With the help of another novice I am attmepting to replace the head gasket on a 90 325is.
We pulled out the radiator.
We took off the valve cover.
We took off the timing belt cover, and noted where the "camshaft wheel" was when we released the tension on the timing belt.
I know when you release tension on the timing belt you should get a new one. But mine was replaced about 7000 miles ago, and to keep things simple we are just going to use the same belt. The less we have to disconnect the better we are.
We have successfully disconnected 10 of the 14 required bolts in the exhaust piping. Seems like we might have to jack the car up to get to the remaining
4 bolts.And we have taken off about 12 of the nuts on the air intake manifold (we should have counted but did not.) We are having a hard time getting the air intake manifold disconnected from the head (maybe we can pull out the head with the manifold connected and then find the remaining bolts on the manifold that need to be disconnected.)
Does anyone have any basic guidance. We want to get the head off and get it to a machine shop for inspection. And in the process we will replace my head gasket which I sure hope is the source of my leak (it sure looks like it I think). And of course, I will be using new head bolts when we next attach the head (its that torque to yield thing.) We are going to eyeball the each 90 degree the best we can.
If anyone can offer any guidance, especially where disconnecting the intake manifold from the head is concerned, it sure would be appreciated (like how many total bolts and where are they???)
Thanks in advance.
- Ben