What's my engine?

[tronch]

Hi all

I ask in BMW archive with the VIN and this is what I have
"The BMW 3.0 CS Automatic VIN 2232574 was manufactured on August 28th, 1973 and delivered on September 03rd, 1973 to the BMW dealer Kressmann in Siegburg. The original colour was Fjord metallic, paint code 037"

But someone change the engine, but I wonder what engine is?
Looks 5741096
If someone can help me with the coding will be great

Thanks

 

[Markos]

You can start here before the experts chime in...

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select?vin=5741096

 

[Bert-Ola]

Check Realoem.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select?vin=5741096

Edit: Two minutes late

 

[tronch]

Thanks guys
I check but the answer is a BMW 735. Some mistake
If I check the VIN of the car is mistake again

Looks it not work for models before e30

 

[MatthewCervi]

BMW reused the last 7 digits of the serial number when they switched to the modern 17 digit VIN, so using realoem to look up pre-1981 serial numbers is rarely helpful.

In this case, however, I think the model returned for the engine number may be correct (note though that realoem says 733i not 735i). If you look at ftp://ftp.nhtsa.dot.gov/mfrmail/01-22-N11B-3811.pdf, 574xxxx is not listed as a valid serial number for any US market BMW as of 1989, unless I missed it. There should be casting marks on the block that identify the year of production, engine size, etc. that you can use to validate. I wouldn't trust that the head matches the block either.

 

[Markos]

BMW reused the last 7 digits of the serial number when they switched to the modern 17 digit VIN, so using realoem to look up pre-1981 serial numbers is rarely helpful.

In this case, however, I think the model returned for the engine number may be correct (note though that realoem says 733i not 735i). If you look at ftp://ftp.nhtsa.dot.gov/mfrmail/01-22-N11B-3811.pdf, 574xxxx is not listed as a valid serial number for any US market BMW as of 1989, unless I missed it. There should be casting marks on the block that identify the year of production, engine size, etc. that you can use to validate. I wouldn't trust that the head matches the block either.

Good info on recycling VINS. I'm curious to know
when BMW switches to 17 digits. I incorrectly assumed that all e23's were safe using realoem.

Why does it have to be a US marker car? The VIN shows up as a '77 733i. I don't think that the e23 was in the US in 1977, and June of '77 is too
early to be a model year '78. RealOEM may get early 7 digit VIN's wrong but it will not make up the car associated to the last 7 of a 17 digit serial. That means that there is indeed a 1977 733i. On the plus side, the M30B32 would have more HP than a later US spec motor.

I would send the motor VIN to BMW in the comfort
of your computer chair before crawling around looking to decipher casting marks.

Here is a U.K. brochure for a '77 733i
https://m.ebay.com/itm/230576558291

 

[MatthewCervi]

Good info on recycling VINS. I'm curious to know
when BMW switches to 17 digits. I incorrectly assumed that all e23's were safe using realoem.

Why does it have to be a US marker car? The VIN shows up as a '77 733i. I don't think that the e23 was in the US in 1977, and June of '77 is too
early to be a model year '78. RealOEM may get early 7 digit VIN's wrong but it will not make up the car associated to the last 7 of a 17 digit serial. That means that there is indeed a 1977 733i. On the plus side, the M30B32 would have more HP than a later US spec motor.

I would send the motor VIN to BMW in the comfort
of your computer chair before crawling around looking to decipher casting marks.

Here is a U.K. brochure for a '77 733i
https://m.ebay.com/itm/230576558291

I didn't notice the OP was from Madrid and assumed the US. So yeah, euro 733i from June 1977 makes total sense.

The modern VIN schema was standardized in the late 1970's and made mandatory (at least in the US) for the 1981 model year, but I don't know how/when BMW made the transition worldwide.

 

[Markos]

I didn't notice the OP was from Madrid and assumed the US. So yeah, euro 733i from June 1977 makes total sense.

I didn't notice either. Grey market e23's are quite abundant in the US though.

 

[tronch]

So, you Guys thinks the engine is of a 733i of June 77?

 

[MatthewCervi]

So, you Guys thinks the engine is of a 733i of June 77?

As long as the serial number is right (I can't read it very well from the picture), then yes, I think so.

 

[bert35csi]

Since the engine has the coolant operated air slider valve, then it is an early M30 that was fitted to the 5, 6, and 7 series cars. The later cars have the electrically operated valves.