Hey guys,
Just bought a 325xit with a blown head gasket sight unseen. (Yes I understand how unwise this move was.) I am guessing that the head is cracked as they usually are when run hot(at least this has been my experience with the E36 single vanos engines.) This is the double vanos style. Please help.

Andy in Harrisburg, PA

The only way to truly tell is by taking off the head and having a machine shop magnaflux it.

Head gaskets don't just blow for no reason, at least not on a car this recent.

If the engine was overheated, it's very likely that the block is trash. If the head warps, it pulls the bolts out of the block, thereby ruining the threads in the block. This is not repairable.

Of course, you might get lucky: it might be as simple as replacing the head gasket, but this is still not a simple job for a shadetree mechanic. I sure wouldn't try it, and I'm not exactly a novice.

(Actually, scratch that. I *WOULD* try it, if I had all the special tools and it wasn't my daily driver.)

i have a complete 330i engine with 72k...can ship too..