M52 Alpina Manifold Throttle Body questions

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JungleGus
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:26 pm

Forgive the picture quality, but I hope they give a rough idea of the issue.

I am running an Alpina Intake manifold on the M52 - now apparently this is one of the earlier ones, so I've managed to obtain one of the later ones - the throttle body hole is much larger. The problem I have is that the original TB is an electronic throttle so isn't suitable in my case.

Now, I've been told that a 540/740 throttle body will fit...however I bought one and had to return since the bolt mounting points were ~130mm horizontal and ~90mm vertical. The intake manifold has ~80mm square mounting points.

So, much question is - does anyone know which throttle body will actually fit and where I can obtain one?

Cheers,
Gus

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HenryM3
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 4:11 pm

Have you looked on the Alpina parts catalogue from what I’ve seen most of the throttle body’s are standard BMW perhaps you could look and then google p/n
JungleGus
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 4:12 pm

Do you have a link? I've only been able to find the cosmetic type catalogues
HenryM3
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 4:26 pm

I don’t know if this will work, https://www.thealpinaregister.com/downl ... %20b3s.pdf
If it does go to page 7
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flybynite
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 7:13 pm

Don't know if it will help but you can rule out am M54 throttle body as it has 65mm square bolt holes.

What management system is yours running? the only management system on that B3S catalogue is MS43 and that only runs Electric throttle
HenryM3
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 7:45 pm

Siemens MS 42 seems a mixture of electronic and cable. Quite a heavy throttle pedal till you get used to it. I read somewhere that the x5 4.4 fits but that would be all electronic as well
JungleGus
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 8:35 pm

That PDF is brilliant, thank you. So - part of my issue may have been that I was trying an E34/E32 4L TB - and the TB in that PDF corresponds to E39/E38 4L. There appears to be some of those TBs on eBay with cable pulls...waiting on responses to see the measurements (lesson learnt).

She's running the M52 2.8 engine management that's been remapped
HenryM3
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 8:55 pm

Two questions, did you get bhp figures after remap. When you fitted the inlet manifold, which gasket did you use BMW or ALPINA.
JungleGus
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 9:19 pm

Well - the remap went from 229hp & 286 Nm to 262hp & 347Nm - BUT it's a 3.3 Alpina engine - I don't have the direct comparison on what the manifold would do on a 2.8 M52. I don't imagine it would be hugely different to an M50 Manifold. Gasket - unsure, I don't think it was changed.
HenryM3
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 9:48 pm

Just done some checking, gaskets are completely different. I do remember asking the price of the Alpine one, can’t remember the answer as I was being helped up of the floor. It’s metal so take care of it if you ever have to take it off.. Those figures are very good.
JungleGus
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Mon Oct 12, 2020 9:57 pm

Luckily I got a spare intake manifold to head gasket with the new manifold, I hear they are £70 or so...ouch. Figure I can make up a paper gasket for the TB easily. If I ever get this thing sorted...at least she is running now and tempted to leave it and stop faffing for a while!
HenryM3
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Tue Oct 13, 2020 9:40 am

Oh no, you can’t stop faffing, you’ll wake up in the middle of the night having just had a bright idea. The consequences of stopping faffing are serious, cold sweats, shakes and paranoia to name just a few.
JungleGus
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Tue Oct 13, 2020 1:00 pm

Sounds familiar....

Striking out with the cable operated TB, seems to to be the same measurement as the E34/32 ones...hmm.

I wonder if there is any way to convert an electronic throttle body to cable pull?
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flybynite
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Tue Oct 13, 2020 2:25 pm

JungleGus wrote:
Tue Oct 13, 2020 1:00 pm
I wonder if there is any way to convert an electronic throttle body to cable pull?
Looking at the M54 electric TB I have looking back at me here I would be very doubtful you could convert it easily. Anything is possible, obviously.

There seems to be a lot of changes through the production run of the E34/E32 so it would not surprise me if an earlier/later one fitted

I have to admit once upon a time I had thoughts about running an Alpina B3 engine in my engine-less E30. Reading this has cured me of that :D . I will stick to the M54 from the low-mile 330 sport I have owned and driven and be done with it or build another M20.
JungleGus
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Tue Oct 13, 2020 2:35 pm

flybynite wrote:
Tue Oct 13, 2020 2:25 pm
JungleGus wrote:
Tue Oct 13, 2020 1:00 pm
I wonder if there is any way to convert an electronic throttle body to cable pull?
Looking at the M54 electric TB I have looking back at me here I would be very doubtful you could convert it easily. Anything is possible, obviously.

There seems to be a lot of changes through the production run of the E34/E32 so it would not surprise me if an earlier/later one fitted

I have to admit once upon a time I had thoughts about running an Alpina B3 engine in my engine-less E30. Reading this has cured me of that :D . I will stick to the M54 from the low-mile 330 sport I have owned and driven and be done with it or build another M20.
You're welcome! If I had my time again, it would be a 2.8/9 M20 and done.

Sadly, I don't!
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flybynite
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Tue Oct 13, 2020 3:23 pm

I hear DanThe is playing with an Alpina B3 engine, I assume for his track toy. Have you had a word with him?
JungleGus
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Tue Oct 13, 2020 5:42 pm

Not yet - great idea!
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