Re:sulfer in fuel/94'-95' 4.0 litre engines

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In a message dated 11/9/98 12:34:56 AM Pacific Standard Time, owner-bmw-
digest@domain.elided writes:

<< From: Robert  T Chafin <rtchafin@domain.elided>
 Subject: Re: 94'/95' 4.0 V-8's/sulfer problem 
 
 Let me see if I've got this straight: Only one automaker (BMW) since the
 dawn of the internal combustion engine has had this wierd problem with
 cylinder walls going all to Hades, traceable to the fuel, and the
 conclusion is "U.S. gas sucks"?  Is it possible, just remotely possible,
 that BMW failed to properly research their market, failed to properly test
 the cars before selling them here.  Is it possible BMW is out of step, not
 everyone else?  Give credit where it is due: they stand behind their cars,
 and repair the ones whose engines fail (as long as they're still under
 warranty), but I think there's just a small chance here that the engineers
 over there in Munich screwed up.  It is only surprising because they do
 everything else so well.
  >>

Just IMHO, but the 4.0 litre V-8 blocks cylinder bores were a BIG mistake. In
common automotive technology, you either have:
A.alluminum block with alluminum cylinder bores
B.cast iron block with iron cylinder liners
C.cast iron block with iron machined cylinder bores.

or,

If you are like Mercedes-Benz and want to go very esoteric, you cast your
alluminum block WITH pure silicon, "etch" your cylinder walls with chemicals
to leave a exposed layer of pure silicon (which is the most dirable of
reciprocating parts surfaces) and then do final machining.

or,

You (IMO) completely screw up and COAT the cylinder walls with Nikasil or some
other compound, THEN not research what affects worldwide fuels have, and
viola' - cylinder bore failures. Lovely. Ya' know, we all have teflon or T-fal
coated frying pans, and we all have our cast iron and cast alluminum skillets.
"Ask your mom" if the cast iron & cast alluminum stuff is still around, and
then ask her where that "non-stick" pan is :-)))))

IMO, BMW should warranty the 4.0 blocks (only for this failure) to 200k miles,
as the Mercedes Benz block (and the new 4.4 litre BMW V-8's) are made of the
same silicon impregnated alloy.

It's a shame it happened, but there are literally HUNDREDS of automotive "oh
this was really brilliants" over the years of cars.

Randy
cookies@domain.elided
BMWCCA member
98' 740iL with Silicon alloy block
99' 323ia with alluminum block & iron cylinder liners
...... don't care if my gas has sulfer in it.....................

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