It's been a while since you posted this, but that connector is for your heater valve. That plastic breaks too and will need to be replaced.

I've actually been tackling this job in sections and found that (since I don't have the automatic valve like you do) my heater core connection is broken too. Fortunately on the engine compartment side of the firewall, so that is another part to replace.

Just not looking forward to the squid re-assembly.

Finished!
 

I just tackled this job of replacing the two plastic pipes. Replaced all hoses, clamps, and the airhoses to the injectors too. I left the lower manifold on, which wasn't too bad given that I was replacing the oil filter housing gasket anyway.

It was the rear pipe that broke, but I knew that I should just do it all at once. Definitely take off the valve cover to get the rear pipe off. No way to do it otherwise. Its no wonder my Mechanic was going to charge $700 in labor to do all this. Just happy its all back together and running smooth.

Just did this job myself. Same as marslc1 except I didn't replace hose clamps. I cleaned every clamp and bolt thoroughly. A few things I learned and should share.

I was quoted $2,700 for this job. I did it all for $900 using 100% BMW factory parts and cleaning everything within an inch of its life. New wires, every hose, radiator, cabin filters, injectors cleaned and balanced. Taking my time to make sure everything went back exactly the way it came off I took the time and care no shop - no matter how good - can match. The economics of it just aren't there. Take advantage of the fact you can put in a few extra hours to do a perfect job.

I had a running list of each part I took off, how many bolts/nuts/clips it produced and what size wrench(es) were needed to take it off. Those fastiners went into a baggie with a post-it note with a brief description. I had some 3 pages of notes and 30 Ziploc sandwich bags. Plus a bunch of cellphone pictures.

What was tough:

1) I took off the lower intake manifold. There are two 'stays' that support the manifold. You can't see the rear one, but it's there with a 13mm bolt just like the front one.

2) Wire loom through the lower intake. You should label and take a picture of each connector. There are only like 6, but if you don't know which is which, it can get hairy.

3) Maneuvering around with the fuel rail. Fasten fuel feed line and return line before bolting the rail down with the 2 10mm bolts.

4) Parts. Autohausaz doesn't carry the oil squirter gasket (in the valve cover). You'll have to get that from Pelican or the dealer. Parts prices: I found local dealers wanting Bugatti prices for parts. Either list went through the roof or I just got the Royal treatment. I was quoted $4.50 ea for the valve cover bolt seals from Seattle BMW and Bellevue BMW. I went to autohausaz.com for 95% of the parts. Although I should have ordered up FelPro for the valve cover 'set' (which included all 15 bolt seals plus the squirter. FelPro is one brand I trust implicitly.

Valve cover must come off to get the rear pipe. You'll be working the lower bolt blind.

If you don't know first-hand the condition of the oil filter housing gasket and seal - just replace them. I had to go back 'for seconds' as that thing leaked like a sieve after I had started it up checking for leaks.

Alternator fixed nuts can be driven out in-place a few mms to make for easy alternator refitting. They'll snug back when you tighten the alternator.

Car runs perfectly. Thanks for this forum for the awesome pointers!

Wow, glad I read this thread.

Glad i have looked at this topic today, am new to the M44 and had no idea what need to be replaced. am going to order those today, its best time to get them while my cylinder head is off.

I'm doing this change now. I unplugged all the wires underneath the lower intake manifold last week, and was held up until now to get back to putting everything together. Now I'm not completely sure that I know where all the wires go (specifically the wires that go on studs to the starter/alternator locations). Does anyone have some pictures that would help me see where these wires go?

I tried to use a Febi/Bilstein part for the larger tube below the intake manifold and it didn't line up, as suggested by someone earlier in this thread. I picked up a genuine BMW one from the dealership, will report if it fits properly.

I also had an issue with debris falling onto my valves (and possibly into the open cylinder #4) when I removed the intake manifold... I'm going to do my best to clean everything up, but I wish I pressure-washed the engine before removing the manifold. Even if I did, a lot of carbon buildup flaked off and fell in so I would have had to clean either way.
Our 318ti just clocked 100k miles and seems to be in very good health, so I want to give it the best chance it has at seeing 200k. That's why I'm changing these pipes now!

Were the parts you replaced bad? Just curious.

I can't remember exactly, but there were three or four wires. Matching the size of the stud with the size of the lug will make it fairly obvious as to where they go.

They had yet to fail, but when I removed the one underneath the intake manifold it broke at the connector to the block as I have seen before.

This is what I ended up doing, hopefully they are in their original positions.

This **** just happened to me last night. Sitting on freeway off ramp, smell coolant, see temp gauge going up. Shut her off, pushed into first parking lot, popped hood and boom. Coolant covering everything under intake manifold. Crazy thing is just last month I had a BRAND NEW cylinder head installed. I suspect the stupid SOB mechanic reused 19 year old cooling components, onto the new head. Good news is it should all be covered on warranty. Bad news is its gunna be a pain to get him to admit it.


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Or they didn't tighten up the hose clamps on one of the two hoses.

That's why I don't let anyone else touch my car.

Hoses coming off thermo to rad are nice and tight. Its coming from one of those 2 head mounted connections for sure. Hell maybe both.


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That's a bummer. Hopefully didn't run'er too hot.

That would be very surprising that a "Professional" mechanic would reuse those piecies. Like a lot of others experienced, one of mine broke coming out. So maybe it is just a lose connection. Though most pro's pressure test the whole system when finished.

Hopefully mechanic will back their work, maybe turn out to be another HG if it got run too hot. You probably don't want to touch it at this point, but I think those plastic parts are dated.


Good luck!

I could for sure do this job myself. Thing is I dont want to disturb anything that might void the warranty. Its covered, so Im better off giving him the chance to do the repair.


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Well I'm "done". Rear tube was easy enough without removing the valve cover, don't know why that was said to be needed.
The wires were fairly easy to figure out once I started looking around. They really only want to go back to where they came from.
I didn't properly bleed the system at first, so the car got hot (220F on my OBD scanner, was still at 12 o'clock on the cluster) so I turned it off and bled better.

I am STILL having issues with the radiator fan. The fan turns on with the AC, it turns on if you jump the connectors to the radiator fan sensor, but it does NOT turn on when the same connector is actually connected to a brand-new Facet radiator temp sensor, in a brand-new radiator. If anyone has an idea of what is happening there, please let me know.

Also found that the oil filter housing gasket has gotten way worse with the cold coming in, leaking like a sieve until the car warms up.