S52 Head Gasket Project

[petr09]

Hey guys! Been a while since I posted and figured I'd give something back to the community and maybe help some people out in the process.
Keep in mind I have never taken on a job like this but am not afraid of a good DIY project!
Some basic info: 1999 M3, 95k miles, stock.

So lets get started... I had a misfire on cylinder 6 from time to time at operating temperature, the misfire would usually stop around the time I was done driving. I was a little perplexed by how intermittent it was but started by swapping coils to see if the misfire would move to a different cylinder - it didn't. My mind went to either injectors or spark plugs so I went with the cheaper of the two. I just so happened to swap the spark plugs out when the misfire was still present and was VERY unhappy to find coolant on the tip of spark plug in cylinder 6...

Upon doing some research I found that it was very common to have the head gasket blow on cylinder 6 as that's where the largest coolant passages are. This made sense to me because my car overheated due to the cooling fan shattering, which is pretty common on our beloved E36's. Oddly enough, after finding the coolant on the spark plug I did not encounter another misfire for the next year - roughly 3k miles, but the seed was planted that I had a head gasket issue.

I had some free time on the weekend recently and figured I'd get started. I pulled off what I could before ordering any specialty tools - intake, radiator, valve cover, exhaust manifold, and some other bits:
IMG_4520.jpg

I decided to do some research before messing with the timing. Amazon sold a kit for the cam blocks, TDC locking pin, and VANOS turning tool for 70 bucks. Once the kit came in, I got back at it:
IMG_4539.jpg

Taking off the VANOS was fairly simple, a couple videos painted a clear enough picture to pull the unit.
The biggest problem I encountered here was the fact that I could not get the TDC locking pin into the flywheel to actually lock it. The car came with a UUC billet aluminum flywheel that I believe was not installed correctly as the pin slides in, but its about 180 degrees off from TDC... Thanks to the previous owner!! I got it at close as possible, intalled the cam lock blocks and moved forward:
IMG_4543.jpg

Once the timing gears were off, getting the head bolts out was simple, the head was ready to come off!
I highly recommend having a second set of hands to get the head off... The damn thing is heavy!!
Also proves to be a royal pain when you get the the exhaust studs caught on the exhaust AND forget to untuck the o2 sensor wiring, oops!
After finally wrestling the thing off here is what I was left with:
63193584789__13F51978-9AAA-4D28-8AF1-21CE3DC80EEA.jpg
63193627525__FCAF30C3-FFE8-4BD5-A8F9-D872FFF3D643.jpg

Upon inspecting the head gasket and mating surfaces of the head and block I did not see anything that stuck out. Nothing differed from cylinder to cylinder, so again I am perplexed with how coolant could have gotten into cylinder 6. Oh well, onward we go!

I've reached out to Vac Motorsports to get a quote to get the head checked for cracks and get it decked, as well as injector cleaning and VANOS rebuild.
In the mean time I'm cleaning parts and making a list of things that need to be ordered.
I've read horror stories with MLS head gaskets so I am sticking with the stock Elring equipment and going the ARP studs route.
Once the motor is back together and I can work our some other kinks, I'm going to throw a TT stage 2 kit on for some added horsepower.
Thanks for reading guys and stay tuned for updates!!!

[RRSperry]

Well if I'm not mistaken, it doesn't matter where the engine timing is now. When you put it back together as long as the crank is at TDC, you can fix anything else.

[pbonsalb]

A TT stage 2 turbo kit requires lower compression if running pump gas. A stock Elring won’t lower CR. The most popular choice today is the JE cutring and spacer plate sold by CES Motorsports. CES can also help you with a turbo system.

[GG///M3]

A TT stage 2 turbo kit requires lower compression if running pump gas. A stock Elring won’t lower CR. The most popular choice today is the JE cutring and spacer plate sold by CES Motorsports. CES can also help you with a turbo system.

This.

[JitteryJoe]

Over $7K for that kit plus a whole lot of installation work. A 1999 under 100K miles M3 all stock is worth good money if a clean car. I suspect adding the turbo will lower the value if that is important to you.

[pbonsalb]

Forget about trying to preserve the car for the next owner. Enjoy it yourself. More power makes one of these cars great. A moderate turbo kit is loads of fun.

[JitteryJoe]

Of course to OP is free to do whatever he wants with his car. These cars have, however, gone way up in price, especially the clean, low-mileage, stock ones. A few years ago $10K (or less) would get you a very good car. Now they are way more expensive. Modifying a low mileage solid car has more cost implications than just the mods. And to "throw a turbo" on a S52 engine is hardly a trivial undertaking.
Anyway, not my business what the OP does. I was speaking more generally about the implications of mod'ing these cars. Lord knows I put a stupid amount of money into mine.

[aeronaut]

Just FYI, unless VAC is close, there's no reason to pick them over a good local machine shop for the head work. It's basic stuff for a machine shop, degrease/pressuretest/resurface/inspect. Should be around $200-300 total. Even if you include a valve job, a good shop can handle that easily. If you get into porting, or larger valves, etc, then yea, a brand specific shop is better.

[petr09]

A TT stage 2 turbo kit requires lower compression if running pump gas. A stock Elring won’t lower CR. The most popular choice today is the JE cutring and spacer plate sold by CES Motorsports. CES can also help you with a turbo system.

Thanks for the info here, I reached out to CES to place an order for the gasket and spacer plate. Is 9:1 compression ratio ok to drive with for several thousand miles while working out other kinks?

Over $7K for that kit plus a whole lot of installation work. A 1999 under 100K miles M3 all stock is worth good money if a clean car. I suspect adding the turbo will lower the value if that is important to you.

I bought this car because I've always considered the E36 body lines timeless, not for the resell value that it may potentially have one day. Driving it has gotten a little stale though, sadly. Not to mention the inability to keep up with most modern sports cars... 7-10k is not much money to spend to get into S55 territory, in my opinion.

Just FYI, unless VAC is close, there's no reason to pick them over a good local machine shop for the head work. It's basic stuff for a machine shop, degrease/pressuretest/resurface/inspect. Should be around $200-300 total. Even if you include a valve job, a good shop can handle that easily. If you get into porting, or larger valves, etc, then yea, a brand specific shop is better.

Vac has not replied to me in over a week so I'm not too keen on waiting for prolonged service times, to a local machine shop it goes!

[pbonsalb]

You can drive with 9.0:1 no problem on a stock tune. Power will be down a few percent but you will be set up for a huge increase with the turbo. If you can DIY a HG, you can DIY a turbo system. Consider putting together your own. Follow a well trodden path abs it is easier that coming up with oddball parts you think might be special but may not work that well together or that will require custom tuning. John at CES is excellent if you do want to use a shop. He works closely with Nick at TT for OBD2 tuning, but I am not sure about the OBD1 for your 95. He may still use Karl at AA for that.

120+ mph in the quarter is no problem with 500 rwhp. With just the thicker HG and stock block, I’d stick to a max of 550 rwhp and 500 lbs rwtq. Many have pushed further but the risk goes up. It’s really the sweet spot and the years I enjoyed most. It was only when I insisted on moving further that I started breaking stuff — driveshafts, transmissions, clutches, differentials. Beefing up all that stuff has made the car less enjoyable to drive. And cost a lot.

[petr09]

You can drive with 9.0:1 no problem on a stock tune. Power will be down a few percent but you will be set up for a huge increase with the turbo. If you can DIY a HG, you can DIY a turbo system. Consider putting together your own. Follow a well trodden path abs it is easier that coming up with oddball parts you think might be special but may not work that well together or that will require custom tuning. John at CES is excellent if you do want to use a shop. He works closely with Nick at TT for OBD2 tuning, but I am not sure about the OBD1 for your 95. He may still use Karl at AA for that.

120+ mph in the quarter is no problem with 500 rwhp. With just the thicker HG and stock block, I’d stick to a max of 550 rwhp and 500 lbs rwtq. Many have pushed further but the risk goes up. It’s really the sweet spot and the years I enjoyed most. It was only when I insisted on moving further that I started breaking stuff — driveshafts, transmissions, clutches, differentials. Beefing up all that stuff has made the car less enjoyable to drive. And cost a lot.

I would ideally like to stick to 450 reliable daily rwhp, anything beyond that is overkill for a daily and gets even more expensive as you mentioned.
As for putting together my own kit, I've never installed a turbo on a na motor so I'd rather go with a pre fabricated kit where most, if not all, issues are worked out. Fortunately, this is on a OBD2 car so I shouldn't have too many issues with a kit that utilizes an OBD2 NickG tune.

Is there anything I should do while the head is off? Any deletes, refreshes, injectors, m50 manifold, or anything else?
I'll be getting new silicone coolant hoses, vacuum lines, water pump, thermostat and housing.

[pbonsalb]

The machine shop will tell you what the head needs. I think NickG is the best tuner and have run his tune for 10 years. His kit is a bit old school by today’s standards, though, and I think CES could put together an alternative with a more responsive turbo. Nick works closely with CES so if you want a turbo kit with a NickG tune, CES is a great place to go. The tune with a kit will one with injectors and HFM unless you state that you will source the specified injectors yourself

[petr09]

Update: Got the head back from the machine shop and it's got a crack between the intake valves on cylinder 2... Are hot spots the culprit in this case?
I've found a fellow member with a m52 block that spun a bearing with a freshly rebuilt s52 head with riot racing cams and a rebuilt vanos. With the motor having seized I'm under the assumption the head is unaffected?
The second question is, so long as I get the dots on the cams facing up and lock them in place, should I be able to time the motor without any issues?
Let me know your thoughts. Thanks guys!

[RRSperry]

Iirc, #crack usually were at the back of the heads near 5&6. But anything is possible.

again, as long as the #1 piston is at TDC and locked. You can install the head and time the cams. Installing the Vanos is a bit tricky, but nothing major..

[aeronaut]

IF you have cams installed on the head before installing the head on the block, rotate the crank counterclockwise (viewed from front) 30 or so degrees before laying the head on the block. (Bently agrees). This puts all pistons ~1" below TDC and prevents accidental valve/piston contact. I guess if you install the head with cams removed, then are careful, you can have #1 at TDC during it all. But you'd want to be careful installing the cams very near the timing they'll get set with the timing blocks on. And I'm not sure that's easy to do if you don't have the big expensive OEM cam install tool.

[petr09]

Iirc, #crack usually were at the back of the heads near 5&6. But anything is possible.

again, as long as the #1 piston is at TDC and locked. You can install the head and time the cams. Installing the Vanos is a bit tricky, but nothing major..

The Vanos installation looks relatively simple but I still have to dig a bit deeper. Any pointers?

IF you have cams installed on the head before installing the head on the block, rotate the crank counterclockwise (viewed from front) 30 or so degrees before laying the head on the block. (Bently agrees). This puts all pistons ~1" below TDC and prevents accidental valve/piston contact. I guess if you install the head with cams removed, then are careful, you can have #1 at TDC during it all. But you'd want to be careful installing the cams very near the timing they'll get set with the timing blocks on. And I'm not sure that's easy to do if you don't have the big expensive OEM cam install tool.

I'll be installing the head with the cams in place already. I'm a little concerned with rotating the crank for timing reasons though... If I block the cams and install the sprockets in accordance to my old markings, then rotate the crank 720 degrees to ensure there is no piston/valve contact that should in theory work too right?

[aeronaut]

If you have the cams installed AND locked with the timing blocks, then yea, you could also lock the engine at TDC and then install the head. I'll add, you'll definitely want 2 people handling that head because you'll have valves proud of the head surface and banging those against the block wouldn't end well. If I were doing it that way, and if the engine's in the car, I'd even consider having 3 sets of hands. Just take your time, think it through no matter which method you use, and it'll be fine.

- - - Updated - - -

I'll add, if you're using OEM head bolts, a few locator studs of just the right length will help guide the head down onto the block. If you're using ARP studs, that takes car of that function. But, if engine is in the car, and using ARP studs, the fit at the rear of the engine is a little tight. Another reason to have 4 or more hands involved.