Author Topic: HELP!!! Head Gasket Gone!!! (Read 8478 times)

Birdman16 · « **on:** August 19, 2008, 01:16:56 PM »

Guys, and Girls, I really need your help on this one. I have a 91 318is with 137,500 on the clock. I took it into the shop yesterday with an idle problem. It has to be reved when cold and when it levels out the revs slowly creep back up to 1200 rpms and a check engine light comes on.

Inside the bay, the car makes a loud hissing sound. I have replaced all coolent and vacuumm lines and can't think of what it is.:confused: I just got a call back from the shop saying it is possibly a blown injector o ring or, dare I say, a blown head gasket!!! I can't afford a head job at 17 and my parents will make me sell my baby if it is a blown head gasket because I can't afford it. :eek:

Please, Please! send input on what the problem could be. I can't afford to lose this car!!!

EN318isPDX · « **Reply #1 on:** August 19, 2008, 01:34:27 PM »

Quote from: Birdman16;55168

Guys, and Girls, I really need your help on this one. I have a 91 318is with 137,500 on the clock. I took it into the shop yesterday with an idle problem. It has to be reved when cold and when it levels out the revs slowly creep back up to 1200 rpms and a check engine light comes on.

Inside the bay, the car makes a loud hissing sound. I have replaced all coolent and vacuumm lines and can't think of what it is.:confused: I just got a call back from the shop saying it is possibly a blown injector o ring or, dare I say, a blown head gasket!!! I can't afford a head job at 17 and my parents will make me sell my baby if it is a blown head gasket because I can't afford it. :eek:

Please, Please! send input on what the problem could be. I can't afford to lose this car!!!

Check ur fuel pressure, check your fuel rail for leaks. Pull the intake and replace those gaskets.

Birdman16 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 19, 2008, 01:35:39 PM »

Already done. Ruled out. Thanks though!

EN318isPDX · « **Reply #3 on:** August 19, 2008, 01:49:10 PM »

Quote from: Birdman16;55173

Already done. Ruled out. Thanks though!

Is your coolant going away? Is your oil looks like sludge? When i pulled my fuel rail both of the fuel hoses were so badly damaged i had to replace them. I doubt a stumble could be a head gasket (you would get more obvious things like milkshake oil). I'd go back through everything you have fixed and ask urself what else could it be? I am still having idle issues and ive replaced basically everything. i still have to try coolant sensors and cam sensor. ive replaced everything with new OEM parts from BMW. Even the lead tech at BMW has had a hard time figuring out my problem

Birdman16 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 19, 2008, 01:57:12 PM »

The car had a coolant leak but that has been taken care of. Oil was replaced two weeks ago but that did not improve the idle. I have also put two cans of techron and gumout fuel injection cleaner. The oil came out like dirty oil and not like a milkshake.

Birdman16 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 19, 2008, 02:58:54 PM »

Just got another call... Shop owner said that it may be a blown injector gasket, good call EN318isPDX. I'm not sure if that is the complete problem, but it must be a help....

rob_e30 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 19, 2008, 10:11:25 PM »

That would function as a vacuum leak and could present all of the symptoms. If you hear a hissing sound it's most likely a vacuum leak somewhere. A smoke machine is very handy for testing that unless your problem is in the brake booster. A smoke machine will not help find a problem there, but it's worth checking if the o-ring does not solve your problem. As far as repair costs go, you won't find a cheaper part than an injector o-ring!

Birdman16 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 20, 2008, 10:37:27 AM »

Quote from: rob_e30;55213

That would function as a vacuum leak and could present all of the symptoms. If you hear a hissing sound it's most likely a vacuum leak somewhere. A smoke machine is very handy for testing that unless your problem is in the brake booster. A smoke machine will not help find a problem there, but it's worth checking if the o-ring does not solve your problem. As far as repair costs go, you won't find a cheaper part than an injector o-ring!

My girlfriend's dad who owned a 2002 said the problem could be in the booster but I doubt that. The sound is underneath the plenum but I can't tell exactly.

AcSchnitzer318is · « **Reply #8 on:** August 21, 2008, 12:29:11 AM »

I have a vacuum leak sound as well and replaced all lines, injectors/o rings, and smoke tested the engine. No leaks found. My brakes are a bit weak though, so I'm guessing problem may be my booster? Any opinions? I thought the sound was coming from the front of the engine as well, but no leaks detected with smoke test???

rob_e30 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 21, 2008, 09:43:51 AM »

Quote from: AcSchnitzer318is;55263

I have a vacuum leak sound as well and replaced all lines, injectors/o rings, and smoke tested the engine. No leaks found. My brakes are a bit weak though, so I'm guessing problem may be my booster? Any opinions? I thought the sound was coming from the front of the engine as well, but no leaks detected with smoke test???

Is the idle fast or above normal?

Sounds like you may have identified the problem. One test you can do (but I don't think it's definitive) is to step on the brake pedal while starting the engine. The pedal should move more once the engine is running and applying vacuum to the booster.

AcSchnitzer318is · « **Reply #10 on:** August 21, 2008, 10:24:10 AM »

Quote from: rob_e30;55273

Is the idel fast or above normal?

Sounds like you may have identified the problem. One test you can do (but I don't think it's definitive) is to step on the brake pedal while starting the engine. The pedal should move more once the engine is running and applying vacuum to the booster.

It idles fine once it's warmed up for a minute or two. Brakes still feel a bit weak though. Before it's warmed up it sputters and stalls sometimes, and idles erratically.

I will try the pedal test you suggested though I think I remember the pedal feeling stiffer with engine off and then going down more with engine on.

rob_e30 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 21, 2008, 11:51:45 AM »

Quote from: AcSchnitzer318is;55274

It idles fine once it's warmed up for a minute or two. Brakes still feel a bit weak though. Before it's warmed up it sputters and stalls sometimes, and idles erratically.

I will try the pedal test you suggested though I think I remember the pedal feeling stiffer with engine off and then going down more with engine on.

Sounds more like a bad Idle Air Control valve or Coolant Temp Sensor. One thing a vacuum leak will do is cause your car to idle faster and perhaps set a check engine light as you have unmetered air in the intake.

Boosted E30 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 25, 2008, 07:50:38 PM »

Have you checked the boot from the MAF to the throttle body for cracks very common or how about your intake manifold gaskets them selfs maybe they are dried up??

Birdman16 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 25, 2008, 08:20:11 PM »

It was a miscalculation on the shop's part. It turned out to be the air intake gasket sucking in on the fourth cylinder. THANK GOD!! Car will be home tomorrow. 1 day before school starts!!!

AcSchnitzer318is · « **Reply #14 on:** August 26, 2008, 01:32:36 AM »

Quote from: rob_e30;55279

Sounds more like a bad Idle Air Control valve or Coolant Temp Sensor. One thing a vacuum leak will do is cause your car to idle faster and perhaps set a check engine light as you have unmetered air in the intake.

Replaced ICV, CTS, TPS, injectors, vacuum lines, AFM, Intake plenum elbow, upper/lower gaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets (still sounds like an exhaust leak though), ECU, Plugs, wires, checked coils. Car runs better than it did before all the work... but it still does the hesitation/stalling on initial startup. Even my local shop is stumped (taken Bmw's there for 10+ years) and they've never been unable to diagnose a problem.

LOL I'm flabbergasted. Rebuilt motor only has 34,000 miles on it. Previous owner of said motor said it didn't do that in the car it was in. I drove said car before it was removed. It was originally installed in that car by BMW dealership in 2003. Soooo... solution to me has to be something external to the motor itself, like the booster...? Possibly wiring harness, but I don't know why it would ALWAYS run perfect after about 2 minutes.