Syy0628

Hey guys, I was replacing both the wheel cylinders on e36 316i because I was losing brake fluid and the first one came off easily, but the second one, I managed to round the nut a bit between the breakline and the wheel cylinder. I did use penetrating oil, but I used an open end spanner( I know, but that's what I have, and the other one came off easily), what should I do now? I tried to spin the wheel cylinder left and right, but it is not moving at all. thanks

It took castle parcel 4 working days to finally deliver the fuel pressure testing kit. The Courier didn't even bother to come down the driveway before I call the breach the second time. Just like *rUstY_nUts* said, it is low fuel pressure. But a steady 8psi is really weird, as it shows no sign of failure before, and suddenly died but not completely. Anyway, now I got a used fuel pump from pick a part, it is running alright now. thanks everyone for the help. One thing to note is that unlike normal Japanese car from the 90s, on BMW e36 m43 engined car, the coil side of fuel pump relay does not get power unless the DME sees all the signals it needs to start the engine(rpm is one of them, from crank position sensor). which means the fuel pump does not prime, nor does it work with the key at On position.

I bought the fuel testing tool from the link provided by Eagle, I should be able to diagnoses the problem properly this time. What are the common air leak location on a m43 engine, I have checked the all the intake boot before the throttle body, they are good.

Thank, this one is not too expensive. The one on sale at SCA is just ridiculous.

Thanks for the reply. I know sometimes the advice given on forum is not always accurate, most advice is based on people's experience. It can be the exact same problem or completely the opposite. Like Brain tumor will cause a headache but you have a headache doesn't really mean you have got a brain tumor. But it is always good to know what other people think about the problem. I do not plan to get it checked by a BMW specialist, I got the car for cheap, and I am learning to work on cars on this cheap e36. I have another car that is totally reliable if I have places to be. so I am not in a hurry. I have gone through the Bentley manual and find the BMW is quite interesting in design. I just hated the fact that tools are expensive in NZ, and there are no places to hire them from.

It's been a few days , today I installed new spark plugs and tried to start the car again, it wont idle, but I can get it to run by reving it to around 2000rpm. and after about 30seconds, I shut it off, and the spark plugs are covered in black powder like soot again. So is it running rich, or is it normal for cold start ? If it is abnormal, what can cause it to run rich? I would think that the fuel pressure regulator is bad? But would that cause the car to cut out at highway speed ? really need help Thanks

Hi, I am a new member to the forum, I am currently working on my e36, I suspect a fuel system problem, do you happen to have fuel pressure gauge that I can borrow for a fee? I think my e36 316i with m43 is using M1.73 DME, does your scan tool work on my car? Can I borrow that as well? thanks

Hi, My e36 316iA with m43b16 engine left me stranded on the state highway 1 last Sunday, I was doing 90kph slight downhill when the engine just lost power and rpm drop to 0. I taxied the car to the side of the road and checked the oil and coolant as I thought the engine seized, but both coolant and oil look good. Next, I pulled the spark plug, and I can see spark going and the spark plugs seem normal with good a bit red-ish color. I tried to start the car, it just cranks and won't catch at all. I jumped the fuel relay and I can get 12V and ground to the fuel pump, but the car still won't start. At that point, I thought I have a bad fuel pump, but when I took the pump off and bench tested it with a spare battery, it pumps fine, enough pressure to shoot gas right onto my face. So I changed the inline fuel filter, and it doesn't help either. I also checked the fuel pump relay coil side pin 85, 86, 30, 87 I am getting 12V at the fuel pump, so 87- fuse - pump circuit is good, and I bench tested the relay, it is working good. Pin30 is getting 12V at all time which is good, I am getting 12V from pin 86 when DME is turned on, but I got a strange 0.02V at PIn 85 and no continuity to chassis ground. I read it somewhere that a bad crank position sensor will stop the coil side of fuel pump relay getting power, so I tested it, and it seems good apart from quite dirty. In addition to that, I cleaned the MAF as well. Now I have put everything back and it sometimes starts but won't idle, and sometimes won't start at all. I pulled the plugs again, and there is black soot on the plugs? I was under the impression that I am not getting fuel so no start, but why is there soots on the spark plugs from I trying to start the car? note that when the car first broke down, the spark plugs look good. I am out of ideas, please help. as the problem is kind of interment. to conclude the problem above. When first broken down, won't start at all. Then after I took the fuel pump off and put back on, together with a new fuel filter, it won't start but catches sometimes. After I tested and cleaned the CPS and MAF it starts but won't idle but will stay at 1500rpm if I give it some gas. However it eventually died even with throttle input, and I discovered spark plugs covered in black soots. I cleaned the spark plugs, and now it won't start and catch occasionally. I think I should do a fuel pressure test, but I don't have the gauges and being a poor uni student, I am not going to tow it to the shop and pay for the repairs. Does anyone in the forum have fuel pressure gauges is kind enough to lend it to me for a few days? Sorry about the long and unorganized text written in shitty English, thanks in advance for advices and suggestions.

Hi, it's an old thread, but I haven't really solved my problem yet, I plan to install a second-hand drive shaft to see if it will fix the problem. Is all drive shaft for e36 automatic the same? I saw a driveshaft from e36 compact 318ti for cheap. my car is e36 316i sedan, will it fit?

Yes, I think that's the only place where 316i come with leather seats and stuff.

The O-ring I used at the first time was part of the kit, which I bought from BM workshop. They melted into one after the wrong installation. The current one I used is from the dollar store, they are softer than the one from BM workshop, don't know how long they will last. I put one dollar store O-ring in some used engine oil for one night, it is still alright, so I thought I will give it a try.since I am reusing the gasket anyway. I don't mind taking it apart again, it is relatively quick to do, about half an hour. now the leak is from the lightly damaged gasket instead of the valve plug. I just don't know if it is worth it to spend more money on this thing, I already regret buying this one, I was given the choice between a roadworthy high mileage 318isA for a bit more than 1 grand and this low mileage for the year lemon with like new interior for half the price, after I got it, I realized everything rubber and plastic is falling to piece, and a seized rear U-joint on the drive shaft. now I have already spend 200-300 on tyres and bushing on the chassis to make it pass warrant. (the previous owner left this car to die in his backyard after 2011) to make the car reliable, I think I will need a new radiator, a new water pump and all belts and idlers pulley and some more rubber parts, two struts, a rebuilt drive shaft. then change the ATF fluid and diff oil. Which comes together to about 1000 on parts only. for a 316i and for what I paid for it, that is a lot of money.

The image is right after I pulled the OFH off the first time, so it is not clean. I took it apart the second time, the two O-rings is kind of melted into one is already a little bit hardened? for only one day? I almost think there is something wrong with my engine oil, the oil leak started not too long after I changed the oil.I used Nulon 5w30 SN grade because they are on sale and as cheap as milk. I did heard that some SN grade oil would harden rubber seal. but it is not supposed to be this quick. I found some 25x3.1mm O-rings and used those instead. The gasket seems to have a little bit damage from the incorrectly installed O-ring at the top (got squeezed by old O-ring), but I decided to reuse it anyway to try my luck, and most importantly because I am broke. The bad news is after I put everything back, it is still leaking a bit, much better than it used to be. I should not have saved the 20 bucks on a new gasket. And the worst news, the 20 years old radiator expansion tank cracked after I support my elbow on it while doing the job twice, now the oil leak is not so bad, but the water leak is as bad as the oil leak use to be... A new radiator is just too expensive, I guess I won't be able to drive it for some time.

Damn, I think you are right. I found this picture online photo 4, the good one should look something like this. I am new to BMW, and I don't really know what I am doing. I should have asked you guys before I put it on. but hey, I learned something new(the hard way). someday, I will manual swap it and put an m52b28 in and play with the cam a bit. But I swear to god mine old ring looks like a part of the valve, and there is no gap whatsoever. Even the reception guy at BM Workshop part department couldn't tell. I went to buy the O-ring with the valve, and after I got the O-ring, I ask him about where the O-ring should sit, he had a good look at it and told me it is supposed to be on the outside, and then I asked him it doesn't look like it will fit since it is too wide for the gap, and he said, you have to lube it with engine oil, and it will fit. The question is can I reuse the gasket and O-ring this time? it is only on there for one day.

thanks for your reply, yes I did used a new gasket, about the torque, somesay 20nm, is is not on the Bentley manual.

Yes, I think it is leaking from there. See photo2. I have taken it apart yesterday, and the gasket seems ok, but there is no O-ring on the none return valve. however, my none return valve is different to the one in your picture. mine has four dips on it, two shallow one on the outer side.see photo 1. I tried to install O-ring on the outer side dips, but there is no way it will stay when installing the value into the housing. so I end up installing both in the center two dips. I also found someone from Hongkong did the same thing on m43tu engine, see photo3, and he did not report any further problem. I cleaned the mating surface and applied a coat of oil to the new gasket and reinstalled everything, but it is still leaking as bad as it used to be. I tighten the bolts to about the same amount of torque when I loosen them, but since my torque wrench is too big to fit in there, I did it by feel. The oil leak only happens when the engine is started, but leak really badly like a stream. What did I do wrong? thanks

what kind of price are we talking about?

I noticed the backlash in the diff, the play I mentioned is not caused by the diff backlash. When I hold the front section of the driveshaft and twist the rear half, the play is still there, I just don't know that amount of play is normal or not. The thing I couldn't figure out is why the vibration will stop once I let the car coast. and the vibration doesn't get noticeably worse on very highspeed. before I took anything apart, I thought the center U-joint might be worm really bad that under load, the play causes the front half and the rear half of drive shaft to twist therefore out of alignment, that will explain the vibration stop while coasting. Now I can see the drive shaft, everything looks Ok, which really confuses me. Also, where do you get the 2nd hand driveshaft from? I was planning to find a crashed e36 from pick a part to pull a driveshaft, is the drive shaft for 5at and 4at the same? I know it's different for manual. My e36 is all original as well, even the cooling system... yep, the same water pump and radiator as it left the factory at 1997 and after 190000km. It is already leaking slowly from the water pump shaft, But since I got the car really cheap, I am not going to spend money on fixing it until it failed really bad. I have already spent enough money on the many chassis rubber parts. I watch the water temperature gauge more than the speedometer, so it should be fine. e39 is more likely to tear the guide apart due to more torque from the engine, is your e39 manual? e39 is, in my opinion, the best BMW overall has ever made. Thumbs up for you to keep it on the road.

I haven't take the drive shaft off to flex it yet. The front section is locked by transmission in park, the rear is locked by diff both wheel not spinning (the wheel is on spare wheels I don't have four jack stands, which means I can't get access to the upper bolts on the flange.)When I turn the shaft, there is a tiny bit of play as shown in the video. When I loosen the bolts on the center carrier bearing, I wiggle the whole drive shaft around, the center U-joint seems to move freely in every direction. I also like to mention that the vibration will go alway no matter how fast the speed is as long as I let off the gas. even the slightest gas will cause the vibration. It seems like is there is any torque applied to the wheel, there will be vibration. But strangely below 70kph, even I floor it in 2nd or load up the torque converter at the traffic light and then rev it to 6000rpm, there is no vibration whatsoever. I have driven the car for 800km in total with the bad vibration, it seems to lower the threshold a bit, from 75kph to 70kph. I will move the jack stands to the rear to disconnect the drive shaft once I fixed the oil leak and cracked belt at the front. Run the car on jack stands above 70kph is quite scary, especially when the car is shaking. I think I should be the guy on the ground to see what wrong, but it will be hard to find a volunteer to be in the driver seat. I really hate it but all of my friends are not interested in car stuff at all, like those people driving with no light in the night because they never check the instrument cluster so they don't know it is black. Thanks for your idea.

THANKS, but i have checked, the gearbox and engine mounts seems intact.

Today I have taken the exhaust off and there is a tiny bit of play at both the center U-joint and the rear U-joint when I turn the shaft by hand, is that considered bad? I have attached a video of it. thanks 34f2c2b442ac71c31b03529d5d9f0dfc.mp4

Hi all, My e36 316i with m43b16 engine, started to pouring oil from right above the steering rack(about 500cc in 10mins, worst oil leak I have ever seen), I suspect the oil filter housing gasket has cracked, where can buy the gasket from, I remember seeing them from supercheap auto, but couldn't find it anymore. Also, I have a viscous clutch fan, any idea how I can get it off without the special holding tool? Many thanks

Thanks for your input, I haven't drop the exhaust and take the driveshaft off to check the U-joint yet. (Hard to do by myself since there is no a lot of room to work under my two tiny jack stands), just want to know if I am going the right direction.

Hi all, I am new to the forum and I just got a E36 316i auto. my e36 316i auto has a bad vibration(bad enough for the interior to shake) coming from the rear of the car above 70kph, and it is speed related, it eases off when let off the gas, and get worse when accelerating or going uphill. Downshift to 3rd does not change the vibration. The car also jerks hard when shifting from N to D or to R. Since the vibration is speed and on/off throttle related, I suspect the vibration is caused by the driveline behind the transmission. The Tyres have been balanced, there is no crack on the flex disc, and when I turn the drive shaft by hand, there is no obvious play in the U-Joints, and there is no dent or bent on the rear CV shaft, the bushing on the rear control arm seems to be Ok, and the car drives straight and handles well when cornered hard. What could be the problem? Thanks