Is it just me?

[robertjones]

Posted on here a last week regarding a water problem with my z , since then have had the rad. replaced, new top hose and rear coolant pipe replaced. Took the car for a run yesterday and noticed , on return that the coolant level had dropped a little, so topped it up, noticed this morning that the level had gone down, very slightly,again. Car is back in garage , they have pressure tested and say pressure is dropping slightly but dont know why.This is now starting to annoy me as everytime i take the car out I worry about it running hot, this is the second z I have owned and both have caused me the same aggro. The garage is now saying it may be a faulty thermostat but wouldnt have thought that would cause a water loss, dont want to pay for something else that may not solve the problem, any ideas ?

 

[Aceman]

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but what you are describing does have the hallmark of a blown head gasket which is becoming all too common on M43/44 engines now. One of our members @joey has just gone through this ordeal which started with very similar symptons that you are experiencing so maybe worth giving him a bell as he will be quite conversed in the ins and outs of this problem now. Have a read of his thread where he describes what he has gone through but I do so hope your problem turns out to be something far more simple and I wish you luck.

https://zroadster.org/threads/ok-had-enough-now-need-help-resolved.5233/

 

[robertjones]

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but what you are describing does have the hallmark of a blown head gasket which is becoming all too common on M43/44 engines now. One of our members @joey has just gone through this ordeal which started with very similar symptons that you are experiencing so maybe worth giving him a bell as he will be quite conversed in the ins and outs of this problem now. Have a read of his thread where he describes what he has gone through but I do so hope your problem turns out to be something far more simple and I wish you luck.

https://zroadster.org/threads/ok-had-enough-now-need-help-resolved.5233/

Thanks for that!, although dont think its the head as it does not pressurise in that way., garage has just rang me to say they have found a slight leak from the thermostat housing, so that is now going to be replaced,going to fit the oem stat, dearer but having heard of the problems other people have had with cheaper stats. dont want to take the chance

 

[zedonist]

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but what you are describing does have the hallmark of a blown head gasket which is becoming all too common on M43/44 engines now. One of our members @joey has just gone through this ordeal which started with very similar symptons that you are experiencing so maybe worth giving him a bell as he will be quite conversed in the ins and outs of this problem now. Have a read of his thread where he describes what he has gone through but I do so hope your problem turns out to be something far more simple and I wish you luck.

https://zroadster.org/threads/ok-had-enough-now-need-help-resolved.5233/

Oooh you doomsayer Paul, two head gaskets does not make a mass M44/M43 panic of biblical proportions.

Robert, you have just been unlucky that is all, at the moment, you don't know what it is, so don't panic, start simple, does the car lose water over night if the engine has not been run? If yes then you have a leak some where, and hopefully it is a pipe or a joint.

 

[robertjones]

Oooh you doomsayer Paul, two head gaskets does not make a mass M44/M43 panic of biblical proportions.

Robert, you have just been unlucky that is all, at the moment, you don't know what it is, so don't panic, start simple, does the car lose water over night if the engine has not been run? If yes then you have a leak some where, and hopefully it is a pipe or a joint.

As i have just posted, now think it could be the thermostat housing, think what is annoying me is , having spent a lot on my previous z then buying this,as i thought , being newer , would be more reliable and finding it not to be the case is upsetting, although the garage love me at the moment!

 

[zedonist]

Trouble is these cars are old now, and what you don't know is in reality how well have they been looked after? The first thing to check has to be all the rubber components, as they age and either go soft, shrink or go brittle. Then you need to check fluids and change them throughout. Then it's on to mechanicals, water pumps, thermostats etc.

The car should run fine after that, mine has never missed a beat, but I have done the above.

 

[robertjones]

Trouble is these cars are old now, and what you don't know is in reality how well have they been looked after? The first thing to check has to be all the rubber components, as they age and either go soft, shrink or go brittle. Then you need to check fluids and change them throughout. Then it's on to mechanicals, water pumps, thermostats etc.

The car should run fine after that, mine has never missed a beat, but I have done the above.

Yes your right but didnt I read somewhere that yours had a replacement engine ?

 

[zedonist]

Yes it did Robert, but it was not a new engine and had been fitted before my ownership, I've calculated it's done around 70k, the ancillaries etc were all still aged when I picked it up, and I have been through the car totally since my ownership, leaving me with only the rear beam and bushes to do this winter.

The point really is this, people only post on forums when things go wrong, yes there have been a few head gaskets blown on M44 engines reported, but go across all the BMW forums and you will see just as many more six pots in trouble, from gunging up, to vanos issues.

In reality though the reports are very few compared to the numbers sold, and people rarely come back on a forum to report it has been fixed and they have had many years of trouble free motoring. This is the only forum that I know that reports back and has ongoing dialogue, and banter.

You will fix the problem, but be logical about your fault finding, otherwise it gets expensive.

 

[Aceman]

Sorry Robert didn't mean to cone across all doom and gloom and I am really happy you may have found the solution.

I am however not just basing my thoughts aroubd head gasket failure just with Z3's as there are plenty of similar stories with other 3 series models that share the same engine. It is a great engine I accept it is just age seems to be catching up on it particulary with this kind of failure.

Oh by the way the name is Ian

 

[robertjones]

Yes it did Robert, but it was not a new engine and had been fitted before my ownership, I've calculated it's done around 70k, the ancillaries etc were all still aged when I picked it up, and I have been through the car totally since my ownership, leaving me with only the rear beam and bushes to do this winter.

The point really is this, people only post on forums when things go wrong, yes there have been a few head gaskets blown on M44 engines reported, but go across all the BMW forums and you will see just as many more six pots in trouble, from gunging up, to vanos issues.

In reality though the reports are very few compared to the numbers sold, and people rarely come back on a forum to report it has been fixed and they have had many years of trouble free motoring. This is the only forum that I know that reports back and has ongoing dialogue, and banter.

You will fix the problem, but be logical about your fault finding, otherwise it gets expensive.

Understand but its seems to me that , whilst BMW have a good name , that alot of it is just not true , we also have a Peuguot 205, not half as much trouble, not as much fun , granted, but I know which one I would rely on, also have a vw t5 119k, that has had a fair bit done to it before I got it but I would still trust it more than the z

Sorry Robert didn't mean to cone across all doom and gloom and I am really happy you may have found the solution.

I am however not just basing my thoughts aroubd head gasket failure just with Z3's as there are plenty of similar stories with other 3 series models that share the same engine. It is a great engine I accept it is just age seems to be catching up on it particulary with this kind of failure.

Oh by the way the name is Ian

Hi Ian no problem , just glad of the advice/suggestions . One thing I have learned is that ,as everyone has said, these are older cars and unless you can establish the history of the car, backed up by receipts, then these problems will occur, especially if ,like me , you are not in a position to be able to do the work yourself, I bought both of my zs through e bay and wished I had got one through one of the forums could probably saved myself a lot of money and worry

 

[hard top]

I had a 318i M44 that blew up its expansion tank, it got that hot, and it was one hell of a bang.
I had to drive it, as was, about 5 km to a petrol station as I was parked (with the engine running) at a pick up point at the airport and I could not stay there.
I thought, right that's it, I can throw this one away but no, put a new radiator in it and all was fine.
M44=tough as old boots.

 

[GazHyde]

It's just getting to that stage in their lives where they need some tender loving. You have 2 choices.

1. Buy one and replace everything yourself
2. Buy one that's had everything replaced, and then replace the stuff which wasn't!

Think they call it catch 22...

 

[zedonist]

Sorry Robert didn't mean to cone across all doom and gloom and I am really happy you may have found the solution.

I am however not just basing my thoughts aroubd head gasket failure just with Z3's as there are plenty of similar stories with other 3 series models that share the same engine. It is a great engine I accept it is just age seems to be catching up on it particulary with this kind of failure.

Oh by the way the name is Ian

Sorry Ian, you are known as Paul in a number of my posts across the forum, be a good Friday night game to try and find them!

 

[FRANKIE]

Posted on here a last week regarding a water problem with my z , since then have had the rad. replaced, new top hose and rear coolant pipe replaced. Took the car for a run yesterday and noticed , on return that the coolant level had dropped a little, so topped it up, noticed this morning that the level had gone down, very slightly,again. Car is back in garage , they have pressure tested and say pressure is dropping slightly but dont know why.This is now starting to annoy me as every time I take the car out I worry about it running hot, this is the second z I have owned and both have caused me the same aggro. The garage is now saying it may be a faulty thermostat but wouldnt have thought that would cause a water loss, dont want to pay for something else that may not solve the problem, any ideas ?

Robert, a head gasket can be checked best by a compression check. Very quick, very accurate. Any oil in your water, or water in your oil is a dead give away for that trouble. White smoke out the tailpipe AFTER the engine is warmed up is also a tell tail sign of a bad head gasket. The car must be hot enough to have burned off any evaporation in the exhaust. Quite ofter, a compression test may show lower pressure in two adjoining cylinders. If you have none of these symptoms, then you have a simple leak. One of the most aggravating leaks to find is a faulty bearing in the water pump. Water will leak out of the pump between the pump shaft and the shaft bearing. This, however, occurs only when the shaft is turning, which is only when the motor is running. With the engine off, no water gets past the shaft and bearing so anyone looking there will not be alarmed as no leak is evident. Grasping the pulley when the belt is disconnected and shaking it MIGHT give a slight indication of unwanted movement. If this is the cause, however, it does not take long before the minor looseness escalates into complete failure, perhaps 1 to 2 hundred miles. Some other leaks occur only under pressure. Leaving the warmed up car run in one location for a few minutes might be useful in finding a leak whether its water or steam. Frankie

 

[hard top]

No, you are getting mixed up zedonist, it is Bad Boy who is calls himself 'Paul' on 'Spank The Monkey' sites, so I have been told.

 

[zedonist]

No, you are getting mixed up zedonist, it is Bad Boy who is calls himself 'Paul' on 'Spank The Monkey' sites, so I have been told.

Now I know why i had no response to my adds!

 

[Brian H]

but go across all the BMW forums and you will see just as many more six pots in trouble, from gunging up, to vanos issues.

Oi, don't go bragging "look ma no vanos"

 

[oldcarman]

As i have just posted, now think it could be the thermostat housing, think what is annoying me is , having spent a lot on my previous z then buying this,as i thought , being newer , would be more reliable and finding it not to be the case is upsetting, although the garage love me at the moment!

Hi Robert, I can feel your pain, but believe me you will get this sorted out. It's frustrating but it probably wouldn't have mattered which car you bought something would have caused a problem. They are old cars and crap will happen and you'll get it fixed and then grin like crazy as you cut around that curve in the road. Enjoy it for all it's worth. JIM

 

[t-tony]

Over the last couple of years I have spent quite a lot on my car, but as you point out Robert, if you can't do things yourself the costs rise alarmingly. Last year alone I changed the gearbox (Auto) oil and filter, then the camshaft sensors plus some other problems ie n/s door lock solenoid etc. There is and always will be something.
The best saving grace is being a member on here where you will always find help and support with no strings. If you were nearer to me I would gladly offer help.

Tony.

 

[hard top]

Yes, and charge for an MOT no doubt.......