Dumb Question Thread - No Flaming Allowed

[Nate047]

I need to do the driveshaft center bearing, and MAYBE the driveshaft CV joint. Long story short, I have a clunking sound after leaving my driveshaft not properly supported for a long period of time while doing my RACP. Stupid, I know. I'm inclined to believe, or at least, hoping, the center support bearing is the culprit.

1. Are there any non Genuine BMW center support bearings that are as good and lower cost? (Yes I know they are only like $150 to start with)
2. Are any of those fasteners one time use only? Or can I reuse everything?

I am going to try just doing the center bearing first, and if the clunking problem persists, then I'll drop the shaft and do the CV joint. So I'm hoping I can reuse everything if I need to drop it all twice.

[Zekarus]

I'd like to know how to check if the original engine is still present in the car. Buddy of mine is selling a car with a swapped motor and I'd like to help him disclose that. Is there an engine serial number plate with part of the chassis VIN in it, or is this confirmed another way?

yes you can check the number on the block. it's engraved and you can see on the picture where. just turn in the right front wheel, don't need to jack up the car. with the number and the vin you can at least check if it's the original block. you can go to BMW or you can try to ask free car dealers with access to a car data base.

[PSUEng]

I'd like to know how to check if the original engine is still present in the car. Buddy of mine is selling a car with a swapped motor and I'd like to help him disclose that. Is there an engine serial number plate with part of the chassis VIN in it, or is this confirmed another way?

[sbay]

I'm sure someone else who has done a headgasket will chime in, but I would not overthink this and you really can't go back and redo it. If you marked a line on the bolt, you can come back and check that it is still in the same position in a few hundred or thousand miles to satisfy the OCD. If the cams are in, even more incentive to keep going forward. You also used a techangle and it is hard to mess up with one of those.

Thank you, that’s a good idea…I’ll just monitor the line and send it.

[Slideways]

I was tightening the cylinder head bolts and one of them, number 12 in the diagram, was just a little easier on the resistance side than the rest of them. I was still able to get the 30nm+90+90 degrees, I used a snapon techangle, but it just was smooth unlike the rest had which had more of a tight/clamping feel. I cleaned the bolt holes and used compressed air beforehand but now I'm rethinking if somehow maybe there was residual brake clean or I lubed up the threads with too much oil (used an oil can and just went down the threads, not much imo). It could just be OCD. Any experiences with this/insight?

I'm sure someone else who has done a headgasket will chime in, but I would not overthink this and you really can't go back and redo it. If you marked a line on the bolt, you can come back and check that it is still in the same position in a few hundred or thousand miles to satisfy the OCD. If the cams are in, even more incentive to keep going forward. You also used a techangle and it is hard to mess up with one of those.