Bavaria engine options E32 vs E28 M30

[Christoph]

On a nostalgic note: It is always sad to remove the original engine off an E3. The E3 is a light and agile car with perfectly matched engines. Nothing beats the happy revving of the 2500/2800, the almost linear power of the 3.0 S or the bite of the 3.0 Si, regardless of Zenith or D-Jetronic. Later engines have more power for sure, however, that does not compensate for them feeling heavy.

The pragmatics: The earlier 3.5 has 93.4 mm x 84 mm bore x stroke = 3453 cc. The later has 92 mm x 86 mm = 3430 cc. Two different characters. The early engine is more aggressive but also more prone to heat cracks. The younger one is a well-behaved tourer and reliable from here to eternity as long as the piston rod bearings are replaced every 200000 kms and the oil pump works. Always warming up and cooling down the engine goes without saying.

The Chevrolet: This may work in America, I hardly know anything about it. In Germany there are rumours when GM still owned Opel they put a small block in an Opel Omega to compete against the BMW 5 Series and others. The project is said to have been abandoned at trial stage as the Chevrolet engine was found " unsuitable for the Autobahn".

 

[mulberryworks]

On a nostalgic note: It is always sad to remove the original engine off an E3. The E3 is a light and agile car with perfectly matched engines. Nothing beats the happy revving of the 2500/2800, the almost linear power of the 3.0 S or the bite of the 3.0 Si, regardless of Zenith or D-Jetronic. Later engines have more power for sure, however, that does not compensate for them feeling heavy.

If I remember correctly, the E3 was actually measured to be a bit faster than the E9. Probably a bit lighter since it doesn't have the structure to be a pillarless coupe.

Unless my engine suffers a serious failure, I'll keep my original 2.8L engine as it's plenty quick for me.

 

[HB Chris]

I think the weight difference is less than 100 lbs, I know I posted something from road test articles several years ago.

 

[Christoph]

Don't know about the weight differences. Karmann for sure knew how to build lightweight bodies. On the other hand, the E3 gained about 20 kgs every two years.

What is interesting BMW might have planned to put a 3.25:1 final drive into the 3.0 S/Si. A sales catalogue from July 1971 says so. In the end only the 3.0 CSi/CSL had it, the 3.0 CS and the saloons got the 3.45:1. Maybe a good choice, imagine an E3 loaded with passengers and baggage. But the suspicious ones will never stop telling us BMW only did it to ensure the 3.0 CSi was the fastest car of the range.

 

[Ezz]

On a nostalgic note: It is always sad to remove the original engine off an E3. The E3 is a light and agile car with perfectly matched engines. Nothing beats the happy revving of the 2500/2800, the almost linear power of the 3.0 S or the bite of the 3.0 Si, regardless of Zenith or D-Jetronic. Later engines have more power for sure, however, that does not compensate for them feeling heavy.

The pragmatics: The earlier 3.5 has 93.4 mm x 84 mm bore x stroke = 3453 cc. The later has 92 mm x 86 mm = 3430 cc. Two different characters. The early engine is more aggressive but also more prone to heat cracks. The younger one is a well-behaved tourer and reliable from here to eternity as long as the piston rod bearings are replaced every 200000 kms and the oil pump works. Always warming up and cooling down the engine goes without saying.

The Chevrolet: This may work in America, I hardly know anything about it. In Germany there are rumours when GM still owned Opel they put a small block in an Opel Omega to compete against the BMW 5 Series and others. The project is said to have been abandoned at trial stage as the Chevrolet engine was found " unsuitable for the Autobahn".

The car’s original b28 would have been my first choice. Unfortunately, this is how it looked when I bought the car

 

[Mike Goble]

On a nostalgic note: It is always sad to remove the original engine off an E3. The E3 is a light and agile car with perfectly matched engines. Nothing beats the happy revving of the 2500/2800, the almost linear power of the 3.0 S or the bite of the 3.0 Si, regardless of Zenith or D-Jetronic. Later engines have more power for sure, however, that does not compensate for them feeling heavy.

The pragmatics: The earlier 3.5 has 93.4 mm x 84 mm bore x stroke = 3453 cc. The later has 92 mm x 86 mm = 3430 cc. Two different characters. The early engine is more aggressive but also more prone to heat cracks. The younger one is a well-behaved tourer and reliable from here to eternity as long as the piston rod bearings are replaced every 200000 kms and the oil pump works. Always warming up and cooling down the engine goes without saying.

The Chevrolet: This may work in America, I hardly know anything about it. In Germany there are rumours when GM still owned Opel they put a small block in an Opel Omega to compete against the BMW 5 Series and others. The project is said to have been abandoned at trial stage as the Chevrolet engine was found " unsuitable for the Autobahn".

On a nostalgic pragmatic note - I have yet to meet an E3 or an E9 owner who swapped in a B35 motor and wanted to revert to the smaller motor. Nothing like more torque at any rpm to brighten up your day. Relieving the B35 of the burden of a dual-mass flywheel helps as well.

Over 100M small block Chevy engines were produced in about 50 years in many forms, from heavy duty truck motors to high rpm race motors. They are just like the M30 - a good motor in its time but superseded by a better design. FWIW, I'm replacing the SBC in my 67 Nova wagon with a B35.

 

[Christoph]

The car’s original b28 would have been my first choice. Unfortunately, this is how it looked when I bought the car

All clear. No more words needed.

@Mike Goble: I did not mean to offend you. Using period-correct or later engines seem two different approaches in different countries. Torque is great. Anyway, in Central Europe people try to keep their cars close to stock. There are exceptions, sometimes rather strange. Conversions to 5-speed are appreciated, 3.5 litre engines usually lower the car's value. People like leather interiors, if correct for the series (1, 2 or 3), LWB interiors in regular cars are laughed at (and ill-fitting). Change of exterior colour is sometimes accepted, if from a common to a rare colour, but hardly ever vice versa. People.

The small block is the most successful engine in the world. I've read that several times and there must be a reason for it. I like the Corvette SS and every year at Le Mans there are two Corvettes, mostly yellow and Nos. 63 & 64. With attention to quality and detail, the engines are obviously fast and reliable. Opel (then GM) used 283 and 327 in their top-of-the-line models from 1964 to 1977, albeit always with automatic boxes and specially prepared for export. Today, they have not too many but very enthusiastic followers.

 

[Mike Goble]

I did not mean to offend you.

I'm not offended, just looking at things through a different set of eyes. Originality is not high on my list, and with the exception of the sheet metal and interior panels, nothing is original on my car. Motor, tranny, rear axle, wheels, seats and other stuff is from other cars.

 

[Ezz]

Okay, so I called the parts place selling the e32 (M30B35) engine and they were going to perform a leakdown test on it but called back saying the engine is locked up. They even put oil in the cylinders and let it sit overnight but no luck. I am assuming this is from sitting for a long time…
They offered it for $225+tax
Is it worth driving 1.5hrs one way to get it? How likely is it that the cylinders will need to be rebored?
With that in mind, I am now thinking maybe if I get it and with my bad e32 engine, I can make a running one...?
Revisiting the B35 motor I have, here are the issues I found:

1. two spun rod bearings + one rod bearing was completely missing causing the rod knock. Piston edge was hitting the head on a small area. head seems to be okay. this is probably due to lost oil pressure.
2. One cylinder had light rust but When I cleaned there was a little surface pitting (compression test was around 200PSI due to oil/fluid in cylinder)
3. another cylinder (the bad piston) has two scratches that I can feel with my finger and my nail catches on them. one of them is ~ 2" long. (Compression test for this cylinder was ~60-70PSI)
4. I found oil in most of the head bolts block cavities. is this normal?

the 4 other cylinders compression test was around 160-170PSI

 

[Ezz]

More pics

 

[sfdon]

Never pay money for a siezed M30b35..

Tell the seller to take their own trash out.

Your pics show me an engine that needs to be hauled away.

Try Carl at La Jolla ?

 

[Ezz]

Never pay money for a siezed M30b35..

Tell the seller to take their own trash out.

Your pics show me an engine that needs to be hauled away.

Try Carl at La Jolla ?

Thank you for the advise!
La Jolla is bit too far for me. I am in Tucson AZ

 

[Mike Goble]

Never pay money for a siezed M30b35..

Unless it's at the DEA...

 

[Ezz]

I am willing to drive up to Phoenix Az if anyone has one there…
They are hard to come by down here in tucson.
I tried most of the junkyards here and no luck.

 

[Bob]

'88 b35 lower at pnp salinas californa looks decent. Most of the stuff is out of the way being an automatic should be a good lower probably never over revved.

 

[Ezz]

'88 b35 lower at pnp salinas californa looks decent.

Too far for me
Thanks though!

 

[TedS]

Have you tried this place?

Advantage Imports — Coming Soon

 

[sfdon]

Are you trying to find an engine to rebuild or a used engine to install?

 

[sfdon]

If you want an engine- there are 3 in norcal.
Contact my picker and he will pull one and ship on a pallet.

 

[ADDvanced]

That should be free, or close to it imho.