Discussion
So my car went to bmw due to being down on power, running like a bag o nails and vibration. Tech read the fault codes and comes back with faults on the coil packs and injectors on 5 of 6 cylinders. Instead of costing me a fortune and replacing, he swaps them around and the car runs perfect ly.
Any ideas?
Car runs an evolve carbon airbox and remap.
Any ideas?
Car runs an evolve carbon airbox and remap.
Coil packs and plugs changed. Same Prob. Tech swapped injectors and they aren't the cause either so it looks like the head is coming off. I suppose an old m3 can throw these bills at you. They're going to clean everything out while the head is off though. Tech suspects a possible dropped valve on one cylinder or possible head gasket failure. Sad face. Very 8s pressed with warwick bmw though. Actually trying to save me money and updated on every step with good advice and knowledge.
Coil packs and plugs changed. Same Prob. Tech swapped injectors and they aren't the cause either so it looks like the head is coming off. I suppose an old m3 can throw these bills at you. They're going to clean everything out while the head is off though. Tech suspects a possible dropped valve on one cylinder or possible head gasket failure. Sad face. Very 8s pressed with warwick bmw though. Actually trying to save me money and updated on every step with good advice and knowledge.
Compression test is being done first, been in the highlands with no phone signal all weekend so not sure whats happening. It does feel a lot like when the HG failed on my other one. She had started to use a bit of oil recently which she never has done. Hopefully all will be reveal today. I miss my M 
I'll find out tomo but I suspect the HG has failed between the cylinders. Due to the size of them, the gap between is quite small and they are prone to going. My supercharged one went earlier this year too. It's fairly common on these cars.
Oh well, regardless. It'll be fixed by the end of the week, had an inspection 1 service, had the rear sub-frame check + any bushes etc replaced and had a good clean inside and out. She'll be like a new car by the end of the week.
I'm looking at it positively. It's a big job so they may as well do some preventative maintenance whilst they are there. It's going to be financially painful so I may as well make it worthwhile.
Oh well, regardless. It'll be fixed by the end of the week, had an inspection 1 service, had the rear sub-frame check + any bushes etc replaced and had a good clean inside and out. She'll be like a new car by the end of the week.
I'm looking at it positively. It's a big job so they may as well do some preventative maintenance whilst they are there. It's going to be financially painful so I may as well make it worthwhile.
Well, I know both of our cars were around the 27,000 mark when we bought them but mine has been a bit of a workhorse, me working in Scotland and living near Oxford so she is just shy of 60,000 now. Just getting to the age where I'm expecting things to start going. However, she is much loved and will be fixed regardless.
Yup HG gone between cylinders 4 and 5. Large nick 4-5mm out of the head and looks like the block may have sustained some damage too.
BMW just rang and asked me to go down tomorrow to have a look at it with one of their techs and see what we all think. Essentially it's going to need near enough a new engine I think. Literally the worst thing I could have imagined.
Very sad face.
BMW just rang and asked me to go down tomorrow to have a look at it with one of their techs and see what we all think. Essentially it's going to need near enough a new engine I think. Literally the worst thing I could have imagined.
Very sad face.
I'll see tomorrow. The guys at Rybrook have been amazing so I'm sure they'll steer me in the right direction. They certainly don't come across as rip-off merchants as some dealers do….yes I am talking to you Mr Audi. Either way she will get fixed. Hopefully the block is going to be ok. I can live with a new head. It's such a f
ker though as in the past six months I have fitted…..
Evolve Carbon Box and Alpha-N tune - 3500.00
Supersprint Exhaust and centre section - 1600.00
Beyern Mesh wheels - 1000.00
4 brand new continental M3 tires - 600.00
Just got the car where I wanted and was really happy with her.
I'm off for a beer and to do some serious man maths. I think my wife is going to kill me. ;D
ETA Just swapped my insurance over and the cover is coming off the Supercharged one tomorrow. Apart from her weekly round the block run she hasn't been used for a while. Going to be fun using the 475BHP one for a daily again. Every cloud and all that.
ker though as in the past six months I have fitted…..Evolve Carbon Box and Alpha-N tune - 3500.00
Supersprint Exhaust and centre section - 1600.00
Beyern Mesh wheels - 1000.00
4 brand new continental M3 tires - 600.00
Just got the car where I wanted and was really happy with her.
I'm off for a beer and to do some serious man maths. I think my wife is going to kill me. ;D
ETA Just swapped my insurance over and the cover is coming off the Supercharged one tomorrow. Apart from her weekly round the block run she hasn't been used for a while. Going to be fun using the 475BHP one for a daily again. Every cloud and all that.
Edited by Captainawesome on Tuesday 12th August 19:51
Just back from BMW and she is goosed. Huge nick out of the head and the block is also fked. My HG was literally split in half along it's length.The tech said it was the most impressive HG failure he has ever seen. Both block and head are fked. Price of a brand spanking S54 from Germany?????? £10,000.00!!!!!!! Yes ten grand. Which makes it an unviable option as that is more than the bloody car is worth. I took some pics of the engine and HG which I'll upload later.
Huge thank you to Jack at Rybrook BMW in Warwick though, he has helped to keep the cost down as much as possible for me, has kept me updated every step of the way and invited me down to see the damage for myself. I cannot recommend them enough. They are trying to source a low miles second hand engine from somewhere for me, if anyone has any idea where would be a good place to look I would appreciate it as I shall be searching myself. It would be cheaper to buy a nice example and swap the engine over than to buy new from BMW.
I cannot believe my piss poor luck this year with cars. 2 x HG failures.
The rest of the car is perfect. fking fkity fkity fk fk fk bks.
ked. My HG was literally split in half along it's length.The tech said it was the most impressive HG failure he has ever seen. Both block and head are fked. Price of a brand spanking S54 from Germany?????? £10,000.00!!!!!!! Yes ten grand. Which makes it an unviable option as that is more than the bloody car is worth. I took some pics of the engine and HG which I'll upload later. Huge thank you to Jack at Rybrook BMW in Warwick though, he has helped to keep the cost down as much as possible for me, has kept me updated every step of the way and invited me down to see the damage for myself. I cannot recommend them enough. They are trying to source a low miles second hand engine from somewhere for me, if anyone has any idea where would be a good place to look I would appreciate it as I shall be searching myself. It would be cheaper to buy a nice example and swap the engine over than to buy new from BMW.
I cannot believe my piss poor luck this year with cars. 2 x HG failures.
The rest of the car is perfect. f
king fkity fkity fk fk fk bks. Engine ordered, garage on stand-by for swap, Going to put a brand new head gasket on new engine for my peace of mind and fit a brand new water pump. May possibly order some new headers to put on as I enquired about this before but couldn't stomach the price of fitting them but as the engine will be out anyway I might as well.
It's been an expensive day today but she should be back on the road within a fortnight.
It's been an expensive day today but she should be back on the road within a fortnight.
Thought I'd bump this with an update. New engine is in. Picked her up on monday and she is running sweeter than ever. Had my mate in it tonight and even he commented that it felt faster.
Soooo pleased as she is a beautiful machine. I have missed her a lot.
Total cost of the HG failure was just under 6k. Ouch!
Worth it to me though as I never intend to sell.
Soooo pleased as she is a beautiful machine. I have missed her a lot.
Total cost of the HG failure was just under 6k. Ouch!
Worth it to me though as I never intend to sell.
Clivey said:
jonah35 said:
£6k? Ouch! Id have to keep it for years now to lessen the pain!
Worth it though. Especially since the newer cars just don't have the same appeal.OP: Well done for not giving-up!
Any pics of the car? 
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
TheProfessor said:
Hi did the garage give any explanation why there were lumps missing from the head & block?
Was this I wonder down to head gasket failure exposing the head to the cylinder combustion process, and it just chewed through the exposed metal?
Just curious as I'll add this to my "things to check" when I go M3 hunting next year.....
They tend to chew through the gasket between the cylinders and unfortunately this means that you can run it for a while before noticing. Mine had burnt through on all the cylinders and then I drove it from aberdeen to banbury. I should have just put it into a garage in aberdeen. I believe it is indeed just the combustion process and the pressure that destroys the metal.Was this I wonder down to head gasket failure exposing the head to the cylinder combustion process, and it just chewed through the exposed metal?
Just curious as I'll add this to my "things to check" when I go M3 hunting next year.....
If it sounds like a subaru on idle....avoid it.
R88CLY said:
My e46 M3 is currently in the garage with the same problem, cracked between cylinders 5and6 and found out yesterday there's slight damage to the head but not too much.
Waiting for him to ring me back as he's sent the head off to be inspected fully and skimmed, still no idea on £££ until we know how bad it is so expecting the worst! I spend a lot of time and money on my car but don't just have £2k (worst case scenario I think) sat in the bank as insurance, tax and service have all been paid in full over the last 2 months!
Fingers crossed!!
Simpson Motorsport collected my car, replaced the head gasket, vanos filter and did a full oil change for 1200. Give them a call. They were very reasonable and they had the most awesome collection of cars to drool over in their workshop (2 x F40, R8 race car, M3 race car, Bristol Fighter, 4x CSL including a supercharged one). This was on my supercharged M3 as I have now had two head gaskets fail on 2 separate S54 engines this year....some guys have all the luck.Waiting for him to ring me back as he's sent the head off to be inspected fully and skimmed, still no idea on £££ until we know how bad it is so expecting the worst! I spend a lot of time and money on my car but don't just have £2k (worst case scenario I think) sat in the bank as insurance, tax and service have all been paid in full over the last 2 months!
Fingers crossed!!
It seems to be a very common problem as these cars get a bit older. When you see just how little material is between the cylinders though it's not wholly surprising. The other problem is that because they go between the cylinders you can drive for a long time before noticing. I drove mine for about 5000 mies and had 2 garages look at it and we all missed that it was the head gasket.I believe that this is why mine ended up so f
ked. Luckily the block is tough as old boots so hopefully you'll be ok.2k isn't the worst case scenario though I'm afraid. This little episode has cost me 6k.
I guess these are the risks of running these cars. I hope it works out for you as the car looks gorgeous.
On the plus side, when it's done you won't have to worry about it for a long time.
Of the 2 cars I own, this same problem is the only one that has stopped play. Generally they seem to be extremely reliable cars (to the point that the BMW techs were amazed that I had driven to the garage and absolutely gobsmacked when I told them I had driven it down from Scotland). Stick with it.
R88CLY said:
Wow £1200 for all that seems an unreal price! I'd snap someone's hand off if I was offered that now!
Will keep that company in mind, but as the mechanic has already taken the engine apart and sent the head off to be inspected I already owe them labour, but I'll get their quote and weigh up my options.
The reason I said £2k was because the mech says there was only slight, not major damage to the head and from the research I've done that's what the price could be. Although a second hand engine at £2700 sounds promising!
I was surprised at the price too, especially when you see the kind of metal SM work with. Really nice guys and I'd highly recommend them. They are based in Gloucester.Will keep that company in mind, but as the mechanic has already taken the engine apart and sent the head off to be inspected I already owe them labour, but I'll get their quote and weigh up my options.
The reason I said £2k was because the mech says there was only slight, not major damage to the head and from the research I've done that's what the price could be. Although a second hand engine at £2700 sounds promising!
I can give you the number of the company I sourced the engine from if you like. I believe they ship M3 parts to the middle east and usually have a good supply. The engines are warrantied too. However if it's possible to salvage the engine, and it sounds very much like it is, you'd probably be better getting it fixed.
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