@Jack Ratt , just for interest, did you find the reason for the high oil consumption in the original engine? I have a M52 engine in a E36 323i vert, 138K miles and doesn't use a drop of oil.
Black Zed, Rio has a new heart
- Thread starter Jack Ratt
- Start date
Yes, it was the result of a blown head gasket. My radiator failed, was holed or something and I lost the coolant so engine boiled up and stopped, although it didn't seize. It happened very quickly, the running temp was normal until it gave way without warning. I was travelling on the motorway through Belgium near Brugge at the time.
I replaced the head gasket, had the head skimmed etc, (it had warped by nearly half a mil) and there was slight damage to pistons 5 and 6 that turned out to be much worse than I initially thought. The engine ran ok, emissions were ok, passed it's MOT but drank oil. When I drove to Bristol from Truro, 170 miles, I put 3 litres of oil in on route.
For what it's worth (maybe not much), I have found that radiators on a number of Z3s and E36s that I have owned have all failed at or around the 20 year mark. For £100 or so, replacing the rad has to be a preventative maintenance measure if not known to be done on a given car, especially given possible consequences as @Jack Ratt has experienced.
@Ianmc My failed radiator has cost me around £2500 on the current car, then factor in the £3500 I paid for a replacement car, which I still have, then you could add what it cost RAC to bring my car back from Brugge to Cornwall, the hire car to get home from Belgium and other odds and sods and it adds up to a big lump of money
I have seen the plastic end tanks on these modern rads simply split, cheap cost saving like a lot of things - throw away world. Brass and copper rads being a thing of the past apart from those still in use including those on my cars.
Good info about the radiator replacement. Any recommendations on brands or suppliers?
@Jack Ratt glad to hear the old Z3 is back in service
@Jack Ratt glad to hear the old Z3 is back in service
This was the rad in the 2.8, it was looking a bit sad for istsel as you can see the sagging at the bottom so it was binned and a new one fitted, great to hear you sorted the car pal
Finally she’s back 
I remember the moment well when your engine went. Us three behind all got showered with oil. I was asleep with my feet out the window, my socks got dirty 
I’m just in the middle of changing Sams 2.2 to a 2.8tu with some S50 tweaks. Somthing we might offer in the shed
Hope to see you at some more meets this year.
I remember the moment well when your engine went. Us three behind all got showered with oil. I was asleep with my feet out the window, my socks got dirty I’m just in the middle of changing Sams 2.2 to a 2.8tu with some S50 tweaks. Somthing we might offer in the shed
Hope to see you at some more meets this year.
Yeah, I'll be making an appearence
Finally she’s back
.
I still haven't worked out where all that oil came from, when we stopped, there was oil everywhere but no sign of coolant trouble.
In jacks write up i thought he said something about one of the CCV lines.
My initial thought at the time of the incident was CCV failure because the oil was running down the side of the engine block right behind the CCV but when I stripped the car there was a hole in the radiator, and it was a big hole, as if the internal pressure just blew it open. This is why there wasn't any water anywhere, it just leaked out making my engine overheat and warped the head.
The CCV was still in good condition, was not blocked and was not the cause of the failure.
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If the vanos lets go, you loose oil quickly, runs at 1800 PSI
Just caught up with this lol .lucky we were in front of you that day lol but it could of been any one of us.almost 18 months later happy you’ve got sorted