Hey folks,
Here is the story. My BMW 2001 530I had bad water pump and while my wife was driving the car lost coolant and got overheated. Obviously, she does not watch temperature gages and who knows how much she was driving car in that state.
I changed the pump, the car drives fine, but now it loses coolant internally, so I have to add it every couple weeks. I contacted my mechanic and he suggested that should be whether head gasket, or cracked head, but he would not know until he takes them apart.
The trick is I bought the car with warranty. I just talked to the insurance company and they would cover head gasket replacement, but not cracked head. From my perspective, if it turns our the head (which is not covered), it is not worth for me to pay for it, but sell the car as it is and just get another car.
To get second opinion I contacted another mechanic (which is also listed on the bimrs.org as trusted specialist) and he told that either head gasket or cracked head are unlikely and the computer would shut down the system if something severe would've happened. He actually thinks he would be able to tell where is the problem without taking things apart.
Also, I read about Bars Leak headgasket fix, but see mixed opinions. When I asked, the first mechanic says that usually he would not recommend it, but in my situation that might be a chance. On the other hand, the second mechanic says "No", as it would plug the passages in the heater core.
So whom should I trust?
Thanks, M
Here is the story. My BMW 2001 530I had bad water pump and while my wife was driving the car lost coolant and got overheated. Obviously, she does not watch temperature gages and who knows how much she was driving car in that state.
I changed the pump, the car drives fine, but now it loses coolant internally, so I have to add it every couple weeks. I contacted my mechanic and he suggested that should be whether head gasket, or cracked head, but he would not know until he takes them apart.
The trick is I bought the car with warranty. I just talked to the insurance company and they would cover head gasket replacement, but not cracked head. From my perspective, if it turns our the head (which is not covered), it is not worth for me to pay for it, but sell the car as it is and just get another car.
To get second opinion I contacted another mechanic (which is also listed on the bimrs.org as trusted specialist) and he told that either head gasket or cracked head are unlikely and the computer would shut down the system if something severe would've happened. He actually thinks he would be able to tell where is the problem without taking things apart.
Also, I read about Bars Leak headgasket fix, but see mixed opinions. When I asked, the first mechanic says that usually he would not recommend it, but in my situation that might be a chance. On the other hand, the second mechanic says "No", as it would plug the passages in the heater core.
So whom should I trust?
Thanks, M