Head Gasket problems on the Turbo project

Odometergears · Post by **Odometergears** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:07 pm

Not that anyone will do this but if you do, here is something not to repeat. If you order a headgasket for an older E12 motor, know your part number. Don't rely on the counter guy. 1972 to mid 1980 is the older style and then Mid 80 to 199- is the new style. It's not the block that is the problem but the head changed. The real communication break down is counter guys part numbers don't tell them there is a difference. Our FAQ explains it but for me it was too late. I will post photos later tomorrow. Four of the holes in the later gasket over lap the oil and the coolant passages on the head side, not the block side. You will not see the problem. Mike Wassell wrote about it. I should have read more. As he said, when you pour the coolant in, it will leak like a sieve. That is did all the way out the tail pipe.

Everything is pulled off and dryed out. Comatic is cutting me the correct gasket and the engine will be ready to fire up on Saturday i hope. It should smoke horribly until all the oil and water is out of the system.

Clear photos will be published tomorrow showing the bad holes. Not many people will turbo the older engine so it will not come out too often. I hope the next person will catch this and not do it twice.

Jeff

T.Hanson · Post by **T.Hanson** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:23 pm

I put a head gasket in the engine just rebuilt, installed. Head is '85, but my inspection of the gasket had all holes lining up. Has run fine for 300 miles, no smoke, heat, oil loss or plumes on start.

If I had the wrong item as you describe, this would not be the case, correct ?

alotawatts · Post by **alotawatts** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 5:37 am

That's good to know ...'cause I rely on RealOem numbers and it shows the same gasket number for my 3 build dates - 12/78 , 3/81 and 5/81

01 Cylinder Head Gasket Asbestos-Free 1,72MM 1 11121730746

Odometergears · Post by **Odometergears** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 9:40 am

T. Han, you will know right away because as you fill the coolant system, it will just keep filling and filling and filling.

RealOEM.com has the correct listing. I needed an extra thick gasket and made of metal so I was dealing with the aftermarket folks. Even the Counter people at the mom and pop shops had it listed wrong. Just check it on the head side and you will be fine. Don't go by the block side.

The correct part number for my 1980 E12 with 79 casting is:
11 12 1 730 746 for stock
11 12 1 730 748 for the thicker

My car is one of the last ones before the change. These numbers are good for 2800, E3, E9 and MOST E12's.

Just remember its not the car its the engine.

Jeff

CSBM5 · Post by **CSBM5** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:58 am

Odometergears wrote: Just remember its not the car its the engine.

Excellent point. Way back (1981) when I had the engine built on my Bavaria, we went ahead and bought a new head from BMW with the revised design just to play it safe. However, my additional thought is that a lot of E12s with thermal reactors had head cracking issues and such, so it would make sense if many of them have later style heads.