blown head gasket, we think, Need some advice.

[ChicagoBob]

My son has a E36 Bmw 1997 328i.
We think he has blown the head gasket. He said he has seen white smoke
etc.
The story goes the water pump failed a while back and the car overheated. It did so several times afterwards trying to figure out what was wrong with it.
We then replaced it the water pump, fan clutch, thermostat,radiator and the reservoir tank. We bled the system on a slant, etc.
It then seemed to work for a while but would still overheat
at the oddest times.
Last night it gave him problems starting. Today it would not start.

He is in college and neither I nor he can afford to get this done by someone else. ( I can only imagine it being between 1000 to 2000)
We are pretty handy with cars. I replaced the timing belt on my Honda and he has replaced much of the suspension on the BMW and the cooling system.

If we buy the camshaft alignment tool can we manage this job or is it so tricky that it can not be done by backyard mechanics?

If you think we can handle this are there resources with exact directions on what and how to do this job, hopefully in video form. I bought Eric the Car Guy's video when doing my Honda timing belt and he was fantastic.

Spring break is coming soon for him so if anyone could be so kind and give us some ideas on what we can expect and if it can or should be done.
If not we may have to part out the car. He loves the car but..

[jmo69]

Here's a DIY, but it is more difficult than a suspension or cooling system.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/101-Projects-17-Head-Gasket/101-Projects-17-Head-Gasket.htm

[McGregels]

When my wife blew the head gasket on our 91 Jetta, my dad did most of the work on it. The only thing we had to get someone else to do was to Polish the head. Other then that he did everything else. It took a few weeks of farting around with it. Didn't work on it steady. It runs great now. I hope that helps. The cost to us doing it our selves was around 1100$ can.

[DJCarbine]

If you are going to have the head serviced, you will need the camshaft tools

I have them, and I'm near Brookfield Zoo which is maybe an hour or so away from you... give me a deposit for the tools and I will refund the entire deposit when you are done with them

[ChicagoBob]

Thats real kind of you and I will take you up on that offer.
I will send you a message with my email later when he is getting ready to do the job. He said his spring break is first week in April.
Yes BrookField is only an hour away tops. Thanks again so much for your kindness.

[dano670]

Be warned that this could be a cracked head instead of a head gasket. Finding the head can be a little bit of work, but the good news is that any 6 cylinder from (93 to 99) BMW made used the same head casting. There are small differences between the 95 and earlier, but nothing that cant be overcome. There are differences in the valves springs and cams too, but swapping over parts is not a problem.

I did the job myself....twice. I listened to the machinist, and reinstalled a cracked head on my car.

So I found a cylinder head in a junk yard for $75 and had it reworked for $300. Rest of the stuff added another $300.

This is a job that is time consuming, but if you follow the procedure, you and your son can definitely do it.

[Sprouty88]

If this car has overheated multiple times you very well could have a cracked head...... In that case. Add 80$ to have a machine shop check it. And possibly 600-700$ for another head if yours is cracked.

On the work/install though. Its possible just tedious. Bmws are nice in that its basicly impossible to mix connectors. I always thought E36's were very easy to work on.

You also need more than just te camshaft tools. You need the flywheel lock tool, the head bolt socket, the vanos tools, the fan clutch tool, a small torque wrench and a pin for the secondary tensioner

[HondaRiderAX]

If you don't see any obvious signs of the head gasket having any damage then it's most likely a cracked head (sounds like it from the symptoms). After inspecting the gasket, be sure to carefully inspect the head to find the crack if you feel there is one. Usually the cracks form between the water jacket and one of the exhaust valves. Usually they're very small and hard to spot (happened to me).

Oh and this job isn't that hard. If you can't find a new head locally, and this is assuming you would need one, ebay is a good resource.

Don't be intimidated...good luck!

[mrules45]

I did this job very recently, i think people have already stated that its not too hard. I just wanted to throw in that i did it with only the crank pin and the cam tool. I also had the head socket, but everything else is not really needed. Use the dr vanos pdf guide for vanos reassembly

[dano670]

Also, when looking for the crack in the head or the head gasket, look at the spark plug ceramic. I could tell exactly which cylinder the problem was by looking at the plugs.

You can do it without the special tools just like mrules45 said. I made my own cam block out of oak, used a punch to secure the crankshaft rotated the cam by hand. It is possible, but the warm fuzzy of having the proper tools make like easier. I was unemployed and I had time on my hands, instead of money with no time.

[DJCarbine]

When he can use the tools for free, I would opt for the tools :)

[keeslinger31]

Its not that hard. But if it overheated more than once its probably cracked.
I got a head for 300 and the gasket set was 200 or so.

[ChicagoBob]

Where did you get a head for that cheap. After reading the posts I have been shopping that WOW like 600 to 800 bucks.

[mrules45]

I got a new head for like $350 on ebay, but I ended up paying $150 at the machine shop to have it checked out, then planed and fitted with new valve seals.

[keeslinger31]

Classifieds section came with cams had fresh surface low miles. ;)
I had tried repairing the old one but it leaked anyway.
Now my bleeder screw is leaking freaked me out :shifty

[Sprouty88]

I got my head from www.bmrparts.com for 600$ shipped. Thats a full head. No swapping parts. Some of these guys on here are talking bare heads and you have to swap your cams and valves and everything over. And apparently bmrparts check their heads before they ship them.

Call a couple times though and talk to different people. I called one day and a guy quoted me like 750$ and then i called the next day and a different guy quoted me 600$.

[ChicagoBob]

BMW parts looks like a great place to get this. Buy a new gasket and get the head from them attach and drive. I like the fact that its a tested complete head. That makes me feel better. I like the word guarantee, though cheap works real well about now. All in all it still looks like at least 800 for everything doesnt it?

Ok one other crazy thought came to mind whats the difference between an M3 head and the 328i head does anyone know?
Basically can it be used for a performance boost? Since I got to buy one anyway.

I checked ebay and WOW. This looked like something I needed.
If you bought it would you get it checked anyway?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-M50-M52-S50-S52-Cylinder-Head-No-Core-charge-NO-CRACKS-e36-e34-/190648845243?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2c638e83bb&vxp=mtr

[mrules45]

That is the same person I bought my head from. It was warped slightly, no big deal, but something to think about. I'm running it on a stock HG even after it got planed and having no issues.

[mrules45]

That is the same person I bought my head from. It was warped slightly, no big deal, but something to think about. I'm running it on a stock HG even after it got planed and having no issues.

[ChicagoBob]

If its warped what do you do? Can a machine shop fix that?

[notforyou]

Most of the time yes, they can machine it down. You may have to get a different head gasket (thicker, i.e 0.042 instead of .032) depending on how much they take off. They'll be able to advise you on what to do. Without a doubt have it checked for cracks and warp-age.

[ChicagoBob]

In the southwest burbs near Chicago Illinois is there machine shop someone would recommend for this work? Would like to know who to go to.

Oh and another thought. I drove the car today and was able to get around. The car was ridding in the middle of the temp gauge
the suddenly shot up to max. Before I could find a place to pull over it went back to the middle again. WEIRD..

Bob

[fun2drive]

Sounds like some material in the cooling passages like pieces of a failed water pump.
Also you need the head decked meaning checked for level but before that you need the head pressure tested to make sure it isn't cracked.
You can have 0.10" taken off the head without having to use a non standard head gasket.
Lots of information on this task.
I would take the entire cooling system apart and flush it out. Either that if you are sure it is blown and I bet it is them you can do that when the head is off too.

Get the tools. You have never done this job before and the tools make all the difference if you have never done it. Expect to spend at least 20 hours doing this job maybe more if you are careful.
Good luck...

[ChicagoBob]

Thanks,
I think I have a couple of problems,
the white smoke is probably a blown head gasket or cracked head.

The odd temp reading makes me think there is some junk flowing around.
Question is wouldn't it get blocked by the thermostat?

I am going to allow more than 20 hours. Figure three 10 hour days.
Thanks to everyone for all the great advice.

[mushs e36]

a bentley service manual for the 3 series e36 is also a good source of information.

[revmoo]

Sounds like an air bubble.