my car is going cliff diving SOON...

[iknowuloveme]

:bawling: :cursin:

imp:...so after about a week of driving, after i got my e36 328i back from the mech, the head gasket blew around cylinders 3 and 4...stripped the motor, sent the head away for a pressure test and got it skimmed...mechs wanted both legs and arms to rebuild the head, but i refused...got somebody else into complete the job...so the head was suppose to go back on tonight, however the helicoils still have to be inserted...while the mech was standing around the open hood gazing away merrily, i couldn't help but notice the carbon deposit build up on the inside of the intake manifold above cylinder number 6....

he raises an eyebrow, shoves his finger in and drops his head...so i'm left standing next to him wondering what the hell????? he looks up, and says "find a buyer, once the head is back on..." curiously i ask, whats the matter...? he says i should peep down onto cylinder number 6, and there is enough oil on it to write out exactly wot i'm feeling...(texture of the oil is slightly sandy, almost dry, roughly 3ml depth of oil on the cylinder)..however, the cylinder is way down in the sleeve so we cant really check for play...the mech doesnt seem to be thrilled, when i asked for a possible solution..

almost thought, i would have to cover his divorce...so now after having everything done thus far, this is the dude to turn around and say "SELL"...sure you guys out there know what i'm talking about, LIKE YOUR WORST FREAKING NIGHTMARE BEING :cursin::cursin: A FREAKING REALITY...

wish i was a mech, so i could understand the full extent of what is really going on...i've come thus far, an now these words "SELL" are playing over and over like a scratched cd.....

please, feel free to advise me...

 

[Jandre]

Unfortunately you dont really have too many options available to you. You've already spent money on fixing the head - check. In the state it is now, it is worthless to you or anyone else - check. you won't know what the engine is going to be like until you fit the head, connect everything and start her up - Check.

I bit the bullet and had the engine rebuilt on my e36 318. My car went in with the HG gone, and when we took the head off, we were faced with all 4 piston rings shot.

what are you going to get for the car if you sell it off. 10k as is, or maybe 35k with the recon'd engine.

What are you going to buy for that money?

I would still fix her if it was mine (providing the general condition of the rest of the car was still okay)

 

[Hellas]

Get one of those secondhand E30 M3 motors you get in SA and do a swap?

 

[reggreen]

Remember one thing: there is only one thing that breaks and destroys a car better than a mech ........ and that is two of them! My advise is always get a second opinion. If the motor is really shot - I agree, get a imported replacement unit. That will be a lot cheaper than finding a replacement car!

 

[nawtiboy]

did he do a compression test before he stripped it?
if it was low the it could be 2 things

either a burnt valve -but rule this one out cause the engineers did a test already AND ITS fine

worst case is the rings.

do a re ring. get an engineer to mic the bore to check and measure and also to know if it has been worked on before
if it's over 10 thou you'll need a rebore or another block and that would involve pistons and bearings

see if you can't away with just new piston rings

i think you should get some prices on std rings and a quote to get an engineer

doesn't look that bad

 

[iknowuloveme]

the beauty of communication...

thanks to al u guys for the positive outlook on things...the scales are tipped against me and the dreams are fading, however there is a gleaming light when considering a decent 2nd hand motor...hopefully it will be a sweet deal...
at the moment, a daily runner would do just fine, thats how sad this has become...oh and by the way, mechanics at mech 5 in town tried screwing me over when i found my lifters soaked in petrol, they informed me that they were vanos specailists :bs:..last time i'm sendin my car that way...

so as previously mentioned, options are scarce and the ones left is big decision...aluminium blocks are just costly...will reach a verdict once everythin is assembled...need to strive for that bursary lol, think i just found my motivation...

thanks again guys, still got some spirit for this challenge

 

[badaz87]

Hey, have you tried Reynolds Autocare in Retreat? He's the ONLY guy i wud take my baby to, and usually diagnoses the car within half an hour. Im assuming ur motor is still opened? If it is, he should be able to do this quickly for you.

His costs are also not bad at all. Only prob is that he may be fully booked if you can only get him to have a look later in the day, but you never know. Give him a call on either 0217157114 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              0217157114      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or on his cell on 0824618360. His name is Faizel Reynolds, and his place is at 97 Retreat road, Retreat.

He diagnosed a fuel pump failure on my e36 318i over the phone, and had it repaired in 30mins. His fee was R1500, which included R780 for a new pump, R350 for call out fee, and R370 for labour, and they even towed my baby in to their workshop.

To put the tow in perspective, i live in Athlone, and they towed it in to the workshop. A tow from my house to a mech 4 blocks away used to cost R400 when i used that guy.