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[Entwood]

Very slow echo there !! 

[Squealey]

Very slow echo there !! 

yeah, not sure why that is, it seems to happen whenever i use my Nokia N97 to write on here which im doing now, so lets see if it happens again shall we???

[TheBoy]

Hi Jaime

With regards to pressure, i took it out yesterday and when i got back i wanted to see if the level had dropped at all. Slowly removed the cap and it just went beserk in there, much more than i would have thought., would more than likely have emptied the water out of the whole system. Screwed the lid back on, went out to it 4 or 5 hours later and it still had quite a bit of pressure built up.

Bugger.  Big fat bugger.

[KillerWatt]

Before you strip it down, get a pressure tester on it.

As Kev has already said, a failed (or failing) water pump or thermostat can also cause the problems you describe to be exhibited.

In fact, my neighbours Beemer (318i) did EXACTLY what you describe and it was down to the water pump.

[Welung666]

Wayne do you want me to pop up with my compression tester during half term while I'm up your way?

[KillerWatt]

Checked the pump and replaced the thermostat a couple of days ago

My neighbour assured me his water pump was fine as well (based on the fact he could see water returning to the expansion bottle)....it was definately the water pump that had gone though.

Its the misfire thats just started thats now the reason I suspect the HG

The misfire could be a red herring, I'd still pressure test the cooling system before stripping it down as that will prove (or disprove) the HG pretty much immediately.

[TheBoy]

Before you strip it down, get a pressure tester on it.

As Kev has already said, a failed (or failing) water pump or thermostat can also cause the problems you describe to be exhibited.

In fact, my neighbours Beemer (318i) did EXACTLY what you describe and it was down to the water pump.

He has physicaly checked the vanes are in tact.  I agree, this is a common BMW issue, BMW designers aren't the brightest sparks in the fire....

[Squealey]

Like Jaime said, i have physically removed the pump and it was as new, i also put in a brand new thermostat whilst i was in the area, made not one iota of difference.

Think I have to just face facts, my hg is kerf***ed.

Actually went out and looked at a diesel Vectra earlier for £400, thinking I may be able to do a straight swap or maybe borrow the money off my folks, do mine when i have the money and then sell the Vectra. What a pile of steaming dog poo. Honestly my nearly 3 year old would be able to do a better paint job than that, just made me more sure that my car was way WAY too good for the scrappy. (and before anyone asks why i couldn't borrow £400 and get mine done, its because i would have had collateral in the Vectra so they'd have got their money back). By the way that Vectras on Ebay if anyone wants a laugh, just do a local search around Boston. Buy it now £400.

Lee, i'll keep you posted on the compression tester, i may just take you up on that. Thanks very much.

[Grumpy]

I'm probably missing a trick here as I've never worked
on this engine, but something has me puzzled.
You say that you suspect that the HG has failed and
that the coolant system is being pressurised by the
cylinders.
Yet you also say that the coolant system is still
holding its pressure 4 to 5 hours after shutdown.
In my experience a head gasket leak between the
cylinders and the water system doesn't usually act
as a one-way valve and only leak in one direction.

So why is your system still holding pressure after 5
hours?
Is there something odd about BMW engines?

[Welung666]

This is why I want to do a compression test on the cylinders and a pressure test on the cooling system. It should narrow the cause down significantly

[Grumpy]

Ah! Glad I'm not the only one who isn't a little
sceptical.
I was starting to feel like that chap in the corner who
everyone else is sniggering at and saying, "he doesn't
know." 

[TheBoy]

Ah! Glad I'm not the only one who isn't a little
sceptical.
I was starting to feel like that chap in the corner who
everyone else is sniggering at and saying, "he doesn't
know." 

My money is on a failed HG or worse, due to overheating (big issue with these engines)

[Entwood]

I'm probably missing a trick here as I've never worked
on this engine, but something has me puzzled.
You say that you suspect that the HG has failed and
that the coolant system is being pressurised by the
cylinders.
Yet you also say that the coolant system is still
holding its pressure 4 to 5 hours after shutdown.
In my experience a head gasket leak between the
cylinders and the water system doesn't usually act
as a one-way valve and only leak in one direction.

So why is your system still holding pressure after 5
hours?
Is there something odd about BMW engines?

I tend to disagree 

IMHO the gases will get from the cylinder into the water with extreme ease, due to the pressure in the cylinder at the time of combustion being EXCEEDINGLY high (lets face it .. it is that "pressure" that actually drives the car!!), any failure of the HG will allows gases to pass.

Once the engine is not running, even though the cooling system is pressurised it is to a far, far lesser pressure than the cylinder pressure under combustion.

Therefore it is quite feasable that the pressure is insufficient to pass back through the failing HG.

Just my thoughts.. nowt else ..