M30 Head Gasket Issues

[ILoveMPower]

If you have a couple minutes, take a read through my thread at BF.c

Thanks very much, appreciate all comments and suggestions.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1263900

Thanks
- JK

[DaveVoorhis]

Is the car overheating? Coolant system over-pressurising and blowing up hoses? Until you've definitively proven there's a head gasket leak -- I'd suggest a sniffer test for that -- I wouldn't pull the head. The coolant leak might be due to a cracked reservoir, and the water/oil muck might be due to condensation. Has the car mainly been used for short runs?

[ILoveMPower]

Is the car overheating? Coolant system over-pressurising and blowing up hoses? Until you've definitively proven there's a head gasket leak -- I'd suggest a sniffer test for that -- I wouldn't pull the head. The coolant leak might be due to a cracked reservoir, and the water/oil muck might be due to condensation. Has the car mainly been used for short runs?

Yes, one of my jobs is a delivery driver and often the trips are very short. I ran the car with the reservoir cap off and slowly the level rose until it was about to overflow. Not sure exactly what you mean about blowing up hoses. I spent nearly an hour today with a friend trying to diagnose a leak, the only place anything way coming from was the overflow, which I'm assuming was from the system over pressurizing. I have already ordered the HG kit, but if you have any other suggestions I am more than open

Thanks for comments

- JK

[632 Regal]

Sounds pretty much like plain old condensation from what you say. Losing coolant can very much be a leaky reservoir cap. You never did answer what color the coolant was ;)