Pinecone
04-12-2008, 08:37 AM
As those of you who were at HC07 we had problems with our '00 M Roadster blowing oil smoke not too far from home. So here is the update of the story, a LONG story.
First off, we were about 40 miles from home when a couple of cars towing trailers side by side were doing about 40 MPH. So I pulled out to pass, downshifted and punched it. It ran a bit ragged and looking in the mirror there was cloud of blue white smoke. I pulled over, checked and no obivious things wrong, and restarting, no smoke. We drove it to a nearby shopping center and on the drive a tiny bit of smoke, but decided better safe than sorry, so had it towed home and went to HC in the M3. Kenn Sparks graciously loaned up a Z4 Coupe for the weekend. THANKS KENN. :thumbup:
OK, home the car sat for a while as other things intruded. But finally got around to taking it to a local indy shop that was recommended. They drove it and did a standard compression check (170 - 175 psi across all 6 cylinders), changed the plugs and decided that "the oil looked too thin." So they changed 50 mile old BMW 5W-30 for Mobil 1 15W-50. Then told me they felt that some valves were bent and it would be $3500 to pull the head and check, not including the cost of valves. Hmm, so I asked about their shop rate, $90 per hour, how long, 12 - 13 hours, and since that was aobut $1200, where was the other $2300????? :dunno: So after complaining about the oil change, I got the car out for about $350 for a compression check and 6 spark plugs. :yikes:
So took it home and had a friend help and we did a leakdown test and got 1 - 6% across the cylinders. Some test driving found that it would smoke if you did a high RPM lift off the throttle then got back on it. Classic intake valve guides or seals.
So due to other committments (like work), I called Randy Forbes. Got a MUCH lower a quote for pulling the head. So I took it out to Toledo. Funny thing is, after driving 500 miles, the oil smoking stopped. So I guess the seals just were tired. But it still wasn't running right at times. Sometimes down on power at low RPM, sometimes at high.
Randy pulled the head last week. The head guy tested the valves with pressure and found the exhausts were leaking as were a couple of intakes. So a valve job is being done. The ugly part was the exhaust cam has 3 scored journals. :yikes: :( Pictures at http://www.rfdm.com/gallery/album90 . The second and third pages have pics of the cam. But the head is fine.
A new BMW stock cam is $921. A set of Shrick cams is $1100. Hmm. What to do? :confused:
Well, on Friday Turner Motorsport shipped Randy a Stage 4 kit. :D Cams, headers, CAI, HFM, 24 lb injectors, Shrick cams and software. http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=TMS-I3THDR
The lifters and VANOS test fine. The valve job are being done, new valve seal,s and the head surfaced for flatness. And the Stage 4 kit. :)
Should be interesting. :)
First off, we were about 40 miles from home when a couple of cars towing trailers side by side were doing about 40 MPH. So I pulled out to pass, downshifted and punched it. It ran a bit ragged and looking in the mirror there was cloud of blue white smoke. I pulled over, checked and no obivious things wrong, and restarting, no smoke. We drove it to a nearby shopping center and on the drive a tiny bit of smoke, but decided better safe than sorry, so had it towed home and went to HC in the M3. Kenn Sparks graciously loaned up a Z4 Coupe for the weekend. THANKS KENN. :thumbup:
OK, home the car sat for a while as other things intruded. But finally got around to taking it to a local indy shop that was recommended. They drove it and did a standard compression check (170 - 175 psi across all 6 cylinders), changed the plugs and decided that "the oil looked too thin." So they changed 50 mile old BMW 5W-30 for Mobil 1 15W-50. Then told me they felt that some valves were bent and it would be $3500 to pull the head and check, not including the cost of valves. Hmm, so I asked about their shop rate, $90 per hour, how long, 12 - 13 hours, and since that was aobut $1200, where was the other $2300????? :dunno: So after complaining about the oil change, I got the car out for about $350 for a compression check and 6 spark plugs. :yikes:
So took it home and had a friend help and we did a leakdown test and got 1 - 6% across the cylinders. Some test driving found that it would smoke if you did a high RPM lift off the throttle then got back on it. Classic intake valve guides or seals.
So due to other committments (like work), I called Randy Forbes. Got a MUCH lower a quote for pulling the head. So I took it out to Toledo. Funny thing is, after driving 500 miles, the oil smoking stopped. So I guess the seals just were tired. But it still wasn't running right at times. Sometimes down on power at low RPM, sometimes at high.
Randy pulled the head last week. The head guy tested the valves with pressure and found the exhausts were leaking as were a couple of intakes. So a valve job is being done. The ugly part was the exhaust cam has 3 scored journals. :yikes: :( Pictures at http://www.rfdm.com/gallery/album90 . The second and third pages have pics of the cam. But the head is fine.
A new BMW stock cam is $921. A set of Shrick cams is $1100. Hmm. What to do? :confused:
Well, on Friday Turner Motorsport shipped Randy a Stage 4 kit. :D Cams, headers, CAI, HFM, 24 lb injectors, Shrick cams and software. http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=TMS-I3THDR
The lifters and VANOS test fine. The valve job are being done, new valve seal,s and the head surfaced for flatness. And the Stage 4 kit. :)
Should be interesting. :)