Motor blown?

[TheCapitalist]

Ongoing saga over daughters 98 BMW 528i. Between radiator replaced 3 times (defective each time), a water pump, fan clutch, and thermostat, she has run hot way too many times.

The last time, oil in the garage and running very rough. Mechanic says may get away with head gasket only, but recommends engine swap. He is worried about the integrity of the engine. It already has 140k on this motor.

Question:

How do I know if the motor is shot or just a head problem? How do I decide whether, given the multiple overheats and mileage, to bite the bullet and do the swap?

[Hawkeye]

sounds like you snake bite and time to trade the lemon in :shrug:

[bpitt]

Have you done a compression check on the engine. Do it with the radiator cap off. This could indicate if the head gasket is blown. I.e., if pressure drops, could be an internal leak, one you don't see just by looking at the outside of the engine.

[rollinthunder]

I had a 280ZX that overheated with my daughter...as with any young kid...she wasn't watching the temp and it lost power and she pulled over but that was enough to hurt it. It would run afterwards but didn't have much power. I got the price of a new...and a used engine...then talked with a mech. about a rebuild. I took the rebuild. I had to have the head shaved and reworked...cylinders cut 10 over...and some more part replacement and machine work. With parts...machine work and labor it was a little less than a new one. I don't know bout those prices now vs then but when the mech was finished it was a new engine. I went and bought every part and took to him and hauled parts to be machined. I know what was done to it. I figure I got a new engine. The only way for me to make a decision was to let him tear it down to actually look and see what was wrong...then figure the fix...

[bpitt]

Machine work has gotten high. I was gonna build me a 350 a couple of months ago till I got the estimates, it's gotten ridiculous. Now I gotta save up even more.

[rollinthunder]

Yeah...that's what I mean...I'm not up on those costs now...it could be cheaper to just buy an engine...but a good low mileage one might be a good deal...

[TheCapitalist]

Thanks all. The head gasket is blown. Haven't talked to the mechanic again, but will weigh the cost of head repair vs. a used engine. Found several w/ about 60-80k on them for around 1200-1400 shipped. Claim to be compression and leakdown tested w/ 6 mo. warranty and money back guarranty.

sounds like you snake bite and time to trade the lemon in

Teenage daughter. What can I say? Won't get much other than salvage for it in current condition.

Hey, RT. I had an '83 280zx turbo that I wish I had never sold. Drove the hell out of it, had 220k on the motor, and she didn't leak and had good compression still! Leather and digital dash. Last year they made them.

[Guru]

Lately it's turned out to be cheaper to just buy a replacement engine than do the step by step rebuild.
The only way you are going to know if the engine is really good or not is to tear it down. I'm afraid a compression check is going to show you roughly the head and / or head gasket condition but would not let you know about any other problems you may have behind the heat exposure.
If you are really wanting to keep the car you may come out ahead just buying a crate motor.

[rollinthunder]

Thanks all. The head gasket is blown. Haven't talked to the mechanic again, but will weigh the cost of head repair vs. a used engine. Found several w/ about 60-80k on them for around 1200-1400 shipped. Claim to be compression and leakdown tested w/ 6 mo. warranty and money back guarranty.



Teenage daughter. What can I say? Won't get much other than salvage for it in current condition.

Hey, RT. I had an '83 280zx turbo that I wish I had never sold. Drove the hell out of it, had 220k on the motor, and she didn't leak and had good compression still! Leather and digital dash. Last year they made them.

Yeah..this one's all leathered out too...all power window's and seats... but has no turbo...my daughter loved the talking dash lol...it says:...fuel is low...door is open...stuff like that....it's out in the yard right now...she opened the door while I was home last hitch and she said she heard the tone go....ding.............ding.........ding....real faint....she almost cried.....she said...it's still alive daddy lol....there's no doubt that a hot battery and she'd fire up...

[carsalesguy]

wat you gonna do with it RT?

[carsalesguy]

oh, and cap- have you had it appraised? before dumping a lot of money into those cars i would see what it was worth on the market before doing any major work- JMO tho

but if you going to keep the car forever (i.e. multiple kids) sometimes it would just be worth fixing it-

just make sure your not sinking too much cheeze into a money pit that will never be right-

[Hawkeye]

use the body for fish habitat and the motor for an anchor. My sold sold his 98 Audi for $1500 the other day just cause he wanted a new ride. I should have bought it but he told me he wanted 2500.

I'm in the market for an old beat up mercedes or something like that with an older diesel engine so I can use my old fry oil for fuel.

[TheCapitalist]

Thanks CSG. I didn't pay much for it, but it would take a lot more than the repair to buy something comparable. I mean, either put 2500 in this one, or... Could not ditch this one and buy anything comparable for less than maybe 6k. Do have another daughter just got her license. They do beat them up pretty good. In other words, it is old but looks good. Not a beater in the true sense. Whatcha gonna get for a BMW with a blown motor? Salvage price or part out on ebay...

[bpitt]

Similiar dilemma. I've a '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with the V8, leather, etc. I need a truck, but we've had this jeep for so long, drove our first kid around in it, etc. I kinda hate to get rid of it, cuz I now resale ain't crap, and I couldn't get a decent truck with what I sold it for. So, I may just be making the minor repairs it needs and drive it till it craps out for good.

[bpitt]

use the body for fish habitat and the motor for an anchor. My sold sold his 98 Audi for $1500 the other day just cause he wanted a new ride. I should have bought it but he told me he wanted 2500.

I'm in the market for an old beat up mercedes or something like that with an older diesel engine so I can use my old fry oil for fuel.

I've been haggling with an old man about an older Isuzu truck he has that is diesal, just to experiment on with the veggie oil. He don't wanna let go of it, but it's just sitting in his field.