My Z1 has a bad case of Diarrhea

BBZ149 · Post by **BBZ149** » Sun 10 Oct, 2010 23:04

On driving to the station one morning, I noticed the heater would not blow hot air

So I thought I better keep an eye on the temp gauge, Just as well as the temp started to pass the half way mark quite quickly

I checked the reservoir bottle which was bone dry, and had to add 2 litres of water, and when I checked the oil noticed then dreaded oil and water mix

Strange thing is since adding the water the level has not dropped at all.

I shall be pulling the head off very soon and hopefully it might just be the head gasket, but I will also get the head pressure tested before re fitting with new head bolts and changing the timing belt ETC. I must admit it’s probably the kick in the arse I needed to totally revamp the engine bay, and I will be sending various parts off to be powder coated Black. So out with the tool box yet again

Oil filler cap

Dipstick has a little blob of oil/water

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Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 08:57

Ouch. Good luck.

Mine has a leaking radiator I've discovered. More expense!

benslick · Post by **benslick** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 09:26

That's M20 engines for you, sorry to hear your news mate, by the sound of it your quite capable though so good luck..I was wondering who's head would go next, I expect many more will go in the next few years..

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 09:44

How often do you use the car?

Does it do many short journeys?

This could just be a case of condensation in the oil where the oil doesn't get to operating temperature to burn off the condensation.

The empty bottle could just be lack of maintenence ?

BBZ149 · Post by **BBZ149** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 15:12

garythefish wrote:How often do you use the car?

Does it do many short journeys?

This could just be a case of condensation in the oil where the oil doesn't get to operating temperature to burn off the condensation.

The empty bottle could just be lack of maintenence ?

Garythefish now you mention it yes I only drive it to and from the station Mon to Fri a return journey of about 4-5 miles each day, and very rarely use it at the weekends. Somebody else said it could just be condensation, I also never checked the water for a year

Ill take it for a good run and while parked up leave the filler open to release any condensation as see how it goes. Cheers for the info

Racing Tortoise wrote:Ouch. Good luck.

Mine has a leaking radiator I've discovered. More expense!

Not a bad job to do, hope your doing it yourself? are you getting a genuine BMW radiator?

benslick wrote:That's M20 engines for you, sorry to hear your news mate, by the sound of it your quite capable though so good luck..I was wondering who's head would go next, I expect many more will go in the next few years..

Cheers Ben, Ive been very luck with my Z so far! so hopefully it's not anything major.

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 15:27

Give it a good run and check the coolant more regularly....12 months is a

Tim.

Racing Tortoise · Post by **Racing Tortoise** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 17:21

BBZ149 wrote:
Racing Tortoise wrote:Ouch. Good luck.

Mine has a leaking radiator I've discovered. More expense!
Not a bad job to do, hope your doing it yourself? are you getting a genuine BMW radiator?

Myself? I wouldn't have the first idea nor the equipment and space since I understand the whole nose-cone has to come off and then you have to drain/flush etc?

Yes, haven't done anything much about it yet but was likely to head down to ML and get them to fit a genuine job.

apollo · Post by **apollo** » Mon 11 Oct, 2010 17:58

BBZ maybe its time for an upgrade

The hardest thing about changing the radiator is getting the clips on the top back in without them breaking

Stoertie · Post by **Stoertie** » Tue 12 Oct, 2010 07:04

BBZ149 wrote: ...yes I only drive it to and from the station Mon to Fri a return journey of about 4-5 miles each day, and very rarely use it at the weekends. Somebody else said it could just be condensation

Hi BBZ,

how often do you change the oil? Howmany kilometers is this oil used?

For a condensation problem the oil must be used for very long time to get so much water inside... AND the water from the compensating reservoir nust be gone somewhere!

4-5 miles (something about 8 Kilometers(?) is not enough to get the oiltemperatur to more then approximately 50 to 60°C...
If you push the engine hard (more then 3.000 rpm) on that short way, it's very easy to crack the cylinder head.

I have an oil thermometer in my car and it takes minimum 10 km (~ 6 miles) to get an temperature of 80°C (when outside air temp. is more than 20°C). Up to 60°C I avoid revs over 3000 rpm... and have had no problems in the last 70.000 km.

An other reason for a cracked head could be a malfunction of the fan cluch. Then the temperature of the engine will be too high (thermometer raises to more then the middle of the scale in stop and go traffic)
If you have this high temperature for a long time the head will be damaged also very easy. - Whenever the indicator of the water thermometer goes up to more then the middle, something is wrong.

Best regards
Michael

felix · Post by **felix** » Thu 14 Oct, 2010 06:28

Hi Terry, Sorry to hear of your troubles. A compression or leakdown test will confirm if it is indeed the head/headgasket but unfortunately it sure sounds that way. Time for a 2.8 conversion?

benslick · Post by **benslick** » Thu 14 Oct, 2010 20:36

Alright Tel,

I am afraid Felix is right, your engine has most likely blown, don't waste money trying to repair it if it has, just replace it.. Trust me!!

Stoertie · Post by **Stoertie** » Fri 15 Oct, 2010 06:47

benslick wrote:Alright Tel,

I am afraid Felix is right, your engine has most likely blown, don't waste money trying to repair it if it has, just replace it.. Trust me!!

Hi Ben,

Chrissys car also has had a blown up head a few years ago and we repaired it. Since then no problems anymore. The same happend to the Z1 of friend and that engine also got "only" a new head and everything is fine now...

A blown head of an M20 engine is no problem... thousands of E30 has had that problem on the way to summer holiday after a long time of short distance using.

Maybe it's a question of "who repairs"?

Best regards
Michael

Gazza · Post by **Gazza** » Fri 15 Oct, 2010 10:46

Drain the oil and replace along with the oil filter. Fill the water bottle.

Go for a nice run and get the car to temperature, check the oil and water.

Don't assume the worst until you've tried alternatives first

apollo · Post by **apollo** » Fri 15 Oct, 2010 13:24

Usually the water will only go into the oil or out the exhaust as steam depending where the head gasket has gone, you could also check if there are any thirsty animals living in your engine bay or like i did once went to top up the water and put it into the engine

CHANGE THAT ENGINE ITS THE WAY FORWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!

BBZ149 · Post by **BBZ149** » Thu 21 Oct, 2010 09:44

Cheers chaps ill still take it for a good run first and see what happens. Going to park it in mate’s garage for the winter at the end of the month, so if it needs a head gasket it will be next year when it’s not so freaking cold.

I’d love to upgrade the engine, so I might look into that during the winter, 3.0 litre upgrade maybe

SCORPION · Post by **SCORPION** » Thu 21 Oct, 2010 11:06

BBZ149 wrote:Going to park it in mate’s garage for the winter at the end of the month, so if it needs a head gasket it will be next year when it’s not so freaking cold.

I would not recommend leaving it overwinter possibly with water in the cylinders !

zroadster.net

My Z1 has a bad case of Diarrhea

My Z1 has a bad case of Diarrhea

m20

Alright mate

Re: Alright mate