E36 328 nikasil problems

Post Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:45 pm

Iam looking at buying a 328 tourer the car is a 1997 R. I have spoken to bmw today and they have told me that the car has not been back for the block to be changed the car has done 68000 miles. Does anyone know the score with these problem nikasil engines and is it safe to buy a car now with 68000 miles that has not had the block changed

Post Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:46 pm

yes i would of thought so it is a later car and i believe they changed the lining so it wouldn't have these problems?

Post Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:55 pm

Thanks for that mate, but when I spoke to bmw they confirmed that it did have the nikasil block

Post Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:18 pm

The blocks changed over March 98 ...

People are still being caught out by Nicasil problems so beware is my advice...

Post Wed Dec 20, 2006 4:09 pm

If it idles nice and smooth and goes well, go ahead. Some use oil but so do 330i E46's which can use up to a litre every 500 miles. The big thing with Nikasil engines is not to fire it up and then turn it off again, not until the engine is up to temp because that's what f*cks them. If you do plenty of long trips and stick to low sulphur fuel it'll be fine. If it uses oil, just put oil in, simple.
I'd rather have a sweet Nikasil engine than the exchange steel liner block - it's like a car that's been damaged and repaired - anything that's been apart and screwed back together has the potential to be a disaster. All the dramas about blown head gaskets on steel liner M52's would put me right off.

Post Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:22 pm

Thanks for that. My Mrs does do a lot of short trips so I think it might not be the best choice
Cheers Andrew

Post Wed Dec 20, 2006 5:31 pm

How about a 1999 T plate 316i Compact 1.9? Steel blue, done over 100k but a very nice straight car. It's up in Notts though.

Post Wed Dec 20, 2006 7:39 pm

No thanks mate got to be an estate, just got myself a Boxer dog and need a car to cart him round in.
Thanks anyway, Andrew

Post Mon Jan 01, 2007 3:51 pm

My car is a feb 98 nikasil lined 323i and it's not shown any signs of Nikasil degradation.

Here's what I learned: It was to do with high sulphur fuel, which stopped being sold in the UK in 2000. Hence it's six years since the fuel will have had enough sulphur in to damage the liners, so most blocks should be safe by now.

Another (possibly unfounded) theory is that most of the Nikasil failures were in England, particularly from fuel from the Seaforth refineries in Liverpool (perhaps due to the particular sourced oils - argentinian crude, for example, is high in sulphur. (note this could be only hearsay)

So my solution was to find a car from Scotland! (This idea was backed up by a conversation with the service manager at Eastern BMW, where my car was originally supplied, although I did not buy it from them!)

If I was to be selling my car I would not expect to get any less for it because it does not have a later Alusil block.

Just IMHO.