Cracked Head. Apparently more common than I thought.. Advice?

[snaponbob]

During all that time between 120,000 and 200,000 did you have to add coolant? Let's face a few facts. On a healthy engine you don't add coolant more than once a year. It's not uncommon to own a car for 5 years and never add coolant. The fact is we think adding coolant is normal for these cars. It's not. Do you think the person who paid $35,000 for this car 20 years ago added coolant every month or two? I drive cargo vans for work that have 300,000 miles. We don't add coolant. If you're adding coolant every month or two months or 6 months it indicates a leak. Yes, it could be a loose hose clamp or leaky heater core. All I'm saying is you bought a car with 120,000 miles. You can't possibly know what happened to that engine before you owned it. A single overheat event is all it takes.

Precisely. Every bit of it.

I owned a Silhouette. It had the dreaded intake leak. Never overheated on my as I stayed on top of the situation. I repaired it. Three years later I sold it to a friend. I told him of the history. A year later a small hose was leaking and his wife did not tell him of the issue. He and I addressed the issue. Too late. Block sealer worked for a while, but when that failed the results were catastrophic. Wasn't worth repairing it so it was scrapped.

When I first started working on 3's for other people 6 years ago I thought that the discussions of "regular" replacing of cooling systems was hysterical and hyperbolic. It did not take long to learn it was not !! Also absurd is the contention that post 12 valve 6 cylinders blow head gaskets is almost as absurd. The ONLY time I have seen this was on an engine that a fool re-used the head bolts.

[E36328Coupe]

During all that time between 120,000 and 200,000 did you have to add coolant? Let's face a few facts. On a healthy engine you don't add coolant more than once a year. It's not uncommon to own a car for 5 years and never add coolant. The fact is we think adding coolant is normal for these cars. It's not. Do you think the person who paid $35,000 for this car 20 years ago added coolant every month or two? I drive cargo vans for work that have 300,000 miles. We don't add coolant. If you're adding coolant every month or two months or 6 months it indicates a leak. Yes, it could be a loose hose clamp or leaky heater core. All I'm saying is you bought a car with 120,000 miles. You can't possibly know what happened to that engine before you owned it. A single overheat event is all it takes.

Added coolant when I fitted LPG and when I changed the stat, other than that nope, not more than once a year, probably less for the first 5 1/2 of the 6 years.

If you are going to tell me the car was overheated sub 120,000 miles and that took near 85, 000 miles to then all of a sudden have a crack and leak I'm going to laugh in fact

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Also absurd is the contention that post 12 valve 6 cylinders blow head gaskets is almost as absurd. The ONLY time I have seen this was on an engine that a fool re-used the head bolts.

S54s are a 24 Valve 6 cylinder and they blow head gaskets all the time.............. just between cylinders not into the water jacket.

[flyfishvt]

Technically speaking....e36s don't usually blow the head gasket. It certainly has happened but more common is the head cracks between the water jacket and one of the exhaust valves.

[snaponbob]

S54 is a completely different engine than am M54.

As for WHEN an overheat creates a problem ---- I own an E36 328. When I bought it there was evidence of an overheat. The engine exhibited no symptoms for over a year. In Feb of 2015 I started adding coolant every so often, and then more often. Finally pulled the engine for oil pressure issues. Guess what. Cracked head. MINOR crack to be sure, but it was there. Laugh all you like. Aluminum heads are not known to "wear out".

[E36328Coupe]

S54 is a completely different engine than am M54.

Not that much, but of course both S54 and M54 are dual vanos as opposed to the lowly M52 which you probably meant.

As for WHEN an overheat creates a problem ---- I own an E36 328. When I bought it there was evidence of an overheat. The engine exhibited no symptoms for over a year. In Feb of 2015 I started adding coolant every so often, and then more often. Finally pulled the engine for oil pressure issues. Guess what. Cracked head. MINOR crack to be sure, but it was there. Laugh all you like. Aluminum heads are not known to "wear out".

Big difference between 1 year and 5 or 6 with no signs of being overheated and a distance covered equal to a third of a way to the moon

[flyfishvt]

I'll give you credit for the 5 years. I can't agree on the comparison between the m52 and the m54. Completely different casting on the block and head.

[E36328Coupe]

I'll give you credit for the 5 years. I can't agree on the comparison between the m52 and the m54. Completely different casting on the block and head.

Yup that different the cranks are interchangeable for those that want a stroker.
However, they are both post 12 valve 6 cylinder engines so they met the criteria given. And the S54 do blow between cylinders regularly.

[snaponbob]

Whatever. Fly, he knows more than others. ONE instance becomes the rule. Love it.

[flyfishvt]

S54 crank is not interchangeable with m52

[E36328Coupe]

S54 crank is not interchangeable with m52

I didn't say it was, you're mixing your Ms and Ss

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Whatever. Fly, he knows more than others. ONE instance becomes the rule. Love it.

I know my Alusil from my Nikasil And I never said it was the rule, Just pointing out your rule is not an absolute

[snaponbob]

Pretty close, however !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[e24mpwr]

I know my Alusil from my Nikasil And I never said it was the rule, Just pointing out your rule is not an absolute

Cripes people - there isn't a ribbon being awarded here. Listening is a valauble skill, as is knowing when to keep your mouth shut (or in this case, your hands off the keyboard...)

[snaponbob]

DAMN IT !!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought there might be a prize. Oh well. ;-)

[flyfishvt]

Cripes people - there isn't a ribbon being awarded here. Listening is a valauble skill, as is knowing when to keep your mouth shut (or in this case, your hands off the keyboard...)

I'm surprised to see this. No one is using profanity, no racial slurs, no name calling, punctuation could definitely use some improvement. I see a difference of opinion. 2-3 posts max. These disagreements happen every day. They usually burn themselves out as I suspect this one already has.

[snaponbob]

Oh YEAH ?!?!?!?!

Yo momma SO fat ........................

[Marc07726]

I ended up finding (and buying) a complete car that had been wrecked on CL. Car has 160K on it, and the engine still ran- So I know I am starting off with a good engine.

Pulled the donor engine yesterday. Hope to get it installed in my car in the next week or so.

Thanks for all the advice!

BTW- Anyone need parts from a 328is? Motor is already spoken for.

[flyfishvt]

Location? I need a fender.

[Marc07726]

Central NJ...

Both front fenders are damaged.

[Prg33]

OP has already done the cooling system when first bought the car I believe it blew either with the PO or when I drove it home because it did tick up a few times on the drive home.

[Mr. Bill]

I sell running 98-99 M52s for $400. Why not pick up a whole engine and do what you please.
PM me if interested

I can tell you from first hand experience that Greg is AWESOME to deal with! I wouldn't hesitate to buy anything from him.