Head Gasket

[mikeh]

May have Head Gasket failure on my e36 325 (Merry Christmas eh :( ). It's losing coolant, and there is emulsified oil around the filler cap and dip stick.

However, I can't really seem to find much info on pricing around the internet? Ebay seems useless too.

I'm after the full headset, as I imagine none of the other gaskets have ever been replaced on this car either.

Also, do these engine use stretch bolts? If so, are they a replace every time affair? And how much do they cost?

If anyone else knows of anything else it could be, other than HGF, I'm open to suggestions :) (I'm not sure if these engines have oil coolers?)

Thanks in advance :)

[jurka]

I would say it will cost you more money then you paid for the car.

so you bought it from your dad and the head gasket gone:(

[mikeh]

He bought it, to do the same as I'm going to do, just get it back up together, and use it as a nice daily, he never even got time to move it from where he bought it.

I can't seeing it costing me more than £200, let alone £400 to get a head set and a skim?

[jurka]

once I had a quote for head gasket replacment from a garage.it was about £700 if I remember correct-for e34 525i estate.but at the end i found out wat it was only water pump gone.so temp gauge was on red and water was desapering from system.but I didnt had any oil on a cap.Thats that make me think it will cost you more then £400.

[mikeh]

I can do the work myself, it's only parts that I need pay for.

It's not 100% HGF yet, just working out pricing for "worst case"

[Stock323iSaloon]

have you checked the extent of damage? have you done a head gasket job before? i'd personally fog the car as it will cost more than what's the car is worth

[mr sideways]

it would cost about £800 in a garage but if you are doing it your self(good luck with that!!)it wont cost a lot at all, under £200.
this is going to be a long expensive project!
I would probibly buy a 325i in good nick then swap all the ACS stuff over.

[mikeh]

The last HG we did was on a 3.2 v6 jag (timing chain also), so I think this shouldn't be any more of a problem.

I don't know the extent of the damage yet, I don't even know if it definately is the HG yet, going to find a spare header tank cap tomorrow to make up a leak test.

Yeah, it'll be a long, and expensive project, but the end result will be an absolutely mint ACS 325 for under £1800, and a car that is personal to me, which means it'll get appreciated a lot more, I also get to learn about the BMW marques along the way.

[Adil]

i had to have a head gasket re build on my ole e36 320i and cost me 1100 buck from AA.

[mikeh]

Had a better look today, it seems HGF isn't so likely now. :)

I personally think it was condensation.

[mr sideways]

Had a better look today, it seems HGF isn't so likely now. :)

I personally think it was condensation.
is running ok?

[mikeh]

Yeah, seems ok. Was missing a bit after I put the new plugs in, but went away after a minute.

The issues with water levels, after I let it get upto temp today, it appeared to have gone back up to where it was after I first picked it up.

Changed oil also, old oil had no sign of water in the slightest, was pretty manky though.

Only ran some 10/30 Mineral through mainly for a flush before giving it some proper oil, now need to go spend £50 on 10 litres of fully synth :(