Alpina M50 engine?

[leeparkes]

Went to collect a M50 2.5 today which was quite cheap and close.
Turned up and loaded it into the van, when loading i noticed an Alpina sticker on the ECU, i said nothing paid up and shot off.
Pulled over down the road to double check and yes it had the sticker.
From what i understand these were a 2.8?

Right details,
Alpina number on ECU is 13 56 667 sticker underneath is red (ish)
Vin on the ECU is WBABF32060JB00684 comes up as a July92 325i coupe.
Engine is non vanos with a 92 date stamp on the back of the head.
I still have to get the years of grike off the engine number to see what it is, what i can make out with a wipe of a rag is
8 (or B) 5 ? 3834?
Would there be any stamps on the head?
What did Alpina actually do to the engine? (if anything)

Thanks.

[Simon13]

Sounds like its a cammed up 2.5. Sytners built about 200 of these b2.5's They had different cams, alpina exhaust and ecu and were rated at 212bhp iirc

But there were also 2.8 versions and a 3.0 version - it won't be this as they didn't appear until 93.

Saying that the ECU you give is for a 2.8!

[Simon13]

2.8 had headwork, cams, complete exhuast system. RHD stuff used stock manifolds. Alpinas own crank, 140mm rods and pina pistons. ECU to suit and 240bhp i think.

Alpina took RHD production in house in 93 so chances are if its legit Sytners would of built the car

[Simon13]

There should be a 4 digit stamping on the back of the head.









/\ This is a stock head, top 2 show the number stamped at the bottom of the head

[jimbom30cab]

Lee, isn't that the second time now you have popped to the scrappies and come home with an Alpina engine ?

[leeparkes]

Ill have a look for the numbers on the back of the head, if it has cams will they be stamped anywhere? Thanks.

Here's a pic of the ECU.

Lee, isn't that the second time now you have popped to the scrappies and come home with an Alpina engine ?

Pretty much yes.

[bss325i]

Jammy sod!

[leeparkes]

Dont want to get too cocky though, it might just be the ECU thats Alpina....

[jimbom30cab]

even if it is then selling the ECU should pay for the engine = free engine

[E30BeemerLad]

What you upto anyway, buying non-vanos M50 donks?

[leeparkes]

indeed...


Ive opened up the ECU to check the chip, it has a hand written label on it with this wrote, HG in the middle, 6677 on one end and what looks like 74 in the opposite corner but it could be someones initials as its written like a signature maybe IH or LH, i dont know...

Just a thought, if this one of the 200 2.5's with just the cams and remap would the head even be stamped if there's no work been done on it?
Is there any ID marks on the cams? my M30 pina has numbers engraved on the end of the cam (cyl 6 end) and a splodge of red paint between two of the lobes.

[bss325i]

If its just the 2.5 then I doubt it would have a stamped head as the B2.5's were sytner built and the cams can be changed without femoving the head.

I'll do some digging on that VIN on Monday and see what it comes up with.

[Simon13]

i'm telling you thats 100% a 2.8 ecu. Now i can't imagine a 2.5 running that great with it? i'm sure it would run though

take the inlet off, if you can see a head work finish on it like this below your in business




stock will look alot more cast in the finish where as the worked heads have a machined sort of grain to the ports instead


i can't recal how they stamped the blocks up on these later cars.

More to the point what did it come out of? obviously not the 325i coupe it originally did?!

[bss325i]

Vehicle identification no.
WBABF32060JB00684
E series
E36
Engine
M50
Production date (dd/mm/yy)
17/07/92
Gearbox
MECH
Model
325I
First registration (dd/mm/yy)
29/09/92
Country version
EUR
Body
COUPE
Steering
RL
Warranty type (pseudo type)
BF32
Series extension
2
Powertrain
DME
Gearbox number
0102518HDM
Vehicle manufacturing plant
Regensburg
Delivering dealer
08717
Order dealer
00006
Basic type (model code)
BF32
Series launch date (dd/mm/yy)
01/10/91
Type of drive
HECK
Engine number
37040371
Basic features
11321200L
Powertrain management

Number of version
0000000014A
Option coding
0000000000009490O
Time criterion
Paint code
287
Upholstery
0394
E word(s)

HO word(s)

Assembly no.

Upgraded
Vehicle was not upgraded


209 LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL (25%)
314 HEATED WINDSCREEN WASHER NOZZLES
354 GREEN STRIPE WINDSCREEN
401 SLIDING/VENT ROOF, ELECTRIC
428 WARNING TRIANGLE
498 HEADRESTS IN REAR, MECHANIC. ADJUSTABLE
500 HEADLIGHT WASHER SYS/INTENSIVE CLEANING
554 ON-BOARD COMPUTER
687 RADIO PREPARATION
704 M SPORT SUSPENSION
708 M-SPORT LEATHER STEERING WHEEL II
812 ENGLAND VERSION
848 ENLARGED WIRING HARNESS
850 ADD FUEL TANK FILLING FOR EXPORT
940 SPECIAL REQUEST EQUIPMENT


From that chassis number

[leeparkes]

Thanks Barry, so what i gather from that list the car isnt Alpina, or am i wrong? dont know what half of it means.

i'm telling you thats 100% a 2.8 ecu.

This is whats also confusing me. The VIN on the ECU states its a 2.5 but the sticker is Alpina 2.8? Why would this be? this is one of the reasons i opened it up to see what chip is in there just incase some clown just stuck an Alpina sticker on top for reasons unknown.

Thanks very much for your input lads.

[bss325i]

Thats just the spec of what could be the base car for an Alpina conversion.

Its got the LSD for a start and all the B2.5's had M technic
suspension.

EDIT: All UK E36 coupes had M technic suspension as standard and was replaced for Alpina bilsteins on the 2.8, 3.0 and 3.2

That Alpina part number is a B6 2.8 for before sept '92 so would tally up with the build date of that car.

[leeparkes]

Ahh i see, i will look over the engine tomorrow to see if i can find anything out.
Thanks again.

[Andyboy]

Remove a spark plug, long screwdriver down the plughole, turn the crank over a full revolution and measure the stroke. The 2.8 was a full Alpina built engine and will have the flowed head with a stamped number. Also clean up the engine number on the block. If it's a 2.8, it's a £1000 engine if it's a good runnet.

[leeparkes]

Ive had the manifold off and this is what i saw.



It looks like its had some work but only maybe an inch down from the manifold, also its had work done to where it separates into the two valves seen here.




This is a pic of the back of the head.



Would the Alpina stamp be somewhere else?

Ill check the stroke but probably wont be till tomorrow now, what should it be?

[E30BeemerLad]

I "think" the stroke of a 2.8 is 84mm

[leeparkes]

And these engine were definatly stroked not bored?

[DanThe]

Standard head there Lee, as beemerlad says 84mm stroke for a 2.8 crank

[leeparkes]

Did they do that polishing on standard heads? tbh it does look a bit half arsed.

[DanThe]

Thats just a bit of machining on the end of the port, to get rid of the casting mess

AFAIK Simon/Barry all the C2.5 engines were vanos?

[Andyboy]

Thats just a bit of machining on the end of the port, to get rid of the casting mess

AFAIK Simon/Barry all the C2.5 engines were vanos?

No. The 2.5 and 2.8's were initially non vanos and the first ones were J reg. The 2.8 was 240 bhp. Next step - plug out and measure the stroke. Even if it's a 2.5 (which I now think it may be given the stock 1992 stamped head), you still have a result. It may well be that they used the 2.8 ECU on these - I can't find my E36 Alpina parts list!

[leeparkes]

Its pitch black but im going out to check the stroke now.

[Andyboy]

Found the catalogue. 667 is non vanos 2.8 and 671 is vanos 2.8. Non vanos engines used thre 135mm rods and vanos units used the longer 140mm ones.

On the stroke, the 2.5 is 75mm.

[leeparkes]

Right, the stroke is roughly 77mm which pretty much tallys up with your 75mm Andy.

[Andyboy]

No worry - it's still a nice engine with a desirable ECU.

[leeparkes]

Wonder why someone used the Alpina ECU on it, must of run like a pig.

[bss325i]

Because it still might have the Alpina cams and be a B2.5 engine.

I will find out tomorrow if that car was a B2.5 converted by Sytner.

[Andyboy]

Sytners didn 't do all of them. The idea was that the B2.5 was a kit of parts that any dealer could fit. The one I broke was done by Grassicks in Perth. Fuck me that one was rotten.

[Simon13]

defo a stock head but as barry says if its still a cammed 2.5 donk. Its going to be a good lively engine.

[leeparkes]

Any good Barry?

[Simon13]

Barry?