M Coupe Motor Problems

[Grega]

Guys I have a problem with my Z3 M coupe. I was accelerating hard and all of a sudden it lost power. The car now idles very rough and feels as if it only has 50% power.
I changed the spark plugs and found one was completely burnt as well as the coil, so I replaced all the plugs and the burnt ignition coil, however it is still at 50% power and idling rough. It has also developed a bad oil leak which seems to be coming from the tappet cover gasket.
I suspected a possible blown head gasket, but have checked the coolent for oil and the oil for coolent and all seems ok. However the cars heater has stopped working which I read somewhere could be a sign of a blown head gasket.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

Regards

Greg

 

[dino_rox]

Possible Vanos ?

---

had the asme issue with my e90 a while back

50% power loss and sounded like a Jonway 50cc motor with no silencer and running out on fumes

checked Coils / Plugs

only to find the Vanos stuffed

 

[born2boost]

Do a compression test. Sounds like the headgasket could be blown between the cylinders.

 

[bmsportzn135i]

Speak to ///Dean. He know a guys selling his ZM coupe motor!

 

[mr mmm]

check vanos first 3.2 vanos timming goes out often
if you need a vanos unit i do have

 

[hoosain]

check vanos first 3.2 vanos timming goes out often
if you need a vanos unit i do have

+1000 i had this same problem

 

[Peejay]

check vanos first 3.2 vanos timming goes out often
if you need a vanos unit i do have

+1000 i had this same problem

Where about is the oil leak from. To me it also sounds like vanos

 

[Werner135]

Also had similar problem years ago on my 323 dolphin shape, overheated and cracked on the block between 2 valves, i would say go for a pressure test.

 

[dvst8]

Where you based ?

If you in JHB, take a look here, maybe they can have a look.

http://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=45565

 

[Grega]

Thanks for the responses, the oil leak is from the tappet gasket I think, the vanos unit looks ok, its not leaking or anything but I will get it checked out.

 

[Crash_Nemesis]

Speak to Lysis. The guy just fixed my e46 M3. Massive oil leak and loss of top end power.

This was done over the last weekend. No more oil leak and power restored. Was Vanos related too.

http://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=45415

 

[Lysis]

If I may offer my opinion, it doesn't sound like a Vanos issue. Your power loss is too extreme for that. In addition, a rough idle is not typically symptomatic of Vanos issues. The heater on these cars can stop working for a number of reasons, it could be as simple as the electric fan giving up the ghost.

The question we need to be asking is: Why was the spark plug burnt? The next question we need to ask is: Why is there still a loss of power after changing the burnt plug? My uneducated guess would be that you have burnt a valve. I would recommend a compression test in order to diagnose this problem.