Oh, Joy...Oil in the coolant

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

During the routine check under the hood.

I was down a qt of oil, so i top it off, then checked the coolant level...only to find white sludg on the cap and coating the tank.

Looks like time for a headgasket job

any suggestions on brand?

Reinz

Elwis

Goetze

[Zeuk in Oz]

During the routine check under the hood.

I was down a qt of oil, so i top it off, then checked the coolant level...only to find white sludg on the cap and coating the tank.

Looks like time for a headgasket job

any suggestions on brand?

Reinz

Elwis

Goetze

I think Bill R recommends getting a BMW gasket from the dealer - logical as a small premium for a superior product perhaps means longer life.

When I did my head gasket (twice due to not using washers on hex bolts the first time - not because the gasket failed) my first gasket was a Reinz and the second a genuine one from BMW because I couldn't wait for another one from BMA - they were chalk and cheese - the BMW appeared far superior.

Still OK after 30,000 km (touch wood).

[shogun]

Or did you drive the last weeks only city/stop and go, and often cold engine starts?
I would drive a longer distance to see what happens.

Here is something interesting from Reinz (1 MB!)
http://www.reinz.de/pictures/praxisinfo_3_eng.pdf

[ryan roopnarine]

white sludge or yellow sludge?

[632 Regal]

these look like the very crappy gaskets that used to come in cheapo kits when i was young, they blew all the time and would rust through the water passages in a couple years.

Here is something interesting from Reinz (1 MB!)
http://www.reinz.de/pictures/praxisinfo_3_eng.pdf

[winfred]

m20 or m50? 20s usually only mix with a cracked head, they crack inline with the cam below the cam usually on the back 3 cylinders, ain't seen enough 50s pudding yet to figure out their favorite spot for mixing, they usually crack between the valves or between a exhaust valve and a head bolt hole, usually #4 or 5 cylinder, but these cracks just pressureize the cooling system and let water into the cylinder after shut down

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

no steam out the tail pipe

Oil fine

Trans fluid fine

Coolant has just a little crap floating at the top.

I'll pull the plugs tonight and look for the reaaly claen ones.

Could it be the water pump seals filing and the coolant washing away the grease in the bearings?

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

sludge

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

m20 or m50? 20s usually only mix with a cracked head, they crack inline with the cam below the cam usually on the back 3 cylinders, ain't seen enough 50s pudding yet to figure out their favorite spot for mixing, they usually crack between the valves or between a exhaust valve and a head bolt hole, usually #4 or 5 cylinder, but these cracks just pressureize the cooling system and let water into the cylinder after shut down

Last time I adjsuted the valves, the head appears to be new or rebuilt.

[632 Regal]

sounds good to me

Could it be the water pump seals filing and the coolant washing away the grease in the bearings?