[malapane]

For the coding, I would reach out to Bali, he will answer your questions. You can check if it is MS43 or MS45 by looking at the MAF connector. MS43 has the thick connector with the metal spring clip and the MS45 has the narrow one with the plastic clip - see pics. You are pretty close to the transition from 43 to 45. My 01/2003 was MS43 and my 04/2003 was MS45

The bavsound speakers probably aren't available for the base audio because that was not offered in the US for the E46. Standard equipment was the mid "hifi" audio S676. Not sure how much bavsound does outside the US...

I am not sure of your options in NZ, but I would buy a viton o-ring from McMaster or from ebay...

 

[malapane]

Now you've got me scared. I have two heads out right now for a Jaguar/ Ford engine for a Range Rover and I am hoping to get them back next week. The head is a somewhat different arrangement, with the lower cam races as the high spots in the head, but if you have any interest, I can send some pictures for comparison whenever I get them back. I haven't had head work done in many years and I think those were all iron, so I don't have any other comparison data, but it looks pretty roughed up to me...

 

[malapane]

Yeah man, absolutely, shoot me through some pics when you get them, would be good to compare.
Cheers

I have some pics of my recent head work. Let me know where you want me to share them.

 

[malapane]

BTW, a very thin wipe of Corteco EVO300 or Reinzosil on those rough areas will buy you some insurance against leaks everywhere except the head gasket. I use the Corteco on the corners of the semicircles and joint of the vanos to head for the VCG and it works great. You just need a tiny little bit.

 

[malapane]

I'm not sure. I think I recall reading that the Corteco was what BMW recommended for those VCG spots. I have been using it for awhile. It is thicker when wet and not so shiney when dry compared to rtv I have used before. I like it and have used it with great success, so I don't really use anything else anymore. I think the only other rtv I have used in the last many years was one special for coolant when I replaced the cooling pipes on my wagon.
Sreten of M539restorations really likes the reinzosil. He has mentioned several times in his videos.

 

[malapane]

Looking good! I just turned the corner on a large engine project. Once you get that timing set and the bulk of the cleaning is behind you, the rest is all downhill from there. Have fun

 

[malapane]

Project is coming along nicely @Vass

From memory, I think my 325i and 330i diff output flanges were different. I might get a chance to verify that soon, as my son's car has to go on the lift to investigate a pulsing power or early driveline vibration of some sort...

 

[malapane]

In my case they were different. 2003 325i 5 speed touring had axles with bolts approximately equal spaced.

2005 330i 6 speed performance package / ZHP sedan has axles with unequal spaced bolts.

Perhaps there is a difference with 330i auto or in other markets than mine...?

 

[malapane]

I don't have any tips on your issue, but just work the problem and the group here will help.

 

[malapane]

Congrats!

As for the heat shield, if you are talking about the gap from the back of the trans cross member to the front of the large driveshaft heatshield, then that looks pretty close to my 330i that was originally a manual, so maybe the heat shields are the same... I reached in there yesterday to check for play in the driveline and there was close to a foot of exposed guibo and driveshaft at the front.

Edit: correction, the 6 speed is significantly longer than the 5 speed, so that gap might be because I swapped in the shorter one on the sedan. On my wagon I swapped the 5 speed for the 6 speed and when using the orginal heat shields that gap is closed up - so likely there was a gap before the swap - just not sure how much, but it is possible that the heat shields are all the same...

 

[malapane]

Yeah, that's a big leak. I just used a dead flat wooden board and had no issues with the two I did about a year ago. I am pretty sure my old seal was flush to the metal seal housing and I installed the new one flush. Did you use the plastic tool to slip the seal and housing over the end of the crank?

That leak is too big to be those through bolts, but two of the bolts need thread sealant on them.

 

[malapane]

Did you replace or reuse the metal gasket? Did you use new flywheel bolts with the sealant preapplied?

I would think something obvious with that much oil leaking.

 

[malapane]

Well, I guess on the bright side, it might be easy to see where that much oil is leaking once you get in there, Good luck.

 

[malapane]

Intake off, not sure if I'm any wiser. Only sign of oil is under the crank position sensor. No sign of any leaks above it, all dry to the touch so that spot of oil further up on the backing plate is still a mystery. Might have gotten oil on there when removing but can't remember doing that so am left a bit perplexed.
View attachment 970092
View attachment 970093
Picture is from when I started untightening the screw but I think the slight gap between the sensor metal baseplate was there with the screw fastened as well. Judging by the caked up area on the old engine block I think it's safe to assume that this is one of the leaks. I still have major doubts as to whether this alone would produce enough of a drip to leak as much as it did in the video. Definitely not the greatest design, could really benefit from being held in with two screws, one either side of the opening but what can you do. Not sure how to make it more secure other than using RTV. Not ideal but what else is there? Brand new sensor with a new O-ring and still looks to be leaking...
View attachment 970094
View attachment 970095
View attachment 970096
Feeling around back on the transmission side of the block, the area around the gallery plug was slightly damp to the touch and has a yellowish discoloration at the end of the opening but not a clear leak. I thoroughly cleaned the plug from the old sealant and seated it all the way in with white high-temp sealant. This is a bit of a tricky spot as originally it sat only slightly recessed from the flat area so would not have been threaded in all the way. Again though, even if it is leaking, I can't see it producing too steady a stream.
View attachment 970097
Only other thing I can speculate on is the oil pan being damaged? The bottom side looks a bit scuffed up so the previous owner must have bottomed out on something somewhere along the line. Pretty weird as the car did have the aluminium reinforcement plate installed when I got it so no idea how it could have picked up this sort of damage. Could this have somehow transferred the forces to the top edge and bent it out of shape somewhat? Unlikely but I'm just clutching at straws at this point. Then again, might be the machine shop's doing when having it washed.
View attachment 970098
Absolutely no clue at this point. The maximalist approach would be to get the engine out again, clean up the pan from the old engine and seat that on with a new oil pan gasket, new rear main seal housing with the seal pre-installed, new gallery plug with sealant pre-applied, new O-ring on the crank position sensor with a dab of RTV, new flywheel bolts with sealant pre-applied and go again. Basically throwing a bunch more money and effort at it. Not sure what mental state I'd find myself in if the issue were to persist after all that but honestly no idea what other options I have at this point anymore.

I guess my next steps would be to reseal the gallery plug, new o-ring and take care to reseal the crank sensor and it's screw. Seal both of the long oil pan bolts - maybe the hole broke through?

Don't throw too much at it until you confirm where it is originating from.

Then I would reassmble and run it and add UV leak detection die to the oil so you can really pinpoint the source. It's a shame everything is so clean . Do you even need to put the trans back in to run it?

Does the head gasket look ok in the area circled?

What is going on below the hose?

 

[malapane]

It is just an additive that is safe to be added to AC refrigerant and then can be seen with an infrared flashlight. Helps pinpoint very small AC leaks, but I think most of them are safe to add to engine oil. It should be quite cheap - the infrared flashlight too.

Of course the starter...😣

 

[malapane]

Good Luck!

 

[malapane]

Here MrMCar recommends Permatex #2. Key is to clean the block threads and plug threads of old sealant and oil completely before resealing. Use brake clean. and fully dry.

Massive oil leak after rebuild (solved: oil gallery plug)

www.e46fanatics.com

I'll keep digging and see if anyone knows what BMW uses.

 

[malapane]

I see Permatex #1 recommended as well, but that seems to be a more extreme solution and removal will not be as easy if needed in the future.

 

[malapane]

What a beautiful cat. Oh, and the car too, of course

Enjoy!