Garage ****ed my car up BAD... need advice ASAP.

[mamilapon]

Used to fix Boeings for a living, if you left ANY tool around the engine and down the track they trace it back to you...you are GONESKI!!!!

[Adnan]

Hi,

Sorry to hear of the problems. I feel bad given that I steered you towards having someone else do the job. So much for professionals!

I had a belt disintegrate too, and for no good reason. It was relatively new, wasn't on too tight or too loose and just suddenly came apart. I ended up having to replace the HG.

Here's the unfortunate part - just because there is no mixing of oil and coolant doesn't mean the gasket hasn't blown. Mine blew outwards, that is, if you looked closely, you could see steaming coolant coming out the sides. They were just wisps, but they were there. Take a close look with the right lighting, just to be sure, or run a compression check.

I hope you have escaped with nothing more than a new belt being required. Fingers crossed. The M30 is very touchy about cooling and I have always considered it to be its Achilles heel.

Regards,
Adnan

[e34.535i.sport]

Hey Adnan don't even worry about it, entirely my own choice.

The only steam I saw was a very brief tiny bit on top of the engine where coolant had landed after coming out of the hose that joints to the expansion tank...

Ran it again earlier up to normal operating temp and no signs of steam or leaks around the head from what I could see. I'm assuming I'll notice signs after driving it a while if there is a HG problem, anything to look out for besides the obvious (oil/water mix, loss of coolant, exhaust smell)?

Seriously hoping I got away with it. I did turn it off as soon as the warning came up when it happened, and it was half way into the red bar on the guage.

In terms of a compression test, do I need to get that done at a main dealer? What does it involve?

Whiskey, I don't think its a pulley sticking as it ran fine earlier after putting the belt back on... Had a feel before I did put it back on though and the alternator spun fine as did the pump pulley. It is a mystery.

Fingers crossed no damage done... HG is my worst nightmare.

[e34.535i.sport]

P.S the car is running the sameas it was before... I.e not any rougher on start up. Been reading around and symptoms seem to be running rougher on initial startup if its the headgasket. My idle is **** but it was before and at least its consistent.

[whiskychaser]

I cant see why anyone would touch the belts when doing a clutch. Not being funny but they are the wrong end of the engine for a start. What DOES surprise me a bit is the belt hopping off-would have thought it would scream a bit first and give you a clue. Either way, hope both you and your motor have cooled down and the only damage is a new belt

[healtoeit]

Turns out to be a 17mm socket with a 10" extension on it left in the engine... Obviously from the BMW specialist that done the clutch. I am
pissed.

Stupid mechanic, just plain stupid, give them hell, and make sure he doesn't work on another BMW again. Send em to ford. If that happened at the shop I work at I would be fired before I could register what I did.

[e34.535i.sport]

Hey guys... All points taken and appreciated.

I'm not familiar with the workings of the clutch so I thought they just might have taken the belt off to make something easier at the other end.

Still, leaving things in the engine is not on... no matter how easy it is to do it. At the end of the day if the extension had flew off and hit the fan or the belts or the radiator or whatever things could have been much worse.

Can't see why the belt came off myself to be honest, I checked it recently and thought I may have even done it too tight... No warning on the belt but I must have been doing 50mph at the time.

Anyway, car is still alive, no coolant/oil mix so HG is hopefully still fine. This was my main concern as I couldn't find an outlet for the coolant anywhere! I think the prize goes to Nirvana on that one, thanks!

I made sure the coolant was full, put belt back on (it looks ok but I'll replace it at the weekend), and checked all the hoses. Fired her up (it took a second as the battery prob lost a bit of power yesterday) but all seems good - no overheating or anything unusual. Ran it for ten minutes or so keeping an eye on the temp and giving it a few revs. Think the viscous fan clutch may need looking at in the near future maybe as it seems to wobble a little, but not urgent.

Oh and guilty on the M-badge but it is the M-sport in my defense! I wouldn't put an m5 badge on as I don't believe in false advertising!!!

I'm hoping there won't be any ongoing problems after this, but I'm scared to drive it now... Feel like I should take it easy on it now its overheated incase the H-gasket has been weakened. Worrying.

Anyway, thanks for the input - I needed to have my facts straight for when I rang the garage. It won't be going in again I'll tell you that.

[whiskychaser]

Can't see why the belt came off myself to be honest, I checked it recently and thought I may have even done it too tight... No warning on the belt but I must have been doing 50mph at the time.

Perhaps a little late to ask, but you havent got a pulley sticking by any chance?

[CharlesAFerg]

That's not an ///M badge on your trunk is it?

Wow,

[Ross]

Used to fix Boeings for a living, if you left ANY tool around the engine and down the track they trace it back to you...you are GONESKI!!!!

The running joke in the av shops I know of is that a missing tool will always show up in the wreckage.