Author Topic: Engine Head Gasket M42 (Read 5952 times)

pifane · « **on:** February 08, 2008, 02:44:50 PM »

Hi!

Ive made my oil change last week. 2 days later, when I moved my car in my driveway, ive look on the snow on the ground and what I see : My dam mobile1 synthec oil on the ground :mad:.

First, open the hood. Checking oil : 50% is going:eek:

I look at the engine near the oil filter cap and look what Ive see:

My oil is gone by a damage gasket.....

..

So, my car have 332 000 KM. Body is fine. no hole or anything under the car. Only few scracth. Engine run good and smooth. 650 RPM at normal temp. Never having trouble with engine. Compression is still good. ENGINE STILL GOOD I THINK! And I dont know if he have a valvle problem or something, except he sound great!!!

I have put a lot of money on this car :
-Bilstein SPORT suspension + shock mount
-New Winshield
-New radiator
-New winshield wiper motor
-Rebuilt S.I. board
-4 hankook studded winter tire
-New Seat Cover
-New Wheel Bearing
-New Tie Rod End
-New suspension table
-New beam

Im always shifting at good RPM and i never drag with it.

So, my FIRST question is :

- IT IS A GOOD CHOICE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET IF I THINK MY ENGINE WILL BE GOOD FOR ANOTHER LONG MOMENT? (When i will open it with my mecano I will also change the tensioner chain and the timing chain)

So, my other question is :

Did I need special instruction or hint when i will do it?

Thanks a lot!

haledj · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2008, 03:02:43 PM »

I would shop for a low mileage m42, and keep driving this one till it pops or you are ready to swap in the new one

pifane · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2008, 03:51:45 PM »

You know, looking for a low mileage m42 in Quebec, canada, is like looking for a place in mexico whitout polution.......And my budget is not illimited...I have look at bavarian auto recycling website....and my brother called for me (my english suck...) and Bavarian told us that a M42 rebuilt engine is 1000$ and 600$ shipping....It's too expensive for me....

Anyway, thank's for the answer, i hope he will run at least another 50 000 KM, until I will have money to buy something else....yeah yeah...another BMW!

And just for the eyes, look at this beauty!
http://cgi.ebay.ca/BMW-M3-Performance-1989-BMW-e30-M3-VERY-RARE-A-MUST-SEE_W0QQitemZ260209908417QQihZ016QQcategoryZ6131QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

D. Clay · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2008, 04:10:21 PM »

An E36 M42 up 1995 will work if you strip it to the long block and use all of you intake, brackets, accessories, manifolds, etc. They are actually sometimes cheaper than the older motors. Link below will also search Canada.
http://car-part.com/

beegeezy · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2008, 07:33:33 PM »

Kinda ot, but has anyone run an mls gasket on their m42? How did you like it? how much will the .120 gasket lower the compression?

pifane · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2008, 05:40:44 PM »

Hi!

We have open my engine. It's a lot of work the first time when you dont know how it's hard to do with wires. So, my engine head is very clean. Cylinder, piston, air intake are in pretty good cond. The timing chain, actually 334 000 km is in great shape too. Tensionner too.

What to know : When you order a Head Gasket Set you will not receive the timing chain upper and lower cap gasket. IT's a part of the engine, but you have to order another set!! That very suck, because on the moment i dont have it. So, my car will pass another day at the garage for that.

So, my mecano think my engine is in pretty good condition for a 335 000 KM engine. He never see that before. So, we have to take in consideration it's he's first time with a BMW.

So, the trouble gasket will be changed tomorrow. I will provide picture of faulty gasket.

If you have any sugestion or important point I have to know about the engine, please reply!

Thanks a lot!!

dude8383 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2008, 06:04:58 PM »

You should get yourself Gasket sets!!

You'll save some money this way.

There is a bottom end gasket set, and an upper gasket set that you can order from BMAparts.com

bmwpower · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2008, 08:25:47 AM »

Quote from: dude8383;43038

You should get yourself Gasket sets!!

You'll save some money this way.

There is a bottom end gasket set, and an upper gasket set that you can order from BMAparts.com

Yea, isn't that just the timing case gasket and maybe the front profile gasket leaking?

Stop using synthetic oil if you're engine is leaky.

pifane · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2008, 09:59:23 AM »

What kind of oil im suposed to use for normal use in my m42 ? Not suposed to be syntec oil 10w30 ?

MikeK · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2008, 11:35:24 AM »

Quote from: pifane;43079

What kind of oil im suposed to use for normal use in my m42 ? Not suposed to be syntec oil 10w30 ?

i use semi-synth 10w-40 every 3k, i may try to use a thicker oil tho.

pifane · « **Reply #10 on:** February 22, 2008, 09:59:26 AM »

Hi!

So, I think my use of mobile one syntec 10W30 have caused my oil leak. Ive called the specialist at the bmw garage and he told me to stop using syntec oil and use normal Castrol Oil for my 330 000 KM engine!:rolleyes:

So, here, at this period of years, in Quebec, canada, the temp is all the time between -30 and -10....i will put 5W30 for 3500-5000 KM!

Thanks for your reply. My car is still at the garage. I will start it in a couple of hours. I will reply!

hoevesruperd · « **Reply #11 on:** February 22, 2008, 10:15:08 AM »

Quote from: pifane;43319

So, here, at this period of years, in Quebec, canada, the temp is all the time between -30 and -10....i will put 5W30 for 3500-5000 KM!!

je viens de remarquer que toi avec t'es quebecois! jpeux te dire que jsuis tann� de l'hiver! on devrait organiser un meeting e30 cet �t�!

bonne chance avec ton moteur!

(for the others; i'm saying i'm glad to find a quebec peer and hope the winter ends soon)

pifane · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2008, 10:35:56 AM »

H�h�!

Mon anglais de fond de rang est si facile que �a � d�masqu�?

Non sans joke, jen ai ma claque de l'hiver avec ma 318i, malgr� que c'est particuli�rement amusant de faire de la drift � chaque d�tour (je reste en campagne est lasphalte est rarement d�gag�)

Tout a lach� � cause de lhiver ou presque.....lol...moteur de wiper, pedale de gaz a peter � cause dla glace, presque pas de chauffrette vu quil sont pas isol�!

Demande beaucoup dentretient un char de 330 000 km!

Si �a tinteresse, sur monchar.com ya la teambavarianmotorsport!

Juste voir pifane.monchar.com tu va comprendre!

Salut l'amis! Jvais reposter si mon char start apr�s un d�montage complet!

(For the other, im just crying about having a E30 during the winter...haha)

pifane · « **Reply #13 on:** February 22, 2008, 04:26:53 PM »

So, this is the reply to help someone that having to change the sames parts of me.

Al gasket on my engine have been changed. No oil leak anymore. My M42 of 335 000 km is running like new. I got many other small problem but for the moment the car is running!

The first start after remounting have been though. 3 shot to start. 3 step torquing engine. 15 hours of hard work. I have changed my winshield wiper motor in the same time. What they said on bmw do it yourself about changing a wiper motor on a e30 is not very true.

So, for now, I got to change my fan clutch. When im on high speed (70mph), the temp. is on the middle. On slow, the temp is near red. Dammm fan clutch.

For oil, the problem caused my oil leak, the mobile1 10w30 syntec. have been fixed by changing the gasket. For the moment, im using catrol GTX 5w30 for winter, do you think its ok?

After that, I got a question, ive changed my S.I. board : Fuel consomation is back, RPM IS BACK, temperature is back, fuel gage too, but speed gauge is gone! Not working anymore. Someone have an idea? Bad repair?

So, this is what ive changed since i got my 1991 318i m42 335 000km:

-Bilstein HD SHOCK (NEW)
-Wheel bearing (NEW)
-Diff. Fluidz (NEW)
-S.I. Board (NEW)
-Windshield wiper motor (NEW)
-Windshield (NEW)
-low beam right (NEW)
-Fod light righ (NEW)
-Suspension table (NEW)
-Tie Rod (NEW)
-Advanced air filter (NEW)
-Engine head gasket (NEW)
-brake and clutch pedal cover (NEW)
-Timing chain (NEW)
-Timing chain gasket cover (NEW)
-Timing chain tensionner (NEW)
-Alternator/Power steering belt (NEW)
-Radiator hose (2 of 3) (NEW)

Income :
-Brake (Everything is going to death in the rust and mileage)
-Fuel Filter
-Maybe a starter at fall 2008

So, if someone know whats happening with my s.i. board, just reply! Thanks for everything all!

Final result :

D. Clay · « **Reply #14 on:** February 22, 2008, 05:40:15 PM »

It's winter here too! Don't be hatin'. It'll be 105 in the shade soon.