1988 320i

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Barry - 28 Apr 2004 21:06 GMT

New To BMW's
Bought 1988 320i e30 1 month ago, previous car Mk1 Golf GTi(Rabbit), Bm done
182,000 i did the valve adjust last week still a little cammy, i now have
ideas of removing the head to give it a proper overhaul however a little
voice keeps on in my head if its not broke don't fix it! but i can't help
myself its gotta be done, my question to you is what are the parts i should
replace while the head is off, is it worth doing and what if any special
tools would i need to complete the job? or should i drive it till it dies,
the body is in great condition and the interior is mint, i know a littl of
the car's history and most of the miles were clocked on motorways.
All help appreciated
Baz
Ps there is a whine coming from the box in neutral it disapears when the
clutch is pressed is it serious

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Fred W. - 28 Apr 2004 22:35 GMT

> New To BMW's
> Bought 1988 320i e30 1 month ago, previous car Mk1 Golf GTi(Rabbit), Bm done
> 182,000 i did the valve adjust last week still a little cammy, i now have
> ideas of removing the head to give it a proper overhaul however a little
> voice keeps on in my head if its not broke don't fix it! but i can't help
> myself its gotta be done,

OK, I'll bite. What do you mean by "cammy"? The older BMW engines without
any hydraulic lifters tended to need precise vale adjustment, or they woul
be somewhat noisey. It won't bother anything for the valves to be a bit on
the loose side, they will just clatter a bit especially at idle speeds.
Adjusting these valves, with their solid lifters, is an artform. If you
search around you will find much discussion on the variety of techniques
that people employ to get it done.

> my question to you is what are the parts i should
> replace while the head is off, is it worth doing and what if any special
> tools would i need to complete the job? or should i drive it till it dies,

I would do the latter, but who says it will die? As long as you keep it up
mechanically, it may well run forever...

> Ps there is a whine coming from the box in neutral it disapears when the
> clutch is pressed is it serious

Well, that's a bit tougher... When you depress the clutch you essentially
disconnect the gearbox from the engine, so it could be just about anything
in the primary side of the gearbox. Do you also hear it when underway? If
not, perhaps do a fluid change if you haven't already but otherwise, I would
just let it go until something actually fails.

Enjoy your new car!

-Fred W

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Scott M - 29 Apr 2004 12:24 GMT

> Ps there is a whine coming from the box in neutral it disapears when the
> clutch is pressed is it serious

This is a sign of a worn bearing - I forget if it's the gearbox input
shaft or the clutch throwout bearing - but most cars do it to some
degree after a few years and, as long as it doesn't get worse, shouldn't
be a problem.

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Scott

Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?

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