Engine VIN

Mal CSL 3.0

Mal CSL 3.0

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Hi,

I need to get a photo of my engine VIN. I am wanting to get a heritage certificate from BMW historic brand management in Germany. I am dealing with Andeas who is extremely helpful but he wants a lot of info about my car eg photos, paperwork and 3 VIN photos (VIN plate, chassis VIN and engine VIN).

So far I have supplied everything except the engine VIN. I know where it is as I have this nice page from the manual.

image.jpeg


So my question is do I need to remove any engine bits, to be able to see the starter motor/block located VIN number or is it visible just by looking down with a torch? Has anyone got any photos looking down to show what angle I need, to be able to find it? I believe it on left side ie same side as battery? Currently I can't locate or ocular it.

image.jpeg


Any experts advice on how easy or hard it is to simply find and photograph the engine VIN appreciated. Or if I need to remove any engine bits first?

Note , I have read all other threads on VIN topics but no info that helps me enough.

Many Thanks
 
The body VIN should be right in front of your brake fluid reservoir on the metal between the reservoir and the sway bar. For the engine, find where the starter bolts to the bell housing (top bolt) and look just above and maybe a little left and there is a small pad with the number stamped in it. It may need cleaning in order to see the numbers.
 
This is my first BMW and I struggled with the standard instructions. Here are my thoughts.

The firewall VIN faces the windscreen. If you are facing the front of the car, it's just to the left of the metal plate in the center of the cowl, just underneath the rubber hood seal that runs along the cowl.

For the engine vin, Stick your nose right up to the sixth intake runner by the firewall, looking straight down. You probably need to move the heater core hose that enters the firewall out of the way a bit. With a flashlight you will see a flat portion where the block meets the transmission bellhousing (on the right side as you look down). No there is probablh 15+ years of gunk on there. Blast it with simple green or wd-40 to let the crud soak. You can reach down and scrub it with a scotch-bride pad. Lastly, stick your smart phone or digital camera where your nose was and snap a pic.
 
Thanks Markos, I will look again. I got the chassis VIN no problem although the stamping had been painted over but the number was still visible.
 
Mal, I looked for and found mine the other day.
I reckon that your strut brace will make it difficult to see the number. Use a really strong torch and you should be able to see it tucked away down there under the strut brace.
 
Thanks SME9, I found all three VIN numbers now after some poking around to find the engine one. Thankfully all three VIN numbers match.
 
I snapped a pic of this tonight, as future reference for new folks.

Engine Block - VIN Location:
32471622225_117380dca7_b.jpg
 
deQuincey said:
OMG, that is a clean engine, :p
sorry,
thank for the document Markos
BTW, first time i see the mech fuel pump holes blocked that way, so brutal ;-)
Click to expand...

Thanks I just had it detailed. They missed a few spots but you get what you pay for.

The replacement head post-dates carbureted engines (and d-jet), so I assume that is a factory fuel pump blockage that you are looking at.

Edit: This is confusing. The head in question is from '81. As seen, casting: 1 277 358. Now I don't think that there were any carb models in '81 but I wouldn't be surprised if I was incorrect.

Anyway, here is the same casting, same model year, different setup. I assume the casting was the same and the tapped the head for the fuel pump driveshaft. That doesn't completely add up since my casting has the little cavity to the left the fuel pump hole, and this one below doesn't. So confusing...

BMW-E23-E24-E28-M30-Zylinderkopf-1277358-cylinder-_57.jpg
 
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