing order..... Also firing order on valve cover is NOT numbering for the cylinders- cylinder one is the front most and 4 is rearmost, But everyone know that right!  ;-)

Good luck! I hope its just a blocked fuel return line/high pressure issue.

Achman your ccv valve has failed to the open position... 

Whether you decide to go with a manual control vs stock you will need a new ccv valve.. Unless you ditch the ccv altogether- but of course the engine will take more cranking to start when cold...

I would install the new ccv and then test it to make sure the relay box is working correctly.

If your new ccv valve opens and closes correctly with proper duration AND you continue to have starting issues its time to look somewhere else.

-Check your plugs- you have obviously been running this engine VERY rich.. At least needs a good hot run to burn off some carbon

-Test the fuel pressure and volume the electric fuel pump is putting out

-Check ignition timing- specifically not being too advanced for start

-Check the settings of the "cold start air supply"- the ccv is only the fuel half of the cold start system  

-Check KF pump linkages

-Is your starter turning your engine over slowly? Cleanup starter wires or upgrade the starter

Test the cold start valve and the relay..

From what I remember-

Just remove the valve from the TB leave it plugged in. Find a clear container to catch fuel. Get a helper to turn the key in the ignition just to get the electric fuel pump going while you are prepared to catch any fuel from the cold start injector WITH the engine cold. If it starts dripping or spraying you have a leaking cold start injector valve.

If not then actually crank the engine and observe/time the spray from the valve. There is guidance for spray duration versus coolant temp. IF valve opens, sprays, and closes but duration is off then you have a cold start relay box problem or problem with the coolant sensor for the cold start relay box. 

For now though I would be looking for the valve to properly close and open.... I would imagine you could also double check your conclusion with a test light hooked up to the cold start injector plug..

Also not a bad time to test your electric fuel pump for proper volume AND pressure since you are playing with fuel and have the cold start valve disconnected...

Follow the instructions exactly. As someone said POR-15 likes to bond to rust.. It is an acronym for "Paint Over Rust" . IF you are following the directions after the Marine Clean you will apply their acid etch. After that you might even let it sit to flash rust. DO NOT apply it to a smooth metal surface- it needs surface irregularities to "bite" into. Abrasive blasting with a coarse media works well... It self levels quite well and a little bit goes a long way!

Personally I am shifting to some of the Eastwood products. They seem to work just as good if not better and aren't as finicky when it comes to prep. 

How does it look where your outer rocker meets the A-post cover/panel? If you are already going to do an outer rocker you might want to do the A-post as well since you are in there.. 

I would also check where your rear wheel well panel meets your rear quarter panel- specifically from inside the wheel well area- take off your tire and knock off some of the crud. Also investigate your rear subframe mounts. 

I would do all this in order to have a good handle on how much rust you are dealing with- it always looks worse once you open it up....

Message sent!

If the car is getting warm at stops while idling that sounds pretty normal... If your fan does not have a shroud around it- get one! I think that is part of the "tropical" option for 2002s...

Also make sure your idle rpm is set correctly. If your idle is too low then the fan won't turn fast enough at stops and the water pump will not be moving as much coolant through the system....

Do research here and elsewhere and give yourself an education. The information is all here! 

One final thing to consider would be to switch to an electric fan. Ireland Engineering has a very straight forward electric fan kit. Advantages are improved cooling at stops (depending on fan size of course and your cooling system is otherwise working correctly)... Others claim less noise, better mpg, and more power....

Whether your car runs hot at speed or while idling at a stop is an important detail when trying to diagnose problems....

You can also drill a small hole in the thermostat valve to prevent it from blocking air bubbles when you are filling the coolant. Massaging and squeezing the lower radiator hose can also help force out bubbles. There is quite a bit of information on the forums regarding the filling and bleeding of the coolant system. 

I would also flush the engine block coolant passages. If you have lots of sludge coating the coolant passages inside the engine cannot efficiently transfer heat to the coolant fluid as well as said sludge restricting flow.

Check the accuracy of the coolant temperature sensor with an ir thermometer.. Perhaps the car is not running hot- you just need a sensor. 

Use correct BMW coolant. Its blue.... You might consider a different ratio of coolant to distilled water- it does not sound like it freezes there. 

You said you are getting a new "tropical" radiator- I assume this means or is equivalent to "high density". You can see how many coolant passages your radiator has by looking inside with the cap off and the coolant level is low enough. Your old original radiator probably had only 2 rows of passages. I would hope your "tropical" radiator has 3. 3 cores give the radiator greater ability to exchange engine heat into the air as well as increasing the water/coolant capacity....

You could have a head gasket leak.. Exhaust gases are entering the cooling system and vice versa.. This will cause hot running. 

As was mentioned before- Engine timing should be checked. If the timing is too advanced your engine is going to run hot as well as possibly cause internal engine damage. 

Your engine could also be too lean causing it to run hot...

Any more updates? This is one of my favorite sources for pics and info to make rust repairs on my own car.

Leak down or compression check would be a good place to start if you heven't already.....