M3 e46 head gasket repair help

[Woody67]

Hi I have just got my first m3 cab on an 04.
Compression is down on all cylinders and needs
The head gasket looking at I live in Milton Keynes
Can anybody recommend a Garage? I have had
A quote for £1600 so far? Any advise would be greatly
Appreciated. Cheers!

[Woody67]

Many Thanks ! Any idea of cost?

[Nedzilla]

Are you sure its a headgasket issue? Forgive me if I might be wrong as im no mechanic but when ive seen HG failures on these they usually go in one place between two cylinders.
Would this cause all cylinders to read low by similar amounts?

[Woody67]

Thanks for your reply, I don't know to be honest
But it's done 98k and is pinking, which is common
In head gasket falts, I hope it is nothing to do
With the bottom end!
I have had 2 mechanics look at it, the first
Didn't know and the 2nd suggested head gasket,
I will go down to PCS in the morning.

[Pig Skill]

I think you need to go somewhere else

If they are guessing where £1500 quid is involved then its a Joke. For that kind of outlay on a 98k miler then I would want a cast iron diagnosis, signed in triplicate, presented in a scented white envelope with a free bottle of bubbly.

Low compression on all cylinders ie all low but within 5psi of eachother will likely be worn rings. If when a bit of oil is introduced into the cylinder the compression jumps up its the rings.

Normally they go between 5 and 6 cylinder when HGF

Did they do it with the engine warm and the throttle open?

You need to be seeing between 155 - 180psi on each, all within 5 psi of eachother

What readings are you getting?

[Woody67]

Cyl1: 120 psi
2: 80psi
3: 80 psi
4 : 80 psi
5 : 70 psi
6: 110 psi

[MMT]

Is this going to be a camshaft timing or valve problem loosing compression past the valve? Could the cam drive sprocket have sheared bolts?

[Pig Skill]

For all the be so consistently low like that its either a duff reading or there is something very wrong.

I would be expecting it to be running like a bag of rubbish, very little power, burning oil etc

I would firstly get another diagnosis - get another comp check, leak down test etc

Keep us updated OP

[Woody67]

Thank you for all your comments, it misfires
At low revs and doesn't pull great but doesn't
Smoke and the exhaust is grey.
I will take it to PCS today in bletchley .

Many Thanks

[Output Flange]

If you have no joy at PCS then get in touch with Phil Crouch at cpcpe.com - what he doesn't know about ///M cars isn't worth knowing.

[Vixpy1]

Output Flange said:

If you have no joy at PCS then get in touch with Phil Crouch at cpcpe.com - what he doesn't know about ///M cars isn't worth knowing.

This

[Chessers]

Get on to the M3 Cutters forum and search for HG failures. There is a guy on there that has helped out lots of members, I think the cost was less than £1k, maybe £800-£900.