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what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:48 am
by pistonheader
is it the M30? someone told me it's BMW's longest serving engine (over 25 years apparently!) and said the bottom end is basically bullet-proof.
just curious...
cheers
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:36 am
by pilly
hmm, not quite sure which engine it was but i was watchin this show on tv about BMW factories and they said that some of the older blocks were chucked outside in the rain and all the workers peed on them. Apparently it 'weathered' them
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:54 am
by Jeroen
That was said about the M10, preparing them for use in F1 as M12/7 bottom end to produce up to 1300 HP!!! Not sure if it is true, but I've heard the story from many sides, including from a friend of Paul Bracq (BMW designchief and the designer of -among others- our beloved E21).
But the M10 4 pot and M30 6 pot have a lot in common and these are definitely extremely strong and reliable engines. 400+ K kms is no exception.
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:09 am
by 323baur
I think M30, specially the 2800.
The bigger ones have sometimes leaking cilheadgaskets.
I saw last one with 685kkm. Runs like new.
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:34 pm
by Peter V.
The story about the M10 engines i heard more often.
They would use old engines and let them stay outside to reduce all the stress of the metal. If the bottompart of the engine was good then it was ready to get (ab)used in the F1 car.
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:02 pm
by e21-Mark
I'd go with m10 or m30. Both are supposed to be bullet proof.
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 4:15 pm
by pistonheader
My M10 often needs 1 second or so to build up oil pressure on cold starts, richard at fritz's says it's the return valve on the oil filter...but it's an official BMW one
it never did it that long ago
runs sweet as a nut once it has pressure though.
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 4:17 pm
by Jeroen
Believe that valve is on the pump rather than on the filter...
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:52 pm
by tommi_e21
m10 all day baby! its gotta be!!!!
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 12:05 am
by Millar
gotta be the m10 for its love of boost!
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:12 am
by nas80
m50 its got a forged crank.
tell you what most engines can last as long as you take care of them n treat them right.
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:11 am
by pistonheader
i thought the M10 had a forged crank as well? what is the cylinder head made of on an M10? pretty sure it's not aluminium...
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:20 am
by e21-Mark
Yes it is.
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:55 am
by pistonheader
RetroBeemer wrote:Yes it is.
yes it's a forged crank, or yes it's ally
i'm going to take a lucky dip and say ally
Re: what is BMW's toughest/most robust engine?
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 1:45 pm
by tommi_e21
alloy head and doubt its a forged crank.