Cost for shop to replace S50 HG

[golde30]

i have those tools^. headgasket can be done yourself, but yer still gonna want to take the head to a machine shop to have them pressure test/deck the head while its out. maybe even go the valve guides...the machine shop work alone is gonna be about $700-1000 depending on what you have done. plus $300 HG set. you can pull if off for alot cheaper yourself. shop is gonna charge you like $2500 for all that work.

[funcrew]

Do it yourself, otherwise the bill will be 1800-2500.

Have the retainers been adressed in this motor?

Only if the PO did it, so who knows? I'm only vaguely aware of the standard time-bomb issues on S50 engines such as the oil-pump nut (is that right?) Is there a good link to a comprehensive list of these must-fix items?

[funcrew]

when you get that head off have it ported.

The PO claims to have "polished" the head, but in any case I'm not interested in spending money for small incremental increases in top-end power. Keep in mind that I'm old and don't use the car for racing, legal or otherwise.

[FredK]

It is pretty much the oil pump nut issue and the upper spring plate / retainers issue.

The upper spring plates for >10/95 production date S50US engine are the later, hardened plates. You can check the production date by punching in the last seven digits of your VIN on www.realoem.com. If it is 10/95 and later, you should be safe.

I'm with you--just replace what is necessary, and skip the porting, +1 valves, Ti retainers, high performance valve springs, etc. That tends to inflate the costs of an already fairly expensive affair.

[Mako18]

Anyone know where you can possibly rent the specialty tools need for this job? Just want to know if its an option?

Damn that ebay listing is a good deal!!

[funcrew]

Thanks to all, lots of good information here.

I was describing the blown head gasket to my son, and he said, "Is that what happens when the whirlybits come disconnected from the engine?" Yep, pretty much.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Thanks to all, lots of good information here.

I was describing the blown head gasket to my son, and he said, "Is that what happens when the whirlybits come disconnected from the engine?" Yep, pretty much.

I'd more describe it as, "The roast beef in the center of the sandwitch shifted, causing all that tasty mustard to leak out on the bread."


That's how I have described it to female customers that have no understanding of what a head or gasket is.

[twothrees]

My head gasket blew a month after I got my cabrio. It was either pay a shop mucho dinero to do it or save lots of money and learn something in the process.

An old dog can learn new tricks: buy the service manual for the s50, take lots of pictures while you are removing stuff, label it really well and get your son involved in the process. It sounds like a daunting task, but its not too difficult(at least for the M20) and I never had done this before.

Find a reputable, clean machine shop and let them do their work cleaning, pressure testing, decking and installing new valve guides, seals, etc. Once you are finished you will have a sense of great accomplishment. Sounds like a great experience for you and your son.

[carmv4]

... Is there a good link to a comprehensive list of these must-fix items?

I found this a while ago. It's for e36's so all you really need to look at are the engine related items.

http://edgemotorworks.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=55

I have no clue if it's any good or not but I bookmarked it because I was considering an e36 m3 before I got my e30.

[funcrew]

What about ordering a VAC Motorsports reconditioned head delivered to my door? I'm not convinced that a random Las Vegas machine shop will do any better, or cost less:
-----------------------------------------
VAC - S50 / S52 (US) Reconditioned Cylinder Head
VAC-RCH-S50 $899.95
Add to Cart
Ship To:
Engine Type: S50 & S52 (US)
Tell a Friend About This Product Bookmark This Product
VAC - S50 / S52 (US) Reconditioned Cylinder Head
VAC - S50 / S52 (US) Reconditioned Cylinder Head
View Enlarged Image
VAC Stock Cylinder Heads are reconditioned to better than stock spec by maintaining close tolerances and utilizing state of the art engine equipment.
All engine work is done with care, in house by the same master engine builders that build all of our race engines. This lets us optimize quality control, and deliver the best re-manufactured cylinder heads available.

Our Remanufactured Cylinder Heads feature the following:

* Performance Multi-angle Valve Job using Serdi Equipment
* Worn Valve Guides replaced
* Reconditioned Valves
* Blueprinted Valves
* Resurfaced Face
* Full OEM tolerance and spec check


Keep in mind, not all remanufactured heads are equal!
VAC heads must always meet our standards of quality, most others just want to satisfy their warranty period. Who will you trust with your BMW?

# Core Required, please call or email for updated core market price.
# This price does not include removal or installation of camshaft.

[e30serg]

I just had an s52 head pressure checked, exhaust valves replaced, guides and springs checked for wear, cams cleaned and polished done for about $300. The guides had almost no wear and the springs were within spec. I removed the cams and left the rest alone. They installed the new exhaust valves (I brought them in) and valve seals. The head has 144k on it.

Point is, if your head is not totally messed up, it'll probably be fine just getting cleaned up and pressure checked. You won't need to have the valve guides replaced, or the valves blueprinted (what do they do exactly?) and if you head is cracked, or has some other damage they don't like, you're stuck paying for the core fee too. Getting a 3-angle valve job (industry standard) would be a good idea though.

[SiGmA_X]

Talk to EvoSport before buying a VAC head. They apparently have spec'ing issues. I'd stay far, far away from VAC, based on everything I've read about them. Motors coming apart, poor spec'ing, poor quality....

[DCColegrove]

I really hate to rain on anybodies parade however...

At best it is a difficult job to do that requires tooling and skill beyond level of shade tree mechanic...

But that's not the worst part...

About 90% of the times I've pulled M/S52 heads because of overheating / headgasket issues. I have found that the bottom end is also trashed.

[matt]

About 90% of the times I've pulled M/S52 heads because of overheating / headgasket issues. I have found that the bottom end is also trashed.

What's usually wrong with the bottom end? Never seen a bad bottom end that wasn't trashed for a non-headgasket related reason (worn out, money shift that ate a piston, bent rods etc) Never seen a cracked block for that matter.

I would say it's much more likely that the head will be cracked or warped, but they are sometimes fixable.

[DCColegrove]

What's usually wrong with the bottom end? Never seen a bad bottom end that wasn't trashed for a non-headgasket related reason (worn out, money shift that ate a piston, bent rods etc) Never seen a cracked block for that matter.

I would say it's much more likely that the head will be cracked or warped, but they are sometimes fixable.

When they get hot enough to blow the HG and or bust the head the the pistons have usually heat seized / collapsed.

In the past year I've had more than 10 roll through the shop like this.
They would run with a head replacement but they'd never be right. With OBD II they'd set misfire codes right from the get.