B3 3.2 Touring its suddenly getting old

[HairyScreech]

as i said si i believe the biggest benefits of that head will be from the multi angle seats and the surface finish of the ports, i shouldnt think they will have gone too radical with the ports as it still needs to be nice to drive and reliable.

matching numbers is all well and good but at what point do you stop, lets face it, this head is damaged, who knows how well it has been repaired (evidently not well) and how close to cracking other valve bows are?
what to say if this head is fitted it wont just crack somewhere else?

i would be putting a split rod down the ports of the 2.5 head to clean up the surface, getting the seats cut to suit the alpina valves and putting it back together.
that should keep most of the power intact and you can decide what to do after putting a few miles on it.

if originality is so much of an issue then wrap the other head up and stick it in the attic.
if the thing ever gains enough value to make it really worthwhile having matching numbers then the original head is still there for you or the prospective buyer.

(would it really lose much value if the head was with it, it had a replica head on it and had dyno sheets to prove the output and work was up to standard?)

[Demlotcrew]

Bazza must be at a meet, no Quoting replies so far

That last post good enough for you?

Come one Bazza, you can do better than that!

1. Gearbox oil can be reused.
2. If you don't have the Vanos tool to hand, doing a M5x head could easily take as long as an engine swap.
3. How long has it taken Simon to get this head off?
4. Its a shitty old M52, that only produces 82.8bhp/l, just weld the head and stick it back on.

I have given Simon my contact, he will take the Alpina head to them and have it repaired, then he will give you £100 for a head set and ask kindly to borrow your Vanos alignment tool.

Job done.

Now get off your no one is copying you.

[Demlotcrew]

Just found this car.

If only five were ever made in Switch Auto RHD, how many were green?

A. 2 (by the looks of it).

http://www.theALPINAregister.com/B3/3.2/estate/20

Andrew

[Andyboy]

Don't mention floating rocker shafts!!

[DanThe]

Its turning very gay in here

[Dezzy]

Its turning very gay in here

There's a very good reason for that Dan.

[Simon13]

i had a reminder last night at guildford about the guy who did some head work for my 2 door, Ike Flack. So i rang him earlier and i'm going to drop the heads off to him on monday.

So i'll end up with a head thats uncracked and as good as the alpina head without the numbers stamped on the very back. I honestly think thats the best way forward, i won't throw the old alpina head away because who would?!

[B7]

Si.Can the new head be stamped with the numbers? Remember I have the stamps.

[Simon13]

i'll get some pictures.............

[Simon13]

/\ Donor head






Cracked Alpina head thats been welded and then cracked again






This number is the only difference between the two heads. Seeing as its 4 digit we can safely assume this is the alpina number. Seeing as they did this to the E30 M20 heads and everyother M30 they ever tickled.

I think that would be fairly easily done?!

Trev thanks for the bentley. The inlet and rocker look spot and are stashed away

[B7]

I can do that Si. Peace of p1ss.

I would suggest doing it though before it's faced off. It's very close to the edge?

[bss325i]

Bazza must be at a meet, no Quoting replies so far

That last post good enough for you?

Come one Bazza, you can do better than that!

1. Gearbox oil can be reused.
2. If you don't have the Vanos tool to hand, doing a M5x head could easily take as long as an engine swap.
3. How long has it taken Simon to get this head off?
4. Its a shitty old M52, that only produces 82.8bhp/l, just weld the head and stick it back on.

I have given Simon my contact, he will take the Alpina head to them and have it repaired, then he will give you £100 for a head set and ask kindly to borrow your Vanos alignment tool.

Job done.

Now get off your no one is copying you.

1. Dont be so stupid
2. He has them as i lent them to him
3. Not that long mincing about in the dark evenings ouside
4. If the head can be repaired then so be it

You are captain rant angry Andrew.

[Kos]

good call on the head si

alpina spec FTW

[bss325i]

My suggestion might i ad.

[Kos]

My suggestion might i ad.

your suggestion was to slap a stock head on and to save the head work for later after you make sure the gear box works etc

bolt it back together with the standard head then you can run it to see if the rest of the engine is ok.

[Dezzy]

I can do that Si. Peace of p1ss.

I would suggest doing it though before it's faced off. It's very close to the edge?

I can't be part of this skullduggery. Dodgy southern's

[bss325i]

My suggestion might i ad.

your suggestion was to slap a stock head on and to save the head work for later after you make sure the gear box works

Well actually, when were were conversing over a beer and burger last night i suggested taking the heads to Ike instead of Roland Alsop who wanted the £800.

Ike replicated a C2 head exactly and was a dam sight cheaper.

But you wouldn't know that.

[Dezzy]

My suggestion might i ad.

your suggestion was to slap a stock head on and to save the head work for later after you make sure the gear box works

Well actually, when were were conversing over a beer and burger last night i suggested taking the heads to Ike instead of Roland Alsop who wanted the £800.

Ike replicated a C2 head exactly and was a dam sight cheaper.

But you wouldn't know that.

Need to know Kos, You didn't need to know

[Kos]

But you wouldn't know that.

no but your idea was

bolt it back together with the standard head then you can run it to see if the rest of the engine is ok.

[Kos]

Need to know Kos, You didn't need to know

barrys new avtar

[bss325i]

But you wouldn't know that.

no but your idea was

bolt it back together with the standard head then you can run it to see if the rest of the engine is ok.

Yes, this was instead of spunking £800 on a head before checking the rest of the car.

Ike will be far cheaper.

[bss325i]

Need to know Kos, You didn't need to know

barrys new avtar

Where is the avatar for "talks a good game but...." for you Kos?

[Kos]

But you wouldn't know that.

no but your idea was

bolt it back together with the standard head then you can run it to see if the rest of the engine is ok.

Yes, this was instead of spunking £800 on a head before checking the rest of the car.

Ike will be far cheaper.

maybe so, but your position was different

you never said yesterday or the day before to get other opinions on the matter, which any one posting here has been doing....... and now you are clutching at straws

good on si if the Ike is cheaper. he may save head gasket/head bolt money and the cost of swapping heads over again later down the line when you were worrying about an auto box

[Simon13]

i don't think thats strictly fair on Barry there. I had thought of Ike but last time he was mega busy and an hours drive. I didn't think Roland Allsop would want that much. To be fair it would be an amazing job as they don't do halfs there its 100% proper or nothing. So respect to them there. I think we will still see a good result. The sub in the boot will be thumping quicker than u think. Its "Ace cafe" spec.

Trevor the reface can be done last so i could bring the head round after Ike has done the work? Its been a long time! It doesn't need to be that low i think. Will be a nice finishing touch.

[Kos]

Where is the avatar for "talks a good game but...." for you Kos?

i have one thanks

[Kos]

i don't think thats strictly fair on Barry there. I had thought of Ike but last time he was mega busy and an hours drive. I didn't think Roland Allsop would want that much. To be fair it would be an amazing job as they don't do halfs there its 100% proper or nothing. So respect to them there. I think we will still see a good result. The sub in the boot will be thumping quicker than u think. Its "Ace cafe" spec.

sitting on the fence si, very unlike you ?

[bss325i]

you never said yesterday or the day before to get other opinions on the matter, which any one posting here has been doing....... and now you are clutching at straws

I'll thing you'll find that most people were agreeing with me on this thread.

How am i clutching at straws?!:chuckle:

good on si if the Ike is cheaper. he may save head gasket/head bolt money and the cost of swapping heads over again later down the line when you were worrying about an auto box

Dont be so dissmissive about the gearbox, if its fucked its a major pain, more expense and more work.
BMW gearbox's with the lifetime oil are a VERY common problem and this car has done nearly 190k.

Here you go Kos, an avatar for you.

[Dezzy]

Right this is getting far too gay now.

This is chariot is/will be epic.

Can you two suck each other off somewhere else.

Belt up!

Hark at me

[Kos]

you never said yesterday or the day before to get other opinions on the matter, which any one posting here has been doing....... and now you are clutching at straws

I'll thing you'll find that most people were agreeing with me on this thread.

How am i clutching at straws?!:chuckle:

good on si if the Ike is cheaper. he may save head gasket/head bolt money and the cost of swapping heads over again later down the line when you were worrying about an auto box

Dont be so dissmissive about the gearbox, if its ****** its a major pain, more expense and more work.
BMW gearbox's with the lifetime oil are a VERY common problem and this car has done nearly 190k.

Here you go Kos, an avatar for you.

and because "most" agree with slapping a standard head on the car its the right thing to do ?

thats dismissive of every other opinion including mine, which lets be honest is the one simon is going for

what he does is up to him, i couldnt care less but the point is we all have chance to contribute and offer a POV and cover something thats may not have been considered

i openly admit i am no mechanic, i know the theory and whats right and wrong, but i do have some uses and skills and not a complete "arm chair" mechanic.

no one is perfect, not even you. we all have certain skills and knowledge in a given field that we bring to this forum. not always about cars, so leave the dealer syndrome/attitude at work.


ps, gearbox with fresh fluid will be fine. the dealer/bmw attitude of life time oil is a more of a serious fail than a real fuc ked box

[Rodderz]

That's a good idea.. stamp the stanard head up.. only you, me and the internet are going to know!

[Simon13]

I think dropping 22,000 on a scooby like you have is even more f**king stupid if you want to get petty.

Rod i can't see the beef over the head. I'd rather drive it than worry over a stamped up head from Alpina. You give me £3000 and we can go and buy a real head. If you took this car to their workshop they'd throw the original head in the bin and fit another like i'm doing. Thats dead cert

Its the detail that counts, at least someone with a brain would say well fair play for getting a stock head reworked to alpina spec and stamping it. As it shows you and anyone else who's scared and knows nothing really of Alpinas that they are not a car built of 90% custom expensive parts bespoke to themselves.

I like to make this public alot hide all this shizzle. Just think how much we all learn from this sort of stuff. The collective on here help and i like to ask for peoples opinions. I don't see on any other forums people stripping 190,000 alpina engines and making a detailed thread about it. This all helps get the right results at the end of the day. Barry, Kos stop spamming

The gearbox seems to engage all reverse, 1 and 2nd from when i drove it! If it does this it might be ok. Certainly some fresh fluid might help its cause. I can't see its ever been changed in the service history though!

[Dezzy]

If the thing had a cracked head, could the ecu have gone into limp? Could this be the reason for the autobox fault?

[bss325i]

and because "most" agree with slapping a standard head on the car its the right thing to do ?

thats dismissive of every other opinion including mine, which lets be honest is the one simon is going for

No, your opinion was to remove the Alpina engine and put a 2.8 in it while rebuilding the Alpina engine which was madness!

what he does is up to him, i couldnt care less but the point is we all have chance to contribute and offer a POV and cover something thats may not have been considered

Yes, people were contributing including myself until you piped up and shot my (wise) idea down.......

**** pulling a head off later down the line and replacing it with a re worked head. build the engine once and put it in when the time is right

i openly admit i am no mechanic, i know the theory and whats right and wrong, but i do have some uses and skills and not a complete "arm chair" mechanic.

What skills are they, how to clean a car?

no one is perfect, not even you. we all have certain skills and knowledge in a given field that we bring to this forum. not always about cars, so leave the dealer syndrome/attitude at work.

Whats this dealer syndrome/attitude noise you're on about? Yes i know im not perfect but i don't talk shit or try to make out im something im not.

ps, gearbox with fresh fluid will be fine. the dealer/bmw attitude of life time oil is a more of a serious fail than a real fuc ked box

How on earth do you KNOW that that the gear box will be fine with fresh oil?!

How many automatic gearbox's have you replaced?

How many automatic gearbox's have you diagnosed?

Of course the BMW life time oil is a fail, hence why i said you need to make sure its ok before hand as failures are VERY common!

The gearbox seems to engage all reverse, 1 and 2nd from when i drove it! If it does this it might be ok. Certainly some fresh fluid might help its cause. I can't see its ever been changed in the service history though!

Some auto gearbox problems dont become apparent until the car is up to speed or the gearbox oil is up to temp.

Its done well to get to 190k on the original oil if thats the case!

[bss325i]

If the thing had a cracked head, could the ecu have gone into limp? Could this be the reason for the autobox fault?

There is no auto box fault that we know of but the car hasn't been driven so no one knows.

[Dezzy]

If the thing had a cracked head, could the ecu have gone into limp? Could this be the reason for the autobox fault?

There is no auto box fault that we know of but the car hasn't been driven so no one knows.

Arh, as you were....