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The Aluminum Block Controversy..

Butch sez:

>Subject: Aluminum Block V-8 BMW's vs. Sulfur Content of U.S. Fuel
>
>I think I have heard just about everything now.  BMW blaming the high (?)   
>sulfur content of U.S. fuel for premature V-8 engine failure is highly   
>suspect.  This reeks about as badly as Audi's claim that the runaway car   
>syndrome was due to operator error.
>
>BMW simply screwed up in the formulation of the aluminum for the V-8   
>block.  Evidently BMW did little or no testing with the fuel formulas   
>used in the United States.  If they had done the long term testing that   
>domestic manufacturers (U.S.) have carried out for many years, BMW should   
>have easily detected the premature failure of the V-8 engine block.
>
>I would love to purchase a 540i, but I won't touch one with a ten foot   
>pole right now.  I'm not sure what BMW is up to, but it sure as hell   
>isn't customer satisfaction.  Warranty extensions (100K, is that all?)   
>and reprogramming the computer (so the engine runs hotter--sounds like   
>they're eradicating a virus, gets worse gas mileage -- EPA are you   
>listening?, and is SLOWER!) sounds like a kluge to me.
>
>So, for now I wait.  Good luck to those that currently own V-8 5's.  I   
>certainly hope that you are able to get some measure of satisfaction from   
>BMW-NA.
>
>RKB

I actually was discussing this same topic today at lunch with BMW-Alfred..
(1983 533i Alfred).. and brought up the fact that BMW has successfully
used aluminum cylinders on their aircooled R bikes since about 1981..
and full aluminum blocks on their water cooled, fuel injected (and
later models catalytic converter equipped) K bikes since 1985.

Being even more enthused about BMW bikes (hey! It really IS a motorcycle
company who happens to make some nice cars!).. I've followed the BMW
motorcycle mailing list (which is VERY active, makes this one a breeze
to read).. and has about 1200 members (we're actually an organization..
Internet BMW Riders). So far - to date - NO ONE has ever reported
any engine failure on these engines due to cylinder problems.. and
we do use the same gas as the cars. Many of these bikes have well
over 100,000 miles on them (people have reported at re-ringing
time, around 200,000 miles on the K's and 100,000 miles on the R's
that the crosshatch on the cylinder walls is still visible, and
NO sign of wear or corrosion at all).

It seems like BMW knows HOW to do it - and it really puzzles me
how they did it wrong on the cars. It would also seem that they
know what they did different (there is a different name for the
evaporated cylinder coating on bikes vs cars.. the bikes call
it 'nickosil' for nickel-silicon.. forget what the car one is
called, but I do recall that it has a different name..)

Best (and sticking to the 3.5l big-six..)

=======================================
Don Eilenberger
Spring Lk Hts, NJ, USA
deilenberger@domain.elided
=======================================