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Thread: 2006 BMW N52 330i Head Gasket

  1. #1
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    2006 BMW N52 330i Head Gasket

    Hi everyone,
    First time poster here, just looking to get any input for my issue.
    About a month ago my car gave me the overheating warning along with the low coolant, the temperature outside was around 109+. As soon as the warning sign came on I pulled over to the hard shoulder and turned the engine off a cranked up to heater for five minutes, and then I exited the freeway a drove to a gas station (1 min. away) and let the car sit for an hour and a half. I called AAA for a tow, the guy didn't want to tow me home (60 miles) and took off. So I bought a bottle of peak 50/50 (phosphate free I believe) and drove home with the heater on blast. I got home and hooked up my ECS scanner and got a speed deviation code, so i changed the water pump and thermostat; purged the air out of the cooling system ( negative pressure held consistency) and did the bleed procedure with the water pump. Everything was looking good, I went to England for a month and I came back with a suspicion that my head gasket might be cooked so I took it to a Mechanic who is a family friend. He used a Combustible Gas Leak Detector and he said I have hydrocarbons in my cooling system, now my question is that is there any other reason for my to have hydrocarbons in my cooling system?
    No compression test or leak down test have been done yet
    Thanks in advance !



    FYI my Crankcase vent valve needs to be replaced

  2. #2
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    The car makes it difficult for you to overheat it by going into limp mode and cranking up the electric fan. That said, head gaskets do fail. I would do a compression test and a leak down test before I tore it down.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by cochise325 View Post
    The car makes it difficult for you to overheat it by going into limp mode and cranking up the electric fan. That said, head gaskets do fail. I would do a compression test and a leak down test before I tore it down.
    I was gonna tear everything down to do the head gasket but the VANOS seems a little intimidating, I'll try to get a compression check and a leak down test done.
    But is there any other reason for hydrocarbons to show up in the coolant?
    And my car didn't go into limp mode......I don't think(manual transmission)
    Last edited by Ytk3000; 09-17-2017 at 10:43 PM.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ytk3000 View Post
    I was gonna tear everything down to do the head gasket but the VANOS seems a little intimidating, I'll try to get a compression check and a leak down test done.
    But is there any other reason for hydrocarbons to show up in the coolant?
    And my car didn't go into limp mode......I don't think(manual transmission)
    The head gasket is one of the only ways that you can get combustion gasses in the coolant. I would still do a compression or leakdown test before opening things up.
    Limp mode refers to restricted power, I think it only gives you half power and limits you to 80mph or something like that. The VANOS isn`t that bad. You just need to use the timing tools to lock everything in place. The n52 and n54 are easy to time, the older v8's were far worse. You'll need software to calibrate the valvetronic, but that's not bad.
    Be aware that some people have had head bolts break on the n52, so that might have contributed to your issue.
    Last edited by RocketSurgeon; 09-17-2017 at 11:07 PM.

  5. #5
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    Why are you convinced you have a head gasket issue? Does the car overheat? Consume coolant? Smoke from the tail pipe? Run poorly?

    If you don't have any symptoms, why are you concerned?
    ASE and BMW Master Certified Technician

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by RocketSurgeon View Post
    The head gasket is one of the only ways that you can get combustion gasses in the coolant. I would still do a compression or leakdown test before opening things up.
    Limp mode refers to restricted power, I think it only gives you half power and limits you to 80mph or something like that. The VANOS isn`t that bad. You just need to use the timing tools to lock everything in place. The n52 and n54 are easy to time, the older v8's were far worse. You'll need software to calibrate the valvetronic, but that's not bad.
    Be aware that some people have had head bolts break on the n52, so that might have contributed to your issue.
    I'll keep that in mind thanks !

    - - - Updated - - -

    No overheating, jut hydrocarbons in the reservoir

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by RocketSurgeon View Post
    The head gasket is one of the only ways that you can get combustion gasses in the coolant. I would still do a compression or leakdown test before opening things up.
    Limp mode refers to restricted power, I think it only gives you half power and limits you to 80mph or something like that. The VANOS isn`t that bad. You just need to use the timing tools to lock everything in place. The n52 and n54 are easy to time, the older v8's were far worse. You'll need software to calibrate the valvetronic, but that's not bad.
    Be aware that some people have had head bolts break on the n52, so that might have contributed to your issue.
    Im sure my car didn't into limp mode, I was going 110+ until I saw the over heat sign and immediately slowed down and pulled over (20 seconds max)

  8. #8
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    You didn't hurt anything.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    ASE and BMW Master Certified Technician

  9. #9
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    So should I just replace the head gasket after the leak down and compression test results or just keep driving it ?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ytk3000 View Post
    So should I just replace the head gasket after the leak down and compression test results or just keep driving it ?
    If you detect compelling evidence of a failed head gasket, I would strongly recommend repairing it to prolong the life of the car. When the head gasket fails, coolant gets into the oil where it will damage all the engine bearings. I would not expect the car to last very long with a failed head gasket. Depending on the condition and value of the car, you could repair it, get rid of it, or run it until it won't run anymore.

  11. #11
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    Well, it turns out the head gasket failed in two places, and also the head is twisted. Between this and the other parts I have to buy, and a temperamental mechanic (cheap labour and cheap genuine bmw parts), this is turning in to a headache and a money machine.
    The N series engines are a huge disappointment, especially the N52 with it's Alusil block and head.
    I really miss the early M Series engines the parts where cheap and the engines where virtually bullet proof.
    My days of being a bimmer fanboy are over until i'm out of uni and can afford a cpo bimmer with warranty !
    Next car maybe a GTI.

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