Looking for a good auto machine shop in Charlotte, NC

[lichtman]

Hi all,

I’m considering a cylinder head gasket replacement on my E53 3.0i, as I’ve got some exhaust smell in the coolant expansion tank. Anybody know a good machine shop in the Charlotte, NC area where I can get my head resurfaced?

Thanks in advance!

[Effduration]

Dover Cylinder Head in Charlotte has great reviews. No personal experience.

[lichtman]

Thanks for the reply, I talked to him earlier today. He’s an amazingly nice guy and seems very knowledgeable. He wasn’t sure he could pressure test a head the size of the M54, and I was hoping to find a shop that might have more specific experience with the M54 heads. Dover Cylinder Head will be where I go if I can’t find a more bmw/euro oriented shop.

[Effduration]

Fair enough. I have done 8+ M54 cylinder heads. I use an old school guy in my area who is great. He also doesn't have the jig (so he says) to pressure test my M54 heads. But he does know how to inspect them visually for cracks - which are typically visible.
He will then test valve sealing on my heads and repair them when necessary. A skims cut of the surface and I am good to go. Usually less than $200.

Cracks do occur on these heads, but I have yet to encounter one on any of the heads I have done. In an overheat they will warp before cracking. I have seen burnt valves and melted pistons.

I usually put a (cheap) straight edge and feeler gauges on the head to see roughly where I am at for warpage before i bring it to him, but if I am warped more than 11 or 12 thousandths (about a third of the time), it can't be saved with a simple surface cut- in large part due to the fact one or both cam lines are also almost certainly warped by a similar amount. The only way to save a cylinder head in this case is to fund a machinist who can bake it an oven back to shape. This is usually more money than the head is worth.