Head Gasket Replacement On A 96 328

[spfdfanatic]

Anyone know how hard it is to do??? I am pretty mechanically inclined!!! Any advice would be helpful!

[Furious]

if you have done a headgasket before than its gonna be pretty much the same. however without the proper tools , i wouldnt bother, also if you blew yours you have to take into account that you could possibly need a rebuild or a professional cleaning

[spfdfanatic]

REBUILD?????? It's got 120K miles, Just figured with the small amount leaking, it was probably due??? Why would I need a rebuild?

Originally posted by Furious@Nov 10 2004, 09:50 AM
if you have done a headgasket before than its gonna be pretty much the same. however without the proper tools , i wouldnt bother, also if you blew yours you have to take into account that you could possibly need a rebuild or a professional cleaning

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[DarrellS]

Originally posted by spfdfanatic+Nov 10 2004, 08:53 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(spfdfanatic @ Nov 10 2004, 08:53 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'>REBUILD?????? It's got 120K miles, Just figured with the small amount leaking, it was probably due??? Why would I need a rebuild?

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if you have done a headgasket before than its gonna be pretty much the same. however without the proper tools , i wouldnt bother, also if you blew yours you have to take into account that you could possibly need a rebuild or a professional cleaning

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If your head gasket has gone there's every chance that the head itself could have warped, it may not be the gasket has gone rather the head has warped. This apparently is a common problem on E36 2.5 and 2.8 engines, just had my head replaced cos it had a crack in Cylinder 3, cost me $4500 It took the BMW guys over a week to find as it didn't show in a block test or a pressure test. Trouble is you won't know that until you take it off and stand it on a perfectly level edge somewhere. Don't want to frighten you and I do hope it is just the head gasket.

[xsperf]

small amount of WHAT leaking? oil? it could be ur valve cover gasket.. but seriously, a headgasket is basically taking apart the whole engine, and then theres a whole bunch of really precise stuff that u must do.. and it isnt any junk car, its a bimmer

[papi]

last week i overheated my 94 325is with 80k. i am getting it towed into a shop tomorrow. i think that the thermo stuck or water pump imploded. i never upgraded to the metal propeller water pump (if you havent done so yet then you are as foolish as i am).

of course i really hope i didnt fry the head gasket. i kinda think i didnt though b/c the car runs fine and after i heated it up there is no white smoke, and the oil doesnt look like it has coolant mixed in. i spoke to several bmw specialsts, one told me that the m50 engine is pretty bulletproof, the other one told me that the m50 head is very fragile........go figure.

i will find on later this week when i get the balls to tow into a shop if i am going to be out 300 bucks for a new water pump or 5k for a head rebuild......not pleased.

the lesson to be learned- change your water pump!!!!!

[abemcclellan]

hey DarrellS, how did you know your cylinder head was cracked? did it run bad or smoke?

[Furious]

if a head gasket has to be changed , almost anything could be wrong. as stated in comments above. im not implying you need a rebuild , i said possible. who knows. you reallly never specified whats wrong , you just asked how hard. ive helped change about 3 or 4 now.

[spfdfanatic]

I am not sure what is wrong, I am just leaking oil! My oil does not look to have coolant in it, but I am defiantley leaking oil! I just changed my oil, and it all looked fine, just got a #$%@^ oil leak. I hate oil leaks!

Originally posted by Furious@Nov 10 2004, 04:36 PM
if a head gasket has to be changed , almost anything could be wrong. as stated in comments above. im not implying you need a rebuild , i said possible. who knows. you reallly never specified whats wrong , you just asked how hard. ive helped change about 3 or 4 now.

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[///M Power]

So what really makes you think your headgasket is the issue? Oil leaks happen from many places.

[spfdfanatic]

Not sure, just thought it seemed like a reasonable palce to start!

Originally posted by ///M Power@Nov 10 2004, 05:10 PM
So what really makes you think your headgasket is the issue? Oil leaks happen from many places.

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[///M Power]

It's one of the more expensive places to start.

[spfdfanatic]

Well, start high, and work lower???

Originally posted by spfdfanatic+Nov 10 2004, 05:15 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(spfdfanatic @ Nov 10 2004, 05:15 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Not sure, just thought it seemed like a reasonable palce to start!


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So what really makes you think your headgasket is the issue? Oil leaks happen from many places.

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[325iS]

Originally posted by spfdfanatic@Nov 10 2004, 04:19 PM
Well, start high, and work lower???

You don't need to be working on cars with that mentality... it will quickly become more of an expensive hobby than it already is.

[spfdfanatic]

My mentallity is eliminate the most expensive first, that way if it is that, I am prepared, if it is not, I am satisfied!!!! LOL

Originally posted by 325iS+Nov 10 2004, 06:18 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(325iS @ Nov 10 2004, 06:18 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-spfdfanatic@Nov 10 2004, 04:19 PM
Well, start high, and work lower???

You don't need to be working on cars with that mentality... it will quickly become more of an expensive hobby than it already is.

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