BMW Repair: E39 2.8 water in oil, blown head gasket, head gasket failure

Question
e39 2,8i 75,000 miles running well. Low oil light came on so checked the oil, found it slightly low so topped up though no more about it. two weeks later same again no visable leaks no o/heating. Opened water filler cap and found oil in water. Oil is almost neat not emulsified. I wanted to know if this is a known fault or am I just unlucky? I guess it is a head gasket? or is there some other way oil could enter cooling system. Oil is clear, no water on dip stick so I am confused and looking for help.
Gordon


Answer
Gordon, sounds like a head gasket to me too. Head gasket failure is almost always caused by an over heat at some point. Have a chemical head gasket test at the radiator or does the radiator have bubbles in it when you run the car? If indeed you have a faulty head gasket make sure the head is sent to a machine shop to be pressure checked and inspected for cracks. Usually you will find oil in the water and not the other way around because oil pressure is significantly higher than coolant temp. Be sure to throughly flush the cooling system and radiator especially. Always replace thermostat. Try to find the root cause of the blown head gasket. Before cylinder head removal please release the head bolts and retorque them to make sure the threads in the block are strong and won't strip out upon reassembly. I only say this because I've seen this happen. Sorry about your luck.
-Evan