BMW Repair: engine swap, ssfautoparts, variable valve timing

Question
QUESTION: I have a 89 325i with a worn out engine. I have found a wrecked 98 328i that i can buy pretty cheap. Wondering if that motor would be able to be swapped into the 325i and how involved it would be or would it be better to just pull the 2.5 and rebuild it

ANSWER: No.
Don't go down that route.

89 325i is a 12 valve m20 engine
98 328i is a variable valve timing vanos 24 valve m52.
different altogether, it would not fit.

Whats wrong with the 325i engine?
If its not overheating (cracked head) then this is the project I would go for.

Tony

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QUESTION: The m20 engine is worn out. It has no compression to speak of, I have really thrashed on this motor. The reason i was going to switch it seems expensive to rebuild it because to get any more horsepower out of it I will probably have to change pistons and valves and cam. Any suggestions? It is very hard to find parts here for these things. Knox isnt a big BMW town lol.Thanks David

ANSWER: If there isnt an overheating issue, its a great engine and far more reliable than any chain driven m50/52 with vanos.

Whats the mileage on the engine?
Where the hell is Knox????????????

There are many mail order parts suppliers available, over hear we got eurocarparts, GSF and more.
Must be loads in the US. When I lived there we got parts from a company called SSF, in south san francisco, california
www.ssfautoparts.com, there found them for you.

When I was working a the steelers (dealers) when the 325i came out, it was a frigging rocket ship, my favorite model,(e30)with the 2.5i engine.

Get back to me with the milage and tell me about any overheating issues if any.

Tony

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QUESTION: Well the 2.5 has well over 350,000 on it. We added a chip to it and a free flowing exhaust. It is an automatic so that hurts it but the wife drives it some so... No overheating problems except i got an air bubble in the system but got that fixed real quick. The car has been lowered and sway bars and a few other goodies. I run the the thing across a road that is called "The Dragons Tail" 318 curves in 11 miles and the bikes have a fit when they look back and there is a little BMW sitting on their back tire. I have thrashed this thing hard going across it and it has held up unbelieveably well,but it is slowing down.I took the fan completely off and only use the ac electric fan in traffic if I must,sother you go. Knox is Knoxville Tennessee. Sorry about the book but you ask! David

Answer
Sounds great.

Sounds like you have had a great deal of fun out of it.

It really is a simple engine to strip and rebuild.

Measure the bores and pistons and you will probably find them still in tolerance, if so just new rings and bearings. Bottom end done.

Replace the cam-belt AND tensioner.

Now the head, any decent machine shop can measure your existing camshaft and recommend replacing it if needed, but they don't tend to wear.

The valve angles  are critical, valve seats are cut at 45 degrees and the seats at 46 (or the other way around)so there is an interference angle.just get them cut to the original spec so that the valve clearances are correct at the rocker when adjusting.

Get it back on the road in all its glory.


Tony