as above just a quick question really
many thanks
Matt
is a 325i and a 525i the same engine?
Moderator: martauto
p.s what about out of newer 3 and 5 series, thay look different but will thay bolt strait in?
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Jesus325iTouring
- Frog freak !

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Yes,well sort of.
My Touring now has an E34 five series engine,it was from an F reg if that helps.
As for bolting straight in,it pretty much does,you just need to swap various ancillaries over such as engine mounts.
The 5 series gearbox was different to mine so we had to put my original gearbox back in.
The engine your talking about is the M20B25,some of the techies on here will probably be able to give you the exact years the 5 series used this engine,I just know for certain an F reg one is the same.
My Touring now has an E34 five series engine,it was from an F reg if that helps.
As for bolting straight in,it pretty much does,you just need to swap various ancillaries over such as engine mounts.
The 5 series gearbox was different to mine so we had to put my original gearbox back in.
The engine your talking about is the M20B25,some of the techies on here will probably be able to give you the exact years the 5 series used this engine,I just know for certain an F reg one is the same.

X5 V8 for thrills, CRV for chills, Range Rover P38 V8 for sooooo much aggravation...
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Jesus325iTouring
- Frog freak !

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I've just remembered why the 5 series gearbox was different.
The gear lever linkages were different,but straight forward enough to change over,the main problem we had was the gearbox output flange (?) if thats what it's called wouldn't match to my propshaft,it was a 3mm to big,and unless you have tools and inclination to change the output shaft the 5 box is no good,it looked a bitch to change it which is why we put my original box back on.
The gear lever linkages were different,but straight forward enough to change over,the main problem we had was the gearbox output flange (?) if thats what it's called wouldn't match to my propshaft,it was a 3mm to big,and unless you have tools and inclination to change the output shaft the 5 box is no good,it looked a bitch to change it which is why we put my original box back on.

X5 V8 for thrills, CRV for chills, Range Rover P38 V8 for sooooo much aggravation...
- Brianmoooore
- E30 Zone Team Member

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Yes, it fits in. Have a read of the 31 page 'sticky' at the top of the engine swaps forum.darkchild wrote: The 24 valve M50 was introduced in 1991 iirc.
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Fushion_Julz
- E30 Zone Camper

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E34 525i is an M20 (or M50 later)
However, E28 525i is an M30
However, E28 525i is an M30
1987 Henna Rot M3 (was 195bhp CAT..now more and no cat)
2001 E46 330i SE Touring (manual)
2001 E46 330i SE Touring (manual)
E28 525i uses an M30 so is not the same.
Of course not, BMW wasted millions of Deutschmarks designing an engine thats worse that the one it replaced.Blitz wrote:Is the M50 engine better then the M20?
More powerful, more economical, 4 valves per cylinder, chain driven M50...or an oil leaking, cylinder head cracking M20?
Seriously though, they're both decent old things but a M50 is considerably nicer.



