Author Topic: buying 318is.... coolant loss?? (Read 4245 times)

TXaviator · « **on:** February 15, 2007, 02:35:22 AM »

hey, new to the forum, but i know one guy up here in ND with a mutant ;-)

anyway I got the bug and found a 318is in minneapolis...about 250 miles from here....

the price is right. BUT.

the guy says its consuming about 1qt of coolant per 25 miles (a day of driving in city)

he THINKS its either the head gasket or some sort of corrosion in coolant channels in the head....?

is this a serious issue of the motor? would I be able to limp it back to where i live by adding fluid every so often? (yes, ghetto, but would like to get it home under its own power if able)

how difficult is changing a head gasket on these engines? i have access to a shop with all the tools needed, but yeah, have to get the car back here first.

the price is VERY right... but if this is going to be like I buy it then it burns up on the way home....

any insights?

TXaviator · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2007, 02:54:12 AM »

other details:

this is from the email i got from the guy. any of you care to pick it apart and give me thoughts?

Quote

Milage is 121,300 miles. I have logged aprox 5k per year
and oil is changed twice a year with mobil 1 zero w 40 synthetic, plugs have been replaced 2k ago and a air filter this past summer.
Oh, also the brake fluid was flushed 3 years ago and coolant serviced with new water pump 2 years ago. Sorry no reciepts as I do all my own work.
Let me be up front about this vehicle. This is a wonderful vehicle but needs some work. In the past month a problem had started to
show with loss of coolant. I believe this is either a headgasket failure or a coolant passage in the cylinder head of the engine.
If you are handy a removal of the cylinder head and replacement of gasket is needed. BMW has issued a technical service bulletin
on the coolant passage/cylinder head corrosion in the area of coolant passage. The recommended repair is for head to be removed and inspected for corrosion if corrosion on head is noticed the corrosion is to be removed and filled in with a product such as jb weld and
finished with a razor blade. I was entertaining the idea of repairing the vehicle and selling it until I came across your ad on CL.
Other items that do not work are AC, needs condenser and fan resistor. The power steering pump has belt removed due to
leaking steering rack. I have driven this vehicle for 7 years with no power steering.

he is asking $1500 for the car.

Jimmy Lewis · « **Reply #2 on:** February 15, 2007, 05:42:36 AM »

You should be able to find a better car for not much for than that. That car has serious problems that aren't worth $1500, most decent cars now go for less than $3000. I'm sure you will get plenty of input.

RED IS 91 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2007, 06:53:30 AM »

If you don't know the condition of the car I.E. amount of rust,maintainance records,how it runs,condition of interior,tire etc, then I don't believe it's worth it .Chances are it's needs more than that if he hasn't fixed it .
Like Jimmy Lewis said you can find better cars for not much more money.
BUT,if the car has great interior and indeed it's low mileage rust free then an offer of 800 or 1000 will allow you to go get it with a trailer and not worry about making it home.Then repair at your shop.
Good Luck

Noel Higa · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2007, 07:33:47 AM »

The cost of the car is just the start with these things or any other 15 year old car for that matter. The "while you're at it cost" is substantial. For example, I picked up a used m42 with great compression and in good general condition for $400. But, I decided that it made no sense for me to put it into my car without replacting all of the external stuff that is much easier to do now with the engine out. So, hoses, water pump, thermostat, oil pan gaskets, clutch, motor mounts, etc. are all getting replaced. The cost for all that will end up being somewhere over $700 just in parts. That's without getting into the internals. If you pull the head, you'll want to do the timing chain tensioners at a minimum. There is no guarantee that the JB Weld repair the guy is telling you about will fix the problem. You may end up reworking the whole head or, worst case, replacing it. Figure on spending another $1,000 minimum here. Believe me, depending on how much you can do yourself, the bill can very quickly and easily reach $2,000 to $2,500. SELLERS are always telling you how cheap and easy a fix is. "Aw, it's just a head gasket. $28 at Autozone and a couple of hours labor you're on your way". Hmmm ... wonder why they're not doing it themselves? Good luck, Noel

magnum2066 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 15, 2007, 08:20:11 AM »

Quote from: TXaviator;19567

hey, new to the forum, but i know one guy up here in ND with a mutant ;-)

Do I know you? :eek:

Jimmy Lewis · « **Reply #6 on:** February 15, 2007, 09:02:11 AM »

I paid $1800 for my car with all records and oddly enough my car doesn't consume a quart of coolant every 10 minutes, just a thought.

magnum2066 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 15, 2007, 09:43:22 AM »

I forgot to mention that with an issue like this, along with considering the value of our cars this day, see if you can haggle with the guy to bring it down to at least $1000. Expect at least 2-3 grand in dumb "now I gotta fix...." repairs.

I paid $1500 for mine and although I purchased it from a family member and the engine was rebuilt 2000 or so miles ago... I need a new clutch, replace almost all shifter bushings and stuff, there is a small transmission leak, seats are all cracked, dash is cracked, the clear coat is cracking off, power steering leaks, and the brakes/ rotors are very worn out.

All that alone will cost more than what I paid for the car, assuming I am having someone else do all the work for me. At the same time, my cousin and I brought the car a long way. When he bought it from the guy there were literally bags full of misc parts, screws, hoses, and wires. The dash was ripped apart along with much of the engine bay. It used to be a parts car but now it can be real mean on the road.

TXaviator · « **Reply #8 on:** February 15, 2007, 10:25:55 AM »

Quote from: magnum2066;19575

Do I know you? :eek:

im fairly sure we do ..... red lake falls.... the silver 535.... suite 49.....? ringing bells? :-D

and everyone yes, thanks for the input definitely. im still checking out this car to see what the shape of everything else is... if the rest is in v.good/excellent condition, do you all think it would be worth the time/hassle to try and get it back here? (i understand yes theres going to be more costs fixing this and that here and there...)

D. Clay · « **Reply #9 on:** February 15, 2007, 09:45:27 PM »

Agree price is too high. If car has no rust and paint and interior are good - $1000 tops. Forget that JB weld routine, I seriously doubt BMW would issue a technical bulletin like he mentions. I may be wrong and monkeys will fly out of my butt. Coolant passes through the head all the time doesn't it. What keeps it from corroding the head in normal use? Make that $800 minus a $50 bullshit fee for a total price of $750.

magnum2066 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 15, 2007, 10:18:23 PM »

Quote from: TXaviator;19581

im fairly sure we do ..... red lake falls.... the silver 535.... suite 49.....? ringing bells? :-D

and everyone yes, thanks for the input definitely. im still checking out this car to see what the shape of everything else is... if the rest is in v.good/excellent condition, do you all think it would be worth the time/hassle to try and get it back here? (i understand yes theres going to be more costs fixing this and that here and there...)

I think I've seen you around Grand Forks... I'm not totally sure. If so I have to say I'm impressed with that shiny 535.

But as people are mentioning, you are better off looking for a better car. For example, just the other day there was a person in ST. Paul that sold a perfectly good 91 IC for $1100 in full running condition and no paint or rust problems. Keep an eye out on craig'slist or the better alternative, crazedlist. There was a guy in Grand Forks here selling a 735i turbo or something for $4500. Just don't buy this guy's bull crap about the 318 unless if its a very low price. If he mentions rarity, just laugh because there are quite a few rollin' in St. Paul.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/car/274771238.html

Thats just one I've found recently... Anyways gotta go to work! PAYDAY

TXaviator · « **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2007, 07:43:49 PM »

haha hmm maybe we dont know each other after all... because my buddy's 535 is not at ALL shiny ...

anyhow...yeah looks like ill pass on this one and wait for something better to come along!

magnum2066 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 17, 2007, 01:40:40 AM »

There was an '84 318 in the junkyard, but I suppose that doesn't help much does it?

Just keep an eye out on Craig'slist and you should be able to find what you are looking for.

TXaviator · « **Reply #13 on:** February 17, 2007, 01:06:21 PM »

willdo. and man, crazedlist is AWESOME!!!

kmack · « **Reply #14 on:** February 19, 2007, 08:23:19 PM »

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1775

I just finished dealing with a coolant-loss issue myself. I thought it was just the head gasket, but turned out to be 3 cracks in the head. It seems the two biggest damages seen on an M42 motor are bent valves or cracked head. I spent almost $600 alone to rebuild a used head with bent valves, and that was buying two new valves, valve job, decking the head to get it straight, and pressure testing. I still had to put it back on myself. Gasket set was $120 (and that was cheap). Head bolts will run at least $30.

Take about $800-900 off the asking price and you'd have a deal.

For reference, I paid $2500 for 318i in running condition (prior to coolant issues) with a spotless interior and very good exterior.

Author Topic: buying 318is.... coolant loss?? (Read 4245 times)

TXaviator

TXaviator

TXaviator

TXaviator

TXaviator

kmack