Recently purchased a used 1997 Z3. It was listed as a 2.8, however on reading the service manual I found that the engine code in the VIN (CJ33) indicated a 1.9. Well, there are definitely 6 cylinders so it is not a 1.9. Can anyone explain this ? Really enjoy the car. It's in excellent condition even with 116K miles, no rust. A few cosmetic pblms. haven't gotten into anything under the car yet. One front ball joint is showing some wear and I'm waiting for new door strikers. Seems like a lot of others are waiting also. Would appreciate any hints or suggestions. I'm a newbie to BMWs, but was a service engineer for a German machine tool company so I realize that German engineering can be a bit convoluted till you figure it out.
I wouldn't have an idea, try a vin search and see if it shows something different - hard to picture anyone bothering with the expense and hassle of a swapping-in a larger motor when you could just buy another made that way. http://bimmer.work/ Figure out the code for whatever engine you have (M52 or whatever it may be) - check the wikipedia page for BMW Z3's if nothing else, and then google search that to get a handle on potential issues. My guess would be plastic impeller water pumps & pre-emptive cooling system stuff like expansion tanks, radiators, connecting pipes, etc. BMW plastics in latter-era bimmers don't seem to age well or are great over time with heat exposure. Check out drvanos.com, if you have vanos, it'll probably have seals leaking, in time. Otherwise google 'BMW Z3 issues' (for instance, or whatever keywords) and there probably will be a variety of search results from the other BMW-specific forums out there. Peruse the threads here too.
This is what comes up when using your vin for BMW looks correct. VIN: 4USCJ3321VLC08027 Chassis Number: LC08027 Line Make: 01 - BMW Car Model Year: 1997 AG Model Code/Desc: CJ33 - Z3 ROADSTER 2.8 NA Model Code/Desc: 9728 - Z3 ROADSTER 2.8 Motor Type: M52 Exterior Color Code: 307 (DARK GREEN) Interior Trim Code: Q3SN (BEIGE LEATHER/BEIGE TRIM) MSRP: $38,070.00
