Engine clean-up

#1

Started the process of fixing the second largest oil spill this year. I believe the main source is my rear main, but it could be the oil pan gasket. I figure it’d be easiest to pull the motor to fix the leaks, add a crank scraper, do the timing belt, and put it back in.

I’m going a little slower than I probably should because I’ve never done this before, but I made good progress last night. Got the coolant drained, the oil drained, fuel lines disconnected, wiring harness through the firewall, block ground strap removed, starter wire disconnected, ignition coil disconnected, exhaust disconnected, O2 sensor disconnected, power steering disconnected, clutch slave disconnected, and a ton of oil in my hair from the floor.

I think all I have left is the shifter to disconnect, transmission mounts, and engine mounts. The tranny and motor are coming out together. Where is best to connect my chain and how high do I need to lift the front end?

Also, anything I’m missing? Any tricks to getting this sucker out tonight? Do you think I can get it out, resealed, and back in before I hit the road next Thursday for NJMP?

#2

Radiator has to come out. Disconnect the transmissions guibo/flexdisk at the driveshaft side, not transmission side.

Chain connects to the back of block just above the starter. At the front it connects to the big bracket thing that sticks above the cam pulley.

Mark or paint wire connectors and the fuel return so you can’t get them backwards. For example, hit the fuel pressure reg with a little spot of paint, and then do the same for the fuel return hose. Then spot paint both sides of the crank pos sensor. Then take a different color and spot the ICV and it’s connector. With those 3 things marked, you can’t connect anything wrong.

Put a baggy over the fuel lines so no debris can get in. Same for oil lines.

The front end of the car needs to be pretty high to get the tranny out. This makes it hard to get the engine up and over the front grill tho. Once you have the engine and tranny moved 8" or so, see if you can’t drop the front of the car a little such that it’s easier to get the engine over the grill.

#3

Radiator is out, guibo disconnected at the driveshaft as well.

The spot above the starter, that’s the small hole right? About 1" in diameter?

#4

OriginalSterm wrote:

[quote]Radiator is out, guibo disconnected at the driveshaft as well.

The spot above the starter, that’s the small hole right? About 1" in diameter?[/quote]

Yes.

Your engine hoist has a leveler on it, correct? You’re going to be tilting engine and tranny at a pretty serious angle.

#5

Got a leveler.

I guessed at having to raise the front of the car real high, then drop it down a bit as the engine/tranny moved. Glad to see that’s not crazy…

#6

If you are bored, some pictures would make this thread alot better. :smiley:

#7

King Tut wrote:

#8

Engine/Tranny are out. Worse than I thought. Have to rely on the backup motor and tranny. It’s from an '89, car is an '87. Anything I need to worry about?

#9

Transfer '87 waterpump to the '89 motor. Keep your '87 harness and O2 sensor.

#10

I have the right waterpump on the car. But the t-stat housing looks to be different. Should I swap that over as well, or just re-route something? O2 sensor is staying put.

#11

There are different flavors of tstat housings but my perception is that they are all compatible. Would be good to confirm this with someone else tho.

#12

There is a difference in t-stat housings and hose routing and what side your coolant tank is on. on the 87 the coolant tank is on the passenger side and on the 88+ it is on the drivers side. there are two different styles of water pumps as well as well(I think)

Having said that, I don’t know what is interchangeable. I know you can update an 87 to and 88+ system and vice versa, but I am not sure you can mix and match. Someone wiser than me needs to chime in on that.

#13

The thermostat housings are functionally the same for early/late production.

The water pump, hoses, radiator, and expansion tank all have to be from the same scheme. You can convert a car from the early system to the late system and vice versa.

#14

Car is an '87, this engine came from an '89. It does have the early style waterpump, I knew enough to use that. But I didn’t notice the t-stat housing until now.

I’m stuck choosing between the motor that was in the car and the spare tranny, or spare motor AND tranny for this weekend. The motor that was in the car runs great, but leaks a bit. The other motor shouldn’t leak, but I have never run it.

#15

Another question…

The transmission that was in the car was the original from '87. I changed the fluid at the end of last season with MT-90. Is this the proper fluid? The transmission from the '89 that is going back in should have what fluid?

#16

OriginalSterm wrote:

[quote]Car is an '87, this engine came from an '89. It does have the early style waterpump, I knew enough to use that. But I didn’t notice the t-stat housing until now.

I’m stuck choosing between the motor that was in the car and the spare tranny, or spare motor AND tranny for this weekend. The motor that was in the car runs great, but leaks a bit. The other motor shouldn’t leak, but I have never run it.[/quote]

Use whichever engine has less power. I’m going to need all the help I can get next weekend.:lol:

#17

OriginalSterm wrote:

[quote]Another question…

The transmission that was in the car was the original from '87. I changed the fluid at the end of last season with MT-90. Is this the proper fluid? The transmission from the '89 that is going back in should have what fluid?[/quote]

There should be a tag on the side of the trans, based on the color of the tag depends on what fluid you should use. Below is a chart I coped from another site. I think if you have a Green or no label, MT-90 should be fine. if you have a Red label you need an ATF fluid

BMW Green label (SHC 630)

BMW Red label (DEXRON III)

BMW no label (80W GL-4)

#18

Spare tranny and resealed spare engine are in. The car runs. Big exhaust leak though and poor idle. I could be mistaken, but I think the shifter is in a slightly different position than before, but I could be making that up…