Blew the gasket last night!

[Ex-Biker]

Half way home after spending an hour at the gym and the engine goes!

Mobile is dead, in middle of nowhere and 3 - 4 miles to home. Nice time for a little run . . . not!

Anyway. Anyone got any tips on replacement?

Barring the head skim and new gasket any other costs that might be needed?

The engine will turn over so don't think anything internal has gone?#?!

BTW it's a BMW 320i (E30)

[rustybin]

Try and work out why it went and cure the disease not the symptom e.g. if it overheated first try and find out why. Also if water has ended up where it should not be, get it out before it causes more damage and don't turn the engine over as water does not compress well and could damage something else.

I'm probably teaching granny but I have managed to do all three.

Don't know the BMW engine but assume you will also need at least some of the following:

Head bolts
Timing belt / chain and tensioner
Inlet and Exhaust Manifold gaskets
Replacement fluids
Cam cover gasket

[Ex-Biker]

The reason it went was it losing water through a burst pipe.

Must have gone slowly. temp gauge went just over half way, coolant light came on and I pulled in within half a mile.

When I openned the bonnet there was steam coming from engine!

[Incorrigible]

You may not have blown the gasket at all, in fact if the temp level didn't hit red I'be very suprised if you did (unless it was the gasket failure that cuased the coolant leak)

Fix the coolant leak, then try it again

[rustybin]

Incorrigible said:

You may not have blown the gasket at all, in fact if the temp level didn't hit red I'be very suprised if you did (unless it was the gasket failure that cuased the coolant leak) Fix the coolant leak, then try it again

Could be. Also, dependent upon location of leek the temp sensor may have been in an area that remained cool due to low coolant level. i.e. coolant not circulating round engine and thus not heating properly or sensor no longer immersed in coolant. Risk could be fix leak, fill with coolant, turn over and re-mix oil and water or fill cylinder with either. How about a compression test?

[Ex-Biker]

Ooohhhh the head went!

RAC man didn't need to look twice.

After it had cooled a little and we took off the rad filler cap, tried topping it up. 10 secs later it came back out. 50/50 mix, oil & water.

Add that to the steam coming from under the spark plugs (that area) where there are no rad pipes.

I reckon the head was weak and it just needed an excuse.

edited to add It had done 156k miles.

>> Edited by Ex-Biker on Friday 6th August 13:22

[theconrodkid]

bm heads do tend to crack internaly,worth getting a recon from gsf/euro carparts etc

[nel]

At risk of stating the bleeding obvious, don't forget to change oil and filter and flush out coolant system once the new/recon head has been fitted!

[Alfa Mad]

It may be possible to have the head repaired if necessary. Firstly a face check and possibly skim should ensure it is straight and if there was any further doubt, the water jacket could be pressure tested. Should cost about £50 from an auto machining shop.

[lanciachris]

A caution on taking RAC advice as gospel (although obviously correct in this case!).

Ive had 5 breakdowns on a couple of different cars. 4 of those the rac said the head gasket was to blame. Times theyve been right : 0.

Theyve even told my friend with a vw camper that the head gasket had gone.... Upon pointing out that it was air cooled, and didnt have a head gasket rac people = most sheepish.

[Mr2Mike]

lanciachris said:

Theyve even told my friend with a vw camper that the head gasket had gone.... Upon pointing out that it was air cooled, and didnt have a head gasket rac people = most sheepish.

Being air cooled does not preclude the use of a head gasket, and I'm certain that the VW air cooled lumps do have head gaskets.

[steve_D]

Mr2Mike said:

lanciachris said: Theyve even told my friend with a vw camper that the head gasket had gone.... Upon pointing out that it was air cooled, and didnt have a head gasket rac people = most sheepish. Being air cooled does not preclude the use of a head gasket, and I'm certain that the VW air cooled lumps do have head gaskets.

They are more prone to burning valves than head gaskets, which they do have.

Years ago worked on a customers VW camper. Found one exhaust valve half burnt away. Another had a burnt 'V' a quarter of the diameter.
Customer said he first noticed the loss of power when going over the south downs in hampshire with six people on board and two ponies in the trailer.
Steve