Overheated M42: the depressing saga
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bmwpower

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Overheated M42 club: advice?
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2007, 11:01:25 PM »
Advice?  Do a coolant system pressure check before running it.  Then start the car and check it again.  If it's a cracked head, it will not hold pressure.

Are the coolant hoses rock hard when the car is running?

And stop driving it until you figure out what's going on...
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nomad

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« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2007, 11:12:37 PM »
The hoses were rock hard when I pulled over and looked at everything for the last time. I was wondering about that. Don't worry, I'm not driving it any longer. The first time I really drove it after work was to work today. It won't go anywhere now.

KISS OF DEATH: After it cooled, I tried to turn the engine over one last time to see if I could spot a leak (still could not) and the engine won't turn over. I believe it's hydrolocked by coolant. The starter wants to turn it but nothing will move. I think coolant leaked into the cylinder from the pressure in the system and filled the cylinder.



It's dead.

I'm looking for heads and engines now. I'll tow it back to my house and take it apart, just for morbid fascination I guess.

Maybe I can salvage it, but it'll take time and money.
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bmwpower

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« Reply #17 on: August 14, 2007, 11:21:52 PM »
Quote from: nomad;31632
The hoses were rock hard when I pulled over and looked at everything for the last time. I was wondering about that. Don't worry, I'm not driving it any longer. The first time I really drove it after work was to work today. It won't go anywhere now.

KISS OF DEATH: After it cooled, I tried to turn the engine over one last time to see if I could spot a leak (still could not) and the engine won't turn over. I believe it's hydrolocked by coolant. The starter wants to turn it but nothing will move. I think coolant leaked into the cylinder from the pressure in the system and filled the cylinder.



It's dead.

I'm looking for heads and engines now. I'll tow it back to my house and take it apart, just for morbid fascination I guess.

Maybe I can salvage it, but it'll take time and money.


Wow.  That's pretty bad.  Hopefully you didn't damage the bottom end.  Pull the spark plugs and get rid of the pressure.
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nomad

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« Reply #18 on: August 14, 2007, 11:45:40 PM »
I'll be taking my tools in to work tomorrow. If I'm lucky some local punks will have stolen everything off it and I can total the car through insurance.
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nomad

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« Reply #19 on: August 15, 2007, 12:22:28 PM »
Just for the purpose of documentng for future generations... I'll continue posting.

So I sucked out about a tablespoon or two of bright coolant from the #3? (second from the front) cylinder. Others looked semi OK. I'l bring the car back home and pop the head.

Time to search for a head...
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bmwpower

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« Reply #20 on: August 15, 2007, 12:41:44 PM »
#3...like this one?







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nomad

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« Reply #21 on: August 15, 2007, 01:20:37 PM »
Actually, one to the right, but no guarantee that's not cracked too.

Just got quoted $800 for a used head, untouched. $2200 for the full overkill rebuild with all new parts and port/polish etc.

I'l keep looking, thanks. You can buy honda heads for $100 all day... but just because it says BMW...
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tjts1

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« Reply #22 on: August 15, 2007, 01:22:43 PM »
« Last Edit: August 15, 2007, 01:29:32 PM by tjts1 »
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Sold but not forgotten

This is whats wrong with your car.
http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2742
[/thread]

nomad

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« Reply #23 on: August 15, 2007, 01:39:38 PM »
I'm REALLY hoping it's the head gasket...
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bmwman91

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Overheated M42 club: advice?
« Reply #24 on: August 15, 2007, 05:19:35 PM »
Wow I am really sorry to hear about this.  Aside from the leak in the head, did you check the thermostat housing thoroughly?  There is a little bypass groove, that if plugged, will prevent you from bleeding the air out and can prevent the tstat from opening (prevents hot water from getting to it).  If you used some sort of gasket sealer on the housing gasket, it might have plugged it, or it was just clogged.

Anyway, best of luck to you.  I will keep an eye out for a used head.
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sumyungguy

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Overheated M42 club: advice?
« Reply #25 on: August 15, 2007, 05:43:35 PM »
Man that really sucks..

Quote from: tjts1;31680
Time for F20c swap then?


Or
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-318i-double-over-head-cam-cylinder-head-318ti-318ci_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33617QQihZ013QQitemZ230161568872QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
You could also be looking at just a failed head gasket

Im currently looking for a totaled s2000 to do the swap :cool:.
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nomad

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« Reply #26 on: August 15, 2007, 06:02:23 PM »
I made sure the small hole was not plugged. I will obviously have the joy of taking this all apart again so I'll look and see if it plugged up.

Everyone said these engines are plentiful and inexpensive. That's not what I'm finding out, compared to other basic engines. I'm having trouble finding the people who have all these engines.
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bmwman91

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Overheated M42 club: advice?
« Reply #27 on: August 15, 2007, 06:46:13 PM »
Well, make sure to check on Bimmerforums.  A think a few folks there are ditching their M42s currently.
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bmwpower

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« Reply #28 on: August 15, 2007, 09:26:16 PM »
http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=93056

This guy has/had a head for sale.  I was going to buy it from him, but never heard back (I was waiting for him to pull it).

Contact him.  The price was reasonable.  I would have bought it, but I couldn't wait and I found one with lower mileage...I think his was like 140k miles.
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nomad

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« Reply #29 on: August 22, 2007, 11:28:10 PM »
Long story short = REVISED = Warped headgasket due to overheating which then cracked the head.

Crack may only be a small issue as the headgasket caused the main problem.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2007, 12:42:18 AM by nomad »
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