2.5 TDS

Discuss Non-E30 BMW's in here - No selling!

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bigwinn
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Tue May 17, 2011 8:06 pm

Evening all

Seen mixed reports about this engine, anyone got a definitve view of the 2.5L turbo diesel unit?

Is it reliable. Is it as torquey as a 2.5 petrol?

Cheers

Stu
Bronzit gone- she lives on
'89 325i auto touring: Malachite Green

Now, I'm no gynecologist, but I know a tw4t when I see one...
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TheHeap
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Tue May 17, 2011 8:53 pm

It must have more torque than a petrol, if not it is a complete fail. All TDi engines have more torque then their petrol sisters. As far as i know it isn't much cheaper on the juice in town though.
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darkchild
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Wed May 18, 2011 6:54 am

Assuming you mean the M51 donk?

If the car is cheap enough they're not a bad thing to smoke about in at all. However, they're not that economical (when diesel was cheaper than petrol they made a lot more sense) and the diesel pump is expensive to replace in old age. An E36 318i is probably a better prospect IMO unless you're getting a free supply of chip fat!
Last edited by darkchild on Wed May 18, 2011 8:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
bigwinn
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Wed May 18, 2011 8:45 am

no free chip fat so I think I'll stay with the petrol types...

Stu
Bronzit gone- she lives on
'89 325i auto touring: Malachite Green

Now, I'm no gynecologist, but I know a tw4t when I see one...
Kieran_n22
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Wed May 18, 2011 8:59 am

Good luck using chip fat on a TDS. Unless you want to buy a new pump!
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Blitz
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Wed May 18, 2011 12:25 pm

darkchild
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Wed May 18, 2011 4:44 pm

What a nice car for £600. Bargain basement money. Shame about the wheels though - they look gash on an E39, never mind an E34.
bigwinn
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Wed May 18, 2011 4:46 pm

looks nice- plus the interior is pretty good.
Bronzit gone- she lives on
'89 325i auto touring: Malachite Green

Now, I'm no gynecologist, but I know a tw4t when I see one...
e301988325i
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Wed May 25, 2011 2:35 pm

I've got an E36 325 TDS touring manual, it's a nice engine, sounds nice, smooth, torquey, figure in the book is 195lb/ft, but the injection pump can be troublesome and VERY expensive.

I get mid to high 30's mpg, worse on the motorway, uneconomical above 75 miles an hour.

I'd reccommend LPG'd petrol for cheap running costs.
I said:

Can anyone suggest how to test if the boot lights are staying on with the boot shut?

e30topless said:

lock the wife in there
RichIS
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Location: gloucestershire

Wed May 25, 2011 8:05 pm

e39 or e34? ive had both got on with them really well e34 lift pump struggles if you plan on running cooking oil e39 lift pumps take it like a dream both mine were fairly high milage . but the engine all in all are good engines my e39 tds was dynoed at 135 bhp and 250ftlbs of tourque at the wheels
Injections nice....but I'd rather be blown ;)
gazm3
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Wed May 25, 2011 9:04 pm

Just binned my e39 525tds. Injector pump fail. Not economic to repair. :cry:
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fingerman
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Wed May 25, 2011 9:22 pm

I owned an E34 525tds a few years ago and managed to get 700 miles out of a tank - driving like a granny!

I picked the car up for about £800, but must have spent about £1500-£2000 getting it fixed over the year of ownership - the engine just seemed to fall to bits :shock:

Don't think I'd get another one as the performance/economy/reliability and of lack of knowledge on the web for the M51 isn't great.
Previously owned loads of old E30s, E34s, a few E36s, E32s, E39s and an E38.

Currently in a diesel Audi - miss me old E30's....
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