Nikasil issue - E36
Discussion
Well, having recently paid good money for an immaculate, 33k mile 328i my local specialist has carried out a compression and leakdown test and informs me the engine has bore wear to the nikasil block.
The car drove fine on the test drive and seemed to idle OK so no obvious symptoms of the problem.
Obviously pissed off as the car wasn't cheap and being a private sale I've got no comeback.
My choice is either sell the car at a significant loss with the engine issue or try to find a good secondhand steel linered M52 motor and pay £500 to get it fitted.
Anyone have any suggestions of places to find decent used motors??
The car drove fine on the test drive and seemed to idle OK so no obvious symptoms of the problem.
Obviously pissed off as the car wasn't cheap and being a private sale I've got no comeback.
My choice is either sell the car at a significant loss with the engine issue or try to find a good secondhand steel linered M52 motor and pay £500 to get it fitted.
Anyone have any suggestions of places to find decent used motors??
Firstly what year is your car as from 98 they switched to steel liners.
Do you have any of the symptoms high oil consumption, poor idle, vibration. Sometimes the piston rings get stuck in these and the m54
I would just carry on using it until symptoms get severe. Ive had my nikasil 323i 21 years and 150k miles doesn't use a drop of oil and on a recent compression test 170psi to 173 psi across all cylinders.
you can check if you have a nikasil engine from these photos
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=972...
if all else fails an engine swap is not a big deal on these cars
Do you have any of the symptoms high oil consumption, poor idle, vibration. Sometimes the piston rings get stuck in these and the m54
I would just carry on using it until symptoms get severe. Ive had my nikasil 323i 21 years and 150k miles doesn't use a drop of oil and on a recent compression test 170psi to 173 psi across all cylinders.
you can check if you have a nikasil engine from these photos
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=972...
if all else fails an engine swap is not a big deal on these cars
As others have said, just use it and deal with it when the time comes. I bought a 328 last year which is 1996 build. Uses no oil and bodywise is immaculate so took the plunge. If the engine goes, I will deal with it then.
But I am already starting to spend money on it in other areas and did buy it as a long term project/daily driver so wasn't bothered.
Depends on the reason you bought yours and plans you have for it.
How much would a rebuild be at a decent indy?
But I am already starting to spend money on it in other areas and did buy it as a long term project/daily driver so wasn't bothered.
Depends on the reason you bought yours and plans you have for it.
How much would a rebuild be at a decent indy?
First, after the original thread - I'm sorry to find you consider you've bought a problem
How does the leakdown indicate a problem, and if there is one, how do you know it's not just, say, valve seating? And what sort of oil consumption are you actually seeing?
Oh, and BMW reckon 600 miles per litre is acceptable on the M52/M54 engines. These engines can & do use oil without real detriment.
BGarside said:
Compression 190 psi-plus, but leakdown test indicates an issue.
The car's a '95 and definitely has nikasil.
190psi is really pretty darn good, esp if even across te range.The car's a '95 and definitely has nikasil.
How does the leakdown indicate a problem, and if there is one, how do you know it's not just, say, valve seating? And what sort of oil consumption are you actually seeing?
Oh, and BMW reckon 600 miles per litre is acceptable on the M52/M54 engines. These engines can & do use oil without real detriment.
The engine seems to run OK once warmed up but slightly jerky power delivery after a cold start.
Leakdown test was performed by my local specialist who tested engines for BMW dealership when the nikasil cars were undergoing warranty replacements when they were new so I trust his verdict.
I suspect a rebuild with new block and pistons would be uneconomic with parts and labour costs so I think a good used engine transplant would be the cost effective option, but finding such an engine not so easy.
I think the car overall is probably worth sorting though. It's just harder to motivate myself to throw more money at it when my 325 is such a good and trouble free car....
Leakdown test was performed by my local specialist who tested engines for BMW dealership when the nikasil cars were undergoing warranty replacements when they were new so I trust his verdict.
I suspect a rebuild with new block and pistons would be uneconomic with parts and labour costs so I think a good used engine transplant would be the cost effective option, but finding such an engine not so easy.
I think the car overall is probably worth sorting though. It's just harder to motivate myself to throw more money at it when my 325 is such a good and trouble free car....
NiceCupOfTea said:
If it's not using oil or down on compression it could be something else... sticky vanos? Have you checked error codes?
BGarside said:
....Leakdown test was performed by my local specialist who tested engines for BMW dealership when the nikasil cars were undergoing warranty replacements when they were new so I trust his verdict.....
Assuming that this was a BMW specialist that the OP used, they tend to have much more knowledge of the issues that BMW engines suffer from than the Main Dealers do! (To be fair, in many cases the Main Dealers are aware of issues with BMW engines but are simply not prepared/allowed to publicly acknowledge them).
NiceCupOfTea said:
Of course, but I'm not sure how they are diagnosing nikasil bore wear if there is no oil use or loss of compression...
Not sure about oil use yet as I've not driven the car far enough, but given the compression figures I think the engine might be good for a few miles yet while I search for a good replacement engine.I might try some of that 'Restore' oil additive Quentin Wilson's been flogging, supposedly it helps to fill in bore damage and helps to reduce oil burning and loss of compression in worn engines.
Does anyone know of 5W30 is the correct oil grade for the M52, as my 325's manual recommends 15W40 for the M50 motor?
The Nikasil issue usually only showed up once the engine was hot (rough idle and hard starting)
Issues on cold could be vanos issues, have a look here.
http://www.beisansystems.com/products.html
from the site above
What are the symptoms of a failing vanos?
Overall loss of torque and power, particularly in the lower RPM range, < 3k. Bogging then surging at 3k RPM. Uneven power distribution and RPM transition. Engine hesitations in the lower RPM range, < 3k. Louder idle and intermittent idle RPM hiccups. Difficult takeoffs. Loss of power and bogging when AC on. Increased fuel consumption.
Double vanos cars with the M52TU engine (98/99-00) experience cold weather cold start idle jolts and possible stall.
Issues on cold could be vanos issues, have a look here.
http://www.beisansystems.com/products.html
from the site above
What are the symptoms of a failing vanos?
Overall loss of torque and power, particularly in the lower RPM range, < 3k. Bogging then surging at 3k RPM. Uneven power distribution and RPM transition. Engine hesitations in the lower RPM range, < 3k. Louder idle and intermittent idle RPM hiccups. Difficult takeoffs. Loss of power and bogging when AC on. Increased fuel consumption.
Double vanos cars with the M52TU engine (98/99-00) experience cold weather cold start idle jolts and possible stall.
Edited by 528Sport on Tuesday 31st May 11:11
Thanks for the feedback.
I'll have to test the car more to see if there's a Vanos issue, but there's definitely a rattle when revving the engine when cold at 1500 - 2000rpm or so.
Didn't know about the LL04 spec. but will make sure I get some. Might use 5W40 as the slightly higher hot viscosity might help with the bore wear issue.
Anyone used the Ametech Engine Restore additive?
I'll have to test the car more to see if there's a Vanos issue, but there's definitely a rattle when revving the engine when cold at 1500 - 2000rpm or so.
Didn't know about the LL04 spec. but will make sure I get some. Might use 5W40 as the slightly higher hot viscosity might help with the bore wear issue.
Anyone used the Ametech Engine Restore additive?
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