head disaster

goomanchu · 08-19-2013, 07:21 AM

Guys,

Terrible problem driving to work. about 15 min into drive - and right around the corner from my office - motor abruptly changed. Bad tapping sound, sputtering, very rough, check engine light on (not flashing), and big drop in power. limped into parking garage. My indy mechanic came over and we took car to his shop.

Bad news. He says a valve is bent/warped and the head needs to be replaced. He is reluctant to do the repair, because something this $$ he wants done at dealer so they are in a position to stand behind work. He is aware of a "service advisory" for the head on this motor, but not a recall. Given that car is not under any warranty, he doubts BMW will do anything about this despite car's extremely low mileage - but he is gonna make some calls. I ran the forum lists for "head problems" "bent valve" but didnt come up with exactly what I was looking for. Is this a manufacturing defect with poor lubrication to the top? I am just sick that I will likely have this big an out-of-pocket repair on a car with <5k miles on it.

Car was bought from a dealer in Iowa - stored, started occas and maintained (oil change x 2) but not regularly driven - until I bought it (from same dealer on trade in) with less than 1000 miles on it. I put approx 4K on it since, between last summer and this summer, with a storage thru winter and oil change. The car has never been to the track, and I have really babied it compared to most of what I read on this forum. I run it up a little bit occasionally but that is it.

Any thoughts you guys would have would be great. Thx.

Vanne · 08-19-2013, 08:03 AM

man, sorry to hear that... sigh.. esp at that low milage.. not sure if its a poor design, as there are some very high milage (mine is one) Mcoupes running around without dramas..

any idea of the cost involved of getting it fixed?

goomanchu · 08-19-2013, 11:10 AM

No I expect to find out the ugly numbers soon (next day or so). I have this fantasy that BMW will want to fix it as a good will thing because it really should not happen, but they are in the business of making money, not good will - so I am not optimistic. I was really hoping it was a fried ignition coil or something, that would be comparatively easy.

seank · 08-19-2013, 11:23 AM

Any competent shop can rebuild the head. Do not take it to the dealer unless there is a warranty.

Take it to a competent shop to rebuild it, or pick up another motor for $5000 and sell what you have.

Bent valves are usually from to tightly adjusted valves. It will be challenging to put them at fault. This is where there would be a benefit to have had an extended warranty when purchasing.

Blind32 · 08-19-2013, 02:38 PM

I would get a second opinion on the bent valve diagnosis. Did he run a compression check? Not saying he isn't a good mechanic, just curious why he thinks it's a bent valve.

If it is indeed a bent valve, I agree with seank, a good shop should be able to rebuild it & determine why it occurred in the first place.

goomanchu · 08-19-2013, 07:02 PM

I have been talking more to my mechanic. He could not do a compression test over the weekend because he did not have the right adaptor for that motor, but that is coming. My knowledge about this motor (and to a large degree automotive mechanics in general) is a bit limited. Do any of you have info. on the process to check and adjust valve lash and the spec's for the S54? I guess there is a chance that this is not for sure a bent valve, like Blind32 was suggesting. May end up being in the same spectrum - broken valve seat? - maybe. I will keep posting as I learn more, but some of this would make more sense to me if I knew how to check the valve spec's. thanks.

StickMon · 08-19-2013, 07:12 PM

There's numerous DIY videos, mostly in M3 forums.
The short answer is the clearance between the cam and the rocker arm, with the cam lobe pointing away from the rocker arm, should be:
Intake: 0.007-0.009 inches
Exhaust: 0.011-0.013 inches

It's not as hard as it looks to pull the head cover and see if there's anything obvious.
Maybe a rocker arm clip fell off or something simple as that.

Do you know what the check engine code is?

pungo · 08-19-2013, 08:01 PM

I'd take it to someplace that specialized in BMW and is highly recommended or the dealer. Did your mechanic read the error code(s)? If so what is the error(s)? The only way I know of for a valve to bend is for the piston to hit the valve, which means the crank to cam timing changed. Highly unlikely since it uses a chain. Maybe something happened to the vanos?

goomanchu · 08-19-2013, 09:35 PM

Thanks for the posting the video on the valve set-up and adjustment. Very helpful. The mechanic did run the error code, I can get it. I know when he was running the code, there was a screen in his reader that was giving him information on each cylinder, when car was running. it was reading low negative numbers on each cylinder (like -2ish) then on cylinder 2 the number was reading positive 8-10. I will find out more info. tomorrow.

mousitch · 08-19-2013, 11:30 PM

Oh man!

krusty · 08-20-2013, 10:56 AM

If it were me, I would take it to an official BMW dealer to diagnose ... your chances of getting some possible good will on any parts (in view of the low mileage) are, in my view, greater this way.

KevinM · 08-20-2013, 02:23 PM

So sorry to hear...good luck, I hope you get some goodwill from BMW.

3point0 · 08-20-2013, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krusty

If it were me, I would take it to an official BMW dealer to diagnose ... your chances of getting some possible good will on any parts (in view of the low mileage) are, in my view, greater this way.

I will second this. I had a similar problem on my previous car (mine dropped a valve which was subsequently mashed a gazillion times into the head) and took it into Mercedes despite being 16 months and 7000kms past the warranty and they replaced the whole engine and fuel injector setup as a "good will" gesture.

goomanchu · 08-22-2013, 04:58 PM

Thank you guys for the input. I agree, I am trying to figure out how to get some more info to give to BMW about what is most likely wrong without committing to having it towed in there and taken apart - because then I am captured and dont have many options about what they tell me and what it will cost. My mechanic tells me that the cost of a new head (part only) from BMW (not including installation) is $4400. I don't think I need that, I think I need a limited-partial rebuild of my existing head - but just trying to be careful.

Here is what I know today. my mechanic has not yet removed the head from the block - he is trying his best to do some diagnostic work without really getting into it, so we can decide what we want to do. With the head cover off, and rocker-arm off, the valve (I forget if he said intake or exhaust) sits about a quarter inch higher than the installed height of the comparable valves in other cylinders. So I think a broken valve seat makes the most sense. Not sure of anything else that would make the valve ride high. If that is it, that is not really a wear-tear item, certainly not at 4K miles, so I may make a few more phone calls to BMW to inquire on their thoughts on this. I am not expecting them to commit to do anything over the phone with the word of an unknown mechanic, but if I had some idea that if they were able to confirm that this was the issue - it might be considered a manufacturing defect - with some help towards fixing it - that would make me feel better about having the car trailored over to them. I thought about calling the nat'l customer service/complaint phone numbers, but dont really know if that would be helpful either. I still dont have the error codes, mechanic said he would get them to me, but I dont have them yet - he said they were for "misfires" in cylinder 2, and "multiple misfires" but could not remember numbers without rerunning codes.

jdoublehcubed · 08-25-2013, 08:05 AM

It sounds like your mechanic may be out of his league. Not that he's a bad mechanic, but this is a specialty engine even by BMW standards; many people on the forum don't trust their local dealers enough to let them do an involved service (like valve adjustment) because the dealers work on them so rarely.

I would strongly consider having it towed to a specialty BMW shop, especially a BMW race shop if you can find it. In Philadelphia we have Bavarian Specialties for maintenance and V.A.C. Motorsports for race mods; places like V.A.C. would be especially good because they build their own modified versions of the S54 engine and are thus extremely familiar with it.

You might have to send it two or three hundred miles, but I think it will be worth it in the end.

goomanchu · 08-27-2013, 12:10 PM

I understand what you guys are saying. I have just been trying to be slow and methodical about this so I did not get in a situation where I was captured and stuck with a huge bill, but I cant get the issue even sorted out without getting into the motor a bit more.

I was in contact over the weekend with the regional BMW club (which I had intended to join - just had not gotten there yet). Had a really good conversation with a knowledgable guy. Based on that conversation, I sent an email to the BMW nat'l club technical forum and his reply was similar - Get the car to a BMW specialist: Here are a few quotes from his email:

"Initially, I don’t know what is wrong with your engine, if anything. Nothing you have described, regarding the condition of the car, the mileage, or the maintenance, would lead me to believe that internal engine damage likely resulted from it.

At the same time, we should recognize that this is not a normal car with a normal engine having a normal problem. Instead, this is a low-production BMW Motorsport Special, powered by a hand-built BMW Motorsport racing engine that is slightly detuned for the street, which is exhibiting symptoms of a potentially serious problem..."

He closed the email with the following:

"It does not necessarily have to go back to the dealer, and the dealer may not necessarily have a technician onboard who is intimately familiar with the S54 engine. You should determine that and search for independent BMW shops at www.bimrs.org. But the car should not stay where it is now.

I’ll close with the age-old BMW Ground Truth: BMWs are designed and built to be serviced by specially-trained technicians using special information and special tools in specailly-equipped shops. BMW maintenance and repairs cost a great deal of money –and driving the cars is worth it, especially this one!"

I am going to make those arrangements and will post back when I have more concrete info. Thanks for all the comments.

goomanchu · 08-28-2013, 05:43 PM

Guys,
news from the shop where I had the car taken. It is bad.
Exhaust valve in cylinder 2 is snapped in half. All metal fragments are not accounted for. The BMW mechanic has never seen this exact problem on this motor. Potential for metal fragments and shards to be elsewhere in the engine. I have no idea why this happened.
I have heard that BMW would look at valve train issues in general as a "high rev" situation. I have not yet called them, but I am told they have a special coder that can show the highest rev's the motor has been taken to as a potential source of mechanical failures. The only thing I can think of on a "high rev" downshift was a shift when I let my dad drive the car when he visited me. He may have missed a downshift exiting the highway, but that was 6 weeks ago, and the car was driven regularly since. the dates of that visit was July 8th thru the 14th. There was not a missed shift or anything during the drive that morning before it all went wrong. I would think I high rev miss-shift would screw the car immediately - unless it fatigued the metal and made it vulnerable. I want to believe this was a vaulty valve stem that fatigued over time and I am the unfortunate victim, but no way to prove that. Had the car been driven normally - this would ahve showed up in the first year and been a warranty fix, but no so now.
The mechanic is concerned about fixing the head, with the potential for metal fragments elsewhere. If he pulls the head there is a bunch of labor cost, piston is likely damaged, cylinder may be scored. He has a line on a whole new motor with 1500 miles on it - from a car that was totalled out with driverside damage - but he said start to finish on that I am looking at about 11K.
I am just sick. I think I will call BMW customer service and try to discuss it with them, but I doubt I will get anywhere. I don't know if I should sell the car at a loss to a mechanic who can perform repair for much less, and take less of a beating. I had no idea that I could get a five digit repair that would not include a car accident and be totally outside of insurance.
I don't know exactly what phase of grieving I am in - I think still denial, but this totally sucks.

goomanchu · 08-28-2013, 06:15 PM

FYI... I know there are posting here for engine swaps for much less. Much less being about half of what I was quoted. I am just telling you what I was told just now on the phone. I did not have a chance to debate it with him, or ask why it was so much. The car is at his shop right now and I need to figure out what to do. Maybe pay another damn $300 dollars bring it home, drain the fluids and put it in my garage until I know what to do.

Finnegan · 08-28-2013, 08:43 PM

Wow. I am really sad to hear about this.

I think the best thing to do with this point is to wait a while before making decisions. Give the BMW route a go. But bottom line do not rush. This is quite a hit and it's going to take a while for you to be able think clearly through all the options.

seank · 08-28-2013, 08:58 PM

On the race track, it is known as "the money shift."

Now you know why. $11,000 is cheaper than a new car if it makes you feel better.

jrainlay · 08-28-2013, 09:05 PM

Wow! Very sorry this happened to you. I think I remember this car being posted by someone on this forum when it was being advertised for sale. I remember it was drop dead gorgeous and thinking how much I would envy the person who ended up buying it. I don't know your situation, but if you can afford it I agree with Finnegan that you should not rush into a decision and should continue looking for less costly engine replacement options. The rest of the car is practically brand new.

krusty · 08-29-2013, 03:55 AM

I like the sound of the 1500 mile replacement. After spending on labour etc, a higher mileage swap won't save you that much. This one (the 1500 miler) is effectively new. I would see if they can do a better price on it ...

Just out of interest, what does BMW quote on a brand new engine for comparison?

08-19-2013, 07:21 AM	#1
goomanchu Private 3 Rep 94 Posts Drives: 07 Sepang M Coupe Join Date: May 2012 Location: Nebraska iTrader: (1)	head disaster - 4400 miles Guys, Terrible problem driving to work. about 15 min into drive - and right around the corner from my office - motor abruptly changed. Bad tapping sound, sputtering, very rough, check engine light on (not flashing), and big drop in power. limped into parking garage. My indy mechanic came over and we took car to his shop. Bad news. He says a valve is bent/warped and the head needs to be replaced. He is reluctant to do the repair, because something this $$ he wants done at dealer so they are in a position to stand behind work. He is aware of a "service advisory" for the head on this motor, but not a recall. Given that car is not under any warranty, he doubts BMW will do anything about this despite car's extremely low mileage - but he is gonna make some calls. I ran the forum lists for "head problems" "bent valve" but didnt come up with exactly what I was looking for. Is this a manufacturing defect with poor lubrication to the top? I am just sick that I will likely have this big an out-of-pocket repair on a car with <5k miles on it. Car was bought from a dealer in Iowa - stored, started occas and maintained (oil change x 2) but not regularly driven - until I bought it (from same dealer on trade in) with less than 1000 miles on it. I put approx 4K on it since, between last summer and this summer, with a storage thru winter and oil change. The car has never been to the track, and I have really babied it compared to most of what I read on this forum. I run it up a little bit occasionally but that is it. Any thoughts you guys would have would be great. Thx.
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08-19-2013, 08:03 AM	#2
Vanne Down Under!! 1621 Rep 4,294 Posts Drives: 2007 Z4MC Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Dubai iTrader: (4)	man, sorry to hear that... sigh.. esp at that low milage.. not sure if its a poor design, as there are some very high milage (mine is one) Mcoupes running around without dramas.. any idea of the cost involved of getting it fixed? __________________ 2007 EuroSpec Z4///MC - Building/Developing Z4 GT3 Powered by
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08-19-2013, 11:10 AM	#3
goomanchu Private 3 Rep 94 Posts Drives: 07 Sepang M Coupe Join Date: May 2012 Location: Nebraska iTrader: (1)	No I expect to find out the ugly numbers soon (next day or so). I have this fantasy that BMW will want to fix it as a good will thing because it really should not happen, but they are in the business of making money, not good will - so I am not optimistic. I was really hoping it was a fried ignition coil or something, that would be comparatively easy.
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08-19-2013, 11:23 AM	#4
seank enthusiast 48 Rep 1,695 Posts Drives: e30 m3,e90 wagon,sprinter,z4m Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: sacramento, ca iTrader: (4)	Any competent shop can rebuild the head. Do not take it to the dealer unless there is a warranty. Take it to a competent shop to rebuild it, or pick up another motor for $5000 and sell what you have. Bent valves are usually from to tightly adjusted valves. It will be challenging to put them at fault. This is where there would be a benefit to have had an extended warranty when purchasing.
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08-19-2013, 02:38 PM	#5
Blind32 Certified Adrenaline Junkie 43 Rep 1,325 Posts Drives: '07 Z4MC Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Dallas TX iTrader: (2)	I would get a second opinion on the bent valve diagnosis. Did he run a compression check? Not saying he isn't a good mechanic, just curious why he thinks it's a bent valve. If it is indeed a bent valve, I agree with seank, a good shop should be able to rebuild it & determine why it occurred in the first place.
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08-19-2013, 07:02 PM	#6
goomanchu Private 3 Rep 94 Posts Drives: 07 Sepang M Coupe Join Date: May 2012 Location: Nebraska iTrader: (1)	I have been talking more to my mechanic. He could not do a compression test over the weekend because he did not have the right adaptor for that motor, but that is coming. My knowledge about this motor (and to a large degree automotive mechanics in general) is a bit limited. Do any of you have info. on the process to check and adjust valve lash and the spec's for the S54? I guess there is a chance that this is not for sure a bent valve, like Blind32 was suggesting. May end up being in the same spectrum - broken valve seat? - maybe. I will keep posting as I learn more, but some of this would make more sense to me if I knew how to check the valve spec's. thanks.
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08-19-2013, 07:12 PM	#7
StickMon My other car is on Mars 636 Rep 3,124 Posts Drives: 2006 MR Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Lo-Cal iTrader: (1)	There's numerous DIY videos, mostly in M3 forums. The short answer is the clearance between the cam and the rocker arm, with the cam lobe pointing away from the rocker arm, should be: Intake: 0.007-0.009 inches Exhaust: 0.011-0.013 inches It's not as hard as it looks to pull the head cover and see if there's anything obvious. Maybe a rocker arm clip fell off or something simple as that. Do you know what the check engine code is? __________________ Warning: May contain traces of nuts. Last edited by StickMon; 08-19-2013 at 07:33 PM..
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08-19-2013, 08:01 PM	#8
pungo Colonel 880 Rep 2,547 Posts Drives: Z4MC-X3-35i-525i, Corrado G60 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: MD iTrader: (5) Garage List 2011 BMW X3 x35i [0.00] 2001 BMW 525i [0.00] 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe [8.76]	I'd take it to someplace that specialized in BMW and is highly recommended or the dealer. Did your mechanic read the error code(s)? If so what is the error(s)? The only way I know of for a valve to bend is for the piston to hit the valve, which means the crank to cam timing changed. Highly unlikely since it uses a chain. Maybe something happened to the vanos?
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08-19-2013, 09:35 PM	#9
goomanchu Private 3 Rep 94 Posts Drives: 07 Sepang M Coupe Join Date: May 2012 Location: Nebraska iTrader: (1)	Thanks for the posting the video on the valve set-up and adjustment. Very helpful. The mechanic did run the error code, I can get it. I know when he was running the code, there was a screen in his reader that was giving him information on each cylinder, when car was running. it was reading low negative numbers on each cylinder (like -2ish) then on cylinder 2 the number was reading positive 8-10. I will find out more info. tomorrow.
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08-19-2013, 11:30 PM	#10
mousitch Dark Sider 129 Rep 1,779 Posts Drives: 2008 Space Gray Z4MC Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Missouri iTrader: (11) Garage List 2008 Z4M Coupe [7.50]	Oh man! __________________ [URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/153/071jt.jpg/] 2008 Space Grey M Coupe-Euro headers-RPI Scoop-Gruppe M CAI-Eisenmann Race Cans-RE X-pipe-ECU Remap with O2 and EGT delete-H&R Sport springs-Zeck CDV delete-Stock Gloss black powder coated wheels-LED Tekarbon Angel Eyes Project-Michelin Super Sports-Hardwired Uniden R7-H&R front and rear spacers-Alarm module added-stereo amp recoded to vert spec settings
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08-20-2013, 10:56 AM	#11
krusty Second Lieutenant 24 Rep 291 Posts Drives: Z4 coupé Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Australia iTrader: (0)	If it were me, I would take it to an official BMW dealer to diagnose ... your chances of getting some possible good will on any parts (in view of the low mileage) are, in my view, greater this way.
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08-20-2013, 02:23 PM	#12
KevinM Brigadier General 2936 Rep 3,286 Posts Drives: 2002 M5;2007 M Coupe;2020 M2C Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tucson iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 M2 Competition [10.00] 2007 E86 M coupe [8.38] 2002 E39 M5 [9.00]	So sorry to hear...good luck, I hope you get some goodwill from BMW. __________________ 2020 F87 M2C Hockenheim Silver/MT 2002 E39 M5 Sterling Gray/Caramel 2007 E86 Z4M Coupe Silver Gray/Black 2021 Kia Telluride (hauler)
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08-22-2013, 04:58 PM	#14
goomanchu Private 3 Rep 94 Posts Drives: 07 Sepang M Coupe Join Date: May 2012 Location: Nebraska iTrader: (1)	Thank you guys for the input. I agree, I am trying to figure out how to get some more info to give to BMW about what is most likely wrong without committing to having it towed in there and taken apart - because then I am captured and dont have many options about what they tell me and what it will cost. My mechanic tells me that the cost of a new head (part only) from BMW (not including installation) is $4400. I don't think I need that, I think I need a limited-partial rebuild of my existing head - but just trying to be careful. Here is what I know today. my mechanic has not yet removed the head from the block - he is trying his best to do some diagnostic work without really getting into it, so we can decide what we want to do. With the head cover off, and rocker-arm off, the valve (I forget if he said intake or exhaust) sits about a quarter inch higher than the installed height of the comparable valves in other cylinders. So I think a broken valve seat makes the most sense. Not sure of anything else that would make the valve ride high. If that is it, that is not really a wear-tear item, certainly not at 4K miles, so I may make a few more phone calls to BMW to inquire on their thoughts on this. I am not expecting them to commit to do anything over the phone with the word of an unknown mechanic, but if I had some idea that if they were able to confirm that this was the issue - it might be considered a manufacturing defect - with some help towards fixing it - that would make me feel better about having the car trailored over to them. I thought about calling the nat'l customer service/complaint phone numbers, but dont really know if that would be helpful either. I still dont have the error codes, mechanic said he would get them to me, but I dont have them yet - he said they were for "misfires" in cylinder 2, and "multiple misfires" but could not remember numbers without rerunning codes.
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08-25-2013, 08:05 AM	#15
jdoublehcubed Mechanical Engineer 96 Rep 1,025 Posts Drives: 2006 Z4MR, Imola Red Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Anaheim, CA iTrader: (1)	It sounds like your mechanic may be out of his league. Not that he's a bad mechanic, but this is a specialty engine even by BMW standards; many people on the forum don't trust their local dealers enough to let them do an involved service (like valve adjustment) because the dealers work on them so rarely. I would strongly consider having it towed to a specialty BMW shop, especially a BMW race shop if you can find it. In Philadelphia we have Bavarian Specialties for maintenance and V.A.C. Motorsports for race mods; places like V.A.C. would be especially good because they build their own modified versions of the S54 engine and are thus extremely familiar with it. You might have to send it two or three hundred miles, but I think it will be worth it in the end.
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08-27-2013, 12:10 PM	#16
goomanchu Private 3 Rep 94 Posts Drives: 07 Sepang M Coupe Join Date: May 2012 Location: Nebraska iTrader: (1)	I understand what you guys are saying. I have just been trying to be slow and methodical about this so I did not get in a situation where I was captured and stuck with a huge bill, but I cant get the issue even sorted out without getting into the motor a bit more. I was in contact over the weekend with the regional BMW club (which I had intended to join - just had not gotten there yet). Had a really good conversation with a knowledgable guy. Based on that conversation, I sent an email to the BMW nat'l club technical forum and his reply was similar - Get the car to a BMW specialist: Here are a few quotes from his email: "Initially, I don’t know what is wrong with your engine, if anything. Nothing you have described, regarding the condition of the car, the mileage, or the maintenance, would lead me to believe that internal engine damage likely resulted from it. At the same time, we should recognize that this is not a normal car with a normal engine having a normal problem. Instead, this is a low-production BMW Motorsport Special, powered by a hand-built BMW Motorsport racing engine that is slightly detuned for the street, which is exhibiting symptoms of a potentially serious problem..." He closed the email with the following: "It does not necessarily have to go back to the dealer, and the dealer may not necessarily have a technician onboard who is intimately familiar with the S54 engine. You should determine that and search for independent BMW shops at www.bimrs.org. But the car should not stay where it is now. I’ll close with the age-old BMW Ground Truth: BMWs are designed and built to be serviced by specially-trained technicians using special information and special tools in specailly-equipped shops. BMW maintenance and repairs cost a great deal of money –and driving the cars is worth it, especially this one!" I am going to make those arrangements and will post back when I have more concrete info. Thanks for all the comments.
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08-28-2013, 05:43 PM	#17
goomanchu Private 3 Rep 94 Posts Drives: 07 Sepang M Coupe Join Date: May 2012 Location: Nebraska iTrader: (1)	Guys, news from the shop where I had the car taken. It is bad. Exhaust valve in cylinder 2 is snapped in half. All metal fragments are not accounted for. The BMW mechanic has never seen this exact problem on this motor. Potential for metal fragments and shards to be elsewhere in the engine. I have no idea why this happened. I have heard that BMW would look at valve train issues in general as a "high rev" situation. I have not yet called them, but I am told they have a special coder that can show the highest rev's the motor has been taken to as a potential source of mechanical failures. The only thing I can think of on a "high rev" downshift was a shift when I let my dad drive the car when he visited me. He may have missed a downshift exiting the highway, but that was 6 weeks ago, and the car was driven regularly since. the dates of that visit was July 8th thru the 14th. There was not a missed shift or anything during the drive that morning before it all went wrong. I would think I high rev miss-shift would screw the car immediately - unless it fatigued the metal and made it vulnerable. I want to believe this was a vaulty valve stem that fatigued over time and I am the unfortunate victim, but no way to prove that. Had the car been driven normally - this would ahve showed up in the first year and been a warranty fix, but no so now. The mechanic is concerned about fixing the head, with the potential for metal fragments elsewhere. If he pulls the head there is a bunch of labor cost, piston is likely damaged, cylinder may be scored. He has a line on a whole new motor with 1500 miles on it - from a car that was totalled out with driverside damage - but he said start to finish on that I am looking at about 11K. I am just sick. I think I will call BMW customer service and try to discuss it with them, but I doubt I will get anywhere. I don't know if I should sell the car at a loss to a mechanic who can perform repair for much less, and take less of a beating. I had no idea that I could get a five digit repair that would not include a car accident and be totally outside of insurance. I don't know exactly what phase of grieving I am in - I think still denial, but this totally sucks.
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08-28-2013, 06:15 PM	#18
goomanchu Private 3 Rep 94 Posts Drives: 07 Sepang M Coupe Join Date: May 2012 Location: Nebraska iTrader: (1)	FYI... I know there are posting here for engine swaps for much less. Much less being about half of what I was quoted. I am just telling you what I was told just now on the phone. I did not have a chance to debate it with him, or ask why it was so much. The car is at his shop right now and I need to figure out what to do. Maybe pay another damn $300 dollars bring it home, drain the fluids and put it in my garage until I know what to do.
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08-28-2013, 08:43 PM	#19
Finnegan Dog Listener 704 Rep 7,850 Posts Drives: Z4M/. Z3M, E36/46 M3 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Teaching the dog to slalom iTrader: (22)	Wow. I am really sad to hear about this. I think the best thing to do with this point is to wait a while before making decisions. Give the BMW route a go. But bottom line do not rush. This is quite a hit and it's going to take a while for you to be able think clearly through all the options.
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08-28-2013, 08:58 PM	#20
seank enthusiast 48 Rep 1,695 Posts Drives: e30 m3,e90 wagon,sprinter,z4m Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: sacramento, ca iTrader: (4)	On the race track, it is known as "the money shift." Now you know why. $11,000 is cheaper than a new car if it makes you feel better.
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08-28-2013, 09:05 PM	#21
jrainlay Private First Class 5 Rep 154 Posts Drives: 07 Z4 M Coupe Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe [7.50]	Wow! Very sorry this happened to you. I think I remember this car being posted by someone on this forum when it was being advertised for sale. I remember it was drop dead gorgeous and thinking how much I would envy the person who ended up buying it. I don't know your situation, but if you can afford it I agree with Finnegan that you should not rush into a decision and should continue looking for less costly engine replacement options. The rest of the car is practically brand new. __________________ Mods: MStache2, stubby, CF plate frame, CF spoiler, CF grills, aero skirts, reflector/lite deletes, CSLs, H&R coilovers & 12mm spacers, Rogue RSMs, RPI exhaust
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08-29-2013, 03:55 AM	#22
krusty Second Lieutenant 24 Rep 291 Posts Drives: Z4 coupé Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Australia iTrader: (0)	I like the sound of the 1500 mile replacement. After spending on labour etc, a higher mileage swap won't save you that much. This one (the 1500 miler) is effectively new. I would see if they can do a better price on it ... Just out of interest, what does BMW quote on a brand new engine for comparison?
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