Head Gasket for Z3 M43 engine

[cn55]

Unfortunately the head gasket on my Z3 2002 1.9 has gone. Water leaking for between the head and block at the rear lower bolt.

Any recomendations for head gaskets sets or ones to avoid?? Have emailed Sopers BMW part department twice now with no reply.

Been looking for instruction on how to do it particularly the torque setting required, any ideas where I can find this?

Many thanks in advance.

Chris

 

[t-tony]

Payen gaskets are good quality parts. Have you had a look on YouTube for any instructional videos. Quite often it is a good source of info.

Tony.

 

[IainP]

As Tony said, YouTube for the easy way to replace the rocker cover seals .
make sure you get a gasket set with everything. Some come without valve stem seals. There are a couple of gasket specialists on eBay now, that’s who I got mine from.
Also need bolts as the head bolts are torque to yield, stretch, bolts. They are not torque set either, you need an angle gauge. I can’t remember the settings, google is your friend there.
Replace the plastic fitting on the rear of the head and fit it before you refit the head, much easier.
Iain

 

[colb]

The Russian TIS site has the E36 M43 Head Removal Guide here, https://tis.bmwcats.com/doc1043502/
When you access the site you may have to engage Google Translate to put it into English Language

 

[cn55]

Hui Guys,

Many thanks for all your advice and links. Will assemble all the parts required and then proceed.

Kind regards

Chris

 

[Andyboy]

Use Payen, Febi or Reinz gaskets. Skim the head WITH the upper timing cover fitted or you will have a hight mismatch and an oil leak. Also replace the plastic coolant stubs - the one on the back of the head, the one on the front and the one on the block under the inlet manifold. They will all be ready by now.

 

[colb]

Good point by @Andyboy regarding changing the plastic coolant stubs front and back of the head, just had the front one fall apart after giving it a slight knock taking the oil filter lid off on a M43. Close exam of the stub revealed it was very brittle where it broke, the result of many heat cycles over the years, car has in excess of 90k miles on it. Would be prudent to change the rear one before the head is put back on, easier to do off the car. Gasket on the broken front one was totaly compressed and there were traces of gasket sealant on it so it had some attention in its past ownership.
Rear fitting here Item No1 https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=CM12-EUR-01-2002-Z3-BMW-Z3_19&diagId=11_6190

Front Stub here Item 7 comes with gasket https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=CM12-EUR-01-2002-Z3-BMW-Z3_19&diagId=11_6197