Nikasil strikes again

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   My E36 328 has been running a bit noisily recently, and seems to be using a fair bit of oil too...
Car was booked in today to get outstanding service campaigns done, and I asked for a compression/leak test to be done while it was there.
Just heard back from the dealer that compression is down on number 3 cylinder and it seems more than likely that it's the Nikasil problem on the M52 unit :(
Dealer is going to apply for a goodwill contribution from BMWUK, so I'll hear on Monday what the bill is likely to be. Fortunately, the car has a full BMW service history, and 65k on the clock. Fingers crossed !
On the bright side, I got a brand spanking new '04 plate 520i SE to use for the day, and it's verrrrrrrry nice.
HF

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
Hans Freikit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member I Joined: 05-February-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 143	Topic: Nikasil strikes again Posted: 20-March-2004 at 12:14
	My E36 328 has been running a bit noisily recently, and seems to be using a fair bit of oil too... Car was booked in today to get outstanding service campaigns done, and I asked for a compression/leak test to be done while it was there. Just heard back from the dealer that compression is down on number 3 cylinder and it seems more than likely that it's the Nikasil problem on the M52 unit :( Dealer is going to apply for a goodwill contribution from BMWUK, so I'll hear on Monday what the bill is likely to be. Fortunately, the car has a full BMW service history, and 65k on the clock. Fingers crossed ! On the bright side, I got a brand spanking new '04 plate 520i SE to use for the day, and it's verrrrrrrry nice. HF

Sponsored Links

Danny_boy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member I Joined: 11-February-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 128	Posted: 20-March-2004 at 14:33
	I reckon they will foot the bill - from what I have heard cars with less than about 85K on the clock are usually done for free. Fingers crossed. Dan PS - found out my engine was replaced at 35K about 5 years ago - excellent.

Dave Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 19-July-2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 59	Posted: 20-March-2004 at 16:04
	Mine was done last year 85K on the clock and no recent history. Imo the Dealer is the one you want on your side he is the one to hassle BMW UK. I think you have a good chance. Fingers are crossed for you. Dave.
	Dave E

Leesy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member II Joined: 05-March-2003 Location: Stockport Status: Offline Points: 174	Posted: 22-March-2004 at 16:53
	Mine was done at 96k miles but with FSH. I reckon you should be okay but my opinion is that you have a better chance if you're using a good dealership.

Hans Freikit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member I Joined: 05-February-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 143	Posted: 22-March-2004 at 20:21
	Looks like the finger crosing has paid off. My dealer has done an excellent job on my behalf and BMWUK are going to cover the bulk of the cost. I won't know exactly what that means until the car goes in, but it's good news so far. I'll post back here once the work has been done (car booked in for a couple of weeks time). HF

dimension Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 30-November-2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 62	Posted: 22-March-2004 at 20:44
	mine was done at around 40'000, with the previous owner, is the new block they fitted prone to do it again, or are they newer design on the replacement bottom ends?

alarustic Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 23-February-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 70	Posted: 23-March-2004 at 00:58
	Nothing to worry about if a replacement has taken place Edited by alarustic

Leesy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member II Joined: 05-March-2003 Location: Stockport Status: Offline Points: 174	Posted: 23-March-2004 at 09:06
	Hans, They'll probably make you pay for consumables ie oil and coolant. Still manage to charge around �80 though!

Hans Freikit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member I Joined: 05-February-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 143	Posted: 23-March-2004 at 09:08
	If I understand correctly, even if they didn't fit an Alusil block, the better quality (low sulphur) fuel we have these days means that the problem is unlikely to occur with Nikasil liners again. HF

Hans Freikit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member I Joined: 05-February-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 143	Posted: 23-March-2004 at 09:09
	Leesy - you're right - dealer has already mentioned consumables to me - oil and possibly plugs too, they said. Still a bargain IMHO HF

Badger 540 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Really Senior Member I Joined: 23-October-2003 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 451	Posted: 23-March-2004 at 09:16
	I thought that Nikasil blocks were replaced with Alusil on the V8 engines, (M60) and the M52 blocks were replaced with a steel liner block rather than alusil. Andy West Midlands
	Badger540 West Midlands

Hans Freikit Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member I Joined: 05-February-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 143	Posted: 23-March-2004 at 09:20
	My mistake, does seem like they use steel on the M52. Extract from http://www.lestac.co.uk/bmw/nikasil.htm#cost_block_replace follows: "The new M60 V8 is an Alusil bock and comes complete and built-up with a new pistons and a new crankshaft. The replacement M52 is an alloy bock with steel liners ..." HF

ivas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 26-March-2004 Location: Greece Status: Offline Points: 6	Posted: 26-March-2004 at 16:28
	Hello! Last week I installed an 328 engine from germany which has approximately 90K miles on the clock. It is a 1996 engine and it is the M52. So it is possible that it will have the nicasil problem... Does anyone know if the nicasil was an issue in germany too? It seems ok, the idle is stable and it runs very smoothly. Should i be prepared for the issue to arise, or not? please help.... Here in greece I asked a bmw dealer about hte nicasil problem and he said he never heard of it... what should i do?

Peter Fenwick Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 27-August-2003 Location: Lost somewhere in time... Status: Offline Points: 6484	Posted: 26-March-2004 at 16:39
	As far as I am aware the nikasil problem only affected cars in the UK. It was supposedly caused by low quality high sulphur fuel. In any case if the engine is fine at the moment as long as you use good quality low sulphur fuel every thing should be ok
	Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.

Dave Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 19-July-2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 59	Posted: 26-March-2004 at 17:14
	First let me say glad to hear you got a result Hans Freikit. When I was researching the Nikasil issue I read that when the problem was first encountered the Nikasil blocks WERE replaced with blocks that were again Nikasil lined. BMW did not see it as a major problem thinking it was only a few blocks that had a problem. When more and more engines started to suffer with the problem, the blocks were changed to the steel lined ones (apparently the American engines had steel liners so did not suffer with the problem). Don�t know about the German ones though. Don�t even know where I read about this, Just thought id share it with you. Dave.
	Dave E

mogart1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 01-February-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 90	Posted: 26-March-2004 at 22:59
	From what I have heard, from the fine chaps at BMW Munich themselves, if the engine is from the German market, it will not be an issue. BMW do the majority of their validation in Germany and the South of France (Miramas), so this would have been picked up. The UK market was a freak issue due to the high sulphur content causing corrosion of the liner material. The issue took a little while to resolve as the warranty data was collected, hence most of the first replacements would have been like for like. Doea anyone know which year the UK reduced its sulphur content in fuel?
	M3 S50 Saloon 'Individual'

ivas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 26-March-2004 Location: Greece Status: Offline Points: 6	Posted: 28-March-2004 at 13:58
	Thank you for the replies... I cross my fingers that everything will be ok with this engine.... The car is so faster now and i'm so happy I installed the engine and everything....

B 7 VP Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Really Senior Member II Joined: 04-November-2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1115	Posted: 28-March-2004 at 17:31
	Excuse my late question, Why was the Uk Fuel "High Sulphur" content, when everyone knows the uk fuel is the greatest ever refined , (thats what we are told ), and BMW Engine Dept designed an engine which is Not suitable for World Markets due to differant Fuel mixtures, around the world.?So as the product was not fit for consumers due to defective Fuelmixtures, Why are ANY owners being asked to pay Any expence whatsoever in putting right, the damage to engines??.Does it matter if the Prob was a 1st owner issue, or a 6th owner , they ALL paid their money, which keeps the used market flowing, so that New cars can be sold. We should be told!!!!!!

Mac Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member II Joined: 15-October-2003 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 200	Posted: 29-March-2004 at 13:22
	I have a 97 320i and it looks likely that it has bore wear. The problem is very rare here in Ireland and after having a compression test done, the (Authorised BMW) dealer who did the compression test wants �640 to strip the engine down to find where the problem is. I'm not too happy about this as you can imagine !! I'm taking it back to where it was bought and hopefully they might be more sympathetic to my case. The car has a few months warranty left and they say that the problem might just be down to "normal wear and tear" I'd hope a BMW Engine is good for more than 99K. My old XR3i did more mileage and had no engine trouble at this stage. Any thoughts or suggestions welcome... Cheers Mac

mogart1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 01-February-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 90	Posted: 29-March-2004 at 17:42
	Crap fuel UK -I'd heard this was down to legislation / the oil companies offloading their crap on us - and there was also regional variation - the North West being worst afflicted - crazy like you say when we have oil with ultra low content in North sea oil. I agree with B 7 VP, this is a design flaw which should be FOC, however I would imagine this has cost BMW an absolute fortune in warranty already and like any business they are here to make money, but approached correctly they will do the work. A friend of mine had a '97 523 with the problem - no service history. The local dealer was a bit iffy, but after contacting HQ at Bracknel, the work was done for free (apart from a charge for 'consumables'). To put this in perspective though, and to give BMW their dues, imagine approaching a Ford dealer - or even more laughable an Alfa dealer- hahahahahahaha.
	M3 S50 Saloon 'Individual'