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The Timeserts and the Heli Coils didn't fail in the video. The aluminium pieces and the bolts failed with the forces he was using. That's why it is critical on the BMW alloy blocks to check hardness, especially if a head gasket has failed or from severe overheating. A severe overheat can also cause the block to distort and run main bearings. As a precaution the blocks should only be planed with the crankshaft fitted and torqued. Heli coils and timeserts are really only a patch up for a failed engine block . A proper repair would cost more than these older cars are worth ie: a new BMW Long block assembly. The later blocks on the newer engines are going to be a nightmare to repair as well. Just look at the newer timing chains in the rear of the engines and camshaft configurations

Technique and the right tools is key. I find if you carefully ballance a cold chisel on top of the helicoil- don't use a jig, it will compress and pull out later- you can use a club hammer to tap it in.

Finally managed to get some decent garage time over the week-end after a very hectic number of months. Friday night finished spraying the repaired lips of the Alpina reps from the Convertible ready for new boots on Saturday morning. Silver paint has gone a bit funny in placesa, fingers crossed a good cut and polish with sort that out. Saturday morning off to P&S Autocentre to get the above mentioned new boots fitted, Hankook asymmetrical somethings as Toyo don't offer 205/40/17s. Whils there in amongst the talking rubbish with the GCs in the workshop I cut a replacement section off an E30 donor car thanks to Pete's pick-a-part @P&S. Note to self - need to buy a sabre-saw they are heaps of fun! After chopping the rear quarters out of the E30 race car to fit the FRP panels I had a re-think of how / where to fit them onto the car, so this panel is basically to go back onto the car to replace a bit (too much...) that I cut off. Saturday PM, cleared up and cleaned out the garage to get enough room to start working on the race car again in earnest and put stuff away properly rather than just dumping stuff randomly until it's not possible to move about any more. Started sizing up the FRP panels and the quater panels to be 100% sure where to cut and join stuff. Finished moving stuff around and started drilling out spot welds on replacement panel when the Mrs. informed me she will be wanting the spare garage fridge to be operational for Christmas - that's right, the fridge that had just been buried behind a stack of wheels and tyres, suspension and body parts. Sunday, took the convertible for a spin around the block to start getting ready for new boots and WoF for summer. Whilst it was out of the garage cleaned all the crap off the floor and moved all the stuff out of the way of the fridge. WIth the garage all clean and tidy it enabled me to get my bench pillar drill out to end-mill the spot welds off so as to leave a better finish for welding. Fingers crossed I can make some progress over Christmas hols, will resurrect the race car thread and add some more photos in there!

Waffle video, but it kind of sums up whats happened to M. Goes from race cars, to a guy doing M sound design for electric status symbols ?

Don't need to watch it, I'm sure it's the one parked in my driveway!! ?

My experience with aircooled VW heads - I'd use a timesert EVERY time. If a helicoil comes out, they try to expand on the way out - makes a hell of a mess. Timeserts don't try to expand, so you can generally just put a new insert in.

I think that question should be directed to the block tester Nathan. Would he be prepared to do it and guarantee it, or blame the engine assembler if they failed ? My opinion would have to be no and I also wouldn't expose myself to risk doing that repair.

Reserve was 50k, so auction was a complete waste of time.

No need to apologise ...just having fun in anorak territory!

Just because you pass a WOF without them doesn't mean that the OP will. I can guarantee that it is checked but not every inspector is going to know the location of the cats in every vehicle so it can be something over looked. If they have any doubts then they can fail you

6 December 2019. 177399kms 1. Replaced Air Conditioning Drive Belt, and Serpentine Belt. Jon at Auto38 had it done quickly. The N62 in e60 chassis has no tensioner for the A/C belt (unlike the 7er of the time), so ensuring the belt is in a state of good repair, is essential. By all accounts they're a right sh#t to change, so I thought sourcing the tool for the job might be a worthwhile thing. The Serpentine belt wasn't that old, but if you're going to take it off to replace the A/C belt, might as well do it, eh. Next: Belt tensioner and pulley.

It's based purely on your number of posts. Somebody with more knowledge than me will be able to tell you the tiers.

I owned this about 12 years ago. Had it for 3 years then sold it to Ross @ BM Workshop. The present owner bought it off Ross. All BMW enthusiasts. Genuine unmolested example.

On the Gentle Annie, last weekend. Style 124 wheels mounted.

Another option could be upgrading to the 11mm studs. There is a square tool that bolts to the block that allows for accurate drilling and tapping.