2009S R56 90k miles - replaced turbo once. Replaced vacuum pump myself recently, car overheated, shop put in new t'stat housing ($800). car still overheating, shop said head gasket blown possible warped head. I'm also concerned about timing chain. Are they going to issue recall on timing chain? Do you just pull off the head and have it machined or do you have to pull the whole engine block? Trying to figure out how much work needs to be done and ballpark cost and if I can do any of it myself. NEED GOOD ADVICE -THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

Visually check for coolant in the oil. A good shop will have test strips available to check. Depending on where / if there is a head gasket failure, oil and coolant MAY mix.

Overheating and aluminum are not friends.

What was / is the cause of the overheating?

 

Try otbiker's suggestion first. If no help, try a compression or leakdown test. Poor exhaust flow (partially plugged cat), or maybe water pump issues, all sorts of causes for "overheating". Head gasket or blown head is among the hardest to fix.

Head can be removed without pulling the engine, but be prepared to get some special tools for re-assembly. Don't even think about it without reviewing the Bentley Service Manual first.