.... in the buying public !

During a jaunt into Pheonix BMW I asked about replacing the block on my car for non Nikisil and all associated costs and a wee rough estimate. New block £2K and two days labour .... ok fine a thought, least I know ...

Then the absolute gem was sprung on me, your not gonna believe this.

Apparently the Parts Manager told my little helper guy that the Nikisil engine was not the problem but it was infact the Alusil engine which caused all the problems !!!

Brilliant eh !!! Guess am safe now then !!!!!

vpricey wrote: The Nikisil engines are only a problem if you don't treat them right. As I say let them warm up fully each time you drive them and not too many short trips and they'll be fine. As for changing the block, buy an Alusil block and do it yourself, each side by side and swap the parts over, I'll even give you a hand.  Also just spotted a guy over on the E30zone who's selling an m52b28 bottom end that has Iron liners...

Thanks for the offer Paul, you know you just might get taken up on that ... lol ... might need a loaner vehicle during the transition, youve got a few spares eh :)

I dont drive my car hard as you know ... only on special occasions does it get a wee bit of a clean out ...lol .... but generally I use the car for a 10 mile trip to work and back, and some fannyin about back and forth from Donuts house, other than that .... I dont use it much to be honest but my cars are services every 10K regardless, and pretty much well maintained and looked after.

I am at the looking into it stage. Where would I find the enbine model number you quoted there, and also regarding the conversation we had at Moffat, I cant find the number on my diff ...lol

m3Cecotto wrote: The last Nikasil engine was built over 10 years ago. Surely by now, the engine is either dead [and replaced by BMW] or unaffected?

I did the check on my engine block by looking for the tab to show that it had been converted, and it appears to have no tab, therefore still Nikisil. The dealers local had a look on their systems but couldnt find a block replacement, only a steering coupling and few other things done under warranty, rear spring, and a battery, but told me to check with the other dealers to be sure.

I thought that they were all linked?

It does appear to be a Nikisil block I have but I am slowly convincing myself not to think about it and enjoy the damn car instead of worrying about something that hasnt happened .... yet.

Maybe the guys in Munich will answer my letter sometime soon eh !!

What year is the car?

The nikasil blocks weren't used after  March 1998, & as mentioned above, you would have had problems by now, it was only cars that were subject to certaing types of fuel that were affected.

I wouldn't spend £2k on a block for a £2k car?

If it's not showing tell tale signs by now it probably won't show them at all.

The motor out of my 328 Tourer had a Nikasil block on 160,000 Miles, but it was the head that killed it.

And my 1995 540i had 183,000 miles on it when I sold it over 2 years ago and as far as I know its still on the go.

I wouldn't worry about it but I have a 323 Alusil block sitting in my garage if your looking! :-)

1995 Ally March 1995

Cars on left hand side of this photo:

As for spending the money, if I need to then I will as I love my car, and its in super mint condition, and would be deserving of the engine being done if it needed it.

I think the main crux of the "engine problem" is in my mind though due to so much reading about Nikisil ... hence the chill !

ally wrote: I wouldn't spend £2k on a block for a £2k car?

Ouch!! Harsh lol

Pete330 wrote: Ouch!! Harsh lol

No really ... its an opinion .... entitled to it ... wrong but entitled to it ...lol

And a lovely car it is too, no offence meant at all, but was just being realistic.

If only I was so realistsic with all the money I have spent on my 323 over the years

You really don't need to worry though IMO, as I'm sure it's fine.

ally wrote: And a lovely car it is too, no offence meant at all, but was just being realistic. If only I was so realistsic with all the money I have spent on my 323 over the years You really don't need to worry though IMO, as I'm sure it's fine.

Hey Ally no worries my man ... those that know me know i dont offend easilly mate ..... but I full yunderstand the logic behind your comments ...lol

Why spend when you can upgrade to something else for the money, well .... I just see it as a learning curve.

Cheers though, am sure we met in Aberdeen last year ???

Nero wrote: Edited by nero on 02-July-2009 at 12:36

What did you edit ?? lol

Strange ... nvr noticed that ... pust have pressed SHIFT by mistake.

Ta :)

Pete330 wrote: Ouch!! Harsh lol

Yeh, it does read quite badly, but honestly isn't meant like that

HairyHaggis wrote: ....am sure we met in Aberdeen last year ???

Yep, at the Old Mill Inn, I rather stupidly got lost on the way to Cairn o Mount & poor Sandy was following me, we ended up in Stonehaven lol

Looks like I missed some good photos up there, I was going to take Neil's car back up for the next photo meet but it didn't happen, cracking photos anyway!

The Nikasil debate is pretty well dead by now. Early V8s had Nikasil blocks, and there were a few failures, primarily in the US, due to high sulphur fuel, and around town driving.

On the 7 series forum you will find loads written about it, but in fact, no one can remember the last failure. Low sulphur fuel has been on the go in the UK for years.

Mine is at 132k, and still idles like new.

JP

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