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Thread: Z3 bad engine block

  1. #26
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    Tim @ BMW of Dallas
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    98 Z3 2.8
    Quote Originally Posted by zellamay View Post
    "hype"? 50 hp is 50 hp. I had both a 2.8 and the M, both stock except for KN filters, for a few months while I sold the 2.8. No comparison in acceleration (or handling of course). What is an "intake", if more than a KN filter? My 98 M has no ASC, but is not rated any higher than other years. So, it looks like you're getting equivalent of 50 hp from the M50 mod and a slight change in gearing. That's far better than anything I've read about so far.
    No doubt an M is a far better car for someone that would only change an air filter. Personally I like to modify things, so... Yeah.
    96 320i Touring
    98 Z3 2.8 Roadster
    01 PY M Coupe
    96 Z3 1.9 - DASC
    95 318ti Clubsport
    94 Miata M-Edition
    13 smart fortwo



  2. #27
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    Nov 2018
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    Hoffman Estates, IL
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    1998 BMW Z3
    Ok, I got an engine. I know many of you will be disappointed I didn't go the performance route. But I am an old man and I just wanted a car to take grandma for
    Saturday shopping in the summer. The 2.8 engine will do 0 to 60 in about 7 seconds, that's fast enough for me.

    The engine I got is a cast iron M52B28 out of a 528i e39. I am not 100% sure this will work and be a perfect fit to the aluminum. The main mounting holes across the block look that same. My main concern is the oil pan. The new engine has a oil pan sensor. Can I swap oil pans? Maybe I could cut the wires off the sensor and just drop everything in. But is the oil pan deeper on the new engine?

    I want to find a way to chronicle this in case someone else wants to do the same thing. I only paid $1800 for this beautiful car and I paid $750 for the engine. If I pull this off I think it will be a great deal.

  3. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    tempe, az
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    1998 Z3M, 2006 330i
    Quote Originally Posted by cjames10 View Post
    Ok, I got an engine. I know many of you will be disappointed I didn't go the performance route. But I am an old man and I just wanted a car to take grandma for
    Saturday shopping in the summer. The 2.8 engine will do 0 to 60 in about 7 seconds, that's fast enough for me.

    The engine I got is a cast iron M52B28 out of a 528i e39. I am not 100% sure this will work and be a perfect fit to the aluminum. The main mounting holes across the block look that same. My main concern is the oil pan. The new engine has a oil pan sensor. Can I swap oil pans? Maybe I could cut the wires off the sensor and just drop everything in. But is the oil pan deeper on the new engine?

    I want to find a way to chronicle this in case someone else wants to do the same thing. I only paid $1800 for this beautiful car and I paid $750 for the engine. If I pull this off I think it will be a great deal.
    You are right, the 2.8 will move the car just fine; fast enough to get into trouble if you choose. I liked mine, but I have that disease that says "more power". You've got a bargain on your hands.

    - - - Updated - - -

  4. #29
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    Nov 2018
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    1998 BMW Z3
    So, i still wonder how 'plug n play' this engine swap is. I never got a definitive answer about going from aluminum to cast iron M52B28. I have the new engine on a stand and prepping it. Everything looks good.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by zellamay View Post
    You are right, the 2.8 will move the car just fine; fast enough to get into trouble if you choose. I liked mine, but I have that disease that says "more power". You've got a bargain on your hands.

    - - - Updated - - -
    Thanks for the support. I think I have a great deal if the engine works out. The car is great, new tires, near perfect interior, no rust to be found, exterior rubber trim is like new. Front bumper cover could use a respray of paint.

  5. #30
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    Tim @ BMW of Dallas
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    98 Z3 2.8
    Everything should swap right over from the aluminum engine to the iron one, if I'm not mistaken. I'd just swap the oil pan over as well. Sounds like a bargain!
    96 320i Touring
    98 Z3 2.8 Roadster
    01 PY M Coupe
    96 Z3 1.9 - DASC
    95 318ti Clubsport
    94 Miata M-Edition
    13 smart fortwo



  6. #31
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    Nov 2018
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    Hoffman Estates, IL
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    1998 BMW Z3
    I have been checking dimensions and bolt holes. Everything looks good. The engine out of the 528i had a oil level sensor in the bottom of the oil pan. But the Z3 doesn't have it. I would like to swap oil pans if it will work. But I could just keep the 528i oil pan and cut the leads on the oil level sensor. I checked the oil pan depth and both engines are the same.

    In the cast iron block some of the bolt holes I need for the Z3 motor mounts are pretty rusty because there was no bolt in those holes. But I ran a M8 tap through those holes and cleaned out the rust. The threads look good.

  7. #32
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    somers,ny
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    thats a clean car to have a bad engine?....

    did u ever say what had happened?

    yes you did!

  8. #33
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    Nov 2018
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    Hoffman Estates, IL
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    1998 BMW Z3
    When I got the car, it was a mess in the engine bay. The previous owner put some sort of head gasket sealer in the cooling system and it sprayed all over the engine bay when the car overheated. Now the engine bay has this white chalk film stuck to everything. I found vinegar cleans it off.
    The coolant overflow tank was full of this junk. The engine cooling passages were full of this junk.
    I need to get a new radiator. But I am worried about the heater core. I am going to have to figure out a way to flush it.

  9. #34
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    Nov 2018
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    orange county California
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    2001 BMW z3 3.0
    shoulda stuck a 3 o m54 on it and called it a day
    only slightly joking


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  10. #35
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    Hoffman Estates, IL
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    1998 BMW Z3
    I did consider a lot of engine options. But in the end my whole goal was to avoid sinking a lot of money into the project. I had been looking for a project car for a long time. I wasn't originally looking at any BMW, I was looking at C4 corvettes. But the C4s I looked at were rattle traps and in my opinion overpriced as project cars.

    The cast iron M52B28 appears to be the least expensive option. It also appears to require the least modification.

    Even with the cast iron engine I am sinking more money into it. I want the engine reliable so I am replacing gaskets, seals, orings, new steel water pump, new radiator, etc.

  11. #36
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    Hoffman Estates, IL
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    1998 BMW Z3
    I am in the process of fixing up a cast iron M52B28 to install in the Z3. I have discovered the oil pan from the cast iron engine is different and the sump pickup tube is different. The cast iron pickup tube is low enough to prevent the aluminum block oil pan from bolting up.

    So I did a little comparison. When I put the cast iron engine back together and peer thru the oil drain plug. I see about 1/4 inch clearance, which seems a lot to me. When I put the Z3 pick up tube and oil pan on, then I also see 1/4 inch clearance. So it looks like everything will be the same. The Z3 and 528i both appear to hold 6.9 quarts of oil, so I think this will work. I am also going to use the Z3 dip stick, since it drops directly into the oil pan.

    Would any body care to comment on clearances between the oil pan and pick up tube?

  12. #37
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    E36/7 E36/8x2 E46 F25
    Use the matched set and you'll be fine. The difference isn't aluminum vs iron, it's E36 vs E39 front suspension crossmembers requiring different shaped pans.


    /.randy

  13. #38
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    1998 BMW Z3
    I got the oil pan and sump on the engine. I put in a new rear main seal and gasket too.

    I had to use the oil pan bolts with the cast iron engine. The aluminum oil pan bolts were longer.

  14. #39
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    The cast iron engine is now in the car. The big question is will it run and how well.

  15. #40
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    Here is a picture of the cast iron engine in the car.

    IMG_20181221_210426.jpg

  16. #41
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    Hoffman Estates, IL
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    1998 BMW Z3
    Here is what M52B28 aluminum engine block failure looks like.

    The previous owner had installed a Big Sert and it failed. At the top of the picture you can see the hole the insert came from.
    IMG_20181128_202120.jpg

  17. #42
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    IT'S ALIVE!!!!! Okay, its running. Turns out you can definitely put a cast iron M52B28 in a Z3. It runs like a dream. I never drove this car before, so it was a great experience. Got it up to 70 mph, did some quick dashes to 55 mph. I dropped the pedal in a couple of turns and got the tail to swing out. I put about 60 miles on it so far and the engine is running great.

    The car wallows a little bit. This could be the struts are bad, probably original.

  18. #43
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    So for anyone else that would be interested in a 1998 Z3 M52B28 cast iron conversion. Here are the key things;
    - Donor car was a 1998 528i
    - Use the Z3; intake and exhaust manifolds
    - Use the Z3 oil pan and sump pick up tube
    - Use the oil pan bolts from the 528i engine
    - Use the Z3 serpentine belt tensioner assembly
    - The AC compressor, alternator and power steering will bolt up fine to the 528i engine
    - In my case the 528i was a automatic. So I used the flywheel, flywheel bolts and clutch from the Z3.
    - Use the thermostat housing from the Z3.
    - The 528i block had the engine mount holes for the Z3 but they were corroded so I used a tap to clean the threads.
    - I didn't get the engine mount bolts with the 528i and the Z3 bolts were too long, so I used a Dremel to cut the ends of the engine mount bolts.
    - Use the Z3 AC compressor mount bracket.






    -
    Last edited by cjames10; 12-27-2018 at 09:46 AM.

  19. #44
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    1998 BMW Z3
    So I know many performance enthusiasts will question why do a cast iron conversion. I could have put in a higher performance engine. So here is my reasoning.
    - I was looking for a low budget car project
    - The car was $1800, engine $750, misc. parts $500
    - For less than $3500 I got a decent car
    - The conversion was plug and play, no wiring or DME modifications
    - The cast iron engine will be more reliable long term. Plus I got a new radiator and new steel water pump.

  20. #45
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    Texas
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    '02 Z3, '09 Mini
    Nice work, and a beautiful car! Stock shocks are not great even new if you want tight handling, you'll probably really like it when you get suspension sorted out.

    Just curious, but what is the weight difference between the aluminum engine and the iron one you put in?

  21. #46
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    The weight difference appears to be 50 pounds. I searched the forums and found people who actually weighed the blocks side by side.

  22. #47
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    In terms of the shocks, the problem is more than just wallowing. I get some wheel hop when hitting rough pavement. So, I think the shocks are bad.

  23. #48
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    1998 BMW Z3
    Project Update;
    I had a check engine light so I got my OBD scanner and read the codes. There were a 6 codes tripped all pointing to overheating and cylinder 6. This was expected. More concerning was the catalyst efficiency code. A lot of antifreeze made it into the exhaust. The O2 sensors looked dirty, so I cleaned them in gasoline before putting the exhaust back in. I was worried about damage to the catalytic converter.

    Well I cleared the codes and fired the engine up. I let it warm up and revved the engine and the 'Check Engine' light stayed out. So I think I dodged the bullet for replacing the O2 sensors or catalytic converter.

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