It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it.... The hard... is what makes it great. Name that movie! minus 5000 'Whose Line Is It Anyway' points if you have to Google!
Pfft, the hard part was over, and now all of a sudden the hard part comes back? AAAAHHHH! At least I'm getting a top-end rebuild out of it, even if I'm not asking for it. Ordered a head gasket, valve stem seals, head bolts, and exhaust manifold gaskets. The head will be sent out to a machine shop for resurfacing. Best of all is that I didn't have to buy a full head gasket kit like BavAuto has for $369. Instead, I just got away with those items, for a total of ~$140 with next day shipping. Hopefully I shall haz S50 E30 by the weekend... Working overtime on Friday, Saturday, and every day next week to make up for all of this. Bah!
Be glad that this occured now than later. Also, be thankful the car is in good hands with Theo. BTW, how is e28 doing and did you clean her shoes (wheels)
Oops. Well, at least you will have all that done and you will have one great ride. I really liked your videos! They inspired me to buy a B&B exhaust for my 325ix. Just bought it today! Can't wait till it gets here and I get it on. I have always loved they way they sound on an M30 and S88. Hopefully it will sound half as good on an M20.
If the videos were inspiring, then you're probably better off taking off the exhaust, seeing as that is the only thing that sound inspires. lol I was glad to be rid of the loudness; I kid you not when I say I literally thought my eardrums were going to burst inside the shop on the first startup.
Great job with your car, this thing is going to be really special when you are done because you are seeing your dreams come true and you are doing it yourself. Sucks about the surprises, but those do happen with this scope of work. At least you"ll know what you've got when you're done!
If only this were true... I'm paying someone to do it. Unless you count me handing him random tools and removing/inserting spark plugs and covers...
I know of that as an event, but not as a movie - but that doesn't mean it ain't so! The line is a quote from A League of Their Own, by the team manager character played by Tom Hanks. Botond, check w/ your machine shop/friend/etc, but are you planning to clean the top of the block as well? Maybe different for that engine, however anytime I had to pull the head off my M20, the surface area in contact with the head gasket needed to be cleaned off carefully to remove any gasket material, keep any debris from falling into the cylinder, coolant, or oil passages, and to keep the top of the block level. Last thing you want is to have a leak from something like that after getting it all back together. Look into if or what you need to do if you haven't already, just fyi.
It wouldn't make sense for the head not to be cleaned; after all, it is getting sent out to a machine shop...
Hey you are still involved, even if it is a support deal. You are learning, and except for the surprises, having a great time! Will you be at the Bav Auto show with this car next fall?
The top surface of the engine block, not the bottom surface of the cylinder head - you know, the big metal thingy still in the engine bay that has the piston thing-a-mabobs in it and the oil pan thingy on the bottom of it. As opposed to the other big metal thingy you're taking over to the machine shop that has the valve and camshaft thingies in it; if you want to get technical
It's much too far to be there only for a few hours. It's a maybe. They'll do whatever needs to be done. It's not their first rodeo, cowboy.
I figured that...! You say the head is being sent out; this gives the impression that _only_ the head is being sent out; With a blown head gasket, you're not driving the car over to the machine shop and having them pull the head, prep/clean everything and re-install the head, correct? You'll be re-installing the head after you get the head back from the machine shop, yes? If that's the case, then the car is staying in place, with the cylinder head removed, and separated from the engine block, (ie, the bottom end of the engine, the cylinder head commonly being considered as the 'top' end of the engine), yes? Of course your machine shop will do whatever they need to do, but if they don't have the engine block in their shop, either in the car, or out (and I would assume you're not pulling the entire engine out again just to hand it, whole, to the machine shop), then my point is that prepping/cleaning the surface of the engine block so it is a clean, level surface for the mating and sealing of your new head gasket, is up to your friend and/or _you_. And probably a step that shouldn't be overlooked or bypassed, lest you don't get a good seal and find your newly installed head-gasket suffering a leak! Just a suggestion mano ; ) This here would be the block... an this here would be the cylinder head...
Botond just be glad he didn't call you a Blockhead! LOL Although since we are all motorheads here, I guess a synonym could be a Blockhead! Puts a new spin on it doesn't it.
After all this, Botond should get plastic surgery to make his head look like a S50 engine. Remember B, I wanna see this car in front of my house this Saturday or it doesn't exist. I'm pretty sure the guy who did the swap, machine shop, etc.. know what they are doing and that he won't have another leak soon. We are all pulling for you so don't let us down
