Help identify engine **pics** edit, s52tu?

The engine in my 1999 328i went out and I fell apon this one for very cheap (I guess you get what you pay for) but my mechanic told me it's the wrong one and won't work. He said there is a spit body style or something in '99. Any help would be appreciated





In this one you can see the back of the cylinder head has a coolant port which my mechanic says is only for early '99s and older, can anyone confirm?

That's either an M50 or an M52 with a double vanos attached to the head. Funny you'd post a picture of this, because I'm in the process of assembling one... I've heard that people have done it, and have seen it run once, but haven't seen how they set up the vanos.

Depending on how much work your mechanic wants to do, you can adapt the M52tu intake manifold and make it run like that. You could even keep that manifold but you'd lose the DISA valve and thus some low end torque.

So this will work? Any way to tell if it's the same size? I don't want to put in a smaller engine

it says s52 which is an e36 m3 3.2 engine

it workedin my old e30

effin' sick, Jason

Originally Posted by bluejeansonfire

effin' sick, Jason

Jason?

Originally Posted by Hobbit382

Jason?

the e30

nice engine you have there, the paint sure is pretty... i think it'll work, though, don't take my word for it

lol the s52 sticker is right there

Yeah it says s52, but the block is casted "84" which implies that the bore is 84mm, meaning it would be from a 2.5 or 2.8.

It will take a lot of work to get the m52tu intake manifold to fit, but it can work.

Originally Posted by Activ3

Yeah it says s52, but the block is casted "84" which implies that the bore is 84mm, meaning it would be from a 2.5 or 2.8.

It will take a lot of work to get the m52tu intake manifold to fit, but it can work.

I feel like getting the idle air system to work would be no joke. This head doesn't sport the intake port runners for idle-air. I mean, getting the head-manifold ports to agree, shouldn't be too difficult. I think it would be easiest and best to leave it as is... and go for broke...

This is not the S52 engine. The S52B32 uses single-VANOS, this is an M52B25 2.5 liter engine, pre-99.

They replaced the M52 with the M52TU (double VANOS) in 1999.

This is a serious thread...to seriously throw people for a loop!

Originally Posted by Activ3

That's either an M50 or an M52 with a double vanos attached to the head. Funny you'd post a picture of this, because I'm in the process of assembling one... I've heard that people have done it, and have seen it run once, but haven't seen how they set up the vanos.

Depending on how much work your mechanic wants to do, you can adapt the M52tu intake manifold and make it run like that. You could even keep that manifold but you'd lose the DISA valve and thus some low end torque.

The Vanos is setup with pixie dust....

Originally Posted by Hobbit382

Jason?

thanks Julio!




only thing that really needed um...modding was clearing and welding



I sold it so I can put a down for a third row seater MDX. some highschool kid is driving the beast right now hooning the hell out of it and smoking NA e46 m3 on the freeways..

500 for the beater and about 3900 in parts a grand or so in labor and I made a few hundred bucks.

I get so sad when I see e30s on the road.

Originally Posted by PEI330Ci

The Vanos is setup with pixie dust....

Indeed.

Originally Posted by pei330ci

this is a serious thread...to seriously throw people for a loop!