Dilema - E36 Head Gasket gone - Fix or spares???

[davy9449]

Dilema is, I have a '95 E36 318i and the had gasket is gone. Now my original aim when I got the car was to break it for spares and scrap the shell. However, after getting it home and realising how tidy it is I'm wondering if it might be worth fixing.

Has good tyres, a brand new radiator (poor garage advice to prev owner on o/heating fault), good exterior needs a little easy tidying, good clean interior, 151K, but no history! Still got T&T.It had a new temperature sensor fitted at the time of the radiator too.

Could I fix the head gasket myself?

Anybody with a similar experience?

[blackspider]

Head gasket on one of those is a easy.
2 hours to do-make sure you put a flat edge across the head(cylinder side)to make sure it isnt worped after you have taken it off.
You also have to replace all the head bolts aswell as they are stretch bolts.

[targarama]

So you are into buying cars to break for spares but you don't know how hard a head gasket is?

[andrewturner]

I'd repair it - including skimming the head at a local machine shop its gonna cost £250 max to put back on the road.
maybe not 2 hours, but a reasonable DIY mechanic could do it on a saturday (obviously longer if the head needs machining),

[davy9449]

targarama said:

So you are into buying cars to break for spares but you don't know how hard a head gasket is?

My point was that I dont know if there is anything else that couild have caused the failure I.e. If I put it back together again and it is still knackered, then it was a waste of time. Thought someone might have had the same problem. I got the car for next to nowt, so it was worth it, and I am not in the habit of breaking cars either. Any more smart arse questions !

andrewturner said:

I'd repair it - including skimming the head at a local machine shop its gonna cost £250 max to put back on the road.
maybe not 2 hours, but a reasonable DIY mechanic could do it on a saturday (obviously longer if the head needs machining),

I think I might give it a whirl. My mate is a toolmaker, he could skim the head for me.
Cheers,

Edited by davy9449 on Tuesday 13th March 22:10

[kermitman]

chances are if you caught it early enough the head would be ok, providing you hadnt driven it far.

mine went on an elise at 21000 miles but the head was ok, it blew my rad though and the car had done next to no mileage between HGF and getting it into the garage, maybe 30 miles and the coolant never dropped below the min mark while driving or fluctuated in temp.

the mechanic said the rad couldve blown the head gasket or the head gasket coulve blown the rad, either way i sold the car the week after and im hunting down an E36 convertible now

[jaker]

Are you looking to profit from the exercise or have some fun..? If the latter, there's always the engine swap route! Nice V8?

[davy9449]

TBH, I saw it as a bit of a money incentive idea more than fun. But I know what you mean. I posted a thread before I bought the car and that was suggested. If I had less commitments at the mo I would prossibly opt for it, but a V8 is probably a bit beyond my capability and funds!!
I had thought of the damaged write-off / donor car scenario, but that means forking more money out, with no guarantee of a profit in return.
Breaking is the definite option but probably less fun. Hmmm, the pondering continues.

kermitman said:

and im hunting down an E36 convertible now

Hey, I could chop the roof off for you and weld the back doors shut. I'm a dab hand with a grinder!!!

Edited by davy9449 on Wednesday 14th March 03:24