With support from my wife, I purchased a 87 528e MT with a blown engine located about two hours away in Long Island. From what the owner claims, he has a extensive service history and had many parts recently replaced. Also, the car was repainted last year. Same color combo as my e28. The owner said that a connecting rod broke in the engine. I was wondering if I could put in Botond's M20 engine that he has for sale from his 87 325e MT into this 528e. I am pretty sure some cooling parts will be different, but if the owner has records of recent coolant parts, I could just reuse those. Any thoughts?
Congrats on the fourth Bimmer!!! Your wife must be as understanding as mine!!!! I am not the expert here, but I am guessing it would be a pretty straight forward swap. The things that would be different you would already have in the car you just bought. So it really would be a matter of just doing the swap and replacing a few parts, "while you are in there". Putting a new starter in might not be a bad idea. They are almost impossible to reach when the motor is in the car, at least on the M20 E30s.
X2. It's a drop-in. I can't imagine what cooling parts would be different. Isn't the radiator the same? Before tossing it, I'd tear into that engine,too. The M20 is not known for breaking rods (nor is any BMW engine). More likely something less drastic - like a broken timing belt. This would still leave you with a salvageable bottom end.
I know that Botond kept his M20 in tip top shape, plus my mechanic worked on it as well. I think B had the timing belt changed about a year or two ago. The radiator is slightly different compared to the 325e one. Part # for E30 is 17 11 1 468 068 and for the E28 its 17 11 1 468 063. I'm pretty sure I'll just reuse the coolant parts if the service records hold up well. This car was on Ebay and I won the bid dirt cheap (price equals about 15 beers at the new Yankee Stadium). Since B's M20 is at the location where he had the swap done, I might as well have that guy do it as well. Maybe after I haz job I can pull a B and swap in a S50/S52 drivetrain in it
I didn't mean that engine; I meant the other engine. If you do not haz job, then good partz to sale is good.
Well I though about my mechanic looking at the engine to see if it can be saved. If not then I'll use B's M20 and sell what I can out of the damaged M20.
Typical troll You never called back. So are we taking E39, E46 or S50 powered E30 to see E28 in LI? BTW, I need for you to leave the e28 keys under the drivers side mat as I will pick it up Thursday morning.
Is a forum accessible to the world the optimal place to inform one person who's name is easily found exactly where you want the key and when to find it unattended? Hmmm??
You live in Bridgeport, NY . Besides, I highly doubt the scum of the souls around you even know how to navigate through these forums. Or, you can bring E28 over Saturday and later on from LI I'll bring you to E30.
Boys, boys, boys ... there's a reason God invented PMs and email. Yes; this is a public conversation. I'd think of a better place to put the key, too. The first three places a thief looks for a key in an unlocked car are above the visor, in the ashtray, and under the mats. Frankly, on a typical E28, INSIDE one of the bumper beams is usually pretty foolproof. A smart thief (Who else would swipe an E28? ) would discount the bumpers because they're aluminum and won't hold a magnetic key box. Plus, you can lock the car ...
That would require me to skip out on a drive in the E30 - once again, are you out of your mind? lol We'll figure it out. It can't be that hard to go and look at a car!
I've always been a fan of the E28 body-style but never had the money, this might work out pretty well so is the bumper beam open in the back? just want to make sure I don't draw attention to myself spending a lot of time looking for the key
For the record I won't be picking up my e28 with keys hanging from the side mirror . Instead I'll pick it up Saturday after I see the other e28. Mike Miller wrote back and he thinks the timing belt went, just like others had mentioned. My mechanic even said the same thing. Hopefully my brother in law can pick up the e28 within the next two weeks and bring it to my mechanic so he can check her out. I will post pics of said car by the weekend. If the head cannot be saved then I'll probably contact one of the big Cali recyclers and get a refurbished head.
Most of the time, the head survives. It's the valves that take a beating. At that point, you're left with a head that has to be rebuilt. All you really save is a core charge. I don't know what a rebuilt head goes for these days, but you might get off cheaper buying a beater parts car with a running engine and swap heads. There are also plenty of good used (undamaged) heads around.
My wife spared my life when I told her I purchased this car. Adding a 5th car in the driveway would spell the end of me. Yes, I can have it picked up and get some $$ for parts but better 1/2's don't see it that way. As I drove my wife to work today she seemed excited about the new e28 to join the family and said that she would pay to get the head refurbished or buy another one. Heck, I can't blame her
This car will be the platform for her to start driving stick. When we had the 92 525i she liked driving it but she is afraid to drive the current E39 . However, with the 4th bmw in the driveway, I know of three neighbors who will continue to raise speculation of my household . To make a long story short, they don't like us very much.
