GO FISHING, use SLABSAUCE Fishing Attractant
Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: the red beast is back and better than ever!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
    Posts
    252

    Default the red beast is back and better than ever!

    2 weeks without my bimmer, ohh the agony.. the TS astra i was driving was lifeless, i think i can blame front wheel drive, a 4 cylinder that sounds like an electric toothbrush and electric steering for that

    but now... the bimmer is back and better than ever before!

    it needed 9 welds to the head, pretty serious corrosion.. i checked the head out before it went back on and the welding was excellent, couldn't be spotted unless you held a lamp over it. the old HG was a wreck, there was a neat little path from the coolant channel to the oil channel which eventually decided to burrow its way into the cylinder itself, hence the hydrolock. the head was skimmed and from the looks of it that's the last time that can be done, though hopefully this will give me a few years of solid driving.

    the block looked fine, the timing chain and sprockets were like new, and the camshaft lobes were to my amazement basically perfect.. there was almost no wear at all !

    so it was just the head weld ($750 alone, ouch), head gasket, all new hoses and belts and new plugs.. it was enough to clean me out for the month and max out my credit card again, but oh god, it's GOOD ! it's like a brand new engine, the power and smoothness is sublime, the only issue left is a slight rumble at idle, but we're putting that down to engine mounts which i will (attempt to) install myself in the near future

    fuel consumption has gone from over 17L/100km to about 12.5 in city driving, which is amazing. in 35000km i will have paid for this repair in fuel savings alone
    Last edited by Randell; 06-09-2006 at 07:27 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    1,305

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Randell
    ..in 35000km i will have paid for this repair in fuel savings alone
    What at current prices of $1.40 per litre? Because by the time you do another 35,000km fuel will be closer to $2.50 per litre than $2.00 per litre so in fact you may have recouped by the time you have done 20,000km if you get my point!

    1990 E34 535iA, 215,000kms (130,000 miles).
    Dual Climate, Rear Headrests, Rollerblind, M-Tech Wheel,
    Memory Seats, EAT Chip, T-Stars.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    5,403

    Default

    Do yourself a favor and seriously keep an eye on it for the next 3 - 6 months... chances are if it doesnt crack again it won't.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Wellington,New Zealand
    Posts
    3,868

    Default

    good for you Randell!
    Gone but not forgotten

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Antwerp, Belgium
    Posts
    552

    Default

    Hooray for you!
    Looks like your engine wasn't toast after all. I sure hope your repairs hold up well.

Similar Threads

  1. Parts installed in the beast
    By Kibokojoe in forum 5 Series BMW
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 03-31-2010, 07:39 AM
  2. My New Beast
    By DaveVoorhis in forum 5 Series BMW
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 12-13-2008, 03:46 PM
  3. The Beast GTI
    By Jon K in forum 5 Series BMW
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 05-23-2006, 10:43 AM
  4. The Return Of The Beast
    By BigD in forum 5 Series BMW
    Replies: 27
    Last Post: 08-03-2004, 11:20 AM
  5. Project ///Monster, Part 2: The Beast bites back
    By Jon K in forum 5 Series BMW
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 03-07-2004, 11:33 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •