'Sploded my block, rod took a dump. (Plus rebuild thread)

[Ajsingh]

that is crazzzy!!!

[E30_Crazy]

Got the gearbox off, and here is what fell out...

[E30_Crazy]

Anyone know if the water jackets are the same between 325i and 325e blocks? I found a 325e for sale for $400. That's would give me a crank and block, if the block will take an 885 head...

[Speedtouch]

That's a serious shrapnel collection you have there!

I gather that the 325e block takes the 200/731 head (731 was used on the 320i), while the 325i block takes the 885 head, but it is possible to fit the 885 head, as the Zone Wiki will testify:

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... ding_a_2.7

[Brianmoooore]

Block fittings are all the same, give or take a few steam holes. It's the pistons that determine which head will go on.
Didn't the US 'Super eta' use the 885 head anyway?

[E30_Crazy]

Speedtouch- Yeah, I remember reading about the different heads and such, and which ones go with the different pistons, just couldn't find anywhere (incl. the wiki you linked) that said for sure about the block itself.

Brian- These steam holes won't cause any overheating/cracking? Guess the machine shop could do a sort of port-match on the two... Not sure about the US models. Most of my reading and experience is from the UK. I don't have much selection here in Alaska anyways. This is the first "e" I've seen for sale in the year I've been here.

[E30_Crazy]

I had spotted a 524TD (for the crank) at the wrecking yard I like to frequent, but just found out that the car and engine have been crushed. Guess I should have jumped on that the day I found it. Especially since I'm trying to avoid shipping costs to Alaska. The whole topside was already removed from the engine, I could have picked up the bottom end for $200-$300.

Still searching for a block/donor engine, though. The few and far between E30's for sale up here are either pushing 300k miles, or are listed at $6-$9k.

[E30_Crazy]

Oh yeah, forgot to get more pictures posted up. Here's some more.

[Speedtouch]

Epic rod through side of block fail!

My dad had one do this, on a 14,000-mile VW Passat 1.9TD company car, whilst going up a hill - it had to have a whole new engine.

[pianist]

If it was me I'd just scrap the engine and start from new. Block is defo a scrap even if it had one hole in it I would never use it again due to it having micro crack all over it which needs to be checked and tested meaning $$$$ Don't know about head but it looks bad to me.
I would just get running 2.5 engine and rebuild it for boosting, cost wise think it would be beter way.
Anyway thats just what I gather

[Speedtouch]

Yes, the block is scrap, as it's taken chunks out of the bottom of the cylinder; the only way to recover that would be to get it sleeved/linered, but that's probably uneconomic.

[Simon13]

I've got a very good 325i bottom end that is more than usuable as is. Its covered about 240,000 miles but i have the full main dealer service history to go with it.

Good 325i bottom ends are scarce here but no one wants to rebuild pay for one here. Its in my way and needs a good home!

[E30_Crazy]

I'd be stripping it down to bare block, bore and reinforced sleeves, so mileage is only a small concern to me. The big concern, Simon, is figuring the freight costs not only to the US, but then up to Alaska (pretty much like paying overseas shipping... twice)

Anyone know much about the iX examples? I know body/frame wise is much different, between the strut towers, gearbox, and the whole front end drivetrain... But what about the engine and/or block itself? Are they the same? Even if the engine mounts are different (Because of a different front subframe, I assume?) I could re-use my old ones. iX models are about the only ones I can find here (of the few that are ever for sale). Just need a block to at least get some headway in the rebuild. Might have to settle for the eta crank, since I lost my chance on the 524TD. Very limited market in the US for those. 2 model years of some Lincoln cars had the BMW M21 in it, but there were only just 2k some odd produced in that time. Another hard find.

But for now, a 1-2mm bore and tougher sleeves, 2.7 crank (eta or forged) 130mm or 135mm forged rods, and then forged pistons to match. Then sneak a centrifugal supercharger into either the AC space or power steering space (have neither in mine). Need to get the cam mic-checked to make sure it didn't get damaged (schrick 288). And that is just the basic overview for the engine. All the while, trying to spruce up the bodywork/rust. Restore/seal/re-bush subframes/swaybars/droplinks/diff/etc.

Might as well start a build thread once I get started, eh? I bet you all enjoy rusty Tech 1 horror stories, haha.

[Speedtouch]

Yes, a 325iX engine is the same as any other 325i.

[ross_jsy]

I think the only difference is the sump but I may be wrong.

[daimlerman]

What is needed here is a bit of 'zone spirit'.

Does anyone have an M20 block that they can strap to a pallet?

If so,would the OP cover the shipping costs to his current location?

As a thought,I would assume that the OP's employer flys aircraft between not only the UK and the USA,but possibly up to Alaska as well,could such a package be 'indulged' on a flight?

[Simon13]

If you give me $100 for it i'll happily strap it to pallet. If you get really stuck.

i've got spare conrods and pistons too

It would probably be cheaper in the states to bore out a standard block to oversize 1 pistons as i bet they would cost half the price here as the Yanks still rebuild stuff

Fresh bores with new slugs job jobbed


Also if your doing a rebuilt back to 2.5 i built a little beauty last year.

I took the bottom end on a major diet. I fitted an M52 2.5 crankshaft and lightened the flywheel. Which in total was a whopping 7 kilos lighter than a stock 325 bottom end! The M52 crank was 3.5 kilos lighter than the M20. The rest came off the flywheel. You could fit M52 2.8 conrods (135mm) also and save another 500 grams. Knife edge the cranks and get it balanced.

It was a belter, i had the parts and it cost me about £200 to build. Ran just like a stock engine but it drove twice aswell with much a more revvy low end torquey nature to it. BBR starchip helped too. Same horsepower but much more effortless to drive quick and you didn't need to rev it much to move

I wonder where it is now as a drifter type bought it last year. I have some photos somewhere of the build

[E30_Crazy]

I've heard the stories of getting personal items onto international flights before, but I'm don't have enough "in" people to make that happen on the heavy side (transport aircraft), as I'm a fighter crew chief. I'd have to be on the trip to/from the area to even attempt. It's just not the good ol' days anymore. No one wants to help each other, and there are whistle-blowers everywhere that seem to get their kicks by playing Hall Monitor...

I'm still following a couple leads here. I know of an E30 (another ix, hence my question about differences) that is going up for sale after he finishes his auto/manual swap. He's leaving state soon, so I hope I can work him down quite a ways on price. He asking around $3000 for a nothing special face-lift iX, and I'm not going to pay that for a block and some spare ancillaries.

I'd have to check on freight costs, and thanks for the offer about selling and sending me a block! I might actually have to take someone up on that, if things don't shape out finding one here.

Are the M52 cranks forged? I actually had bought a 2.8 crank from a zoner before I left, but I wasn't allowed to bring it back in my personal shipment. If they are, I might consider starting with an M52B28 crank... just need to find a shop to make the spacer up for me.

[daimlerman]

Close on thirty years since I was in the RAF,but I was often suprised at the contents of a Vulcan's bomb bay when it was off to the States or Australia!

Just trying to find 'off the wall' way's of helping you out.

In general,M20 blocks are readily available here in the UK,especially the 80mm bore ex-320 block,so your only real cost will be shipping.

As for machining up a spacer for an M52B28 crank,you must have a workshop with a lathe in it on your base,it's just a matter of approaching the correct guy!

[E30_Crazy]

I had "contacts" in the metal fab shop back there in the UK, but the guys here are a bit more on-guard. F-22 has a lot of different type of materials, and metal shop guys don't usually interact with crew chiefs much. I could ask around though, wouldn't hurt. I read somewhere online there is a site that has them ready made, VAC or MM I believe.

And did a little digging, the B28 crank is forged, so pair that with a 1 or 2mm bore, I'd be close, if not spot on 3 full litre engine

[E30_Crazy]

What did you do in the RAF, Daimlerman? Sounds like you worked flightline? Pilot or maintenance/mechanic?

[E30_Crazy]

Well, on the road to recovery. Just bought this,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251385872420?ss ... 1439.l2649

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/BMW-E36-96-98-32 ... A/$_57.JPG

[DanThe]

Thats a late crank, which is larger in diameter in a few places compared to the early 2.8 crank. You might need to grind the block in a few places to get it to turn without contact, still cheap though
If it were me, id be buying some M52 135mm rods and some custom 85.5mm pistons for a 3.0

[E30_Crazy]

Dang, I thought I did enough reading/research and got the right one... I know I didn't want one '99-on, when the M52 went DV.

But yes, with the price, and then only ~$60 more for shipping all the way to Alaska... Other cranks were going for $300+, and then the shipping was another $250. The money saved could easily cover grinding the block (or just do it myself).

For now the plan is to keep a set of 135mm rods in it. Wanting a forged set, and been looking around on sites like IE. Don't want to risk the Ebay scene for such a critical core component. Too many knock offs.

A full 85mm bore should do me well. I can't convince myself to chance another engine (last one was my second). Building for a Rotrex charger for now, but looking down the road also incase I decide to turbo or twin charge later on.

[E30_Crazy]

I guess I never updated on here like I did with my driving club/car enthusiast group...

I found a block! Well, an entire engine to be exact. Pretty local, only about a 45 min drive. Kid bought an E30 for body panels and some other odd parts, and before he scrapped it, his dad told him to pull the engine and hold onto it. Good thing! Because then I came along. Picked up the whole thing minus the loom and ECU for $400. I know a lot of things will just be spares sitting around, but it was the best "all in one" package for parts I needed. Usable block, a good head, untouched sump. I still have the manifolds from my old engine, so now I have another set.

So now, it's a waiting game. I've bled my spare money into this engine, two sets of winter tires, and a PS4 . I'll be getting a pay raise of around $600 more a month, with the first full amount hitting my account the 15th, so then she'll be back under way. I want to try and knock most of the high dollar stuff out first... forged rods and pistons, head work/valves/seats/guides. Still need to get my old cam mic checked, see if it is usable. There is some visual marking/scoring, but other than a little pitting, nothing I can catch my fingernail on (Haha, a mechanics gap check/feeler gauge-fingernail, and torque calibrated-elbow)

[E30_Crazy]

Ok, time for some more questions. I've found out that the seller has another crank, also being from a '97 528i, titled as a single vanos unit (same as the one I already bought). The only thing is, the part numbers showing in each ad are different. The one I'm getting reads 1432277, and the other one reads 1748751. I called my local BMW parts department, and their system doesn't show either, since the crank is part of a larger assembly (just includes the bearings, but is given a different part number in the system).

DanThe-- I thought that the late/early year change was in '99 with the TU? Unless the seller mis-labeled the ad, '97 would put is as a single vanos?... Or am I missing something in my reading, such as two different early cranks (as you mention the possible fitting issues).

I am planning on lightening and knife edging the crank, so maybe that will allow it to fit regardless of year, just have to watch for the TDC trigger from the late crank. I read somewhere about oil pump shaft problems also?

Need to finish getting the rest of the guts out of the new block, so I can test fit it once it gets here.

[E30_Crazy]

Some pitting at the peak of the lobes. But the lines where the edge of the rocker rides aren't anywhere near as bad as they look. Can't even catch my fingernail on them. Can only feel the pitting. Rocker pads didn't look as bad as this either.

[Andyboy]

Close on thirty years since I was in the RAF,but I was often suprised at the contents of a Vulcan's bomb bay when it was off to the States or Australia!

Just trying to find 'off the wall' way's of helping you out.

In general,M20 blocks are readily available here in the UK,especially the 80mm bore ex-320 block,so your only real cost will be shipping.

As for machining up a spacer for an M52B28 crank,you must have a workshop with a lathe in it on your base,it's just a matter of approaching the correct guy!

Would a Vulcan make it to the US without mid flight refuelling?

[E30_Crazy]

2600 mile range, according to http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Vulcan
Reading through that, there were several modifications between the B1, B2, and B3 versions, and with the ability to configure with 1, 2, and sometimes 3 extra fuel tanks in the bomb bay, 2600 miles may not be the actual range of the final production operational aircraft.

[E30_Crazy]

So here is the crank test fitted

https://scontent-b-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... 9175_n.jpg

DanThe-- It turns over ok with out hitting anything (after removing the rear trigger wheel). The wheel was obviously part of the balance factor, but it will have to be re-balanced anyways by the machinist while lightening/knife edging the crank.

I'll research a little on the M52 rods. I planned on getting some forged h-beam types, just so something like this doesn't happen again. Can't justify building a whole new motor, without learning/improving on the reason the last one let up, haha.

[daimlerman]

Close on thirty years since I was in the RAF,but I was often suprised at the contents of a Vulcan's bomb bay when it was off to the States or Australia!

Just trying to find 'off the wall' way's of helping you out.

In general,M20 blocks are readily available here in the UK,especially the 80mm bore ex-320 block,so your only real cost will be shipping.

As for machining up a spacer for an M52B28 crank,you must have a workshop with a lathe in it on your base,it's just a matter of approaching the correct guy!

Would a Vulcan make it to the US without mid flight refuelling?

Although the Vulcan was fitted up with in flight refuelling gear,it fell into dis-use until the Falklands affair.In the late '70's,Vulcans made regular training flights from Waddington/Scampton to Goosebay in a single hop,using bomb bay mounted long range tanks.
When the Falklands affair started,Vulans were moved to Acension Island,and with the in-flight re-fuelling gear sorted,mounted an attack on Port Stanley's runway.Took,IIRC,a fleet of 36 aircraft transfering fuel mid-flight,to get one Vulcan on target.This was,and still is,the longest ever flight by an armed bomber aircraft.
When Mrs Thatcher was informed of a successful raid,she ordered a repeat for the next day,to be informed by RAF staff of the huge cost in manpower and equipment involved.....
My sole claim to fame for 15 years service is that I towed the aircraft that dropped the bombs on Stanley the night before it left Waddington!
XM607 required hangering for an engine change,then towing across the airfield to the engine run-up pan.Whilst it was in the hanger,I saw it bombed up...next day it transited to Acension,then went on to Stanley.

[Simon13]

Very interesting Malco

Re rods the M52 ones are about 100 grams per rod lighter iirc. I'll have to get the scales out to check but they;re lighter and stronger plus cheap and plentiful. You want the rods off a 2.8 i think.

[E30_Crazy]

Might have to look around at options for M52 rods. First search I found a forged set for half the price of an M20 set.

[E30_Crazy]

Might have to look around at options for M52 rods. First search I found a forged set for half the price of an M20 set.

[Simon13]

new?!

They need to be 135mm long. which the 2.8 ones are and i've a feeling the ones from a 2.5 M52 are 140mm