cream residue in oil filler cap??!!!

[Estoril-5]

what does this mean??? is it the head gasket?

from a 1989 325i.

does it mean big bucks??

[dark_sounds]

ther can be a natureal build up there especially incold weather, might just be cap leaking some air in and air condensing... check dipstick,, if theres any cream shit on dipstick then big bucks time...

[Estoril-5]

if its not the cold weather, say there is something wrong.

what could it be and how much am i looking at for a repair?

[kam-325i]

It could be one of 2 things on a 325i.......

Headgasket has given up........around Ԛ£150 - Ԛ£250 depending on where you go

Cracked head.......Ԛ£400+ maybe......

[Estoril-5]

sounds worrying.

its not my car, a car i am thinking of buying.

the guy said it still drives and doesnt over heat.

whats the best way of checking out if its the headgasket or a crack head

sorry pun intended

[kam-325i]

For the head gasket or cracked i dont think there is a way to check without taking the head off.

[Estoril-5]

cheers for the info dude, much appreciated.

i have asked the guy to see if he can find out what it is, obviously him selling the car hes prob gonna say its nothing major.

oh well

[kam-325i]

Dont worry, i have the same problem with mine, but i am changing the headgasket in the next week or so.

[Ziggy]

Chances are it's gonna be the head - if you haven't bought the car, I'd think long and hard about it! He could flush the coolant / oil & say it's fixed. You buy it, turns out the head's cracked & that's not a nice thing to happen.

Get it cheap or walk away

[Estoril-5]

my sentiments exactly ziggy!

[Adammcf]

Walk away.

[domross]

Cud always try a leak-down test?? take the rocker cover off,pressurize the expansion tank...if head cracked then u see water coming thru' crack or thru gasket leak....lot cheaper & easier than buying the car with this sort of fault...only way to check without taking head off....which is was wat idid ...or didn't do more to the point...live & learn

[fatjapp]

Oh look thereÔš's another one over there Ԛ…Ԛ…

There are loads of E30Ôš's around for sale, unless its an absolute bargain, just buy something else with out these problems. OR
It will make a fantastic haggling point, get enough money off the asking price to cover the worst case scenario repair, top end rebuild or replacement head, and if itÔš's something simple or turns out to be nothing to worry about then your quids in. If itÔš's turns out to be really bad your covered.

[gotoneagain]

that would be the cabby on ebay then? my mate was gonna bid before phoning me, bit of a gamble but thats what lifes about if its cheap enough throw another motor in for a couple of hundred quid, go on get stung lol!!

[scotty86d]

Cud always try a leak-down test?? take the rocker cover off,pressurize the expansion tank...if head cracked then u see water coming thru' crack or thru gasket leak....lot cheaper & easier than buying the car with this sort of fault...only way to check without taking head off....which is was wat idid ...or didn't do more to the point...live & learn

how do you pressurise the expansion tank?

[bottlecapE30]

I was told that you can use a bike pump by hooking it up to the tank pumping. Not sure if it works but you may be there for a while till you build up pressure in the system

[bottlecapE30]

I ment and pumping. I think you should just walk away it costs way more to set abad car stright then it dose to buy a nice one

[domross]

yup a bike pump is what does it ,this was done at my local specialist tho',it seemed to be only a few pumps and then the water came flooding into the head....not a nice sight specially as it meant a new head...only had the car 2 weeks ....agree with everyone else, walk away or beat the price down by about Ԛ£800-Ԛ£1000 to counteract the cost of a new head....cos 9 times out of ten this is what you are looking at...if the car mint otherwise maybe worth doing tho...

[stonesie]

Your best bet is to get it checked by a friendly mechanic.

I work as a mechanic and this time of year every other car i service has mayo under the filler cap, as long as its not on the dipstick and theres no oil in the coolant.... and its not useing coolant they are usually fine.


See if you can have another look after a long run, its usually cars that do short trips that get it