OcUK & Cutters Rolling Road Day 19 @ Powerstation (Tewksbury) - Saturday April 25th 2015!!

[Gibbo]

Christ you're mental dude lol if I had any doubt in what I am doing I'd not be asking questions on the internet, it'd be with a reputable garage getting sorted.

The internet as you have seen is dangerous!

Well to be honest the brake cleaner idea did not come from the internet, it came from a reputable garage, lol......

It's the internet (Fuzz) who has recommended I don't go to crazy with it.

 

[Gibbo]

I admire the ambition but is all the brake cleaner a good idea?

Spoke with Fuzz (Andy) last night, he said irrelevant of what local garage (Specialist) are saying to not pour brake fluid all over the engine, its a bad idea.

So far I'd only put it down plug holes and filter housing, he said not to worry and from now on to just use the brake cleaner for cleaning the oil sump/pan when it comes out and the end caps.

What I am going to do is pour a load of oil all over the engine internals (not plug holes) and let it drain through, so if there is any debris that will hopefully catch it and drag it through but in all honesty I think the filter caught it all as the oil which came out the pan had no debris, glitter, tinsel, metal fragments in it, all the glitter stuff came only out the filter.

 

[Gibbo]

When Gibbo says bellhousing bolts, I suspect he means the ones that tie into the sump pan.
Yes for us lot with equipment, it would be easier to take the engine out but unless Gibbo goes out and buys an engine crane, that's not going to happen.
For limited tools and a bit more u bolting, he's doing well.

Yes it is the three 10mm torx (e-bit 10mm) bolts which go through the bell housing into the sump pan, what an absolute pain they were to get off especially the one that you cannot get to, but they are all off now.

Removing the engine from the car would be a huge job due to the hydraulic lines and I've got the car pretty high up in the air, jack stands extended to maximum so quite a bit of room.

If I struggle once it is all apart several people have offered to come and help with the shell installation and are fully aware that they will be doing upside down in a driveway.

I've got pretty much everything out the way now, radiatior fan gone, car had no viscous fan or housing which saves some work, plugs are out, most of underside of car is all undone.

All I need to do now is undo engine mounts, disconnect oil cooler, oil return lines, steering pump etc and then undo subframe bolts but not take them full out which supposedly lowers subframe enough to give good access. Hopefully going to tackle that at weekend as am back in work now and weather for most of this week looks miserable, hope its dry at weekend and I shall try to be at the point where the sump pan is off and visually inspect, then put it back on and wait for new parts to arrive.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there


My plan is to buy 15l of this:
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-68977-s...-synthetic-technology-premium-engine-oil.aspx


As its a 10W-40 and semi-synthetic at £15 per 5l, so very good price.

Plan is to run 6-8l through the engine and then put 6l in the engine and run it at idle for 20 minutes and then drop it and check the filter.

I assume for just running at idle purposes this oil will be fine as the weight is same from cold and close when hot and for just running at idle I can't see an issue, what do people think? Also common sense tells me that running a 10W-40 part mineral and part synthetic will help break in of the new shells a bit better also as BMW ran a mineral oil in these engines when new.


I shall then fill with the correct grade Castrol 10W-60 full synthetic for M cars.


My reasoning is if it is safe to do then it saves quite a bit of cash as the Castrol is around £40 per 4l, spoken to a few specialist/garages and they say for just idling purposes the Shell stuff will be fine, but it was also specialist/garage who said spraying brake cleaner on the engine was also fine to do.



P.S.
For assembly lub, I assume this is the correct and good stuff?
http://www.24mx.co.uk/lucas-oil-sem...RKX_-_s9r6PvkQINZMB9OrGl-ojzZjQS6RhoCAmfw_wcB

 

[Gibbo]

Cheers guys.

 

[Gibbo]

Are you changing the mains ? Seems like a lot of work to only change half the bearings.

Bearings won't need running in and any oil will do for flushing purposes, the thinner the better.

Changing mains and halfs yes.
OK as thinner the better, will go with the 5W-30 then.

 

[Gibbo]

He won't be changing the mains unless he takes the box off and gets brave with the cam timing chain....
Leave well alone there! there will have been little to no extra load on the mains from the over rev.\


Oh and some back up from Rich and BMW engine builder we know, 8200 MAX on all the race cars they do.
With the shrick cams they use, the power is at peak revs and beyond but the revs are limited to that for the very reason you have just found out!

Thanks Andy and thank Rich for me, I shall tell the guy I do not need the mains bearings, because I will admit that is beyond me and he is not willing to supply those for free anyway and like both you and Rich (true experts) they should be un-damaged.

Even the guy offering the parts has said he is not willing to do the mains for FREE simply because they won't be an issue, even BMW do not change those out on the recalls simply as they are rarely if ever an issue.

But it is good to hear the same from you and I've already told him the limiter shall be reduced to 8000rpm, not 8100 or 8200, but 8000 where BMW put it.

 

[Gibbo]

I'm getting the intake off the S6 soonish (probably the bank holiday weekend after the next one) and giving it the chimney sweep treatment. So I wouldn't mind another RR session soon either.

Well if the M3 lives again, it shall be going back to make sure it is making full power and AFR is good.

BMW quoted me £487 for new pump and £297 for an oil cooler.

Got an oil cooler of a 2006 car that had a rear-end crash, so guy is selling all front-end including engine, so grabbed his oil cooler as £50 is far better than £300.

Plus I am not wanting to re-use my oil cooler because if there still is any debris in the system the oil cooler is the most likely place for it to be.

 

[Gibbo]

Mightn't it be worth asking how much he wants for the engine?

£1800, but I know of at least 3 M3 engines for sale at the moment, one at £1200 and running fine.

I am hopeful mine will be fine, if the worse has happened, then yeah I will buy an engine and move the new shells/bearings over to that engine.

But all the engine builders I've spoken to are saying looks like it has being caught early, they all said if I'd actually spun the shell I'd really know about it as in the knocking would be loud all the time or be a hole in it. Just gotta wait and see. Plus a huge thanks to Andy who has being helping me a lot via phone.

Ordered 15l of 5W-30 to flush with, correct oil along with several filters, vanos filter, gasket and tuner is supplying the bearings and bolts. Might be optimistic but am trying to aim having car back on road and healthy by next weekend, unless of course the engine needs replacing.

 

[Gibbo]

Assuming you can get hold of the replacement this week/weekend, car back on the road by bank holiday Monday then

I don't think the parts from USA will arrive in time for that buddy.

Weather is now turning bad at weekend, might book Friday as due to clear blue skies.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there


Got on with some more dismantling for an hour tonight.

Steering coupler bolt removed and separated, very easy:

Then thought I'd work on slackening the subframe bolts as thought they might be hard, well that was no mistake, lots of hammering, penetrating oil and more wacking I finally got all four lose with a breaker bar:

I've removed only one completely as plan is to take it a bolt supplier tomorrow and get something twice as long. As my plan is to use much longer bolts simply for the process of being able to lower the subframe a lot more than just an inch to give a lot more room but whilst still keeping it supported.

Just gotta drop fresh oil through now and get all lines disconnected, replace oil cooler and well ready for pan to come off and change the shells.

Surprised how easy it's coming apart to be honest.

 

[Gibbo]

Lol those M3s engines cost less than b18s


I changed Power steering fluid new iridium plugs and messed around with timing yet again. OFC cant see no marks god damn it :/

One of great things about a car which was such a huge success in uk and sold in thousands, some parts are cheap, engines as little as 1k and gearboxes for about £300. It was a main reason for buying one should the engine or gearbox blow the cost is like more than 10x less than the Porsche.

 

[Gibbo]

Clarkey just beat me to it!

Or just bring it back to me and I'll set it up.

Have hard job doing that now it's in bits.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there

Getting there now, made some custom bolts that will let me drop subframe a lot lower:-

Engine mounts are also undone so now car is literally ready to have engine supported by engine support and then lower the subframe as much as possible and remove the sump pan.

Also fitted new oil cooler, very easy job! Did not seem to be any debris come out the old oil cooler anyway.

Filled with Shell 5W-30 tonight, will leave that in for a day or two and then drain completely off when new bearings and bolts come for engine.

 

[Gibbo]

You've probably been researching engine strip downs Gibbo but here's some info for you that will carry across to your engine to help you with what the different components you are looking at in there.
Start at about 0:50 secs
http://youtu.be/oGfgR-RmqOo

Cheers mate!

To give myself even more room and engine access underneath I decided to remove steering rack also, left the track rod ends connects so in theory allignment should stay pretty spot on, but will have allignment double checked once back up and running.

Gave the rack a good cleaning up as it was filthy.


A lot more room underneath now:

Anti roll bar is now out the way as are power steering lines.

All I need to do now before removing sump pan is:
Remove power steering pump and belt
Remove dipstick and unplug and un click oil level sensor
Disconnect breather hose from sump and oil return line.

Then support engine and bring front subframe as far down as possible, then sump off, put in new shells, bolts and clean the sump up and then reversal and put in 6.5l of 5W-30 and let engine idle for 30 minutes, drop oil and check filter for any debris.

All being well refill with 10-60W and put car back together.

 

[Gibbo]

With the rack out the way, you might as well just remove the whole subframe. Top mounts, lollipops, brake calipers then drop it off, 10 minutes work?

Good point actually, I could just drop the whole lot down and move it to one side.

Yeah would just be top mounts, three bolts per side, lollipops two bolts each side and calipers.

 

[Gibbo]

So how much has this virtual remap cost you so far?

Oil, filters, gaskets and tools so far, about £200 on the basis the parts being sent fix it.

 

[Gibbo]

The tool bill for the AUDI is going to be bigger than the parts bill I think, I need to finally buy a torque wrench and stop borrowing them.

Anyone know a well stocked AUDI parts place in the UK? Looks like I'm going to the dealer to get the intake manifold gaskets.

Yeah I've had to get a few tools, but all that can be reused which means I'll probably start doing a lot more work on my own cars.

At the point now where sump is ready to come off, loosened all sump bolts, even the ones power steering pump was blocking without removing the pump. All breathers, sensors and return lines disconnected, so next dry none windy day I'm gonna remove the pan and have a go at fitting the bearings.

Apart from a few troublesome bolts it's come apart easily, hardest part was removing track rod ends as I did not have a ball joint separator, I do now as with the right tool it became a very easy job, well worth the £12 the tool cost from Halfords, as am sure will use it again.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there

Fingers crossed shells and bolts land tomorrow, got everything else waiting.

As I am completely removing front subframe, wishbone to give full clear access, I simply could not resist:

More suspension parts to get cleaned up and become DH green.

 

[Gibbo]

Hi there


Parts scheduled to arrive tomorrow, had the subframe of tonight and gave it a thorough cleaning and prep for primer, paint and lacquer on Wednesday.

It all came up well, good old fairy liquid and a good hour later.

It will now be transformed bright green just like the anti roll bars and new differential, no harm in being super clean underneath as well.


With the subframe out the way you can see access is very easy and clear, all tricky to get oil pan bolts remove, once I start it will now only take 20 minutes to remove the subframe and pan along with oil pump and tubes. Fingers crossed USPS delivery time is accurate as goods landed in London Saturday.

Pan shall get a real good cleaning, question is should I paint that as well or just clean it up? Kind of think an engine part in green would look silly, just stick to green for suspension and subframe.


P.S. Think I'll leave wishbones silver and just paint and lacquer the subframe, or should I paint the lot?