Blown engine head gasket?????

dzenno · 03-19-2010, 10:07 AM

EDIT: first dealer misdiagnosed as headgasket failure with faked out leak down results, second dealer replacing injector(s) on bank 1 under warranty

success! RMP Motors FTMFW!!!

My car has been in service for the past 3 days to resolve a cold start misfire issue that happens ONLY on cold morning starts, cyl 1,2,3. They apparently changed plugs and coils but the problem is still there and they called this morning and said that most likely a head gasket blew and coolant was getting in. I thought this was just plugs, could this have happened???

They're asking me to come in and talk to a mechanic there and they're saying if it turns out to be true, provided I give them goahead to crack the engine open, that warranty most likely wouldn't cover it and i'd be stuck with a bill.

My dealership and SA have always been awesome really when it came to my car, I'm just confused how a head gasket could've blown, WTF!!!!! Shouldn't this be bad injectors?

tomtom · 03-19-2010, 10:17 AM

sorry to hear that...you havent really been driving car that hard lately too...being winter and all.
do you do anything recently to the car? mods? meth?

have there been any reported gasket leaks yet?

dzenno · 03-19-2010, 10:28 AM

No to all of those..

ianthegreat · 03-19-2010, 10:31 AM

Why wouldn't a head gasket be covered? I don't understand. Are you past the initial 50k warranty?

mycoupe · 03-19-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dzenno

No to all of those..

According to your sig...the car is pretty heavily modified...I hate to say it, but you might just be the first to have to pay for a new head gasket.

ianthegreat · 03-19-2010, 10:38 AM

Paying a dealer would bankrupt me. I've done a few head gaskets before and they are time consuming.

zsapphire7 · 03-19-2010, 10:53 AM

get more than one opinion first before you take action.... Theyre just guessing. If theyre wrong and u pay for it thats even worse...

02themax · 03-19-2010, 11:06 AM

Easy solution - Get a leak down test performed! What's with the guessing here, I wouldn't be too happy. I would take the car somewhere else to get a leak down performed and I wouldn't tell them why.

02themax · 03-19-2010, 11:07 AM

Also if it is the gasket get a non dealer bmw mechanic to do it for you, your warranty is obviously out the window anyways...

dzenno · 03-19-2010, 11:12 AM

They're doing a leakdown test..$250 too much?

dzenno · 03-19-2010, 11:14 AM

Head mechanic said he noticed water/coolant around plugs, tasted it, wasn't fuel..what do you guys think?

OpenFlash · 03-19-2010, 11:16 AM

Your mechanic should be given a wedgie. Concluding a headgasket failure from morning misfire is like a doctor diagnosing cancer based upon a runny nose. It's very unlikely that a headgasket failure would result in misfire in just one bank. And you would also likely experience coolant loss, overheating and smoke out the tailpipe. Definitely do a leakdown test before coming to that conclusion. $250 does seem a little high but within reason for a dealership.

dzenno · 03-19-2010, 11:16 AM

How can this cause a problem only on cold cold starts??

dzenno · 03-19-2010, 11:18 AM

There is smoke on cold start when misfires are happening..

02themax · 03-19-2010, 11:20 AM

I'd pay the $250 hands down but I'd still take it somewhere else. Maybe you have a small coolant leak somewhere else and it's dripping onto your plugs causing your sparks to arc to the head? It could also be a bit of oil that has seeped past some baked valve cover gaskets where the sparkplugs are?

Replacing the head gasket will run you over $1K.

He "tasted" the coolant? Or did you mean "tested".

OpenFlash · 03-19-2010, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dzenno

There is smoke on cold start when misfires are happening..

You will get smoke out the tailpipe in the morning. Especially I'd you are catless. It's water/condensation burning from inside the exhaust pipe. Coolant has a very distinct smell and should be easy to diagnose. Again, a properly conducted leakdown test will tell the whole story. Has your coolant light ever come on?

eclipsor · 03-19-2010, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 02themax

He "tasted" the coolant? Or did you mean "tested".

He probably tasted it.

Ilma · 03-19-2010, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dzenno

There is smoke on cold start when misfires are happening..

Why don't you have the folks at Bimmersport look at it?

dzenno · 03-19-2010, 11:36 AM

He "tasted" it and it wasn't fuel, oil, it was water/coolant...i left it for them to do a leakdown that i have to pay out of my pocket and we'll go from there...

i asked how much it would be to fix a head gasket and they indicated around $5K...what?? Can any of my mods cause a head gasket to blow?

bimmerboy · 03-19-2010, 11:41 AM

Take it to another dealer ASAP, they sound like retards.

OpenFlash · 03-19-2010, 11:43 AM

Go somewhere else for the leakdown test. Preferably a performance shop like Ilma suggested. Dealership techs typically follow a flow chart when it comes to diagnosis. Not always common sense.

dzenno · 03-19-2010, 11:49 AM

well they're doing a leak down test today but i can back out of it i think if you think its bad that this dealership does it? wouldn't it be the same if they did it or someone else?

what else would someone else look for? they changed plugs and coils..i know next you guys are going to say injectors but how hard/possible is that to diagnose?

03-19-2010, 10:07 AM	#1
dzenno Banned 273 Rep 5,876 Posts Drives: Join Date: Feb 2006 iTrader: (1)	Blown engine head gasket????? - OR NOT....just an injector as thought initially EDIT: first dealer misdiagnosed as headgasket failure with faked out leak down results, second dealer replacing injector(s) on bank 1 under warranty success! RMP Motors FTMFW!!! My car has been in service for the past 3 days to resolve a cold start misfire issue that happens ONLY on cold morning starts, cyl 1,2,3. They apparently changed plugs and coils but the problem is still there and they called this morning and said that most likely a head gasket blew and coolant was getting in. I thought this was just plugs, could this have happened??? They're asking me to come in and talk to a mechanic there and they're saying if it turns out to be true, provided I give them goahead to crack the engine open, that warranty most likely wouldn't cover it and i'd be stuck with a bill. My dealership and SA have always been awesome really when it came to my car, I'm just confused how a head gasket could've blown, WTF!!!!! Shouldn't this be bad injectors? Last edited by dzenno; 03-27-2010 at 09:03 AM..
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03-19-2010, 10:17 AM	#2
tomtom Captain 52 Rep 986 Posts Drives: e92 335i Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: ontario iTrader: (4)	sorry to hear that...you havent really been driving car that hard lately too...being winter and all. do you do anything recently to the car? mods? meth? have there been any reported gasket leaks yet?
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03-19-2010, 10:28 AM	#3
dzenno Banned 273 Rep 5,876 Posts Drives: Join Date: Feb 2006 iTrader: (1)	No to all of those..
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03-19-2010, 10:31 AM	#4
ianthegreat Colonel 60 Rep 2,314 Posts Drives: n54 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pittsburgh/Houston iTrader: (1)	Why wouldn't a head gasket be covered? I don't understand. Are you past the initial 50k warranty?
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03-19-2010, 10:38 AM	#6
ianthegreat Colonel 60 Rep 2,314 Posts Drives: n54 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pittsburgh/Houston iTrader: (1)	Paying a dealer would bankrupt me. I've done a few head gaskets before and they are time consuming.
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03-19-2010, 10:53 AM	#7
zsapphire7 Colonel 104 Rep 2,368 Posts Drives: 08 e92 M3 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: SF Bay Area iTrader: (21)	get more than one opinion first before you take action.... Theyre just guessing. If theyre wrong and u pay for it thats even worse...
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03-19-2010, 11:06 AM	#8
02themax Captain 28 Rep 946 Posts Drives: E90 335i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Calgary, AB iTrader: (6)	Easy solution - Get a leak down test performed! What's with the guessing here, I wouldn't be too happy. I would take the car somewhere else to get a leak down performed and I wouldn't tell them why. __________________ E90 335i Sport Package - Logic 7 Sound w/ipod - Bluetooth - Comfort Access - PDC - 19" M3 Reps 275/30 235/35 - Blacklines - 10mil spacers rear, 5mil spacers front - BMW Alarm
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03-19-2010, 11:07 AM	#9
02themax Captain 28 Rep 946 Posts Drives: E90 335i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Calgary, AB iTrader: (6)	Also if it is the gasket get a non dealer bmw mechanic to do it for you, your warranty is obviously out the window anyways... __________________ E90 335i Sport Package - Logic 7 Sound w/ipod - Bluetooth - Comfort Access - PDC - 19" M3 Reps 275/30 235/35 - Blacklines - 10mil spacers rear, 5mil spacers front - BMW Alarm
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03-19-2010, 11:12 AM	#10
dzenno Banned 273 Rep 5,876 Posts Drives: Join Date: Feb 2006 iTrader: (1)	They're doing a leakdown test..$250 too much?
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03-19-2010, 11:14 AM	#11
dzenno Banned 273 Rep 5,876 Posts Drives: Join Date: Feb 2006 iTrader: (1)	Head mechanic said he noticed water/coolant around plugs, tasted it, wasn't fuel..what do you guys think?
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03-19-2010, 11:16 AM	#12
OpenFlash 1737 Rep 17,960 Posts Drives: A Lot Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: SF Bay, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 Ducati Panigal ... [0.00] 2016 Mazda CX5 [0.00] 2017 Aprilia Tuono ... [0.00] 2019 BMW M2 Competi ... [0.00] 2015 BMW M5 Competi ... [10.00] 2016 Ducati XDiavel S [0.00] 2016 AMG GT S [0.00] 2011 Ferrari 458 It ... [0.00] 2017 Charger Hellcat [0.00] 2015 KTM Super Duke ... [0.00] 2016 KTM RC390 [0.00]	Your mechanic should be given a wedgie. Concluding a headgasket failure from morning misfire is like a doctor diagnosing cancer based upon a runny nose. It's very unlikely that a headgasket failure would result in misfire in just one bank. And you would also likely experience coolant loss, overheating and smoke out the tailpipe. Definitely do a leakdown test before coming to that conclusion. $250 does seem a little high but within reason for a dealership. Last edited by OpenFlash; 03-19-2010 at 11:22 AM..
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03-19-2010, 11:18 AM	#14
dzenno Banned 273 Rep 5,876 Posts Drives: Join Date: Feb 2006 iTrader: (1)	There is smoke on cold start when misfires are happening..
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03-19-2010, 11:20 AM	#15
02themax Captain 28 Rep 946 Posts Drives: E90 335i Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Calgary, AB iTrader: (6)	I'd pay the $250 hands down but I'd still take it somewhere else. Maybe you have a small coolant leak somewhere else and it's dripping onto your plugs causing your sparks to arc to the head? It could also be a bit of oil that has seeped past some baked valve cover gaskets where the sparkplugs are? Replacing the head gasket will run you over $1K. He "tasted" the coolant? Or did you mean "tested". __________________ E90 335i Sport Package - Logic 7 Sound w/ipod - Bluetooth - Comfort Access - PDC - 19" M3 Reps 275/30 235/35 - Blacklines - 10mil spacers rear, 5mil spacers front - BMW Alarm
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03-19-2010, 11:36 AM	#19
dzenno Banned 273 Rep 5,876 Posts Drives: Join Date: Feb 2006 iTrader: (1)	He "tasted" it and it wasn't fuel, oil, it was water/coolant...i left it for them to do a leakdown that i have to pay out of my pocket and we'll go from there... i asked how much it would be to fix a head gasket and they indicated around $5K...what?? Can any of my mods cause a head gasket to blow?
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03-19-2010, 11:41 AM	#20
bimmerboy Captain 23 Rep 601 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	Take it to another dealer ASAP, they sound like retards. __________________ *--2009 BSM 135i--* -Manual, Sport Package, BMW Assist
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03-19-2010, 11:43 AM	#21
OpenFlash 1737 Rep 17,960 Posts Drives: A Lot Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: SF Bay, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 Ducati Panigal ... [0.00] 2016 Mazda CX5 [0.00] 2017 Aprilia Tuono ... [0.00] 2019 BMW M2 Competi ... [0.00] 2015 BMW M5 Competi ... [10.00] 2016 Ducati XDiavel S [0.00] 2016 AMG GT S [0.00] 2011 Ferrari 458 It ... [0.00] 2017 Charger Hellcat [0.00] 2015 KTM Super Duke ... [0.00] 2016 KTM RC390 [0.00]	Go somewhere else for the leakdown test. Preferably a performance shop like Ilma suggested. Dealership techs typically follow a flow chart when it comes to diagnosis. Not always common sense.
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03-19-2010, 11:49 AM	#22
dzenno Banned 273 Rep 5,876 Posts Drives: Join Date: Feb 2006 iTrader: (1)	well they're doing a leak down test today but i can back out of it i think if you think its bad that this dealership does it? wouldn't it be the same if they did it or someone else? what else would someone else look for? they changed plugs and coils..i know next you guys are going to say injectors but how hard/possible is that to diagnose?
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