Just saying hello

You don't NEED to fit another 525e head. I took one
off a car I scrapped for the 2.7 short engine and sold
the head on ebay for 20 quid.
The best head to fit would be a standard 320i/520i
unit complete with the 2 litre cam, the numbers on
the side for which ends in '731' (yours is 200). The
head and cam goes straight on and will give you an
extra 25 bhp and make it into quite a decent old bus.

Doive, you've done well for yourself there geezer. Hope I can find one that looks as nice.

I don't have the equipment necessary to do it myself i.e. no workshop, but was having a good snoop round the head this afternoon and everything looks fairly straight forward. Been told that once you put a spanner to them, they more or less come apart in your hands, such is the quality of engineering. No seized bolts or rounded heads (so I'm told!). There is a specialist literally across the road from my flat who builds up track day E30's for fun, and when I told him I was thinking of getting a 525e he almost wet himself. Problem is that if the head itself is cracked, the whole thing may be a boat anchor as I understand these heads are like hens teeth.

Anyway, I'm taking her across for a once over on monday. When I had her jump started, I noticed that there was a puff of smoke came out of the engine in the area where the manifold joins the head - is this likely to be manifold gasket, or something related to the head gaket? Doesn't really matter anyway, it will all be coming off to fix the blown head gasket. Once that's done, I'm a very gentle driver (I drive a chevette after all) and the lazy torque of the 2.7 should be happy for another 77k miles. Think of me on monday afternoon and pray!

It looks to be in very nice exterior condition from those pictures.

Good to see someone so happy with a purchase too!

 

The engine runs sweet once it gets over the initial smokiness and roughness. When warmed a little she seems to idle, but there is mayonnaise on the oil filler cap which says to me oil and water are mixing somewhere. Just got her back to the flat this afternoon, had the wheels off and the brakes look absolutely fine, stopped very well too on the half mile drive I had - the handbrake held the car very nicely on the 40 degree slope on the low loader when going on. The auto box changes sweetly and very quietly as well, I'm secretly reckoning I've got a good one. I hope.

Gave her a good wash as well, bodywise she really is a credit to her first keeper. Barely any rust at all on her, just the fronts of the rear arches showing any signs of it. The rest of the car is lovely. I'll post a few pictures later on of her in washed state. So everything I can see on the car appears perfect, apart from the engine starting. Even found receipts for rounds of golf, and a few golf tees in the boot! I'm guessing the first owner was a golfer then.

Just been on the phone to the previous owner. He says he took it to an MG Rover garage as one of the mechanics there was a BeeEm nut, he gave it a good going over but said to get rid of it. Problems as follows:

1) Head gasket clearly blown
2) Needs all new brakes (will do myself)
3) Oil leak from front of head (gasket?)
4) Slight petrol leak from fuel pipe at tank
5) Strange vibration above 50mph

He said he was on a dual carriageway doing about 70, when there was an almighty bang and a cloud of smoke out the back. Took it to the garage and they said the gasket had gone. Does this sound like a gasket to anyone, or is it possible the head itself may have cracked? I guess I'll find out tomorrow.....

Not worried about the brakes, 100 quid from a specialist for a set and I'll do them myself. The leak from the head will be sorted with the head off. What could the vibration be though?

I'm very much into fixing up and keeping on the road, rather than turning over for quick profit. My mate who has a new 3-series has already told me I should have the chevette scrapped, but I refuse. Ok, she is a little rough round the edges but then she is 22 years old and they were never meant to last this long! The garage man is willing to drop in a spare 325i engine he has from an E30, but to be honest if the difference was only a hundred pounds or so I'd rather hold on to the 2.7 if I could. I thought the history was a bit special as well, the gentleman sounds like an older man, I hope he is still around so I can get in touch with him.

You go for it, be good to see some more nice 525e's around, instead of the more popular 528's (no offence meant Phil) that are around at the moment.

I collected the history folder from the glovebox yesterday. It still has the original owners manual, a well stamped service book, but the best thing of all was a wad of receipts for the last fifteen years. The owner before last had the car from almost new until a year ago, during which time he covered 25,000 miles - in fifteen years! Year upon year he spent hundreds of pounds every time she was up for the MoT, but the nicest receipt I found was for a year ago when the full exhaust was replaced, but crucially the rear subframe bushes were replaced, along with various other suspension bushes. It looks as if she has never wanted for anything.

There is an E34 at the yard with cross spoke 15 inch wheels on, I'm hoping the guy will sell them cheap or I have been offered a set from the bloke who is doing the head work. I'm afraid I have the rose-tinted specs on, I think she is lovely. Been round her and can't find any rust anywhere, other than the head gasket I can't find anything wrong. She had all suspension replaced about five years ago, and the brakes look in good nick as well. Don't want to break her! I've spent about 1200 quid on a 500 pound Chevette in the last year and a half, so its very likely I will pour some cash into this and see what happens.  

Hiab, I broke up a 525e a while back and offered the shell with engine for free on ebay. no takers. Do E30 heros really pay �150 for a block? the one I broke had a blown H/G, surprise surprise. It was E regd 525e Lux. It had E34 x-spokes with new tyres, which are now residing on my E28 528i.

Sets of E34 x-spokes with tyres go for 80 to 100 ish on Fleabay.

I cannot believe I am agreeing with Hiab, I must be going mad.

There are plenty of 525e's always on Fleabay at prices from �100, so no need to repair a broken one, unless you enjoy spanner work.

Let us know what you decide to do.