Worth Fixing?

[Mustardtiger277]

So yesterday i pulled the head offmy m20 and this is what it looks like (see pictures). I pulled it because of a suspected head gasket which is obvious but i wasnt expecting the oil. Does this signify pistons rings? Just wondering if its even worth the money and time to put into this engine. To be honest i really dont want it and am looking for any excuse to put an LS in it. I was thinking just doing all the gaskets, putting it back together and running it till it dies. Would like a second opinion and advice. Cheers

[dworthy]

I see rust on the cylinder walls, that tells me you had a bad head gasket. That black stuff on the top of the pistons is nothing more than carbon build-up, typical for that age of motor. I would use some scotch brite pads to remove the rust and slap a new head gasket on that thing.

Also to ensure the head isn't warped, a good machine shop can check it, and while they are at it, maybe deck it a little and check for any cracks.

Lastly make sure you get a new timing belt, and do not reuse the old one. Also wouldn't be a bad idea to slap in a waterpump if you don't know when it was last replaced.

[ross1]

Plug condition ought to reveal if this was an oil consuming cylinder before the HG failure, doesn't look that way to me. There is an oil passage adjacent to that cylinder.
If the cylinder walls are heavily pitted you are looking at a bigger deal of course. Hard to tell from the photos but they look rough from here. I'd oil up the cylinders and rotate it by hand a few times to see if the rings will scrub it off. At the top of the bores the engine will have a lot more tolerance for this.
As you are looking for an excuse to swap it I can't advise. If it were mine, the head didn't require a bunch of cash and the bores at least decent I'd repair it.

[323i E30]

Since you already want to swap it I'd stop looking for an excuse and just put the LS in

[Mustardtiger277]

Any of you have any recommendations on how to get the head and block polished up. I got most of the old gasket off i just cant get this last little bit off. Im scared to try anything to abrasive. All the tips on the internet are a million different people telling you to do it a million different ways. I don't know which way is best. (see pictures)

[bmwdirtracer]

Really? You're wondering how to get the head and block smooth for a head gasket job? .......a machine shop ! Look, the block is iron....have at it with a ScotchBrite on a rotary device. The head is going to the machine shop, really, seriously/

[dworthy]

+1

Let a machine shop clean all that mess up and deck it. But before they do anything, have them check it for warp. If it is out of their ability to straighten, then you can put in that V-8.