slideways 44 Report post Posted June 22, 2014 So yesterday I grabbed on a M54B30 from a NZ new E39 at pick a part. It turned over and seemed to have no sign of water in the oil or vise versa so i pounced on it as it could be the perfect powerplant for the e30 race/club car im building. About an hour and a half and $289 (charged for a 4cyl) later, it was mine. So im new to these 24v motors and I need to know what im working with here. I really want to know if its good to go and not rooted. What should i be checking to make sure its still usable as is? Eg how can I be sure the head gasket isn't blown? Not too keen to take the head off unless i have to. Should I re torque the head bolts to check if the head hasn't pulled the studs out and buggered the thread in the block?? What else should i be checking? It has done 170,000kms going by car jam (so should be only just run in) but worryingly the car hadn't been in a big hit. It was just in really bad shape. Cheers 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ahmedsinc 414 Report post Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) Score!! Don't suppose you remember what spec the stereo was? Edit: If youre not planning on using the MS43 DME pm Silver Fox. He knows a thing or two (or fifty!) about what to do with these engines Second edit: Got the VIN for this, by any chance?? Edited June 22, 2014 by Ahmedsinc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2122 Report post Posted June 22, 2014 good score! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BM WORLD 1264 Report post Posted June 22, 2014 good score. was the car accident damaged?? or just old and wornout looking. check millage off the cars vin number in carjam. what colour is the oil , thin or thick etc?? pull the plugs out check colour and condition etc. whats the state of the thermostat and water pump etc plastic coolant pipes on the block etc?? compression check will help , bolt up a gearbox and starter motor etc gearbox can be any m40 m20 m42 m43 m50 m52 etc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slideways 44 Report post Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) Score!! Don't suppose you remember what spec the stereo was? Edit: If youre not planning on using the MS43 DME pm Silver Fox. He knows a thing or two (or fifty!) about what to do with these engines Second edit: Got the VIN for this, by any chance?? Didnt take note of the stereo sorry but the Vin is WBADT62070CK19509 and the plate was GGJ662. Still got to decide how to go about running it. Still learning about these 24V's. Will most likely go the simplest option, OBD1 or whatever but does anyone know if there is anyone who can do a good tune to suit down here in Wellington if go that route? good score. was the car accident damaged?? or just old and wornout looking. check millage off the cars vin number in carjam. what colour is the oil , thin or thick etc?? pull the plugs out check colour and condition etc. whats the state of the thermostat and water pump etc plastic coolant pipes on the block etc?? compression check will help , bolt up a gearbox and starter motor etc gearbox can be any m40 m20 m42 m43 m50 m52 etc No big hit but maybe a very minor frontal impact but couldnt really tell. Car was pretty un tidy so im gonna hope its a combination of those things that lead it to end up at Pick a Part but its only done 177k. Ive only taken the oil filter cap off so far to take a look and found rather dark dirty oil. Was happier to see black oil than chocolate milk though. I will have a proper look at it tomorrow evening and will report back here. I will naturally be replacing as much of the cooling system as i can so im not too worried about that, its really just the head and block i care about. I have gearboxes, E30 flywheel and starter so will look into compression testing it some time. Edited June 22, 2014 by slideways Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ahmedsinc 414 Report post Posted June 22, 2014 Hmmm, did it have the widescreen monitor display? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
twisted 45 Report post Posted June 22, 2014 sh*t. Well have to take a change of clothes into town tomorrow. :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
e30ftw 396 Report post Posted June 22, 2014 I turned up a couple minutes after you got there for this lol. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allan 295 Report post Posted June 23, 2014 Where in Welly are they also do you have a contact number please. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2122 Report post Posted June 23, 2014 Where in Welly are they also do you have a contact number please. They are in Wingate, about 10 minutes from my house. A contact number will be on their website you can find on google. But as good as the two girls out the front are, they don't know much about cars at all, especially euros etc. If you are going to ask them what they have etc, forget it! $2 entry fee, like disney land. and if you find something you like, you take it off yourself, pay the fees (of course, you are saving paying any yardmen labour etc), so you can get some real steals. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slideways 44 Report post Posted June 23, 2014 Hmmm, did it have the widescreen monitor display? I wouldnt even know what that was haha but again, i was purely there for the engine and didnt take much notice of anything else sorry mate. I turned up a couple minutes after you got there for this lol. Haha so that was you. Sorry dude, you gotta be quick i guess. I made sure i was there early so i didnt miss out on it or using the one engine hoist they have. Where in Welly are they also do you have a contact number please. They are in Wingate http://www.pickapart.co.nz/locations.asp Pretty sure they dont have a phone number and wouldnt be any help if you ever were able to call them. Had a good play with the motor tonight and basically found out there is no trace of water in the oil (oil is very old and dirty though) and no oil in the cooling system (thermostat housing looked brand new inside). I couldnt pull the plugs though as I dont know where all my spark plug sockets have disappeared to. Im gonna put it back together a bit, hook up a flywheel, gearbox and starter to compression test it. May not be until the weekend though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2122 Report post Posted June 23, 2014 i have about 3 spark lug sockets for that size here, come and take one away (though i know you can get from your work haha) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
e30ftw 396 Report post Posted June 23, 2014 Looks pretty good to me, for 177kms. Block is clean as unless you did that. I saw it come up during the week and was thinking I should pull a sicky and head down there haha, wish I did. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slideways 44 Report post Posted June 23, 2014 i have about 3 spark lug sockets for that size here, come and take one away (though i know you can get from your work haha) Problem is im just not used to this size plug. Cheers but yeah ill prob just grab a powerbuilt one off our shelf at work and at it too my tab. will cost me next to nothing. Looks pretty good to me, for 177kms. Block is clean as unless you did that. I saw it come up during the week and was thinking I should pull a sicky and head down there haha, wish I did. I came and had a look at it during the week but best i could have done was show up at 9am on sat. The exhaust side was nice and clean but the oil filter housing seal had made a bit of a mess on the intake side which i attacked with degreaser, a rag and a screwdriver. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allan 295 Report post Posted June 23, 2014 Thanks guys for the location might have to pay them a visit the Pug needs a few bits. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_ethrty-Andy_ 2122 Report post Posted June 24, 2014 Thanks guys for the location might have to pay them a visit the Pug needs a few bits. good luck, will be surprised if they have anything! have seen a smashed up 60something and a few 106s there and thats about it over the years. there is a stock list on their website which is about 80% reliable lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slideways 44 Report post Posted June 29, 2014 So I did a compression test today. Hooked a box and starter up and tested cylinder 1. Got 155 then 160 psi on two tests. Moved on to cylinder 2 and thats where things all went wrong. Couldnt even get a reading. moved on to cyl 3 and it was the same. No. 4 I got a small reading of 70 psi but then not reading at all for cylinder 5 & 6. I put the engine back up on the stand and did a leak down test. cylinder 1 was ok but then all the rest were leaking like mad out the exhaust valves. tested them all plenty of times making sure the pistons were at TDC. Cam lobes were all pointing up well away from the valves but no mater what, the exhaust valves just werent sealing. Whats going on here?? Anybody have any explanations? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted June 29, 2014 Hate to say it but maybe tha'ts why it ended up at the knackers yard. Seems from your description that you have checked it correctly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slideways 44 Report post Posted June 29, 2014 Hate to say it but maybe tha'ts why it ended up at the knackers yard. Seems from your description that you have checked it correctly Yeah well I never had my hopes up and suspected something will have to be wrong with it. I naturally suspected head gasket but something minor like this isnt as bad because at least the block/head isnt scrap. Are these lifters prone to binding leaving the valves not to seat properly? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hotwire 352 Report post Posted June 29, 2014 Haven't had experience with that as such with these engines but it is certainly a possibility. Glenn may be able to enlighten more Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BM WORLD 1264 Report post Posted June 29, 2014 had a 330i a few years back which had blown between 2 cylinders but not into the coolant etc. so had low compression in number 3 and 4 and ran with a miss fire etc. also had lifters can gum up with sticky old oil etc so they hold the valves open and not until it gets properly hot that it will start to run on all cylinders etc after the oil gets pushed back out of the lifters. you might be able to take them out squeeze them in a vise then refit them etc. or replace them with new ones etc. how long was the car sitting??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slideways 44 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 The leak down tests clearly showed its the exhaust valves not seating. Like I have mentioned before, the oil was very old and dirty and well it sounds very possible the lifters are gunked up with it. Its fairly varnished under the cam cover too. Who knows how long its sat for. If it ended up at pick a part then I wouldn't think it was happily driving around up till a few days before being taken there. Is there a way to heat them up and try free them without removing the cams? Don't I need special tools to remove and install the cams? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BM WORLD 1264 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 The leak down tests clearly showed its the exhaust valves not seating. Like I have mentioned before, the oil was very old and dirty and well it sounds very possible the lifters are gunked up with it. Its fairly varnished under the cam cover too. Who knows how long its sat for. If it ended up at pick a part then I wouldn't think it was happily driving around up till a few days before being taken there. Is there a way to heat them up and try free them without removing the cams? Don't I need special tools to remove and install the cams? starter motor turning it over for a 30mins with some kero in the sump =) might work Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slideways 44 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 starter motor turning it over for a 30mins with some kero in the sump =) might work I was thinking more along the lines of a heat gun (might be worth a try). Maybe i shouldnt be so lazy and pull the cams off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yng_750 247 Report post Posted June 30, 2014 Brent means to pump kero through the lifters to clean them. even with no plugs will a starter last that long? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
