BMW serial number

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mikes

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A friend of mine has a six cylinder BMW engine in his garage, block number 2250173. I entered the number in the Mobil Tradition and realoem search functions and came up with a 318 four cylinder. What am I doing wrong? To short circuit the process does anyone know off hand what this came out of? Based on what he can remember of the history we think it is a coupe or Bavarian engine, but I told him I would buy it if it was a 3.5 liter engine.

Thanks,

Mike
 
Two things are contributing to this confusion, I think. First, Mobile Tradition isn't set up to recognize seven digit VINs. Second, in 1981 when seventeen digit VINs were adopted, it appears BMW stopped putting the car VIN on the block. The 1990 seven series 3.5 engine I am going to use in my restoration has a seven digit number in the usual place on the block that, when entered in Mobile Tradition, comes up with some other model, not an E32. I believe for seventeen digit VIN cars there is a sticker, usually on the head, that matches the car's full VIN.

The original engine from my coupe does have the car VIN stamped on the block. In your case, if the engine is a 3.0 and you can confirm any dates on it (usually on the head) then it probably is from a coupe if it was manufactured before 1981. If it is a 3.2 or 3.5, unless you can find the sticker on the head it is hard telling what car it came from.

I hope this makes sense.
 
mikes,

The VIN/engine belongs to a 3,0 CSA (US version) from 1972. The seven digit BMW VIN decoder only works for E9 cars as from 1974/1975.

Cheers
Henric
 
Thanks to all. Your replies confirmed that this engine is from a 3.0. I'll look for a 3.5 when it is time to renew my engine.

My car is 2250389, a '73, previously an automatic, now a 5 speed. I will put it in the registry when it is back on the road, probably about a year from now. I'm afraid of creating a jinx by putting it in the registry too soon.

Mike
 
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