10-28-2012, 10:44 AM
Ok, looks like we're taking this project thread to another level whether I like it or not. Yesterday while I was putting on a new main coolant line and heater hoses, I discovered an external headgasket leak at the back of the motor on the exhaust side. Its slow enough that no coolant is really hitting the ground, but its only going to get worse as the weather gets colder and time goes on.
![[Image: OhGql.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/OhGql.jpg)
Here are the initial options that come to mind:
1.) Have the shop do it. Early googling (not an actual quote from my shop) sounds like that wound cost $1500-2000. The benefit is it gets done right, and gets done quickly, the downside is the massive price tag. I'll have to save up for this, I could probably have it done before Xmas.
2.) Nut up and do it myself. This seems like the most practical option in some ways, but also the most daunting. Someone on bimmerfest did it in a week for under $1k, which is motivating. I could collect all my parts and plan a week to knock the project out. Maybe some local wrench monkeys would be willing to come help me out during the project. (Cough, MM, Cough <3 ) My only concern would be getting into the project to deep, and ending up without a car for weeks.
3.) Swap the motor, the cost of swapping a motor doesn't seem all that much higher than the head job. Motors with decent mileage go for ~$2k, so if I somehow worked a screaming deal on one, I could swap it in a weekend with some friends (aka, DJ and Mike) and be on my way. Another option would be to buy another motor (maybe a 3.2L) with a blown HG, build it on a stand so I can take my time and keep using the car, and then swap it in a weekend once its done. With that I'd just be concerned the cost would get away from me, but if I could float it, and if I had the energy, I could also rebuild my motor when it comes out of the car and recoup a huge chunk of money.
The gasket kit + ARP head stud kid is ~$450. Sending off the head to be tanked, media blasted, planed and valve job would probably be about $500. A tanked S50 or S52+OBD-I swap kit would cost atleast $500, so a minimum of $1500 in the new motor. I could sell my dying one for $500, or throw another $1k at it and sell it for $2k, not really even worth the time.
4.) Buy a daily beater so I can take my time on the project. This seems like such a nice option, but just doesn't feel realistic. I could scoop up an old VW TDI to bomb around it for about $3k, then I'd have to let the M3 sit for a few months while I saved up the $1k-$1500 for the project, but given that I had a daily, I could do it in tiny little pieces, and reassemble a brand new looking engine bay.
#2 is looking like the winner. Certainly not in easiness, but its the cheapest option that gives me the best improvement (my rebuilt motor with ARP studs would be way stronger than a stock one with half the mileage) I can save up all the parts, plan for it, and hopefully with the help of a lot of friends, lots of pizza and beer, I could knock out the entire thing in a week.
I'd love to take this project as an opportunity to drop in some schricks, 3.5in MAF, tune, and finish up the exhaust, but unless I have a rich uncle I don't know about, i think I'll have to stick to basics to keep it affordable. If I could get someone to help me weld up my exhaust, or fab an entirely new midsection, I'd be pretty happy. I can always pop cams in later when I can afford them.
#3 also sounds really tempting despite the additional cost. It will never be easier to stick a 3.2L in my car, and I have all the parts on my OBD-I motor to make the conversion on the donor. Also, having the motor outside of the car would allow me to assemble the entire thing on a bench, no cramped spaced and maybe not as many busted knuckles. I could take my time to build the entire thing, then plan a weekend to pluck out the S50, swap manifolds, and stick the new guy in. The main thing I don't like about that plan is the pathetic hunk of S50 I'll be left with after its all said and done. Not a lot of people are going to be interested in a 180k+ S50 with an external headgasket leak and no intake system.
Any thoughts? Advice?
Here are the initial options that come to mind:
1.) Have the shop do it. Early googling (not an actual quote from my shop) sounds like that wound cost $1500-2000. The benefit is it gets done right, and gets done quickly, the downside is the massive price tag. I'll have to save up for this, I could probably have it done before Xmas.
2.) Nut up and do it myself. This seems like the most practical option in some ways, but also the most daunting. Someone on bimmerfest did it in a week for under $1k, which is motivating. I could collect all my parts and plan a week to knock the project out. Maybe some local wrench monkeys would be willing to come help me out during the project. (Cough, MM, Cough <3 ) My only concern would be getting into the project to deep, and ending up without a car for weeks.
3.) Swap the motor, the cost of swapping a motor doesn't seem all that much higher than the head job. Motors with decent mileage go for ~$2k, so if I somehow worked a screaming deal on one, I could swap it in a weekend with some friends (aka, DJ and Mike) and be on my way. Another option would be to buy another motor (maybe a 3.2L) with a blown HG, build it on a stand so I can take my time and keep using the car, and then swap it in a weekend once its done. With that I'd just be concerned the cost would get away from me, but if I could float it, and if I had the energy, I could also rebuild my motor when it comes out of the car and recoup a huge chunk of money.
The gasket kit + ARP head stud kid is ~$450. Sending off the head to be tanked, media blasted, planed and valve job would probably be about $500. A tanked S50 or S52+OBD-I swap kit would cost atleast $500, so a minimum of $1500 in the new motor. I could sell my dying one for $500, or throw another $1k at it and sell it for $2k, not really even worth the time.
4.) Buy a daily beater so I can take my time on the project. This seems like such a nice option, but just doesn't feel realistic. I could scoop up an old VW TDI to bomb around it for about $3k, then I'd have to let the M3 sit for a few months while I saved up the $1k-$1500 for the project, but given that I had a daily, I could do it in tiny little pieces, and reassemble a brand new looking engine bay.
#2 is looking like the winner. Certainly not in easiness, but its the cheapest option that gives me the best improvement (my rebuilt motor with ARP studs would be way stronger than a stock one with half the mileage) I can save up all the parts, plan for it, and hopefully with the help of a lot of friends, lots of pizza and beer, I could knock out the entire thing in a week.
I'd love to take this project as an opportunity to drop in some schricks, 3.5in MAF, tune, and finish up the exhaust, but unless I have a rich uncle I don't know about, i think I'll have to stick to basics to keep it affordable. If I could get someone to help me weld up my exhaust, or fab an entirely new midsection, I'd be pretty happy. I can always pop cams in later when I can afford them.
#3 also sounds really tempting despite the additional cost. It will never be easier to stick a 3.2L in my car, and I have all the parts on my OBD-I motor to make the conversion on the donor. Also, having the motor outside of the car would allow me to assemble the entire thing on a bench, no cramped spaced and maybe not as many busted knuckles. I could take my time to build the entire thing, then plan a weekend to pluck out the S50, swap manifolds, and stick the new guy in. The main thing I don't like about that plan is the pathetic hunk of S50 I'll be left with after its all said and done. Not a lot of people are going to be interested in a 180k+ S50 with an external headgasket leak and no intake system.
Any thoughts? Advice?
Now: 07 Porsche Cayman S | 18 VW Tiguan
Then: 18 VW GTI Autobahn | 95 BMW M3 | 15 VW GTI SE | 12 Kia Optima SX | 2009 VW GTI | 00 BMW 540i Sport | 90 Mazda Miata | 94 Yamaha FZR600R | 1993 Suzuki GS500E | 2003 BMW 325i | 95 Saab 900S