[azadani]

Bit further along today, and if I'd spent as much time swinging the spanners as scratching my privates and overthinking it I'd be done already.

My next E46 will be done over a weekend lol.

Did all my smaller heater/cooling hoses, cleaned up the OFH and refitted with new gasket. Refitted the power steering and alternator, and all tensioners/pulleys. It seems I now have a hydraulic belt tensioner instead of the mechanical one, but it bolted straight in and looks right, so hopefully it's an improvement.

Seems I've forgotten to order the power steering pump pulley, as well as one of the intake boots and the O rings for the auto trans heat exchanger, so it's off to FCP I go.

 

[brewerkz]

while your they are off, assume your cleaning the ICV and throttle body (I was told not to push on the TB butterfly to avoid impacting calibration), and reprogram the temp gauge. (I was right where your at 3 months ago).

 

[azadani]

while your they are off, assume your cleaning the ICV and throttle body (I was told not to push on the TB butterfly to avoid impacting calibration), and reprogram the temp gauge. (I was right where your at 3 months ago).

Yes mate,

Got the TB and ICV gaskets there, and will give them a good cleaning. I too was told not to touch the TB butterfly, and have it safely put aside so it doesn't get bothered.

How'd go go with the first start up? Was she cranky?

What do you mean about "reprogramming the temp gauge"?

 

[azadani]

Bit further along and feeling better about it.

Fitted my new power steering reservoir/soft hoses, along with a new Nissens radiator/expansion tank/ET plate/etc. All went in very nicely and tomorrow I'll likely convert the old ET cap to use with my cooling system pressure test kit, so I can fill it all up with plain water and pressure test the cooling system while I've got the manifold off.

I've got a couple of little blunders...waiting for the power steering pulley and some O rings for the auto trans heat exchanger, but both are easy to reach and won't be any trouble. All in all I'm getting happier and can see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.

I fitted the radiator from below, and happily managed not to scratch the aluminium (spell check is telling me you guys say "aluminum") fins.

I might have a handy tip as well...

I was worried about the Nissens radiator, as just the occasional review mentioned difficulty fitting it. But most reviews said it was perfect, and it's the best price you can get it seems.

Sure enough, mine seemed to seat on one side only, and doing the torx screw up seemed to be flexing it a bit. When I had a closer look I took out the 2x big torx "plugs" on the top, and there is actually another rubber piece underneath them that kind of locks into the plug. It might even be one piece originally. Anyway, mine was completely mangled both sides, and one of the rubber pieces was jammed in sideways and separated from the plug. This caused the misalignment issue. I managed to straighten one up a bit, and I left one out until I get a new pair in. It seems they allow flexible mounting of the frame the radiator bolts onto, and I found it was best to have them removed until the radiator was in. My radiator then fitted perfectly, and it does look like good quality. The part number is 17117514402 and I think it would be a good idea to order a pair of them for a radiator replacement.

EDIT: No it's not a good idea...they're 27 fkn USD each!! I'll mold up something in silicone/sikaflex instead.

 

[SA46]

Really good write-up m8!! Shes almost done!! Do take a video of first start up, even if it struggle/limpy, i would love to see it.

 

[azadani]

Really good write-up m8!! Shes almost done!! Do take a video of first start up, even if it struggle/limpy, i would love to see it.

I must admit that I'm both keen for and dreading start up day!

 

[SA46]

I must admit that I'm both keen for and dreading start up day!

I know how you feel mate! But at least it wasnt an engine rebuild, on those you start to look for things to "fix first" so that you dont have to start the motor up....im sure all the hard work you put in will pay out, (fyi while you got everything out, might aswell remove the catted exaust manifold, get e36 manufold and do a decat and flash eu2 flash on it) if you dont have any emissions laws that is...and provided you do want a decat, im now in the middle of that process..

 

[azadani]

Today I pressure tested my entire cooling system via the bleed point, which allowed me to test the blow off point of my new GAS "low pressure" ET cap, as well as all the connections under the manifold including the hard pipes where they join into the block.

All went well, result!

Pressure Testing Cooling System

Hi all, I want to pressure test my cooling system using my ebay test kit and a converted ET cap while I've got the manifold off, so I can see all the connection points. I plan to just fill it with plain water for this, then drain it down afterwards. Problem is that I've got it pulled apart...

www.e46fanatics.com

 

[azadani]

Decided I'd better pull my finger out and get this done.

I've given the manifold a bit of love today. New CCV and hoses, new temp sensor (I've had a reasonably major vacuum event with a bit of oil through the manifold, felt it was better safe than sorry), new O rings on the air intake jigger that bolts onto the top of the manifold and is just made to break.

I also put a new gasket on the idle valve and cleaned it out with TB cleaner. This part was gummed solid I guess due to the oil sucked in from the broken CCV hose, but it cleaned/blew out nicely and is now moving freely. I'm tipping this will make a difference.

I changed the vacuum caps which were split or missing with new silicone caps. These were good and pressed on tightly. The silicone seems to grab the manifold plastic, they won't fall off.

@Anticdubai

I did not clean the manifold. You are correct, it's not that bad. I did have some grit fall out of it when I removed the gasket and cleaned the injector ports, but I gave it a shake and blew a bit of air through it and it seems all good now. The worst stuff seemed to be on the gasket itself and came away with it. I also cleaned the slots the DISA slips into.

 

[Anticdubai]

Looks brand new now! Great work!
Question about jet pump - as yours is not connected to hoses yet, can you confirm that upper part of a pump movable? Mine can be rotated and created very tiny leak in that area. I have a spare one, from older car and that one is solid, no movable parts. I assume BMW made upper part movable for easier servicing, as disconnected booster hose can be rotated without disconnecting from a pump. Can you kindly check and confirm?

 

[azadani]

Looks brand new now! Great work!
Question about jet pump - as yours is not connected to hoses yet, can you confirm that upper part of a pump movable? Mine can be rotated and created very tiny leak in that area. I have a spare one, from older car and that one is solid, no movable parts. I assume BMW made upper part movable for easier servicing, as disconnected booster hose can be rotated without disconnecting from a pump. Can you kindly check and confirm?
View attachment 920095

Yes mine certainly rotates....is that a bad thing? Do I have to tighten it up or something? I've ordered the bent hose off the top of it from the dealer as FCP doesn't have RHD specific stuff. Do I need a new pilot valve as well??

I told you I would "confess" about the manifold if I was wrong. I just needed time to let my "OCD" settle down a bit lol.

 

[azadani]

Can someone please clear me up on a couple of points before I bolt this manifold on?

Does this plug from the knock sensor go above or below the starter motor cable? I see there's a clip for it on the bottom of the manifold and I'd like to have it all secured correctly.

What plugs into this female plug on the electrical box? I see 50skid mentioning it coming up from the bottom, but I'm buggered if I can see it.

Anything else I should look out for when buttoning it all up? Cable routing, tips/tricks?

Thanks all for any help.

 

[Anticdubai]

Yes mine certainly rotates....is that a bad thing? Do I have to tighten it up or something? I've ordered the bent hose off the top of it from the dealer as FCP doesn't have RHD specific stuff. Do I need a new pilot valve as well??

I told you I would "fess up" about the manifold if I was wrong.

Thank you,

No I do not think it is bad thing. Mine showed small leak on smoke test, but i do not think it is any significant - also, smoke test pressurizes the joint, moving a part up, while vacuum pushes it down, so I do not think it is leak while engine work.
Older engines had solid pump, as per a sample I have.

 

[azadani]

Thank you,

No I do not think it is bad thing. Mine showed small leak on smoke test, but i do not think it is any significant - also, smoke test pressurizes the joint, moving a part up, while vacuum pushes it down, so I do not think it is leak while engine work.
Older engines had solid pump, as per a sample I have.

Yes, mine is a later model.

We're a bit lucky down here. No SAP, no vacuum line around the back or check valve there, and there's a blanked off plug at the back of the manifold, so whatever that was for isn't there either...less is more.

 

[Anticdubai]

Generally, when you reattach any wires, you just do it the way it restricts their lenght least, in order to prevent tension when all connected.
That 6 pint green socket is throttle body, if I am not mistaken.

 

[azadani]

Generally, when you reattach any wires, you just do it the way it restricts their lenght least, in order to prevent tension when all connected.
That 6 pint green socket is throttle body, if I am not mistaken.

HA!

Yes that's it. I had the throttle body stuck aside and wrapped in a rag so that no one would mess around with the flap (apparently a bad thing). No problem with the rest of them, they're pretty much self explanatory.

 

[azadani]

Moving right along, and it's all coming together.

Manifold buttoned up nicely at 15Nm, and CCV all connected. Cleaned all the electrical connections with spray contact cleaner, and put a bit of time into making sure the cables are all routed correctly and back in their appropriate clips.

Due to the snapped off vacuum hose (I'm guessing) there was a bit of oil etc in the throttle body as well as the idler valve, and I've run out of throttle body cleaner, so it's beer drinking time now and off to the shop tomorrow.

I've really hated the mess in the engine bay with wires and hoses everywhere, and this car has been one of the worst I've seen for that, but I am getting it all back into it's correct location which is very important to me. I can't stand the "molested" look.

Having now seen the E46 CCV system in the flesh, I can honestly say I'll never go with the standard setup again (I've just spotted another amazing one locally with one elderly and now very sick owner from new at a very keen price and in the best individual blue exterior and leather combo I've seen yet). I will go with the GAS setup, or the other rocker cover conversion... I will not use those silly little pipes and hoses again.

That doesn't mean I don't love the car, just that bit is dumb.

 

[M.Blacktree]

I agree, the CCV system is kinda silly. I'm thinking of converting mine to a PCV valve setup.

 

[azadani]

I agree, the CCV system is kinda silly. I'm thinking of converting mine to a PCV valve setup.

Mine was snapped clean off, open air! That's the hose down to the dipstick tube I mean.

 

[azadani]

Almost there.

I've just got the airbox in so as to align the intake boots nicely. It'll have to come out again so I can do a power steering flush before I fire it up.

Pulleys and belts are all in, and my electric fan will be here in a day or 2. The AC belt tensioner had a travel locking pin which tricked me for a minute, but that's in a pocket in my tool bag now.

I've got this little pain in the arse hose which runs from the suction jet valve to the brake booster (RHD model) on order from BMW, and maybe a week out. I'm thinking of putting a vacuum cap over the hole so I can do some commissioning checks and run the thing. One advantage of that might be that if it's all good then I get codes after that, I know I'm looking at the brake booster for vacuum leaks.

I've got a new DISA diaphragm coming from Russia, as mine is very slightly failing the "finger test" and may have a very slight pinhole. I've also got a GAS overhaul kit for it. I'm thinking that if it hasn't come in time I'll fit the DISA as is with a new O ring (I got a spare) for now so I can run the thing. I'd rather overhaul the whole thing in one job.

The oil in the manifold looks absolutely terrible in pictures, but it's actually not that bad in person. I agree with the advice I've been given to leave it alone. It should dry out fine now that there isn't vacuum leaks totaling the diameter of a coke can, I'm quietly confident I've got it sealed.

Other than that I've dropped the oil, fitted a new oil filter with new O rings on the filter cage/lid/dipstick, drained the water I used to static test the cooling system, changed the O rings on the auto trans heat exchanger, changed a couple of little vacuum hoses, all that sort of stuff.

Off to the shop tomorrow to pick up some motor oil and ATF for the PS. I'll do that then drop it down on it's back wheels so I can fill/bleed the coolant.