[bmw] RE: bmw-digest V10 #93 - When 525i got engine upgrade?

["Bill Kirkpatrick" <billkirk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sorry I didn't make that clear before, the 'VaNoS' that I mentioned being
introduced in model year 1992 is BMW's name for variable valve timing. I
haven't found a source nominating the exact start date of the M50tu engine,
which is the earliest 525i variable valve timing version.

So much jargon, everywhere...


Bill Kirkpatrick MBA
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-----Original Message-----
From: Watry, Andrew (LNG-SFR) [mailto:Andrew.Watry@domain.elided]
Sent: Saturday, 4 October 2003 3:03 AM
To: 'Bill K'
Subject: RE: bmw-digest V10 #93 - When 525i got engine upgrade?


Thanks very much for the feedback.  In a further question, I now have been
told the early M50 engines didn't have variable valve timing, but the later
ones did, starting about 1993.  Does that sound right?

Andrew

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill K [mailto:billkirkpatrick@domain.elided]
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2003 2:54 AM
To: bmw@domain.elided
Subject: RE: bmw-digest V10 #93 - When 525i got engine upgrade?


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-bmw-digest@domain.elided [mailto:owner-bmw-digest@domain.elided]
Sent: Friday, 3 October 2003 3:01 PM
To: bmw-digest@domain.elided
Subject: bmw-digest V10 #93

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2003 09:34:36 -0400
From: "Watry, Andrew (LNG-SFR)" <Andrew.Watry@domain.elided>
Subject: [bmw] When 525i got engine upgrade?

My wife's E28 535i got hit last week, and we're probably looking for a
replacement car.  I've heard that a later E34 525i with the twin-cam,
four-valve six, is a pretty good car.  Early versions of the 525i had the
older single-cam, two-valve timing-belt engine, correct? If so, what's the
first year of the better engine: 1995?  And did the 325i get the better
engine about the same time?  Thanks for any info.

Andrew Watry
Berkeley, CA

------------------------------
Andrew, from some quick research, it looks like the 525i received the new
M50 engine in the 1991 model year, 325i got it about a year later with the
introduction of the E36 (not certain what engine the 325i cabriolet had that
year, the rag-top E30 overlapped the new E36 tin-lid by a year, or so).
Gained about 20 bhp and swapped the very fallible timing belt for a timing
chain. (Ask me how I know how fallible the M20 timing belt is - let's start
with 12 new valves...) But, the 525i got an upgrade to the better VaNoS
M50tu motor in 1992, also about a year ahead of the 3er.

I'd be looking for an E34 525i from about the '92 model year or later,
except I wouldn't rule out a 535i of the same vintage if a good example
turned up. From all accounts the large six isn't much thirstier than the
525i, since it's not working as hard as the small six to move the not
inconsiderable mass of the E34. In the 3er body, the small six is a
screamer, not something you'd call a 525i.

I think your wife might find the E34 525i a bit sluggish after driving the
E28 535i. Per John Burns' (the Unix Nerd) website (see url below), the E28
535i has about 159 bhp/1000kg whereas the M50tu E34 525i has only about 125
bhp/1000kg. I believe that she'll notice the difference. I'll bet she uses
the A/C, on occasion, even in Northern California.

For more good stuff: http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/bmw.html and
http://www.bmwe34.net/

It's been a long time since I last drove an E28, so I can't compare them
directly, but even with the old M20 engine I still love my E34 525i.
Wouldn't mind a little more grunt, though. I spent a couple years at Travis
AFB in the early 70's so I know that you've got some great roads in your
part of the world for enjoying a 5er.

Bill Kirkpatrick in Sydney, AU.
1989 E34 525i M20B25
1995 E36 316i M43B16 Compact
Dreamin' 'bouta 750i early E38...

Mail to: billkirk@domain.elided (Hotmail outbound mail account is for spam
catching...)
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