Last October the starter on my daily driver E46 325i locked up. While waiting for the parts to arrive I drove the 323i for a bit. At Home Depot the engine cranked very slowly and would not catch. Note: this is different than my long unresolved no-start issue. Slow cranking is a sign of a... Continue Reading →
I have registered for the 2019 Vintage car show at the Saratoga Auto Museum in Saratoga, NY. From my home near Boston this will be the longest road trip I have made with the 323i. But these kinds of road trips and shows is why I bought the car. It's a shame if the car... Continue Reading →
Ever since my engine build was done I've had a rattle from the top end. I pinned the location to inside the cylinder head around cylinders 3-5. When my Dad first heard it, he asked if it was a Diesel. It was a metallic rattle under 3,000 RPM but would smooth out over that mark... Continue Reading →
There are so few car events north of Boston. So when a local 2002 owners group planned a small meet 30 minutes away I had to join no matter what. Would they mind the 02's younger brother joining in? Not at all as it turns out. I texted my friend and former co-worker Doug who... Continue Reading →
The C191 plug connects the fuel injector harness to the rest of the electrical system. A bad C191 plug can lead to all sorts of problems - hard starting rough idle lack of power fault codes for fuel injectors or temp sensor The location of the C191 plug makes it susceptible to water. Check out... Continue Reading →
Note! This is a long, rambling, wandering post. There are multiple updates with a lot of troubleshooting ideas and some successes. But my original no crank/no start issue persists. My 323 did not start a month or so ago. I turned the key but there was no response from the starter. I had strong lights... Continue Reading →
Here are the specs of my initial M20B28 engine build. I started with a standard M20 2.5 that was mostly complete but partially disassembled. A 2.7 crankshaft, connecting rods, and flat-top pistons came with it. The 2.7 rods and pistons are commonly used in turbo builds. I used the 325i rods and custom Wiseco pistons.... Continue Reading →
Could there be an easier engine swap than an E30 325i M20 into a E21 323i? Actually, yes: an S52 into an E36 is pretty plug and play. But this almost as easy. There are a few really good guides online, including the ones covering 320i swaps. They didn't always apply to my project so... Continue Reading →
Doug I.
E21 323i BLOG 