BMW MLS Cylinder Head Gasket - Cometic C4329-070

BMW E36 M3 S52 Head Gasket Failure

The BMW E36 M3 head gasket and the Z3M’s head are shared, as is the engine they use. Original owners were rewarded with a powerful and sonorous straight-six that was classic BMW; however, their head gaskets were prone to failure. A head gasket failure can happen in a few ways, but it generally means a part of the gasket has ripped or been damaged in some way that allows coolant, oil, or compression to escape. Overheating is a glaring sign of a problem with your E36 M3’s head gasket, but there are plenty of other symptoms to look out for. 

BMW Head Gasket Failure Symptoms

• Overheating engine

• Low cylinder compression

• External oil or coolant leak

• White smoke from the exhaust

• Bubbles in the expansion tank

• White/milky engine oil

If your BMW E36 M3 or Z3 suffered a head gasket failure, it isn’t the end of the world. You have a DIYable job ahead of you and the chance to prevent future failures the best you can. Rather than replacing the gasket with another OE part, you can fit an MLS head gasket from Cometic.

BMW E36 Head Gasket v.s. Cometic MLS Head Gasket

The OE BMW E36 head gasket is a composite piece. It uses a stainless steel ring around each cylinder with an asbestos-free composite main structure coated with rubber-like Viton. They worked well for a time, but soon failures became commonplace thanks to a poor reaction with certain chemicals within the specified engine oil. Since then, gasket development has come a long way, and the Cometic MLS-style is now the best way to seal up your S52 engine. 

MLS stands for multi-layer steel, and as such, the Cometic BMW MLS head gasket doesn’t contain any composite materials. It’s made of multiple thin layers of steel stacked upon each other and coated in the same rubber-like Viton. Without the organic materials making up the majority of the gasket, the chance of failure is greatly reduced.

BMW E36 M3 MLS Head Gasket General Information

• Stock thickness (.070”)

• Promotes an even torque load across the sealing surface

• Perforated steel core allows heat to be drawn evenly across the gasket surface

• Made in USA

• Won't fail because of coolant or oil contamination