M60 3L rough idle , white smoke at start ,and more problems

[Brent in NZ hartge 535i]

hi just wondering if anyone can shed some light on a few problems i am having with a 1992 E32 730i V8 M60 3litre engine . brought this car with problems .
first it smokes (white and lingers on for a while) when started at cold .
has a rough idle , revs out ok , drives fine .
pink coloured oil in radiator resevior .
enigine oil is going sleightly brown .
have been looking at it today , cleaned idle control valve(was stuck)
done a compression test , got on a coldish engine 165psi on 5 cylinders and 180psi on 3 cylinders all came up pretty quick . sleightly oily spark plugs (not dry and dusty).
at the moment i am trying to get the PCV valve off the back of the inlet manifold , but i striped some of the torque screws ( so i will have to take the manifold off) anyone done this . the bently says just undo the screws , disconect the coils and lift the manifold off , is this true , looks a bit more complex than that . can you leave the main wiring harness and fuel lines attached and is there enough movement to get at the back of the manifold to remove the PCV .
some mecanic says the main radiator could be internally leaking oil and trans fluid into the coolant system etc .
or is it just a blown head gasget . (car doesn't over heat )
also noticed just today when driving it in my drive way that had to bring the revs up a little bit B4 the car moved (maybe coolant in trans) didn't notice this when i first drove it 2 weeks ago .
any help would be appreciated .

1988 E34 535i hartge 186000miles.grey with black leather recaros
1990 E34 535iA 140000km soon to be hartge .black with black leather
1986 e28 535iA 177000kmwifes car .green with cloth electric
1986 e28 M535i 465000km .silver with black leather recaros
1989 E32 735iLA 239000km engine cooked.light grey , black leather
1992 E32 730iA V8 186000km .light grey ,black leather

Link: http://www.cardomain.com/id/greyhartge

[genphreak]

wow dude, what a problem child.

I like the creativity in the idea that your integrated trans cooler could be leaking into the radiator- tho I can't see this as likely.

At least if you can isolate the head gasket or the radiator you'd know where u stand. I'd take the trans cooler lines off the radiator- empty the radiator and flush it thouroughly, emptying the trans cooler of fluid too. Connect the lines to each other with some huge rubber pipe / hose clamps or somehting and change the oil, inc the oil in the filter. Then run the car to temp in your garage- a few times over a day ort so to see if you get contamination in the oil. If you do, you know its a head gasket or two, or a Nikasil related issue.

The bores can be sleeved easily enough though I hear. Best to drain something out of the trans when cool to check for water as you noted too. Best of luck digging into it.. be sure to let us know what turns up...

:) GP

[632 Regal]

replace the plugs, plug boots. You also may have an intake leak along with the pcv plate, intake gaskets are common. SInce you gonna be in there replace the intake vally gasket too.

[Brent in NZ hartge 535i]

sorted it out today , replaced PCV (was stuffed) swaped a radiator with from a dead 735i I had laying around . changed oil and filter , trans fluid , and coolant . took it for a drive tonight seems to go ok . fixed the rough idle .will tell in morning if oil and waters are mixing still .and to see if it smokes on start up.

[genphreak]

fingers crossed... good luck!