UPDATED! No Start after rebuild

[jimoreno]

Sorry but this is a long one. After eagerly finishing up the engine overhaul and build when I got to start it to prime the oil system and fuel rail I was greeted with a faint click. The battery was on the battery tender and showed fully charged but it turned out that it was a bad battery. Exchanged under warranty and got a stronger click so hooked up the charger and after three hours it fully charged. Tried again and got a strong click. I have to add that I thought I had a bad starter (it's a B35 from Rock Auto) so ordered a high torque unit from Pelican (Wosp Performance) which uses reduction gear. Still just a click. I checked clearances when I was building the engine and everything was within spec. However, I ended up getting new connecting rods as I got a mismatched one in the B35 pistons set that I installed. In the heat of things I forgot to re-check clearances with them (Max performance H rods) but they moved freely when I installed them. With the new piston rings the assembly rotated freely without the head. After timing everything and installing the head I honestly don't remember how hard it rotated. Now that everything is assembled it's very hard to turn everything. I'm guessing the starter just can't get to turn even though it's a high torque unit. Transmission is in neutral so no connection there.
Some info on the build: B35 pistons with Maxx performance H rods, new piston rings, new crankshaft and rod bearings (std.), Bimmerheads prepped head with new HD rocker arms, locks, HD springs, 284 cam, ported and polished (intake matched to B35 intake). Running 1.3 Motronic for the past 8 months. Getting ready to add an oil pressure, temperature and AFR gauge (the PLX Bluetooth one) for moving to MS2 plug and play when the engine is running as it should.
Really don't want to remove the engine again and thinking about draining the oil and removing the subframe and oil pan to start checking the rods.
Sorry for the long story but feel like every bit of information helps.

[Mike W.]

The very first thing I would do is crawl underneath, armed with a 36MM socket on a ratchet and try to crank it over by hand. Try turning it back if it doesn't want to turn, that will give you a hint as to if it's a bearing problem or possibly a piston/head interference problem. Pull the plugs out just to make sure it's not somehow hydrolocked.

[jimoreno]

Hmm.. Hydrolock. I have a very slow drop of coolant dripping and I'm not sure where it comes from. The engine turns and it's currently without the spark plugs so I'm guessing if there was coolant inside the cylinders it would come out when I turn it. I'll use my boroscope to take a peek inside them.
The engine does turn but it's hard, almost impossible with my ratchet so I need the length of the breaker bar.

[Shawn D.]

Sounds as if you didn't check piston-to-deck height and the pistons rise above the block more than the compressed thickness of the head gasket.

[gwb72tii]

check your grounds that service the starter.

[jimoreno]

check your grounds that service the starter.

All checked and ok. Last thing remaining is to add one from one of the starter bolts directly to the battery. Couldn't find my jumper cables yesterday.

[jimoreno]

Sounds as if you didn't check piston-to-deck height and the pistons rise above the block more than the compressed thickness of the head gasket.

You are correct, I did not check it. Understood that using B35 pistons on a B34 block was something frequently done that didn't require it. Sounds like I'll need to remove the head to confirm this. I'd rather do that than take the engine out again!

[Mike W.]

Understood that using B35 pistons on a B34 block was something frequently done that didn't require it.

That's the general consensus, but not universal. I would check it with washers before I bolted it up.

[Shawn D.]

Understood that using B35 pistons on a B34 block was something frequently done that didn't require it.

That's the general consensus, but not universal. I would check it with washers before I bolted it up.

There are specific piston depth jigs that you use with dial indicators to get precise measurements. That way you can know the exact clearance and the exact amount of quench you are getting.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/par ... tor-stands

[jimoreno]

UPDATE: Finally found the issue! Remember a while back that my oil pump had ingested some metals pieces and I got some parts of Ebay? Well, I all of the sudden remembered that when I installed the oil pump back in the block, all of the three holes didn't line up. I had to force the back one in place which seems to have twisted somehow the back part of the pump binding it. Removed it this morning and the engine turns easily now with just the ratchet.
Which brings me back to the original problem of the oil pump. I did replace all of the internals and the small pressure relief valve but the only good rear housing that I have is the NOS that was included with the oil pump parts that I got but it doesn't have the 2nd pressure relief valve.
Should I use this older style housing (making sure it fits properly) or should I buy another rear housing part used?
Anyone has a good rear oil pump housing that's willing to sell me?
Still have to open the pump to see if there's any internal damage.

[Shawn D.]

Wow, I never would have suspected that!

[jimoreno]

Me neither but my mind kept churning all of the information and all of the sudden around 4 AM I had that flashback in my mind when I installed the pump. I was under the car at 6 AM on a Sunday just to remove it and confirm it.
How do you feel about using the older back housing without the 2nd relief valve? That's my only current option except to start looking for a used one.

[Shawn D.]

How do you feel about using the older back housing without the 2nd relief valve? That's my only current option except to start looking for a used one.

I have no expertise on that niche subject!

[jimoreno]

Just found a used one for sale nearby from an 88 E24. I'll go take a look at it and hopefully bring it back home with me!

[jimoreno]

2nd Update: After getting the pump available quasi locally (had to drive an hour each way to get it but better than waiting for a week for something sight unseen) getting it cleaned and thoroughly looked at, I proceeded to install the front housing of my pump to the back housing. Immediately noticed that after tightening  the housing bolts the whole thing became solid as a rock. Intrigued I then took out all of the new guts from my now suspicious housing and installed them into the housing of the one I got and lo and behold it rotates freely.
So, summary, even tough the housing that I got from Ebay looked "OK" there's it's either twist or bend somewhere that causes it to bind the pump internals when everything is tightened. Flooded the new to me pump with assembly lube and installed it in the evening. Oil pan gasket got delivered today so tonight the task is clean the oil pan and block of old gasket and some RTV (I put a thin layer mostly to hold the gasket in place) and re-install.
I'm not going to say that I'll start it this weekend so as not to jinx myself!
The housing I got has a manufacturing date of 1991 which explains why it had the smaller gear installed (I just used mine).