Gutted - Z4 Has died (2003 - 2018)

D

Devon Eleven

Member
Just been advised by my garage that the Z4 has blown a head gasket.

It’s also got an airbag warning light on and MOT due in just over a week!

Couldn’t have come at a worse time to be honest, with the birth of my baby boy a couple of months ago I was just waiting for the weather to pick up before advertising it for sale. Oh well.

Anyone got any advice on what I do with it now?
 
Check with the good peeps on here if you any doubts about the diagnosis or competency of the garage.

If not, get it fixed, get the MOT, put it up for sale and then concentrate on your family. :thumbsup:
 
What led you to take it to the garage? Just trying to understand what the problem/symptons were/are.

Head Gasket failure is not very common.
 
With the above really. Pretty much every zed is worth saving from a head gasket failure just from a purely financial standpoint. Has the garage quoted for the repair? Hope you get sorted soon.
 
Woah, you can get an engine for £500 ish and it’s not a massive job to change it.
Head gasket is very unusual to fail, we’re you having any problems with the car? What evidence have you seen that would point to a head gasket failure.
 
No massive amounts of white smoke, but losing coolant and struggling to start a bit when been left for w few days. Oil cap a little bit milky but would have thought that’s just condensation due to weather.
 
Seems like the OP struggled with cooling system leaks for several months a couple of years ago so although the M54 is generally rock-solid under those conditions a HG is entirely possible depending on the symptoms. Personally I'd check the testing carried out to confirm the diagnosis did they do compression, leak-down, coolant pressurisation, coolant 'sniff' test? and really button-down the possibility of leaks?

If HG is confirmed by tests then I'd get the head stripped off for examination as that's the only way to decide what's next. Providing the block has not been allowed to overheat badly and 'cooked' or cracked, then a gasket replacement should fix it economically. If you give up on the car at that point at least a buyer knows exactly where they are with the project and you can negotiate accordingly.

It's always a crap situation but I hope it works out :|
 
Well worth fixing as this won’t cost much, selling as a non runner/problem car will be hard work and not fetch much should you find a buyer.
 
HG is common on an M54,usually after 125k....

Or if the cooling system header tank splits and the engine overheats..

Headgasket job itself isnt too bad,BUT and its a big BUT,the headbolts have a habit of stripping the threads out of the block on removal..Sometimes a helicoil works,its 50/50..

All depends on what the Z is like really,if its an early car with mega miles i would be reluctant to put the money into it..
 
Bad news, and terrible timing OP. :(

If you have total faith in your garage I'd ask them for a quote to repair the car and go from there.

Or you could try getting it to a BMW Independent specialist (there are plenty listed on here) and asking them for an opinion.

But looking at your other thread, I wouldn't give up on it just yet!

Either way, good luck. :thumbsup:
 
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