The official E36 OT Thread!!

mapp gas burns hotter than propane, and some places have a mini torch set, that you can run mapp and oxygen together.

i had one of those set ups a while ago, siple design, one knob. excellent for brazing, btw...

got desperate and needed a length of hose *just* that size, and well, y'know, sometimes ya gottsta do what ya gottsta do...


and dino, that sounds like a horrible vac leak....



cj, depending upon how the campus is, how far are you from everything @ school?? i'd be more concerned about the insurance rates going up more than anything else.

as for the stud, the mapp gas or a dremel with a tiny cut off wheel might work. also a long punch, (or drift) would also work if you were to cut it off @ the flange and punch it out when hot.

a combination of disciplines, my youn grasshoppah...




df

I'm using my grinder, and I can get it down to the flange, but I really don't think I'll have enough strength to hit it out using a hammer and punch.

Chance that it will seal ok with 1 of 2 nuts? I'm so done trying to get this thing out.

Originally Posted by cj.surr

This broken exhaust stud is the biggest PITA. Of course it's the most inconvenient stud that breaks... it's the one right next to the frame rail. The head of the stud (on the back of the flange) might as well be welded. And since it's so close to the frame rail, I can't get my grinder in there.

I've been heating the flange up with a propane torch and hitting it with a ton of pb blaster several times. I can't get a sledge in there, but I've been hitting it with the hammer and it won't budge. Not even a bit.

Any other ideas?

Cut it flush with a Dremel tool cut off wheel,

http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Accessor...l.aspx?pid=409

Then grind out the center body with a grinding tip

http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Accessor...aspx?pid=83322

Drive out the remainder with a drift punch

You need to take some care in how hard you smack it because if you break off the flange you'll have the stud out but a much bigger issue..........

did you say it pressed in, or does it thread in??

i know this is a difficult process, but believe me when i tell you that i have been there. a few times.

acetylene torches are a handy dandy tool, and they come in a small wheeled set up, but can be quite pricey. why i use mapp gas. more portable and cheaper.

take a break from it, hit it fresh.



df

Originally Posted by dc_wright

Cut it flush with a Dremel tool cut off wheel,

http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Accessor...l.aspx?pid=409

Then grind out the center body with a grinding tip

http://www.dremel.com/en-us/Accessor...aspx?pid=83322

Drive out the remainder with a drift punch

You need to take some care in how hard you smack it because if you break off the flange you'll have the stud out but a much bigger issue..........

I was able to get it flush with my grinder. I think that grinder tip is exactly what I need... Except that one says it only works on non-ferrous metals. I think it would just disintegrate on the bolt. Plus I don't have a dremel. I would need one that works on a drill. Or maybe something like this?

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-qua...kit-53177.html

Originally Posted by drivinfaster

did you say it pressed in, or does it thread in??

i know this is a difficult process, but believe me when i tell you that i have been there. a few times.

acetylene torches are a handy dandy tool, and they come in a small wheeled set up, but can be quite pricey. why i use mapp gas. more portable and cheaper.

take a break from it, hit it fresh.



df

The stud is pressed in. I'll have to take a look at mapp gas, seems that it is very cheap, and can be used just like propane. I didn't see it at HD, though. Maybe I just missed it

could be that, pop the serpentine belt off and start it for a second, if it doesnt make the noise then you know if its that.

Originally Posted by cj.surr

I was able to get it flush with my grinder. I think that grinder tip is exactly what I need... Except that one says it only works on non-ferrous metals. I think it would just disintegrate on the bolt. Plus I don't have a dremel. I would need one that works on a drill. Or maybe something like this?

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-qua...kit-53177.html

The stud is pressed in. I'll have to take a look at mapp gas, seems that it is very cheap, and can be used just like propane. I didn't see it at HD, though. Maybe I just missed it

The grinder tip was for example. If you've got a die grinder to use with the stone set that would work great! You want something that turns high RPMs otherwise you'll be there forever.
Not only is that stud pressed in but it probably has a knurled shoulder to keep it from spinning. It's probably almost welded itself in place by now. You're going to have to remove as much of it as possible to weaken it's grip and then you can drive out the remainder.
I was going to suggest trying a battery terminal puller but I don't think you could get it in there and even if you did it likely will give before the stud moves.
This is a wild idea, but if you have a wire feed welder and some fine wire you could weld a new stud to the stump of the old stud, grind it down enough to fit the exhaust flange flush and I think it would probably hold fine. Then you don't have to get it out and use a bolt and nut.

Welding a stud on there is a great idea! Would be much quicker than using a die grinder to get the whole thing out.

The only problem that I can think of is that the weld bead will prevent it from sitting flush. Maybe I should weld on an 8mm stud instead of the 10mm so that the bead sits inside the hole for the midpipe flange?

That should work well CJ

If you can get a small enough bead when you weld the 10mm you can use a 45 degree counter sink tool on the mating part to give you clearance for the bead. If not then the 8 mm will likely do the job, particularly if you can get a high grade material.

dunno if that will work quite as well as it sounds....the manifold is cast, and the studs/bolts are forged/machined.

cj, look up mig welding cast iron, and also arc welding it. see what the details are and if a special flux is needed for this.

i seem to remember that cast metal parts like manifolds are a pain to weld as they tend to crack. double check an annealing process and seeifit is necessary. if so, then that would require the manifold to be removed and placed in an oven.

may as well pull the manifold off and work it on a bench if you need to anneal a cast weld.

just saying...




df

Originally Posted by drivinfaster

dunno if that will work quite as well as it sounds....the manifold is cast, and the studs/bolts are forged/machined.

cj, look up mig welding cast iron, and also arc welding it. see what the details are and if a special flux is needed for this.

i seem to remember that cast metal parts like manifolds are a pain to weld as they tend to crack. double check an annealing process and seeifit is necessary. if so, then that would require the manifold to be removed and placed in an oven.

may as well pull the manifold off and work it on a bench if you need to anneal a cast weld.

just saying...




df

And saying right . Take the manifold off and do it right. Welding in place isn't going to work

Well... I found out the hard way. Almost seemed like it would work, but it snapped before I got barely any tension on it. It really sucks to work all day on one little thing and fail in every possible way. And it all could've been avoided if I just spent 2 minutes and heated up the nut before trying to remove it

I'm gonna try drilling it out tomorrow. Pulling the manifold looks insanely hard on the M54. Can't even see any of the nuts.

Originally Posted by cj.surr

Well... I found out the hard way. Almost seemed like it would work, but it snapped before I got barely any tension on it. It really sucks to work all day on one little thing and fail in every possible way. And it all could've been avoided if I just spent 2 minutes and heated up the nut before trying to remove it

I'm gonna try drilling it out tomorrow. Pulling the manifold looks insanely hard on the M54. Can't even see any of the nuts.

Experience is a teacher that frequently kicks you in the ass. Hang in there, CJ.

Pictures of Eddie's 1983 633CSi E24. The body is in a lot better shape than mine, the seats are WAY better than mine, but the carpet is trashed. Worst thing appearance-wise is the totally dead Burgundrot-Metallic paint. I mean, it's FLAT flat. The only hint of gloss is below the belt trim on the sides. The good thing is that it hasn't peeled at all. Cut and buff tomorrow.....

The ignition tumbler is messed up. The key works on the trunk and passenger's door, but not the driver's door or ignition. Brand new-from-BMW key. It will almost turn in the ignition tumbler.

We're going to strip and repaint those Style 65s back to silver. Four new Kumho tires, too. Not bad for $750.

Cool, looks pretty solid. I noticed that it has a BMWCCA sticker in the window, so it was loved by someone along the way. Any idea if it runs?

Long story short, the previous owner once removed abandoned the car (and a LOT of other stuff) when his wife won a divorce settlement a little over a year ago. He literally went missing (with his money) and hasn't been seen since. The wife sent the car to auction, the guy Eddie bought it from is a member of the local BMW-CCA chapter and he got the car at that auction. The car was running a year ago when it was parked. It was serviced (coolant flush, oil and filter) at Grady BMW in Mobile in June of last year.

OK, so I failed at making it a short story.

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Maybe it's just me, but it looks pretty sweet as it sits. Silver wheels with that flat paint will look bad ass.

Got a chance to look at the E36, water pump replaced with an off brand from Kragen just FOUR WEEKS ago, it's totally shot and pissing coolant everywhere. At least I have the receipt and can get a free warranty replacement from them. Still...wasn't looking to do that.

Also have a crank sensor code, may be my idling problem. All the DIYs say intake manifold removal if you don't have skinny hands, any tips for doing it with big hands and manifold on?

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Crank sensor or knock sensor? I think i replaced my two knock sensors with the manifold off, Idk about the crank. I can reach the plug with the manifold on (very uncomfortably) but theres' no way you could get a ratchet in there to remove it.

Crank sensor doesn't need manifold off (at least on the m50)

Knock sensors good luck with the manifold on lol

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I don't see whats so bad about removing the manifold. Being new to BMW engines I had mine off in 10 minutes... without breaking anything.

Crank is the code I'm getting.
P1396 Crankshaft Position Sensor Segment Timing Plausibility

Also getting P0116 (coolant temp sensor), P1250 (not listed, maybe fuel pressure reg), and missing on cyls 2 & 3.

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Originally Posted by E36 Phantom

Crank is the code I'm getting.
P1396 Crankshaft Position Sensor Segment Timing Plausibility

Also getting P0116 (coolant temp sensor), P1250 (not listed, maybe fuel pressure reg), and missing on cyls 2 & 3.

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Wow!!! You have the same codes as my E36

And I'm missing on cylinder 4 & 5... Runs like poo

CPS failing can cause misfires.