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Question

1986 535i have blown 2 mufflers off trying to start the d__n thing...most recently car was running pretty well -daily driver 30min each way , broke water pump belt,managed to get car home without major overheat. sat for a month while trying to con a friend to help me replace belt. replaced all belts, cranked a while and started car, car ran rough at startup but smoothed out to decent idle, ran 3-4 min checked gauges car running hot but not overheated. turned off car to get antifreze went to start car to add anti freze but car would not start... crank crank crank backfire,crank crank crank backfire, leave car let cool down, crank crank start and run normal, add antifreze let run 3-4 min temp normal , oil not grey, turn off and try to start. crank crank crank BOOM another muffler bites the dust... every time car is cold ,starts right up/well a little cranking but starts. started car drove around neighborhood ran rough under power,but at startup and at idle 4 few min runs fine HELP thanks

Submitted: 393 days and 6 hours ago.

Category: BMW

Value: $20

Status: AWAITING CUSTOMER ACTION

1986 BMW 535i 6 cil

Accepted Answer

Hello XXXXXXX, from the sound of things you may have a blown head gasket or crack in the head. If you can do a block test this may confirm. You can purchase a block tester kit this will allow you to check if you are getting exhaust gases into the cooling system. Another test would be a cylinder leak test. I would also check your cap and rotor for damage. Your cap may have a crack and cause your symptom. Check the cap first then if it looks good do the block test. Let me know your findings. Thanks

Accepts:
Expert:	Wesley
Pos. Feedback:	97.8 %
Answered:	10/26/2008

BMW Technician

Servicing and Repairing BMW's exclusively for 20 years. Previous owner of Independent repair shops.

392 days and 9 hours ago.

Reply

i'm accepting your answer,is there any easy way to remove the distributer cap... i've looked at it twice and the way the 535i is put together i don't see any way to get at the screws to get the cap off. the space between the cap and the radiator/fan shroud is such that i am not sure how to get a tool much less my hand between them... any suggestions would be appreciated. thanks for your help.

Posted by Wesley 392 days and 7 hours ago.

Answer

If you use a 1/4 inch drive ratchet with a 8mm socket this will get the cap off. You will have just enough room to get them loose than use just the socket to loosen them the rest of the way. Remember that the screws don't come out all of the way so once they are out 1/4 inch the cap will come off. If you want to make it an easy task you can remove the fan and the shroud. Let me know if you need any further help. Thanks.

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