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Anonymous
Anonymous asked in Cars & TransportationCar MakesBMW · 1 decade ago

BMW head gasket and nightmare mechanic!!!?

I have a bit of work done to my BMW 523i (e39) which has covered 127k miles, the car was overheating, misfiring and white smoke was pouring out of the exhaust. AA said head gasket, local garage said head gasket, I called out a mobile mech. (who does BMW) his diagnostics say it was ignition coils and cam sensors. I replaced all 6 coils and both cam sensors. The engine is still misfiring and white smoke is still pouring out. Now he thinks this can be cured by replacing the lamber sensor, as this is what he says everything points to, it can't be anything else. The car is costing me a lot of money and before I spend more I'd like to see anyone's comments.

Thanks

* 3 days ago

* - 18 hours left to answer.

Additional Details

3 days ago

I have been told by BMW main dealer that the gaskets on my model (2000) are very reliable and that pre 2000 models did have head problems (gasket and cracked heads) and so modified them. He also said "The symptoms sound like head gasket but they also point to other faults and one of them being the sensor" I am hoping that replacing the sensor will work, its gonna cost me £55 plus fitting, so its gotta be worth a try, I am getting it fitted tomorrow, so I'll update then.

1 day ago

OK had the new part fitted and guess what???? He know tells me its the head gasket, but just to be sure he'd like to strip down the engine, because it is misfiring now and then, not all the time, which would cost me about £150 for his peace of mind, I'm sure he 100% knows its the gasket, he said when he initially checked it that the water wasn', and that this sometimes happens, I said so its gone since you have been working on it, he said yes, it could have, tricky cars these, FFS, any advice as to whether I could claim anything back off this muppet????

He phoned today to say its not the gasket (again) he thinks if he changes the breather pipe this will cure the misfire, the smoking seems to have stopped and the engine isn't overheating, but he tells me that the water in the oil is through a previous water pump change, the water wasn't totally flushed out causing the oil and water mix, he recommends he also flushes the oil out completely, because he thinks this will cure the water problem! He's doing this tomorrow morning!

11 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    It sounds like a real headache, have you tried asking on one of the BMW forums?

    Mechanics from BMW dealers regularly go on these forums and give free advice.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Hi

    I have owned loads of bmw 5 series and i know what im talking about.

    1.The first thing you should do when you buy a bmw is get well aquaited with your nearest bmw SPECIALIST not and i repeat MAIN DEALER.

    Sometimes problems can be hard to find but this guy is an IDIOT.

    It would'nt suprise me if the thermostat HOUSEING had been leaking for ages and the head has indeed gone.

    By taking your car to the experts on a regular basis even for a winter checkup could of prevented this.

    Unfortunately you don't no much about cars because if you did you would have done no.1

    Im not going to help you with this problem as you are half way into it.

    But i will give you valuable advice for the future.

    Modern cars run a lot hotter than they did in the past.(hot engines are more efficient) better mpg

    The downside is they hate to overheat.

    You should get the water pump changed as a pre cauction with every major service that includes a cam belt change.

    Anti freeze is vital and must be checked weekly along with oil and all fluids.

    I have no sympathy if BLOKES fail to do this.

    Get it fixed and trade it for another.

    WHY

    Because it will be a constant reminder of how this prat mucked you about and cost you money.

    Bmw are awsome cars and need to looked after, unfortunately you never know how hard it was driven by the previous owner.

    I would buy a 728i on a t up to w plate with 160000 mile on it with bills for thousands. Because on them cars all the problems arise between 80k and 140k miles.

    Buy the time its got 160k on it abd 15k worth of bills it will go for another 100k.

    And will cost you about 3 grand.

    I hope this helps!

  • 1 decade ago

    don't give him anymore money for starters the symptoms you have described all point to head gasket but when fixing a problem with anything you start with easiest first unless symptoms point without doubt to a certain fault. in your case there is emulsified oil,in my mind it cant be anything else (except very rare conditions).i would say the mobile mech is a cowboy.get a quote from a garage. bmw will be costly car is not under warranty so no point paying extra but get garage to fit genuine bmw gasket.these are solid cars you probably wont get anymore bother with it.mark this down to experience and tell anyone that will listen about the mobile mechanic so there is less chance of him ripping off more people

  • 1 decade ago

    well first you are saying dealer which is last place the car should be taking for repairs ... anyone can tell when a head gasket is blown by white smoke out the back.. and oil in coolant or coolant in oil also signs of blown head gasket anyone walking down the street could have told you what it was .. dealers are for selling of cars they not so bright when it comes to repairing or trouble shooting a problem.. guys doing the work are most offen younger and not knowing much plus it wil be the highest place to get anything done any shop in town would have fix it in a few days for half of what the dealer will be charging you i think they are not as smart as a fifth grader.. never ever take any car to dealer unless no one else will do the work just not a smart thing to do

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  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    Honestly just take it to the dealer. I don't want to sound like a jerk but I'd rather someone be mad at me and take it to the dealer and not have a torn apart head that they don't know how to fix then sit back and watch someone spend a lot of time and money on a bad idea. BMW's are very fical vehicles and require a special touch. if you do not know your engine well enough to order the head gasket, I'd just take it to the dealer and let them order it. And this way if they order the worng one they pay for it not you. If you choose to get it yourself then here's the one you want, this is american part number so it may be different there #03-HG6009-0031 this is to the 92 DOHC and it's the full BMW recommended kit.

  • 1 decade ago

    Sounds like this guy is taking you for a mug. You shouldn't get oil/water cross contamination from changing a water pump. The lambda sensor should have shown up on his original diagnostic check. Your best bet is a check by your bmw dealer. They should be able to plug it in and tell you if any electrical systems are going down. If all ok then most likely to be gasket.

  • 1 decade ago

    LOL that mobile mechanic is an idiot almost everything he as told you is WRONGO BUCKOo.. When you have white smoke the head comes of every time. There is no miracle fix (ok maybe that stop leak stuff of any brand) But you have white smoke the head comes off it gets checked for cracks and repaired as necessary. You can hope and pray for a miracle but your not gonna get one. Black or blue smoke you may be able to remedy the situation without head removal. But white means head comes off every time.

    You putting yourself thru a lot of guessing, Stick a crow bar in the ol wallet and get it fixed.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    sounds like hes guessing. all you need to do is test the head in situ.

    top the crank to TDC, all valves closed, and pressurise each bore. then you listen...

    if its the head gasket itll be pressuring the header bottle. if its the rings, itll pressurise the crankcases (engine breather) inlet, itll bubble the carb and exhaust itll hiss out the pipe. (this doesnt work on injections, BUT, youll see the pressure drop, and by elimination the cause.

    i bought a 525i, it went like a donkey on blackpool beach... tilli reconnected ALL the air hoses to the fuel system...

    but sadly this is what happens when you use door to door mechanics... get it diagnosed at BMW, then get the work done elsewhere!

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Put the heater on in the car. If it blows cold its another sign of it being the head gasket.

    Changing a water pump would not contaminate the coolant nor oil!

    If you had water in your oil it could have been condensation but I doubt it.

    The guys a muppet, get the gasket done before you warp the head.

    Source(s): test/development driver/rider ex car,bike,truck mechanic
  • Don W
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    Is mobile repair common in your location? here in the U.S I would not trust anyone who comes to my driveway to "fix" a car and cetainly not something major like a headgasket.

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