okay i guess its not the worst thing that could happen, but i really wasnt too happy when i changed my oil yesterday and found a slight tinge of green in the pan.

what is this green tinge of color, you ask? none other then anti-freeze. so i do believe that my head gasket is getting ready to shit out. the ammount of anit-freeze is very minimal and my car is running fine. its not idling rough and its not running hot.

i just want to know what its going to cost me to rebuild my top end and how long its going to take. my E21 is my only form of transportation and if its going to be decomissioned for a while then it looks like i may need another car.

now off to school.

Do you own any tools? Preferably metric sockets...

yeah i do. i just want to know how big of a disaster is it going to be if i attempt to solve this problem myself.

The first thing you need are some midget hands because working on the damn fuel injection is a major pain in the ass!

From what I remember when I did my head gasket, rebuilding a head can cost you anywhere from $300-$500 which was high compared to other people who had done it. You should be able to get a better deal if you do your research or maybe even find a brand new/refurbished head on bmw320i.com or ebay for less.

At the same time, while you have everything apart, instead of just replacing the head gasket, I would get the complete Gasket Head Set from bmpdesign.com which is $66.45 and just replace every gasket you can as preventative maintenance. You will also want to get the vacuum hose kit from bmp as well for $49.95 and some misc hose and hose clamps from you local autoparts store which should cost you about $20 to replace all your vacuum hoses. Again this is more preventative maintence and I am sure you are going to find that some of the rubber hoses will be pretty worn. Heck, when I was doing mine, I found the little right angle rubber hose from the air box to the intake had a huge gash in it, so my air filter wasn't doing anything since the engine was taking in air after my filter.

On the same note, it may also be smart to replace you coolant hoses and coolant since you have to dump the coolant anyways as well as some of the heater hoses if they are falling apart.

As far as a time frame, since this is your first time, I would estimate it would take you a week to do if you had all the tools, parts, and correct manuals on hand. Obviously, expect it to take longer if you can only work on weekends, have to wait for parts to come in, or only have that POS haynes manual. Seriously! Get ahold of a factory manual, beg, borrow, or steal if you have too, it will save you so much time.

In that reguard, since you are not losing a quart of oil every couple of weeks like I was and your car is running fine, it may be smart to just keep on driving your car for the next year and then do a top end job next summer when you have more time. Goodluck!

after[/B] my filter.

haahah mine was wrapped with electrical tape.

the coolant hoses were replaced in the last year and a half

my car is burning oil but not anywhere near a quart a week...id say about a quart ever month or so.

If you are a student and strapped for cash (is there any other kind?), then just replace the head gasket. Dont buy it from BMW, buy online. $18-$25 compared to $70. Same exact gasket. I made this error:(

Just replace the head gasket and go. Cost will be new gasket and new coolant.

John

Just replace the head gasket and go. Cost will be new gasket and new coolant.

John

I would also replace the head studs... They stretch and i wouldn't re-use them if i were you... shoot me a message on AIM later and we'll talk it over...

I would also replace the head studs... They stretch and i wouldn't re-use them if i were you... shoot me a message on AIM later and we'll talk it over...

M20 bolts are stretch bolts; M10 bolts arent. My old shop told me they re-used them on the M10 unless they had had it apart more than 2x...just what I've read/heard...

John

I think its about $500 (shouldnt be any more than this) to have the head decked and a valve job. Let me know when you do this, we can go to my dads and have it on in a few hours. It would be in your best interest to locate a head now and have it preped so its an off and on install.

There are quite a few opinions on this thread. I say do what you can afford right now Matt. Knowing your status on having wads of cash right now. If you need a place to do all the tinkering, you are always welcome to yank it apart at my place. I got all the fun tools you could need to do this whole job in a matter of hours. But if the head itself is fine, I say just do the gaskets and get it the F**k back on the road. I know how much you drive the damn thing and I can't imagine her off the road for more than a few minutes.:D

thanks guys

barry i might take you on that if need be.

First off, always check that the head is not warped or you'll be doing the job again in a few months. There is usually a reason that a gasket blows. Take it to a machine shop and at the very least have them check it before slapping things back together. If you have the cash you could have them rebuild it, but keep in mind that often leads to problems on a tired bottom end.

Second, don't keep driving your car with milk shake in the crank case. Coolant destroys the bearings as it does not provide the needed oil film to prevent metal to metal contact. That's best case. Worst case is getting a pocket of coolant in a rod bearing and spinning a bearing, or worse siezing a bearing and throwing a rod.

Third, I would replace the head bolts. Every manual I've ever read says to replace them, except for the BMW service manual... hmmm.:confused

ya, im replacing the head gasket on this bad boy right now! hopefully i will be done tomarrow!

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e398/Rickysbmw320i/side.jpg

Second, don't keep driving your car with milk shake in the crank case. Coolant destroys the bearings as it does not provide the needed oil film to prevent metal to metal contact. That's best case. Worst case is getting a pocket of coolant in a rod bearing and spinning a bearing, or worse siezing a bearing and throwing a rod.

thats all well and good but how am i going to get to work and school in the mean time?

i dont live at home and the E21 is my only means of transportation.

Rip the head off, clean the surfaces with emory paper, slam a new gasket in, and call it done. Use the old bolts, you'll be fine.

I'm a licensed tech with 15 years of European car experience. The way above is not the "right" way, and not how I would do it in my shop, but I have done it this way on friend's cars, in their garages, and also on some of my own beaters over the years. No muss, no fuss, no problems. Take it to CJ's, and get it done.

Al

Rip the head off, clean the surfaces with emory paper, slam a new gasket in, and call it done. Use the old bolts, you'll be fine.

I'm a licensed tech with 15 years of European car experience. The way above is not the "right" way, and not how I would do it in my shop, but I have done it this way on friend's cars, in their garages, and also on some of my own beaters over the years. No muss, no fuss, no problems. Take it to CJ's, and get it done.

Al
+1, it needs to get done. I would love to help you port the head and have it machined, but time is what that kind of stuff needs, and time is not what you have a lot of so get it fixed and back on the road...

Ok, so I'm the one whose gonna get reemed.

I have a BMW specalty repair shop I'm using. $90 per hour.

They said, I likely have some carbon build-up around my valve seats, lowering compression. To take off the head, clean all the carbon, (I dont know what else he had in mind... P&P?) I'll find out what that included.

-$900 total

Ok, so I'm the one whose gonna get reemed.

I have a BMW specalty repair shop I'm using. $90 per hour.

They said, I likely have some carbon build-up around my valve seats, lowering compression. To take off the head, clean all the carbon, (I dont know what else he had in mind... P&P?) I'll find out what that included.

-$900 total

Damn, I rebuilt my whole engine for just over that!:devillook All machine shop fees = $400...But I have a house with a garage so it's easier for me to work on stuff than guys that have apartments....

John

Clarification:
$800 parts & labor
take off the head, put in new valve stem seals, new head gasket, clean off the pistons and everything else, reassemble.

Sorry for being drunk when you called. I had a 5th of rum in me and a few mugs already. Apparently I passed out like 4 times in the bar lol.... Anyways let me know what your looking for part wise and Ill drop ship them to you. Perhaps I can help you rebuild the engine when I head out there? I'll price out what you need and such(P.S I have this NA 2.0 for sale, I can give you a siqqqqq deal on it!) Ill call you tonight about it

well it looks like i have a replacement head.

cj- call me and let me know when you have some free time so we can plan this. ill buy you some hef's for helping out.

well it looks like i have a replacement head.

cj- call me and let me know when you have some free time so we can plan this. ill buy you some hef's for helping out.

I will, but this weekend is fubar. I have my FINAL calculus exam on Monday. It will be without a dought the most glorious day in many moons for me. No more math forever!

thats fine. this weekend is shit too, my mom is getting married.

i can wait a week or two. the cars running fine for now i just have to address this before its not running fine.