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Major BMW problems

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Falkon

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I don't really expect much help from everyone here considering this isn't a British car, but we really need it and we are grasping at straws at this point, about ready to give up.
<span style="color: #FF0000">
The Story:</span> We bought a 1997 318ti BMW a month ago now. When we drove it and tested things out, it was great, no problems at all.
The next day one of the radiator hoses got a crack in it and we had to replace it(no big deal, they go all the time). After replacing it we bleed the air out of the system, but somehow didnt get it all. On the test drive after that the car overheated and warped the cylinder head. At this point we took the head in and got it fixed and cleaned for $90 and decided to replace all upper gaskets in the process. After replacing all gaskets from the head up we re assembled the car. Once it was all back to gather and timed we started the car to bleed the system again. This time getting ALL air out. But we got a check engine light.

<span style="color: #FF0000">The Problem:</span> The only code that came up was cylinder 4 miss fire witch explained the sudden rough idle. Also we heard a vacuum leak.

<span style="color: #FF0000">What we did to Fix:</span>
Checked the NEW spark plugs and wire for spark. They were perfect.

Checked the new gaskets for misplacement for something like that. All gaskets were fine.

Switched around fuel injectors. Miss fire didn't follow.

Added the missing part of the air system that goes right behind the radiator (just a tube and plastic covering).

The car was checked after we tried each one of those, and we still had the same problem.

<span style="color: #FF0000">What Just Happened:</span> After putting the air system on we started her back up and she still ran rough. The car ran for about a min, we heard about 3 back fires and what sadly sounded like metal hitting metal(a valve) about 3-4 times. The back fires and metal sounds did not happen at the same time as each other. Then she died and now wont start back up.

We now have no idea what is wrong and need any help or suggestions we can get. We are tight on money and time to get this fixed and would prefer to avoid the mechanics.

So PLEASE ANY HELP would be great full...
 
Sounds like a valve retainer came loose.
Pull the rocker cover and look.
Intake, most likely.
 
How confident are you in the work on the head?? I'm assuming the fixing was having it skimmed back to true, which means they probably pulled the valves and any other hardware off. So could be a poor reassembly returned to you. I suspect you'll nee to pull the head again. Maybe even replace it once it's off and you see what you have. If so, go back to the guys who did the head work and see if they'll help pay. Long shot but the worst that'll happen is you're in the same spot you are now.
 
We will be taking the head back off here soon. I don't think it will be this week with quarter finals for both my mom and I. But we will definitely check those things. Thanks so much, all help is appreciated. If anything new comes up ill post it here.
 
ITS FIXED!!!!. Turned out that the head gasket was a little out of place and one of cylinder 4 rocker arms was in there cockeyed. Fixed those things and now it runs amazing. Feels like a bran new car.
 
Good news... Good job.
 
Dont know how many miles are on your water pump/thermostat, but they are known weak points.

If you want the BCF for BMWs, join www.bimmerfest.com You want the E36 forum.
 
Scott_Hower said:
Dont know how many miles are on your water pump/thermostat, but they are known weak points.

If you want the BCF for BMWs, join www.bimmerfest.com You want the E36 forum.
Click to expand...
The car has 140,000 miles. But we replaced the thermostat and water pump, along with all hoses, belts and gaskets. So id have to say we are good with having to replace things for a while.

And i think my mom will be joining that site, cause the other one she was using wasn't very friendly. They pretty much told use we didn't have the experience or the know how to rebuild the engine and may as well sell the car. But luckily we didn't and we now have a practically new BMW.
 
Glad to hear it's fixed.

Still curious what the issue was. An E36 318i of that vintage has DOHC - it doesn't have rocker arms or a rocker shaft - the cam actuates the valves directly via followers. What engine, M44?

IMO, head gaskets are binary, that is they either fit or they don't. How was it a little out of place?
 
I realize that its probably not called a rocker arm. I just cant figure out the name of it and that's my fault for not figuring it out. But it was the thing that goes between the cam shaft and valves themselves. It might be the followers, but it was in their crooked. And i don't know if it has the M44, but it is the straight 4 cylinder one.

Well I don't really understand how it could have been off by even a little bit. When we were having the problems I reached down to check it and it was sticking out a little of the passenger side and we in a little on the drivers side. It wasn't off by a lot but it was something that you could feel the difference of. Now that its all back together properly it feels even on both sides.
 
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