Josh, I did the same procedure a couple of years ago (1995 525i, Northern Cal) and it has been running great ever since. Still have the timing/vanos tools just in case. I originally had blown the head gasket because I did not bleed all the air out of the cooling system (after changing serpentine and water pump). Bleed out those bubbles, people! Be patient!
Cams are hollow and should be removed & installed in a particular sequence. Josh was lucky not to have snapped the one he replaced. For each cylinder, the cam lobes should be pointing up, least amount of spring pressure, then rotate the cam onto the next one until all are done. Also, cutting the heads off four of the old head bolts and hand tightening them onto the head significantly helps guide the head in place when lowering the head onto the block. And don't try installing without someone's assistance! It's just not worth a severe lower back injury. Also slam those hydraulic valve caps open to separate them and clean out the gunk ed up oil inside of them. Reassemble with just a light coat of new oil. I posted a step by step procedure on one of the BMW forums 12yrs ago which unfortunately isn't allowed here but it's extremely detailed. Sadly, 7 mos ago my thermostat failed (shut) and the engine overheated. I thought I avoided the inevitable up until last week when I discovered hydro-lock in #3 cylinder. Such a bummer. So, to rebuild or not to rebuild is what I'm pondering. Ugh!
broo watching these vids makes me wanna work on my e34 more i’m sick of sending it to the shop cuz of a leak and having to pay $1000 cuz of labor i got a 525i manual nd i love it
With every video I watch it makes me want more and more E34s, I have an orient blue metallic E46 and the color in the sun is wayyy different in person than on camera, I can only imagine how good that thing looks irl!
I am new to the Bmw world and came across your channel and after only watching one video i Subbed right away! Been binge watching all day! Cant wait to see you fix the M3!
Allways enjoy watch your channel, you`re an inspiration, I run a e-34, 525i 1993, with a M-50 mill, , & e-32 735i, 1988, that had been sitting since 2014 with under 100K miles. Cheers
Great job! I own a Orient Blue 525i, I think it was quite a 'late' color on E34s. You'll see it more often on E36s and E39s. In Europe at least. And your mom is an angel! You should have her feature in your videos more often :)
That's how mechanic works bro! If nuts and bolts aren't left over it wasn't fixed good!!😂😂 keeping myself busy watching all your other vids until more e28 vids are released
I think the extras are from the intake manifold brackets. Most people forget about them since the whole thing is pretty solid when you bolt it to the head
came here to say the same thing, especially since installing the brackets was not mentioned in the video. i say that because installing them is SUCH a pain in the ass that it would certainly have been mentioned if it were done 😂
I was sold an e34 535i without a thermostat thinking I would have to replace a blown headgasket and i turned out that the headgasket was good and it only needed a new thermostat and the cooling system needed to be bled, people really don't know how to bleed m30's. It took me a while but i got the car for pretty cheap in my country(Portugal) and in phenomenal condition, brand new interior new royal blue paint job and has been ripping, sometimes at over 230 kmh in portuguese highways. got it for 4k here in Portugal which is amazing, the only one that is for sale right now is in way worse condition and costs 9k... Cars are really expensive here...
My headgasket has been sent lskint coolant for a while. Have to get it done, as i simply don't have the space to do it. But im also considering swapping in a M52.
Hi Josh, thanks for the informative vids. I've got an issue that I'd like your opinion on. I have an 95' e34, with an intermittent stopping problem when I come to a brake. The codes consistently read knock sensor issue, but I'm not sure if that will solve it, as the problem arose after changing the ignition coils and spark plugs. The car started running better after that change, but then this stopping problem began. I believe the engine is the vanos version since it seems to have a solenoid valve at the front of the motor there. Have you experienced an issue like this, and do you think changing the knock sensors will do the trick? Thanks
In my experience ive never had Knock sensors cause any issues on these cars, even when completely destroyed. I would take a look at your icv hoses and check for vacuum leaks, all the things i replaced in this video, those will cause an engine to die when stopping
👍🏼I had an E34 exactly like that got rear ended totaled by insurance I was about to get it fixed but gave up &let it go I should’ve kept it… looking for one &will grab it right away if I find one
This video was super good and in depth, but it made me realize that I don’t want to do this to my 95 wagon. Too much time and money that I don’t have unfortunately. Gonna be bittersweet to let it go
Question for you…I have a 91 525i non Vanos with M50. Oil appears to be dripping from the sending unit which is attached to the oil pan. I removed the 3 bolts trying to drop the unit to replace the gasket….but it doesn’t come all the way out. Usually, you would need to detach some wiring, but I can’t get to any. Ideas? Thx
Hi there, just did that last weekend. The plug for the sensor is just about three inches along the cable. So basically where the oil pan meets the block. It's one of those plugs where you have to push down on the metal spring. I did it from the top with the intake manifold off, but you should be able to unplug it from the bottom. Edit: Oh, and in my case the cable was zip tied to the engine mount arm. Don't know if that is stock.
@@ikindalikebowie it may have to wait…when I couldn’t get it off, I just changed the oil. Hopefully, it will hold out until next oil change and I’ll try.
inspirational as usual. just curious, how long was this video before editing? If I see one more video where you make the tick just vanish I'm driving up there from MD 😂
I rlly wish i knew as much as u do josh my dad gave me a e34 525i when i was 15 now im 17 its been a absolute struggle to fix it since it just been non stop overheating
Is there a power difference with the motor that has vanos vs the same motor without vanos . I'm trying trying to decide do I wanna keep the same motor or go for the one that has vanos . I have a 1991 m50 none vanos that has a blowing head gasket
ill throw my two cents in here although not worth a ton i just went through the whole debacle trying to figure out how to clean up a head and block i bought an overheated m54b30 the head alone was reading .20mm with a summit racing straight edge and feeler i decked the block and head with some cheap ass "auto body sander" from harbor freight to spec and the motor currently has 600 miles on it and no compression loss (hopefully im not jinxing myself here)
@@m3nameisjosh464 im definitely not recommending anyone deck their head with sandpaper but it was just funny reading all the forum posts about how anything other than a plastic razor will ruin your motor 😂
Nothing beats seeing these old gems never dying 🫡
Agreeed!
"Never doubt an M50" had me smiling, so damn true - glad to see you keeping them alive
Hahah its true man!!!
Josh, I did the same procedure a couple of years ago (1995 525i, Northern Cal) and it has been running great ever since. Still have the timing/vanos tools just in case. I originally had blown the head gasket because I did not bleed all the air out of the cooling system (after changing serpentine and water pump). Bleed out those bubbles, people! Be patient!
Bleeding is something many don’t understand lol, but it’s crucial!
Cams are hollow and should be removed & installed in a particular sequence. Josh was lucky not to have snapped the one he replaced. For each cylinder, the cam lobes should be pointing up, least amount of spring pressure, then rotate the cam onto the next one until all are done. Also, cutting the heads off four of the old head bolts and hand tightening them onto the head significantly helps guide the head in place when lowering the head onto the block. And don't try installing without someone's assistance! It's just not worth a severe lower back injury. Also slam those hydraulic valve caps open to separate them and clean out the gunk ed up oil inside of them. Reassemble with just a light coat of new oil. I posted a step by step procedure on one of the BMW forums 12yrs ago which unfortunately isn't allowed here but it's extremely detailed. Sadly, 7 mos ago my thermostat failed (shut) and the engine overheated. I thought I avoided the inevitable up until last week when I discovered hydro-lock in #3 cylinder. Such a bummer. So, to rebuild or not to rebuild is what I'm pondering. Ugh!
Thank you for this information!
@@m3nameisjosh464 You're quite welcome.
I love these engines. I love the way they're built. Forget power for a second and consider the total assembly.
broo watching these vids makes me wanna work on my e34 more i’m sick of sending it to the shop cuz of a leak and having to pay $1000 cuz of labor i got a 525i manual nd i love it
Shop will bankrupt you real quick with these cars!
With every video I watch it makes me want more and more E34s, I have an orient blue metallic E46 and the color in the sun is wayyy different in person than on camera, I can only imagine how good that thing looks irl!
I like that im tempting ya😏
I am new to the Bmw world and came across your channel and after only watching one video i Subbed right away! Been binge watching all day! Cant wait to see you fix the M3!
Thank you so much man! Welcome!!
Enjoyed that diy style of engine repair. We've all been there. Subscribed.
Thanks for making the video and for taking the time to upload. 👍👍
Thanks for watching man!!
Allways enjoy watch your channel, you`re an inspiration, I run a e-34, 525i 1993, with a M-50 mill, , & e-32 735i, 1988, that had been sitting since 2014 with under 100K miles. Cheers
Nice!!! Thank you for watching!!
Great job! I own a Orient Blue 525i, I think it was quite a 'late' color on E34s. You'll see it more often on E36s and E39s. In Europe at least. And your mom is an angel! You should have her feature in your videos more often :)
She always asks to be featured!! I guess I’ll have to!!!
This is the type of content that I love to see on RUclips, thanks!
Thank you for watching man!
Awesome job! Thanks for giving this gem a new life
Thank you for watching!
That's how mechanic works bro! If nuts and bolts aren't left over it wasn't fixed good!!😂😂 keeping myself busy watching all your other vids until more e28 vids are released
Thank you bro!!! Hahahsh, working on the next episode right now!
@@m3nameisjosh464 I'm patiently waiting. Well maybe I'm lying about the patient part😅
I think the extras are from the intake manifold brackets. Most people forget about them since the whole thing is pretty solid when you bolt it to the head
Im positive 2 are for those, absolute pain to install so i said to hell with it hahaha
came here to say the same thing, especially since installing the brackets was not mentioned in the video. i say that because installing them is SUCH a pain in the ass that it would certainly have been mentioned if it were done 😂
@@szlewi I certainly skipped installing them HAHAHA
I was sold an e34 535i without a thermostat thinking I would have to replace a blown headgasket and i turned out that the headgasket was good and it only needed a new thermostat and the cooling system needed to be bled, people really don't know how to bleed m30's. It took me a while but i got the car for pretty cheap in my country(Portugal) and in phenomenal condition, brand new interior new royal blue paint job and has been ripping, sometimes at over 230 kmh in portuguese highways. got it for 4k here in Portugal which is amazing, the only one that is for sale right now is in way worse condition and costs 9k... Cars are really expensive here...
Thats a lucky find!!! Glad you’re enjoying it and got it for a great price too!!
My headgasket has been sent lskint coolant for a while. Have to get it done, as i simply don't have the space to do it. But im also considering swapping in a M52.
Swapping an engine is damn near easier
Hi Josh, thanks for the informative vids. I've got an issue that I'd like your opinion on. I have an 95' e34, with an intermittent stopping problem when I come to a brake. The codes consistently read knock sensor issue, but I'm not sure if that will solve it, as the problem arose after changing the ignition coils and spark plugs. The car started running better after that change, but then this stopping problem began. I believe the engine is the vanos version since it seems to have a solenoid valve at the front of the motor there. Have you experienced an issue like this, and do you think changing the knock sensors will do the trick? Thanks
In my experience ive never had Knock sensors cause any issues on these cars, even when completely destroyed. I would take a look at your icv hoses and check for vacuum leaks, all the things i replaced in this video, those will cause an engine to die when stopping
@@m3nameisjosh464 thank you 🙏! I will try that
Ah finally the crack I’ve been waiting for and it’s 30min 😍
Hahahah a nice long video for ya addicts!:)
👍🏼I had an E34 exactly like that got rear ended totaled by insurance I was about to get it fixed but gave up &let it go I should’ve kept it… looking for one &will grab it right away if I find one
I hope you find another!!!
I love my E36s but E34s seem like a better car. I'm tempted to try my hand on a 6 cylinder e39. All these older BMW deserve to be saved.
They are better cars ;)
This video was super good and in depth, but it made me realize that I don’t want to do this to my 95 wagon. Too much time and money that I don’t have unfortunately. Gonna be bittersweet to let it go
Hey man nothing wrong with that. Its not a quick or easy job. Realizing you don’t wanna do it is important
Great detail. Thanks
Hi Josh! Amazing job keep uploading driving experience about this bad boy ;)
Thanks man!!
Did you check the vanos for any play or did you rebuild it. Don’t want the infamous vanos rattle!! Well done my friend! Cheers, George
I checked it for play before install, never actually had an m50 vanos give me issues even with over 200k miles. S5x on the other hand…
m50 best motor
Facts!
Wish you were close to denver
Awesome video, friend. Could you please let us know which torque wrench that is from snapon? I would love to get one like that
@@Wedidntbuiltthiscity 1/2 inch drive tech angle
Question for you…I have a 91 525i non Vanos with M50. Oil appears to be dripping from the sending unit which is attached to the oil pan. I removed the 3 bolts trying to drop the unit to replace the gasket….but it doesn’t come all the way out. Usually, you would need to detach some wiring, but I can’t get to any. Ideas? Thx
Hi there, just did that last weekend. The plug for the sensor is just about three inches along the cable. So basically where the oil pan meets the block. It's one of those plugs where you have to push down on the metal spring. I did it from the top with the intake manifold off, but you should be able to unplug it from the bottom.
Edit: Oh, and in my case the cable was zip tied to the engine mount arm. Don't know if that is stock.
@@ikindalikebowie I’ll look again. Thx
What maggo said!
@@davidtrachtenberg7095 Had any luck with the gasket?
@@ikindalikebowie it may have to wait…when I couldn’t get it off, I just changed the oil. Hopefully, it will hold out until next oil change and I’ll try.
Isn't the last pair of bolts meant for the 2x plastic covers of the engine?
Nope, injector cover bolts were in place with cover, valve cover beauty cover is nuts.
@@m3nameisjosh464 Oh, my sincere apologies :)
inspirational as usual. just curious, how long was this video before editing? If I see one more video where you make the tick just vanish I'm driving up there from MD 😂
I will always get the tick away! Hahah. But it was about 6 hours
I rlly wish i knew as much as u do josh my dad gave me a e34 525i when i was 15 now im 17 its been a absolute struggle to fix it since it just been non stop overheating
Take it to a shop and get it running right before too much damage is done. No shame in letting the professionals tackle it!
The style 5 wheels in the picture in the end (and thumbnail), are those 15 or 16 inch?
15s i believe
@@m3nameisjosh464 Thanks, I have a set laying around and am wondering if it is worth the hassle to fix new rubber for them. This tells me yes
@@KJBlakstad classic looking wheels!
Currently doing this myself, do you not worry about trash falling in the oil and coolant holes when sanding down the block?
Blow em out with air, flush the coolant lines with hose, and change oil soon after. No issues here
Have you finished? I'm pondering whether to do this again after rebuilding my head 12yrs ago.
@@eaglerider94 I wouldn’t worry about it
@@eaglerider94 yes i have, like Josh said i wouldnt worry about it if it's not obviously broken
Very nice
🤝🤝
Great job 👍👌👍👌👍👍👍
Thank you!
What model of Milwaukee racket have you there is two different power ones how strong is your one ?
The 3/8” one with the smaller m12, thats all I remember hahah
Is there a power difference with the motor that has vanos vs the same motor without vanos . I'm trying trying to decide do I wanna keep the same motor or go for the one that has vanos . I have a 1991 m50 none vanos that has a blowing head gasket
Not really, vanos has slightly more torque and and torque down low but basically same thing
@@m3nameisjosh464 okay thank you . Is there a price difference with vanos engine ?
@@E34boyz generally the same
Im doing a same thing right now
Bro what is that jazz instrumental that u use in the vids it’s so fire I need it
Its from epidemic sounds hahahah. Costs me 15 a month😭
Good work 🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎
Thanks man!
ill throw my two cents in here although not worth a ton i just went through the whole debacle trying to figure out how to clean up a head and block i bought an overheated m54b30 the head alone was reading .20mm with a summit racing straight edge and feeler i decked the block and head with some cheap ass "auto body sander" from harbor freight to spec and the motor currently has 600 miles on it and no compression loss (hopefully im not jinxing myself here)
Love to hear about successful diys!🤝
@@m3nameisjosh464 im definitely not recommending anyone deck their head with sandpaper but it was just funny reading all the forum posts about how anything other than a plastic razor will ruin your motor 😂
@@purplejerry1 hahahah right. Scotchbrite, sharpening stones, sand paper, who cares. Clean cylinders as best you can and do an oil change and aend it
Hope i never need this Video for mine, but great content
Its here just incase!
Why the engine look small or is it my brain
M50s arent too big hahah
the salami lid don't fit
You make it look easy ahahah
I try bro😭
Obviously I would skip ya few steps if my m50 doesnt have vanoss right
Yup just the vanos steps really. Otherwise they are same
No fucking way thank you so much
🤝🤝🤝🤝happy to help