Condensation or just blown Profile Gasket?

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  • TimKninja
    R3VLimited
    • Mar 2009
    • 2131

    #1

    Condensation or just blown Profile Gasket?

    SUP R3V

    For whatever reason I bought an M42 powered car, mostly because its a slick top and will be for sale shortly.

    So The car has over 260k on it, the motor grenanded at 240,000 and the PO replaced it with a motor that had a known mileage of 50,000 (out of a rolled e30 318is), drove it for 20,000 miles, then I bought it.

    Ive been getting this telltale sign of milkshake ness on my dipstick.

    -Every once in awhile Ill pull the dipstick and the top of the red part will have a white substance on it. but the oil is clean

    -Every once in while Ill pull it and the Oil will have a bit of substance in it...but not a lot.

    -And every once in awhile (After a long drive) Especially if Ive been in traffic Ill pull the dipstick and it will be completely Clean, just oil.

    Now I made the assumption blown profile gasket, the motor is at 70k now and that was the most common mileage for it to fail at. I ordered the parts and they're all in a big box in front of me.

    I havnt changed the oil since I bought the car :/ bad me I know, I didn't wanna dump castrol in it jet to drain it back out 500 miles later.

    The car NEVER gets past the quarter mark on the temp dil, runs cool.

    Now I know that M50's will have a milky residue on the oil cap of driven short distances in cold weather, common with newer BMW motors, I saw it all the time at the dealer.

    Could it just be condensation from short cold drives? I have NOT lost any coolant...no white smoke....

    thanks R3v.
    1985 325e M50TU(Sold)
    1991 318is Slicktop (Sold)
    1990 325is Brilliantrot S50/5 Lug Swapped.
    1992 525i Manual shitbox Winter Beater
  • BergerNJ
    Grease Monkey
    • Oct 2009
    • 349

    #2
    any car...especially diesels will get that on the cap....

    not letting the engine warm to temp and burn off the natural moisture isn't bad...but consistently doing it in harsh weather can be

    change the oil bro..

    Comment

    • Ryann
      No R3VLimiter
      • Mar 2010
      • 3350

      #3
      It should run just shy of the midway mark. Replace your stat and coolant with OE stuff. http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...ght=twistednut And yes, milkshake at the top of the dipstick is completely normal when driving m42's that never warm up.

      Comment

      • TimKninja
        R3VLimited
        • Mar 2009
        • 2131

        #4
        Really? Hmm. It never gets past the 1/4 mark. Yea I ordered a new stat, and my fan clutch is stuck on too. Maybe tomorrow Ill flush the coolant and oil, change the thermostat and see if that does anything. Really don't want to do a Head gasket. Ill try the above first.

        Thanks!
        1985 325e M50TU(Sold)
        1991 318is Slicktop (Sold)
        1990 325is Brilliantrot S50/5 Lug Swapped.
        1992 525i Manual shitbox Winter Beater

        Comment

        • KenC
          King of Kegstands
          • Oct 2003
          • 14396

          #5
          I'd be 10x more alarmed at your temp gauge than the condensation.
          Originally posted by Gruelius
          and i do not know what bugg brakes are.

          Comment

          • Ryann
            No R3VLimiter
            • Mar 2010
            • 3350

            #6
            Dug around and found this pic- this is how mine looks after making the short trip to work and back for a couple of weeks.
            Attached Files

            Comment

            • TimKninja
              R3VLimited
              • Mar 2009
              • 2131

              #7
              Wow thats quite similar to what mine looks like. Thanks dood you've been super helpful!

              Ken, the problem is the car not ever really warming up . Im pretty positivr it is. the heater core never really puts out a ton of heat. And Im sure with the mechanical fan stuck on its not any better for it.

              Im doing a flush tomarrow with a new thermostat. Ill order a fan clutch tonight and keep you guys posted!
              1985 325e M50TU(Sold)
              1991 318is Slicktop (Sold)
              1990 325is Brilliantrot S50/5 Lug Swapped.
              1992 525i Manual shitbox Winter Beater

              Comment

              • Ryann
                No R3VLimiter
                • Mar 2010
                • 3350

                #8
                Cool, happy to help.

                I suggest you try this http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=230380 when you refill your system.

                Comment

                • KenC
                  King of Kegstands
                  • Oct 2003
                  • 14396

                  #9
                  I bet your thermostat is stuck open.
                  Originally posted by Gruelius
                  and i do not know what bugg brakes are.

                  Comment

                  • steel330i
                    Advanced Member
                    • Oct 2010
                    • 164

                    #10
                    progress??

                    Comment

                    • TimKninja
                      R3VLimited
                      • Mar 2009
                      • 2131

                      #11
                      Just took care of the mess under the intake. It was nasty. Milkshakey stuff in some of the vacuum lines . Gotta bleed the coolant and Install the new fanclutch that showed
                      Up today.
                      1985 325e M50TU(Sold)
                      1991 318is Slicktop (Sold)
                      1990 325is Brilliantrot S50/5 Lug Swapped.
                      1992 525i Manual shitbox Winter Beater

                      Comment

                      • steel330i
                        Advanced Member
                        • Oct 2010
                        • 164

                        #12
                        anything new??

                        Comment

                        • TimKninja
                          R3VLimited
                          • Mar 2009
                          • 2131

                          #13
                          Yeap this fixed the problem!

                          New coolant lines, pressure relief valve delete, new thermostat, new
                          Fan clutch. Also found out my temperture needle in my cluster was messed with. When i turned the car off the needle would sit right in the blue. And it only moved like 1/4 of an inch when the car was driven. So the motor wasnt warming up AT ALL.

                          Re adjusted the temp needle so it sits where it should when the car is off.

                          Temp needle settles just right after the mid way.Like a mm after the midway. The cluster gauge might need further adjustment. Sat in traffic for two hours (school bus drove off the road into the woods) , and it remained right where it should. I should ad it was 85
                          Degrees out too.

                          Still a rough idle with all new vacuum lines. Gonna have to check the plugs. Clean the IAC ETC.

                          No more milkshakey stuff. Car gets MUCH better gas mileage now. I got 35 MPG total on my way to school yesterday!

                          So now i have a spare headgasket !:/

                          Thanks guys!
                          1985 325e M50TU(Sold)
                          1991 318is Slicktop (Sold)
                          1990 325is Brilliantrot S50/5 Lug Swapped.
                          1992 525i Manual shitbox Winter Beater

                          Comment

                          • canadiankid
                            Wrencher
                            • Mar 2012
                            • 262

                            #14
                            I had streaks in mine ocassionally. Not nearly as bad though. M20 powered. Oil change looked completely clean. Then I realized my T-stat was stuck open. Buy oem, aftermarket stuff is like tin foil.

                            edit:nvm read you fixed your problem.

                            Comment

                            • Jboss12
                              Grease Monkey
                              • Jan 2012
                              • 357

                              #15
                              My temp gauge barely moves up after driving the car for a while. So the problem is a stuck t-stat? It seems to idle fine

                              Comment

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