E46 323i - Headgasket HELP!!!!!!

welcome to the forum!

Does seem like a headgasket problem. If you go to an good indy it will cost you around £200. If you know a mate say 120 - 160.

I walked away from a couple of E36s that had sludge on the oil filler and was about to walk away from another but it was too nice so I looked into the problem a bit more.  Turned out it was more than likely due to condensation from too many short journeys where the oil doesn't properly warm up.  Ask the seller about the type of journeys the car's been doing - it might not be as bad as you think.

Think its 6hr labour for h/gasket on m52 engine. we have some probs with them, when changing head gaskets and tightening down cyl head can strip threads from block then req block. Happens a lot if still got old type block in.

SHAFT thinking its about six hours labour and knowing its twenty six hours is a hell of a difference try looking up repair times I use AUTO DATA most garages also use this software I'm fed up of people guessing so OK it can be done quicker we all know that but six hours is a no no these times are there for a good reason its also there to stop some garages ripping people off by quoting silly repair times so come on get the info first please!

thedaean wrote: Turned out it was more than likely due to condensation from too many short journeys where the oil doesn't properly warm up.

This would have been my first thought. While the dealer has the car it will only be started up for short periods except for the occasional test drive.

My 328 used to get exactly the same thing after short runs. Your best bet is to ask to take the car on an extended test drive and see if it clears up. Also are there any other signs that the car has a head gasket problem?

im buying it off a guy who confesses his knows nothing about cars... (i dont know whether to believe him)

anyway i attempted to check to coolant... but guess what.... there wasn't any... he's been driving it without!!!... he said he last filled up 4 months ago... he does about 10miles a day... the thing is that it doesnt overheat at all.... i drove it for about half an hour.

could the loss of coolant be due to him having an oil change the previous day?? maybe the garage emptied it by mistake???.

anyway i dunno wat to do... im getting it for £3300.. (1999 323i se, 116k).... what do you think.. worth the risk??

price is good according to parkers says 5500 trade.

good luck

I would not buy a car from someone who's been running it without coolant. If it's not indicating an overheat and there's no water in it, there's something serious wrong!

Walk away from that one methinks.

thedaean wrote: Can't help but agree.  No coolant plus mayo under the filler cap starts to point back to head gasket rather than condensation.

I agree with this too. There are plenty of decent 323s to choose from.

We had to do a head gasket very recently on an E30 325, though not the same engine reckon the timings may be indicitive. It took us just over 12 hours to strip the head, pressure test and skim, replace 4 guides, replace the cam and followers and seals, lap the valves, prepare the block and bolt holes, refit the head, rebuild and do the tappets. Then another Hour remedial work after it was run up and allowed to cool before fine tuning and adjustment. If it was being charged for then it would have cost £400+ just for labour, high quality head set cost £100 then there's the cost of oil and A/F so anything between £500-£700.

If all they would do is remove the head, throw in a new gasket and re tighten then £200 may be achievable but I wouldn't trust the engine not to go again real quick, definately not a proper job!!

I would run away from anything with contaminated water or oil though, check the oil on the dipstick for mixing or very black oil and water reservoir for oil if you are still considering.

Rob

Edited by Madrab