Storage - special rates by BMW

[GregorJP]

Thought I'd update you all on my run of luck with Cesil...or lack of it.

She went in for a service at Elms. I'd been experiencing the infamous graunching between 3rd and 4th and it had got worse, so finally it was down for a new gearbox. That was at the end of June. A few bits and pieces needed doing - in fact, more than a few, so almost £2k later and in September, I went to pick her up.

I drove her home, left her sat for a week and then planned to drive to a place in Cambridge to put her into storage. However, on the way over, I heard a distinct knocking noise from the engine. Pulled over, figured it was the bottom end. Towed my car in to Elms (with the wife's car - Megane RS is a surprisingly good tow car). Diagnosed with big end shells gone, I think. So now another good few weeks off the road. :moan:

However, Gareth doing a good job as always, she'll be shiny and good once fixed and I don't have to pay for storage in the meantime. :finga:

[shimmy]

oh deat, not good


have you had a HG change recently?

[GregorJP]

Top end was done late last year, including VANOS, etc, as there was an oil starvation issue. From what I'm told, bottom end going isn't so rare.

[O'Neill]

Top end was done late last year, including VANOS, etc, as there was an oil starvation issue. From what I'm told, bottom end going isn't so rare.

It isn't :whistle:

[shimmy]

It isn't :whistle:

Seems very common IMHO

I remember when mine went, just a few months after HG, Dunc the same I think.



Is it the damage caused by the HG going or the rebuild causing it after?

[O'Neill]

Seems very common IMHO

I remember when mine went, just a few months after HG, Dunc the same I think.

Same here.

[GregorJP]

Seems very common IMHO

I remember when mine went, just a few months after HG, Dunc the same I think.



Is it the damage caused by the HG going or the rebuild causing it after?

Not sure. I'll ask the G-man. In any case, I'm almost glad it's happened now before I stick her in storage.

[Monkey]

Not sure. I'll ask the G-man. In any case, I'm almost glad it's happened now before I stick her in storage.


There's not really anything that can be done in the repair process to effect the bottom end. Certainly not to effect this amount of cars by different repairers.

The general theory is that pre ignition (pinking) occurs when the piston is not at TDC, therefore putting stress on the big end shells. Once the head gasket has been replaced, there is a significant rise in compression, which then causes the shells to fail completely.

It's only threads like this that highlight how common an issue it is. I've personally done many head gaskets on S54's, and only had one bottom end fail as a result. Seems its a far more wide spread issue than I'd initially thought!

[uncle benz]

My other thought on this subject is priming the oil system after hg replacement. It is my standard practice to crank the engine with the spark plugs removed to establish oil pressure before actually firing it up. Any delay in oil pressure being established, while vanos refills etc, will potentially pick up on the big ends.

[Steve B]

My other thought on this subject is priming the oil system after hg replacement. It is my standard practice to crank the engine with the spark plugs removed to establish oil pressure before actually firing it up. Any delay in oil pressure being established, while vanos refills etc, will potentially pick up on the big ends.


I'm pretty sure Imprezas suffer with the same issue and need priming

[Straightsix]

There's not really anything that can be done in the repair process to effect the bottom end. Certainly not to effect this amount of cars by different repairers.

The general theory is that pre ignition (pinking) occurs when the piston is not at TDC, therefore putting stress on the big end shells. Once the head gasket has been replaced, there is a significant rise in compression, which then causes the shells to fail completely.

It's only threads like this that highlight how common an issue it is. I've personally done many head gaskets on S54's, and only had one bottom end fail as a result. Seems its a far more wide spread issue than I'd initially thought!




Is there anything than can be done to prevent or delay this ?
Is this depends on how is driven ?
Does this depend on mileage ?
I thought head gaskets fail on high mileage cars ie over 100 k or maybe over 50k if tracked every weekend ?