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Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 9:18 pm
by Blaise
She ran decently before I had it apart. I am eager to take her for a run, but have yet to try. My seats are out and I am plugging away at little things that I do not want to put together without addressing.
I can't wait though.
Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 9:19 pm
by 1st 5er
We wanna hear that baby purr too!
Finally running....sort of
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:16 pm
by Blaise
After....restoring the intake and fuel injection system....and quite a few other odds and ends....I finally turned the key.
She started right up.....but idled very poorly.
Amazingly, it seems to idle and not want to quit, despite seeming like it is running on only half the cylinders.
-I tried pulling ignition leads at the distributor to see if one cylinder was more affected...but it made little noticeable difference.
-I tried switching out the cap and rotor with new, but no difference
-I tried unplugging each injector....not a big difference (I could not reach #4).
-I checked the timing....and can see the timing mark at the flywheel at 2,700 rpm, with the vacuum advance plugged.
-I took it for a drive and found that the motor has plenty of power when RPMs get over 3000 or so. I appears to run decently at that engine speed.
-The car ran well before I took apart the intake and injectors. I have not messed with any of the timing or ignition components...as far as I know.
-I have a gut feeling that this may be a vacuum leak....but have no real facts to back this up. Just from past experience with motors.
-I rarely get frustrated with this type of work, but I am a little stuck here.
I realize that I do not have much data to share, so an online diagnosis will be hard, but I wanted to share. I will try to read up and figure it out.
Intake removal
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:53 pm
by grumpsjr
Not much to add except that I thought timing was set at 2200 rpm with no advance...
Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 12, 2010, at 19:16, "Blaise" <
blaisedescollonges@gmail.com (
blaisedescollonges@gmail.com)> wrote:
After....restoring the intake and fuel injection system....and quite a few other odds and ends....I finally turned the key.
She started right up.....but idled very poorly.
Amazingly, it seems to idle and not want to quite, despite seeming like it is running on only half the cylinders.
-I tried pulling ignition leads at the distributor to see if one cylinder was more affected...but it made little noticeable difference.
-I tried switching out the cap and rotor with new, but no different
-I tried unplugging each injector....not a big difference (I could not reach #4).
-I checked the timing....and can see the timing mark at the flywheel at 2,700 rpm, with the vacuum advance plugged.
-I took it for a drive and found that the motor has plenty of power when RPMs get over 3000 or so. I appears to run decently at that engine speed.
-The car ran well before I took apart the intake and injectors. I have not messed with any of the timing or ignition components...as far as I know.
-I have a gut feeling that this may be a vacuum leak....but have no real facts to back this up. Just from past experience with motors.
-I rarely get frustrated with this type of work, but I am a little stuck here.
I realize that I do not have much data to share, so an online diagnosis will be hard, but I wanted to share. I will try to read up and figure it out.
1977 BMW 530i
1973 R75/5 BMW (motorcycle)
1992 R100R BMW (motorcycle) for sale
2008 BMW 328i
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Timing
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:15 pm
by Blaise
I am a bit confused about the timing RPM.
In my Haynes manual, I believe that it calls for it to be set at 2,700 RPM. This is for a California automatic. I will check this manual when I get home
In my BMW factory manual (just got it), the main section on engine electrics, calls it out to be set at 1,700 rpm for both automatic and manual cars, but makes no mention of a California car.
-22 degrees BTDC at 1,700 rpm
In the back of this factory manual, there is an additional section titled, 1976 Exhaust Emissions System. In this section, there is a section on timing.
In this section it tells me to set the timing as noted above for Federal models, but to use 2700 rpm on California models.
Interestingly, I had assumed that 2,700 rpm was when the distributor reached full mechanical advance. But, when I accelerate beyond 2,700 with my strobe light on the mark....the mark continues up and out of view. I assume that this means it continues to advance.
Fixed....mostly
Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 2:33 am
by Blaise
I retraced my work installing the vacuum lines and it turns out that I had the two that go into the EGR switched. Interestingly, the car idles well with them removed from the EGR, as well as installed correctly.
The only thing that is puzzling is that my emissions vacuum lines were not hooked up per the factory manual. On top of that, I have more connections that what is listed in the manual. For example, my blow off valve has three vacuum lines coming out of it, while the factory diagram shows only one.
Anyone know more about how the California Emissions Control vacuum lines are supposed to be hooked up? If so, I will post the specific issues.
Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 8:53 am
by 1st 5er
Would some of your
before pics help?
Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:45 am
by Blaise
Yes, I have enough photos to know how it was hooked up before I took things apart. But that is what differs from the factory diagram.
My poor running issue was just my mistake in swapping the two lines at the EGR.
Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:59 am
by GripGreg
Good thought, Sherman.
Blaise, are you located in California? Somehow I got the notion that you're in Pac. Sowest? You see where I'm going, right? Some lines are not necessary.
Great reading about your progress. Good luck,,,,Greg
Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 5:12 pm
by 1st 5er
Blaise wrote:
Yes, I have enough photos to know how it was hooked up before I took things apart. But that is what differs from the factory diagram.
My poor running issue was just my mistake in swapping the two lines at the EGR.
Good news...
Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:36 pm
by Blaise
Okay...you guys are going to laugh. After agonizing over my factory manual to figure out how my vacuum lines are supposed to be hooked up, I found the answer.
www.realoem.com shows my actual equipment, if I use my vin. This differs from what is listed in my manual.
But more importantly, there is a sticker under my hood which shoes EXACTLY how to hook it up. I just had not seen it before....duh.
All is well and I took it for a nice drive with my father and my son today.
We played with the air screw on the throttle body, but could hardly tell the idling difference.
Also, that automatic transmission really sucks! It just feels that this motor was not meant to be operated with only three gears. Of course the motor is a dog at 2000 rpms.
Is the five speed (or 4 speed) a performance improvement? I sure hope so, because my car can't get out of it's own way. Granted, when the rpms get around 4,000, the hood lifts and it gets going. I don't need a race car....but this is just too wimpy.
Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2010 12:30 am
by Mike W.
Yes, a 4 or 5 speed makes a world of difference, even moreso with the 530s than the 528s. The autos of the era didn't work with the torque curve of the engine.
Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 12:28 pm
by Shoup
So i sprung a coolant leak yesterday and its in the same location as your leak. I Have a 75 530i. Do you know the part #s for the coolant hoses down there? I was going to replace all the hoses in that system when i am down there. I bought 2 hoses from AutoHausAZ : "Cooling/Coolant Hose; Return Line from Coolant Pipe to Throttle Housing/Air Slide" AND "Cooling/Coolant Hose; Return Line to Thermostat Housing".
On your photos i can see a metal connector with three hoses: One goes back to the thermostat Housing (i ordered that one). One connects to the overflow thank (I dont know where to get that one), and one goes to the firewall and then Heatercore im guessing (also dont know where to get it).
I would like to replace all those hoses if someone could help me out with where to get them that would be awesome.
Also, The hose that you found your leak in, what did it connect to right there? i think i have an aux air valve that has coolant going to it; is that where your leak was? if so i would need to find those 2 hoses as well.
Thanks for the pics! it will be a real help before i dive in there.
Shoup
Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:03 pm
by Shoup
Well i found more part #s. Here is what i bought, i hope this is everything. I will continue my search after work. Please let me know if i am missing a hose i might need. I replaced the rad hoses when i upgraded to e28 rad.
1. 11 53 1 259 823 (reservoir to block)
2. 11 53 1 266 475 (Airslide to Throttlehousing)
3. 11 53 1 266 476 (Return Line from Coolant Pipe to Throttle Housing/Air Slide)
4. 64 21 1 364 765 (Cylinderhead to heatercore)
5. 11 53 1 266 137 (Return Line to Thermostat Housing)
6. 11 5 31 266 459 (Water Pump to Thermostat Housing) might as well replace it too.
Thanks,
Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 1:25 pm
by Blaise
I can usually find all the part numbers on
www.realoem.com
Use your serial number to look up your car.
My leak was in coolant hose that goes to the throttle body. Both lines were old and seriously deteriorated. As for the other lines, I inspected them closely (check for cracks at ends) and did reuse some.
Good luck.