BMW 316i - Head gasket failure

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Fri 15 Mar 2013 17:43
BMW 316i - Head gasket failure - Rogdrive

Help please, the problem is my Son has driven his 1999 BMW without water and initially siezed the engine. The garge was reluctant to look at, but they tried to do an esy fix, but now say that the car can only be scrapped as engine is drinking water and it would be too difficult to replace the head gasket and the car isn't worth doing. It is a 1999 car, but is in good condition otherwise and has had a full service history and no rust or panel damege. The garge want me to scrap the car and say it is only worth £120, but I am reluctant and still wonder if it is worth saving? ]

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Fri 15 Mar 2013 17:58
BMW 316i - Head gasket failure - Collos25

If you have the facilities to do work yourself then you will have to remove the head and see what damage there is it may only need a new gasket or it may be completely goosed,you could buy a complete used engine from somewhere like ebay and have it fitted but bear in mind the cost.I have just bought a 2004 316 compact in spot on condition 80k for 2k so a 1999 is not going to worth much even running.

The garage is probably correct and is looking after your financial interests if I were you I would sell the car in bits if you have the room if not try an advert on ebay for the whole car.

Don´t forget to sorn the car and cancel the road tax and insurance.

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Fri 15 Mar 2013 18:27
BMW 316i - Head gasket failure - injection doc
The garage is quite right ! The one thing that many people forget is when an engine overheats it distorts ! So I hear you shout " you can machine the head " but what is forgotten is when the head distorts the cam carrier usually distorts as well causing the camshaft to whip when rotating, may be whip is the wrong word, may be flex. The next thing is a snapped camshaft.
Engines that have been run low on water are best to scrap.
Either get a spare engine or scrap the car. It sounds like. The garage have your best interest at heart as they could easily charge you to strip and attempt a repair.
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Fri 15 Mar 2013 18:54
BMW 316i - Head gasket failure - wafer
The cost to strip and skim could easily be £1000 and will last maybe 3 or 4 years. So it may well be in your best interest to look for a replacement car.
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Mon 28 Oct 2013 19:54
BMW 316i - Head gasket failure - Rogdrive
Just an update. Picked up car from garage as they said it would need to be scrapped and wouldn't drive very far. Well 100 miles very careful driving car still working fine and temperature needle stuck at normal. Was going to phone breakdown and get them to tow it home but in the event just kept driving and car behaved well. 6 months later after all the hot weather and a new MOT car still going well. Garage say they used K-seal and this must have cured it. Very pleased as no damage seems to have been caused, in fact car seems really smooth and fast. So a lesson to me not to always take things at face value and trust my own instincts as otherwise I would have just listened to garage and got £50 scrap value for a perfectly good car.
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Fri 15 Mar 2013 18:51
BMW 316i - Head gasket failure - Rogdrive

Thanks for your reply, myabe I will get it home and try a repair myself, although I have been warned that other engine damage may have occurred so a replacement engine might be a better bet. This car was only £1k 2 years ago and so far had caused no problems and if he had stopped when the dials warned him to it would still be in good condition! Yes selling in bits may be the answer, but wI don'y know what to do with waht is left of the car at the end, would someone come and take it away? Perhaps an ebay advert for spares or repaitr may be better, it has a brand new battery and good alloys and tyres. Apprecaite your advice, thanks again.

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Thu 11 Apr 2013 16:35
BMW 316i - Head gasket failure - ace-events

Can an anyone assist me as have 1998 BMW 316i service regularly by main agents. Oil service and health check etc. The car heater hose split as car apparently overheated. RACe took car to main agents who repaired and allegedly did a diagnostic check including getting car upto temperature. I drove a number of short journies and final one car began to overheat and I immediately stopped. RAC arrived removed thermostat and I carefully drove the miles to main agent. Car did not overheat on this journey. Call from garage saying head gasket gone cost to repair £1380 two days later another call - head cracked cost to repair £3000.00. At insistance of Warrany Direct who have been very helpful, head sent away for testing. Result head not cracked. Now going to take a week to reassemble.

My question is that according to RAC thermostat was faulty. Had this been found on first visit to garage the 2nd breakdown would probably not have happened and I blame garage. Any views from someone with experience appreciated as this garage is a main BMW garage and one would expect them to not only have fixed the first fault, but found out what caused it. as only covered 120 miles from first to last breakdown.

Edited by ace-events on 11/04/2013 at 16:36

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Fri 12 Apr 2013 10:14
BMW 316i - Head gasket failure - Collos25

If it covered 120 miles without problem then its hard to see how you could blame the garage ,regarding the cracked head how have both parties tested for cracks if it isn´t cracked then the agent is asking for money under false pretences. it will also be interesting to see when its rebuilt with a new thermostat if it runs ok.

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