Hi peeps, so after owning my 2005 2.2 z4 for over 8 years I think she’s slowly dying. It all started with a slight oil leak coming from the head, got through it’s MOT but soon after a second leak I’m thinking the head gaskets on it’s way out. The smell of exhaust fumes seems to be coming from the front of the car on start up aswell as a nice puff of white smoke from the rear. Phoned up a local garage and he suspects the gasket needs replacing aswell as re-skimming. I wouldn’t be surprised as it’s done 175k, yep and all I’ve ever replaced is brakes and tyres. 100k of those miles are my own, it’s been so good to me that I don’t have the heart to get rid. But he’s priced it to over a grand to do the job, surely it would be cheaper for an engine swap, or should I let her go to the scrapyard in the sky?
To sell or to keep????
- Thread starter nrg
- Start date
It might be the rocker cover gasket leaking oil onto the manifold causing burning oil fumes getting into the car and the white puff of smoke might be a blocked /gummed up CCV valve this also puts pressure on the rocker cover gasket making it leak.Take the oil cap off if its got milky mayo on it my bettings CCV valve bunged up with muck ,drawing oil up dipstick tube up into inlet manifold burning off and causing white smoke from exhaust.Another sign for this is needing quite a few oil topups.
nrg said:
Clean the area up using degreaser & rinse off, then observe where the oil appears from after a short run. Some people apply talcum powder around the suspect area after it’s been cleaned to leave a “smoking gun” clue.
Try a recommended garage for a second opinion if you’re still not sure.
Rob
North West Surrey
I've only had a blown head-gasket on one car, a twin-cam Fiat, back in the 70s - more due to how I drove the car as a teenager than any fault of the car!
All I got from the exhaust was steam/water vapour - if you put your hand near the end of the exhaust you should be able to tell whether it's oil or water. And once it had started to leak if I drove with any enthusiasm the water temperature climbed pretty quickly.
If the milky stuff/mayo cleared after a motorway blast it doesn't sound like a head gasket problem - that would have made it worse in my case.
Has your car only been doing short, stop-start journeys lately? That often results in mayo.
I wouldn't rely on a telephone diagnosis from a local garage. I'd take it to a BMW Specialist to get a diagnosis, but like Rob I'd be surprised if it is the head gasket.
If you still like the car surely it's worth trying to save it?
All I got from the exhaust was steam/water vapour - if you put your hand near the end of the exhaust you should be able to tell whether it's oil or water. And once it had started to leak if I drove with any enthusiasm the water temperature climbed pretty quickly.
If the milky stuff/mayo cleared after a motorway blast it doesn't sound like a head gasket problem - that would have made it worse in my case.
Has your car only been doing short, stop-start journeys lately? That often results in mayo.
I wouldn't rely on a telephone diagnosis from a local garage. I'd take it to a BMW Specialist to get a diagnosis, but like Rob I'd be surprised if it is the head gasket.
If you still like the car surely it's worth trying to save it?
That sounds like good news, just can’t understand why there’s exhaust gases coming from the front of the car on start up. The oil leaks on the left side near the top so I’m guessing it’s the valve cover gasket. As for mileage I’m averaging 30 miles a day, so definitely not short. As for the right side it’s right underneath the block.