• From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 1,137

Re: My E46 Lemons candidate - 2000 323i auto, 189k mi.: Scrapped for $500

After taking care of a few other things, I finally had the time to look at YouTube for more help with the correct generation.

Rather than a $230 tow, if I had had the following with me, I could have easily repaired it where it sat:

* 15mm wrench; to take off the wiper blades
* the inevitable 10mm hex socket of some type - ratchet, driver, whatever; takes out of the way the engine air filter box and the plastic engine cover
* thin flat-blade screwdriver; engine cover inserts, air intake hose clamps
* T30 torx driver; cabin air filter tray, trim tray

4 tools, which I had, just not with me.

The problem:
The cable had come off the throttle round-y thingy.

27 Reply by Lemon_Newton-Metre (edited by Lemon_Newton-Metre 2023-09-10 09:12 AM)

  • From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 1,137

Re: My E46 Lemons candidate - 2000 323i auto, 189k mi.: Scrapped for $500

Yeah, Ok, I keep on going back-and-forth about this BMW.

B.L.U.F.: Steam coming out in the middle of the engine (like the area between #3-#4 cylinders) under the plastic cover.


The latest: I've had it on the road for the last two weeks, and it's been pretty reliable with the throttle cable reattached.

This morning heading to work the needle hit the red zone, so I shut off the engine immediately and rolled to a stop. After sitting a while (and calling off work), I put more water in the rad, drove and got even more water (needle stayed below the red zone, but not by much), about 1.5 gal. total. And yes, I know that's a lot - WAY more than it's been using these past two weeks.

I made it back to my tools.

So: I'm thinking head gasket is now OBVIOUSLY the - well, a - and maybe not the only problem, but a big one.

Am I correct?

Is it worth pursuing making this reliable, or just scrapping it?

  • Mr.Yuck
  • Mr.Yuck
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Brookeville, Md.
  • Registered: 2013-12-09
  • Posts: 1,014

Re: My E46 Lemons candidate - 2000 323i auto, 189k mi.: Scrapped for $500

Just toss a small block chevy in it and roll. You wouldn't get 2 looks and you'd probably win IOE. Better yet put a 318 Mopar in it and badge it as a 318i. WIN all the way around. A late 60's early 70's  318 mopar has about 230hp and can easily be bumped to 275 w/o much effort and you wouldn't be banging 6k on the tach to get down the straights.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"
  • From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 1,137

Re: My E46 Lemons candidate - 2000 323i auto, 189k mi.: Scrapped for $500

Mr.Yuck wrote:

Just toss a small block chevy in it and roll. You wouldn't get 2 looks and you'd probably win IOE. Better yet put a 318 Mopar in it and badge it as a 318i. WIN all the way around. A late 60's early 70's  318 mopar has about 230hp and can easily be bumped to 275 w/o much effort and you wouldn't be banging 6k on the tach to get down the straights.

You have too many really good ideas. So, crap, I just spent 4 hours going down one of the above 318 rabbit holes. Cool idea.

I think a Vortech 5300 would fit the bill, and keep it a 323. I'm now wondering if this has the GM 4L60E, and if it would bolt right up.

30 Reply by Mr.Yuck (edited by Mr.Yuck 2023-09-11 05:54 AM)

  • Mr.Yuck
  • Mr.Yuck
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Brookeville, Md.
  • Registered: 2013-12-09
  • Posts: 1,014

Re: My E46 Lemons candidate - 2000 323i auto, 189k mi.: Scrapped for $500

Lemon_Newton-Metre wrote:
Mr.Yuck wrote:

Just toss a small block chevy in it and roll. You wouldn't get 2 looks and you'd probably win IOE. Better yet put a 318 Mopar in it and badge it as a 318i. WIN all the way around. A late 60's early 70's  318 mopar has about 230hp and can easily be bumped to 275 w/o much effort and you wouldn't be banging 6k on the tach to get down the straights.

You have too many really good ideas. So, crap, I just spent 4 hours going down one of the above 318 rabbit holes. Cool idea.

I think a Vortech 5300 would fit the bill, and keep it a 323. I'm now wondering if this has the GM 4L60E, and if it would bolt right up.

That would be FAN TAS TIC! and it'd probably be cheaper than the BMW mill, and the techs would love it.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"
  • From: Newport News, VA
  • Registered: 2015-12-23
  • Posts: 621

Re: My E46 Lemons candidate - 2000 323i auto, 189k mi.: Scrapped for $500

If you don't have the BMW tools and the ability to machine aluminum heads (and block?), I'd suggest a swap. I don't remember what all you have laying around, but anything you have with a manual will be easier to maintain than a BMW engine. Sell that thing to the drift kiddies.

That guy
  • From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 1,137

Re: My E46 Lemons candidate - 2000 323i auto, 189k mi.: Scrapped for $500

Well, for a while this was my second daily driver, but with the fluid loss the last two days, it's now just a local runabout; most of those trips are under 7 miles rt, and I can deal with that. I'll just have to figure out if I want to build this for Lemons.

I bought this for that purpose, and at the time it was inexpensive enough, with a reputation such that it was interesting as an initial learning platform; though, I misread the advertisement, and thought I was bidding on a manual car.

And by learning, I mean cheap enough for welding practice, as I'm not a BMW fanboy. Stripping and prepping for racing equipment, and if I screw it up, at least it's not my dream platform.

At least it still moves, though with the sill rust and mileage it needs a lot of delayed maintenance - and yes, a likely engine swap to complete it.

At least the cooling system is already prepped for the track ;-) , though not the coming winter.

But geez, that puts the time line for this well into next summer.

The fleet is large, and this is just one candidate. I'm defaulting to a different direction for now.

There's also a euro/German repair shop right down the road, and my first stop is there to ask if they'd be interested in it, and for how much - I'm curious if they'll pay more than scrap value.

Later today I'm working on getting yet another fluid loss resolved, and an alternator to have a replacement daily.

Then a third fluid loss repair, tranny repair, and a tranny swap.Then I might get back to this.

Thanks for the input everybody.

  • From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 1,137

Re: My E46 Lemons candidate - 2000 323i auto, 189k mi.: Scrapped for $500

Interesting-to-me update:
The Euro/German shop isn't interested; one mechanic asked if it had a manual, and since it didn't, isn't at all interested. They also think either head gasket and/or a cracked head.

One offered $200 they want to turn it into a drift car.

My go-to tow company will pay $500 for any complete car - any car. They're obviously looking for the cats. So around here, the Lemons minimum is scrap value - which is fine.

I told one of the guys at the shop that my intention was originally to turn it into a race car, and that I might put in a Vortec if I do, and they thought that was a cool idea.

I put in some Barr's Leaks copper sealer (it looks like that was done before), but the temp needle goes all over the place; including into the red zone - but then it comes down again. The 15 minutes of idling was OK. I put a (small) fan in front of the radiator to help with the temp, and it didn't get to the red zone. Maybe I have to drive some more to set the sealer  - I don't know.

The fluid loss yesterday appears to continue even after the sealer, but I don't see a trail behind the car when I drive.

As soon as I have one - ONE - daily up and running, this gets parked as my practice platform for cage welding next spring.

Thanks again for all the input

  • From: Elverson, PA
  • Registered: 2017-08-15
  • Posts: 1,137

Re: My E46 Lemons candidate - 2000 323i auto, 189k mi.: Scrapped for $500

Scrapped for $500.