Cracked head. Need a replacement
- Thread starter E3AV
- Start date
Thanks!
Some other questions:
Should I use a similar head gasket as the one I removed from the engine with this "new" head?
Should I swap the camshaft with the one from the cracked head?
The end of the camshaft in the new head is similar to the old one with the two tabs.
There are probably some differences in cam lift or duration?
Other factors to consider?
I have installed an electric fuel pump.
Some other questions:
Should I use a similar head gasket as the one I removed from the engine with this "new" head?
Should I swap the camshaft with the one from the cracked head?
The end of the camshaft in the new head is similar to the old one with the two tabs.
There are probably some differences in cam lift or duration?
Other factors to consider?
I have installed an electric fuel pump.
@sfdon , what's up with heads that are newer than 1986? Inferior / less ideal because...?
I have one dated 1987 on my car...
Dismantled all the pieces of the old head today for learning purposes. Found that almost all of the valve stem seals were brittle and would fall apart easily. On the intake side I could just pull them off with my fingers.
Also took a closer look at the pistons and found the same marks on top of all of them at the same spot.
Got me thinking if there has been some timing issues and that the exhaust valves were hitting the piston’s?
Also took a closer look at the pistons and found the same marks on top of all of them at the same spot.
Got me thinking if there has been some timing issues and that the exhaust valves were hitting the piston’s?
If you install the new valve stem seals without protection against the sharp edges of the stem (valve stem keeper) the new rubber seal will be scratched/damaged!! It ain’t much but the seal is damaged!! Oil consumption will follow.
So:
Sometimes in the new seal package there is a plastic cover.
Otherwise you can use a simple method which I “engineered” - by putting some plastic tape over the stem before sliding the seal. I made a picture of it.
Good luck
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1987 is different head on e24 m30b35 everywhere
1987 head in Europe on e32 is m30 b35
Casting date is not engine design date.
Everything is different in Europe- all your engines came a year before ours.
1987 head in Europe on e32 is m30 b35
Casting date is not engine design date.
Everything is different in Europe- all your engines came a year before ours.
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As to the mark on the piston tops. Could this be a result the head being resurfaced/machined and not using a thicker head gasket if not improper timing?
With a caliper I measure the head to be about 128.7 mm.
The used old head gasket is about 1.7mm I think.
I must also mention that I measured valve clearances after I did the compression test and before I pulled the head and found that all were too tight. Maybe 0.1-0.2mm
Maybe a combination of those things?
With a caliper I measure the head to be about 128.7 mm.
The used old head gasket is about 1.7mm I think.
I must also mention that I measured valve clearances after I did the compression test and before I pulled the head and found that all were too tight. Maybe 0.1-0.2mm
Maybe a combination of those things?
Seems like a skipped tooth on cam gear is likely
Yes I think so too. And it could probably explain why I had such a hard time performing a leak down test before I pulled the head as well.
I did manage to test cylinder 1 with the help of the TIO mark on the harmonic balancer finding TDC. But readings were off and I was not sure if I was doing it right. This being the first time I’ve used a leak down tester.
Moving on to cylinder 5 using the overlapping valve method (valve cover off) to find TDC, the air pressure from the tester just pushed the piston down. Tried several times with no luck. Moved on to next cylinder and same problem again.
So I just gave it up.
I did manage to test cylinder 1 with the help of the TIO mark on the harmonic balancer finding TDC. But readings were off and I was not sure if I was doing it right. This being the first time I’ve used a leak down tester.
Moving on to cylinder 5 using the overlapping valve method (valve cover off) to find TDC, the air pressure from the tester just pushed the piston down. Tried several times with no luck. Moved on to next cylinder and same problem again.
So I just gave it up.
tochi
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Looking at head gaskets there seems to be different styles out there.
Victor Reinz have two types.
One for early M30B30 and one for late B30 E32/34.
Early
Late
There are some differences in the holes for oil passages and the holes for vater passages seems smaller in the late gasket.
The one from Elring
Seems to have some of the cooling passages blocked off.
Victor Reinz have two types.
One for early M30B30 and one for late B30 E32/34.
Early
Late
There are some differences in the holes for oil passages and the holes for vater passages seems smaller in the late gasket.
The one from Elring
Seems to have some of the cooling passages blocked off.
you aren't installing a late head from late B30 E32/34.
It won't work with your pistons.
It won't work with your pistons.
Given a choice between Victor-Reinz and Elring, i would go with the latter provided it is the right fit for your application.
Update!
The engine is up and running.
Got my hands on a refurbished head.
As all of the rocker shafts from the old head were badly worn and the new one came without, I had to buy new ones. I also bought 12 new rocker arms.
I’m reusing the old camshaft.
The oil spray bar got checked and installed with new banjo bolts.
Good thing I checked the sprayer bar because 2 of the holes were blocked by some debris.
New head gasket from Victor Reinz
Head lifted on to the block
Head bolts torqued to 60nm
80nm, valve clearance adjusted and timing checked
Reassembled the rest. Filled up with new engine oil and coolant.
Without the ignition connected I turned over the engine for some seconds to build oil pressure.
Took some time..
Then time for first startup
Primed the carbs and closed the chokes.
Engine starts after a few seconds of cranking. Success!!
But..
The engine sounded not as good as I hoped for. I concluded soon that there was a loud valve tapping sound.
Engine ran great besides that.
Warmed up the engine for about half an hour, let it cool some, took the valve cover off and angle torqued the head bolts 35degrees.
Next day I decided to look into the valve tapping noise.
When I adjusted the valve clearance earlier on I did the adjustments on the valve side with a 0.3mm feeler gauge as per instructions.
I have read many successful stories about doing the adjustments on the cam side. So I decided to try that. Here I used a 0.25mm feeler gauge.
Man how much easier this task was!
Put the valve cover back on and started the engine.
Wow what a difference!
I could still hear some ticking but there was a massive improvement.
Prior to the rebuild the engine was wery smooth sounding, but then the clearances were all to tight.
Now a week later I wanted to do a compression test to compare with the old numbers.
cyl 1: 150psi
cyl 2: 150psi
cyl 3: 155psi
cyl 4: 150psi
cyl 5: 150psi
cyl 6: 160psi
Cylinder 6 earlier being the lowest by 115psi now got the highest reading.
The engine is up and running.
Got my hands on a refurbished head.
As all of the rocker shafts from the old head were badly worn and the new one came without, I had to buy new ones. I also bought 12 new rocker arms.
I’m reusing the old camshaft.
The oil spray bar got checked and installed with new banjo bolts.
Good thing I checked the sprayer bar because 2 of the holes were blocked by some debris.
New head gasket from Victor Reinz
Head lifted on to the block
Head bolts torqued to 60nm
80nm, valve clearance adjusted and timing checked
Reassembled the rest. Filled up with new engine oil and coolant.
Without the ignition connected I turned over the engine for some seconds to build oil pressure.
Took some time..
Then time for first startup
Primed the carbs and closed the chokes.
Engine starts after a few seconds of cranking. Success!!
But..
The engine sounded not as good as I hoped for. I concluded soon that there was a loud valve tapping sound.
Engine ran great besides that.
Warmed up the engine for about half an hour, let it cool some, took the valve cover off and angle torqued the head bolts 35degrees.
Next day I decided to look into the valve tapping noise.
When I adjusted the valve clearance earlier on I did the adjustments on the valve side with a 0.3mm feeler gauge as per instructions.
I have read many successful stories about doing the adjustments on the cam side. So I decided to try that. Here I used a 0.25mm feeler gauge.
Man how much easier this task was!
Put the valve cover back on and started the engine.
Wow what a difference!
I could still hear some ticking but there was a massive improvement.
Prior to the rebuild the engine was wery smooth sounding, but then the clearances were all to tight.
Now a week later I wanted to do a compression test to compare with the old numbers.
cyl 1: 150psi
cyl 2: 150psi
cyl 3: 155psi
cyl 4: 150psi
cyl 5: 150psi
cyl 6: 160psi
Cylinder 6 earlier being the lowest by 115psi now got the highest reading.
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.25 at the cam is equivalent to .315 at the valve so technically you’re just out of spec so something must have been off before.
Yes - 1.26 is the ratio