Give me head!

[JimmySpeed]

Engine head of course! Get your mind out of the gutters.

Discovered today that my intermittent misfire in cyl 3 is something serious. Low compression. Found out after changing sparks and coils and the miss got worse after being better for a day or so.

I think having plugs and coils that work at optimum has just revealed the real weakness where ever it is.

It now goes into engine fail safe mode on warm starts and I have to use inpa to reset the adaptations. The fault code is now not misfire but something else, I'll check it later. but as it's a head off job either way, I have stopped trying to diagnose it and braced myself for a big bill. Should have bought from a dealer, but you live and learn.

So where can I take it in Brum for a good job done right?

[andym3]

GSF carparts - Headbolt set = £19.20 (part no. 011BM0050)
Rocker cover gasket = £18.66 (part no. 110BM0260)
Anti-freeze 1ltr bottle = £3.54 (part no. 976AA0200)

Euro carparts - Headgasket set £390 (part no. 362110850)
Oil filter - £5.64 (part no. 501110201)
Engine oil 5ltr - £33.98 (part no. 521776081)

Found with some garages if you supply the parts it works out a lot cheaper! Otherwise they put VAT etc on all parts aswell.
The head will also need skimming & surely a garage cant charge for more than 5 - 6hrs to do a head gasket!

Hope this helps!

[JimmySpeed]

Cheers mate!

I've spoken to ALOT of garages today, had alot of promising quotes of £800-£1000 to get the head off and get the problem sorted whatever it is - they will do leakdown tests to find the loss of compression and then resolve, assuming the problem is isolated to the head and not in the block.

They all say its probably not head gasket as there is no coolant/oil mixing or loss, but will have to change gasket anyway. Probably a valve issue, less likely to be seals. LPG runs hotter than petrol and even though its not known on BMW's, on some cars the heat kills valves.

All speculation at this stage until they do their inspections but to hear that it probably won't be more than £1k is a relief. Most of the price is labour so the £60p/hr plus VAT garages were quoting £1500-2000, the £30 per hour cash only never mention VAT garages were the £1000 and under garages.

[andym3]

Sounds good, hope you get it sorted soon! 

[AW8]

[quote="mobilejo"]
Engine head of course! Get your mind out of the gutters.
[/quote]

FFS I nearly fell off my chair before I opened & viewed the 1st post in full :yikes:

[JimmySpeed]

[quote="AW8"]
[quote="mobilejo"]
Engine head of course! Get your mind out of the gutters.
[/quote]

FFS I nearly fell off my chair before I opened & viewed the 1st post in full :yikes:
[/quote]

)

goes to show whats on your mind doesn't it? 

[Y13HYA]

How long have you had ur car lpg'd? How many miles done since?

[JimmySpeed]

It was done when I bought the car

[Y13HYA]

How many miles have you done since the conversion?
Also is the price you got just for one head? Or both?

[JimmySpeed]

I've only done about 1k since buying, bit is been converted for over a year. Good question about the prices. Need to confirm that. I don't want the other head unchecked only for it to go at a later date.

[Y13HYA]

Hope you get it sorted ASAP.

[JimmySpeed]

Cheers me too. Any other car I would probably just get rid but there's something about this one, feels like it's worth looking after!

[Raj]

Hope it gets sorted without too many issues.

Mines booked in for LPG and things like this worry me into not getting it done....

[andym3]

I used to have the 4.4 V8 X5 and looked into getting the LPG conversion. Done loads of research inc google and 80% was negative, hence I sold it and bought a 3.0d X5!

[JimmySpeed]

My case is almost unheard of, and has not been proven to be lpg's fault yet but we will see. These v8s are class generally as bullet proof, 1 mechanic I spoke to said he had never seen a head issue on one of these, lpg or no. So don't let my case put you off. My last x was lpg for years with no issues