How can you tell early engine from late?

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Adammcf
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Post Tue Sep 27, 2005 9:07 am

Right before I get a replacement bottom end or full engine for my car I need to know exactly whats in there now so I know what will work.

The car is an 89 Sport but the pistons are the early type. Is there any way of telling if the block is an early type or just a late type with early pistons. Also how do you tell if the rest of the engine is the early or late type? I know Ive got the late type coolant bottle on the passenger side but thats about it!

Any help or info would be greatly appreciated as I dont want to get another engine and find out it wont fit or run.
A1BMW325iSport
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Post Tue Sep 27, 2005 9:09 am

not sure there mate, isnt the water pump different?
Adammcf
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Post Tue Sep 27, 2005 9:10 am

Not too sure. Hope not as I bought a new water pump and timing belt tensioner on the engine for the first rebuild and was hoping to transfer them over to the replacement engine.
Adammcf
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Post Tue Sep 27, 2005 8:26 pm

Anyone know? I dont want to have to go to BMW and ask as chances are they wont even know there were two different kinds of engines!
dazleeds
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Post Tue Sep 27, 2005 8:28 pm

yes water pump has an extra ouitlet pointing out toward drivers side eng bay

sorry cant be more help my minds gone blank but def waterpump as said D
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A1BMW325iSport
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Post Tue Sep 27, 2005 11:06 pm

wasn`t there something on the distributor that was slightly diff as well?

as for the block i`ve just looked on ETK all i can see is bmw have diff
part numbers for the early and late blocks as you know but how to tell
from looking at them i don`t know
dazleeds
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Post Tue Sep 27, 2005 11:08 pm

on my 323 the dizzy is next to the dipstick rather than on end of cam

cnt remember if early 25s were same tho??
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A1BMW325iSport
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Post Tue Sep 27, 2005 11:14 pm

325`s have the dizzy on end of cam, they have the block drive plugged off with a plate and seal. the dizzy on later models afaik had the extra wire attached to one of the ignition leads so that maybe something to look at as the wire had a 3pin connector? which would plug in somewhere and the early engine would not have provision for it
dazleeds
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Post Tue Sep 27, 2005 11:16 pm

yeah your right :thumb:

that wire you mentioned goes to the bracket that holds the big round diagnostic plug
i believe the wire is a pulse sensor
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Adammcf
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Post Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:49 am

Mine has that wire yet has the early pistons?!