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Re: E30 325i Head Bolts Upgrade
David Tow asked:
>Has anyone of you (E30 325i owner) had the 14 hex bolts replaced with
>the torx type? Is this a must upgrade? My local BMW dealer just told
>me it was not necessary.
David, ask your local BMW dealer to look in his service bulletins from
october 1990. BMW clearly recommends replacement.
The reason is simple: The bolts don't get loose, the bolt heads snap off!
And when the bolt head comes loose it will bounce around, until it
eventually hits a cam lobe. The clearance between the cam lobe and
the head casting is _not_ enough for the bolt head to pass. The bolt
head unfortunately goes that way anyway, with disasterous results.
Believe me, i have done the repair.... It cost a complete new head,
because hex-shaped intrusions with cracks all around are not weldable.
In short: Bolt head passes under cam lobe, punches a hole or crack into
coolant passage, coolant leaks into engine oil. Not pretty!
It is way cheaper to pay the 200 bucks to have the bolts replaced.
And: it is not a question about _if_ a bolt will snap off, its merely
a question _when_ it will happen!
FWIW, IMHO and all the standard disclaimers......
Greetings,
Gunnar Elmgren
Stockholm, Sweden BMW Club Schweden no. 1436
'71 100-2 Vollcabrio
'75 2002 tii
'90 M5
'87 320i (Father-in-laws car, now with new cylinder head and torx bolts)
Gunnar Elmgren ______'
AS/400 Software Support, IBM Sweden o/______\o
/// (oo=00=oo)
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