There goes another one!
There goes another one!
You've guessed it - the Head Gasket has gone! Somewhat earlier than expected at 64k miles and it appears to have caused a bit of additional damage
Pictures to follow, but it looks like the piece of gasket between the cylinders came apart and the loose bits rattled around cylinder 1 enough to cause a partial failure in the piston.
The time has come to do away with the ALPINA HG as this is becoming boring. After long discussions with Phil Crouch, we have an alternative winging its way over from the States. Not only has it been tried and tested on US M3 engines (the same block as the B3S) that have been souped up (turbos and superchargers), but it comes in different thicknesses to allow for the various head skims over the years.
We've also decided to replace the standard head bolts with a stud system to ensure the head remains exactly where it is placed when it goes back on - as there is an argument to say that bolts will loosen very slightly over time, allowing additional stresses to the HG.
Some of you will probably be wondering why I am even bothering with this but, to be honest with you, I love this car and wouldn't know what to replace it with. There's also a certain stubbornness about keeping the old girl going, having spent so much time, love and money on her.
More news to follow with pictures, but hopefully #049 will be back on the road shortly.
Pictures to follow, but it looks like the piece of gasket between the cylinders came apart and the loose bits rattled around cylinder 1 enough to cause a partial failure in the piston.
The time has come to do away with the ALPINA HG as this is becoming boring. After long discussions with Phil Crouch, we have an alternative winging its way over from the States. Not only has it been tried and tested on US M3 engines (the same block as the B3S) that have been souped up (turbos and superchargers), but it comes in different thicknesses to allow for the various head skims over the years.
We've also decided to replace the standard head bolts with a stud system to ensure the head remains exactly where it is placed when it goes back on - as there is an argument to say that bolts will loosen very slightly over time, allowing additional stresses to the HG.
Some of you will probably be wondering why I am even bothering with this but, to be honest with you, I love this car and wouldn't know what to replace it with. There's also a certain stubbornness about keeping the old girl going, having spent so much time, love and money on her.
More news to follow with pictures, but hopefully #049 will be back on the road shortly.
Charles
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
-
- ALPINA
- Posts: 1389
- Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2011 1:59 pm
- Location: Nottingham, occasionally S.Wales
Good news and bad news Charles! Oh well, another 100k wouldn't do any harm on that car!
Photo blog would be great on the process of uprating the bolt system, but i fear that getting head on and off may be a pain as the when the head would be lifted, it would hit the scuttle panel, which is quite intrusive on the E46. I suspect it has to be removed anyway, but its just a thought.
Photo blog would be great on the process of uprating the bolt system, but i fear that getting head on and off may be a pain as the when the head would be lifted, it would hit the scuttle panel, which is quite intrusive on the E46. I suspect it has to be removed anyway, but its just a thought.
1995 E36 B3.0 Convertible (rebodied)
1996 E36 B3.2 Touring No:20 - 1 of 5 made
1997 E36 B3.2 Touring No:36 - 1 of 5 made
1999 E36 323 Sport Touring
2011 E92 D3 Bi-turbo no.246 (santorini blue)
2019 Fiat Fullback
2020 Mini Countryman SE (PHEV)
Alpina, BMW and Detailing Enthusiast
1996 E36 B3.2 Touring No:20 - 1 of 5 made
1997 E36 B3.2 Touring No:36 - 1 of 5 made
1999 E36 323 Sport Touring
2011 E92 D3 Bi-turbo no.246 (santorini blue)
2019 Fiat Fullback
2020 Mini Countryman SE (PHEV)
Alpina, BMW and Detailing Enthusiast
Hostage to fortune, more likeHodge wrote:You are a fantastic test bed of longevity, the car that is, not you
Charles
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
Sorry to hear this Charles. As you have mentioned it is somewhat earlier than expected but it is refreshing to read your point of view and keeping positive about the situation. What else can you do? Buy another one? I'm always of the opinion "better the devil you know" when it comes to cars and if I was in your situation I would do exactly the same.
Thanks Jolls,jolls wrote:Sorry to hear this Charles. As you have mentioned it is somewhat earlier than expected but it is refreshing to read your point of view and keeping positive about the situation. What else can you do? Buy another one? I'm always of the opinion "better the devil you know" when it comes to cars and if I was in your situation I would do exactly the same.
I have taken the position that the HG will go regularly and (normally) predictably every 80k miles or so. The first went at 80k, the second at 100k and third at 64k - averaging 81k miles - so the latest one is early but within the law of averages.
I always said that I would look at alternatives this time round - hence the non-ALPINA gasket that we are sourcing. The stud option is another alternative and I am also looking at replacing the hydraulic tappets/lifters as they have become noisy as well as some more work to quieten the VANOS. This is all planned work - based on my long-term experience of how the engine behaves - so it is just a case of putting money aside over the year(s) and spending it when needed.
Charles
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
And a good one - thank you.shaziman wrote:Photo blog would be great on the process of uprating the bolt system, but i fear that getting head on and off may be a pain as the when the head would be lifted, it would hit the scuttle panel, which is quite intrusive on the E46. I suspect it has to be removed anyway, but its just a thought.
I've asked Phil to take plenty of photos and I'll discuss with him the scuttle panel issue - which I'm sure that he has a solution to anyway.
Charles
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
Sorry to hear it's gone again Charles, but it will be interesting to see how you get on with sourcing the alternative, is it a Cometic metal gasket perhaps?
Steve C
'98 B10 3.2 #88 (for summer cruising)
'04 Mini Cooper S (commuting/sacrificial shopping trolley target....)
'94 325i Coupe SOLD
'88 Vauxhall Senator 3.0i SOLD
'90 Astra MkII GTE 16V (Turbo conversion) SOLD
'98 B10 3.2 #88 (for summer cruising)
'04 Mini Cooper S (commuting/sacrificial shopping trolley target....)
'94 325i Coupe SOLD
'88 Vauxhall Senator 3.0i SOLD
'90 Astra MkII GTE 16V (Turbo conversion) SOLD
I flew back into the UK this morning so am still catching up with Phil about the details. As soon as I have more information about the gasket then I'll pas it on.
As for the highest mileage B3S in existence, as Carlsberg would say ....
As for the highest mileage B3S in existence, as Carlsberg would say ....
Charles
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
Not yet - but I am expecting more information this week. I plan to do a full write up once the work is finished, so I'll tell more in due course.
Phil's rather busy trying to get things completed before the arrival of another Crouchlet and my gasket is still being held by HMRC at Heathrow!
Patience
Phil's rather busy trying to get things completed before the arrival of another Crouchlet and my gasket is still being held by HMRC at Heathrow!
Patience
Charles
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!
Teacher of Chemistry and driver of ALPINAs - not necessarily in that order
B3S Touring (49/116) - been to the moon and now on the way back!
Renault Grand Espace - not mine but the wife's!