Is my E30 terminal? - BMW Forum

bagelboy91 · 05-04-2008, 07:40 AM

1991 318is w/177k miles....

Driving last night on the highway when something let loose under the hood. I thought is was a tire blowout so i pulled over. Sounded like a very loud whooshing sound....imagine a tire letting go.

Thats not the case....its coming from under the hood, sounds like under the valve cover area or towards the front. She runs, but if i get over 1500 rpms, its sounds like marbles in a tin can....and very loud!

I limped it home shifting at 1500-2000 rpms, and it still had good compression. If i went over 2000rpms....it got crazy loud under the hood.

any ideas?

AlpineSixAndSeven · 05-04-2008, 05:43 PM

? does it idle ok? hmmm how was the temp?

bagelboy91 · 05-09-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlpineSixAndSeven

? does it idle ok? hmmm how was the temp?

Idle is a bit rough...not crazy.

Temp was normal.

gotKRAUT · 05-09-2008, 12:25 PM

you broke somethin....not really sure...hows the visual inspection check out when its running? anything off? wheres the sound coming from?

witeshark · 05-09-2008, 01:26 PM

Maybe the timing chain is getting too loose?

gotKRAUT · 05-09-2008, 04:34 PM

being an M42 thats a good call...could be the timing tensioner

bagelboy91 · 05-21-2008, 02:33 PM

I had a local mech look into this for me.....he thinks its a wrist pin on one of the cylinders.

AlpineSixAndSeven · 05-21-2008, 02:46 PM

... that would mean it needs a rebuild...

DIRTE30 · 05-21-2008, 08:08 PM

You said it sounded like a whooshing sound? That definitely doesn't sound like a wrist pin? I would remove the valve cover and look down the timing chain to see if the tensioner or one of the guides let go... That could also explain the rough idle... could let the timing get advanced or retarded a little. Check it out first man!

darkhorse737 · 05-26-2008, 11:33 PM

WHOOSHING SOUND... that is the sound of a broken intake/air cleaner boot. engines suck air from the intake. that explains too the rough idle... when the measurement of the airflow(from the AFM) is not consistent with the airmass going into your intake chamber because of the break in ur intake.

sounds.... try and listen closely. upper engine rattling sounds that rise and fall with acceleration=valves(mal adjusted or at worst bent or broken); lower engine sounds lower in pitch the "clack-clack-clack" type of sound = con rods or wristpins or crank probs. contrast that to a "plack-plack-plack" = timing belt probs. ;-)

Change your oil and pay attention to metal bits if any... if none, then it isn't so bad ;-)