Information about Euro 323ti please!
 

Hello...

How are you all doing?
I need some informations about the euro 323ti compact.
Was the 323ti engine an iron block? Is the 323ti engine about the same weight as a 325is engine?
What 325is engines are OBDI? Is the M50 with single vanos OBDI?

Thank you!

regards!

M50 is OBDI (built up to 1994, OBDII wasn't until 1997 model year).

IIRC, the 323ti used an M52B25 (2.5L) motor, which has an aluminum block.

So the engine from the 323ti is way lighter than the M50 one from the 325is correct?

regards!

'bout 20 kg (40some lbs for us 'mericans).

M50's were made till `95 and OBDII was in `96. The M52 single vanos in E36's were iron block and went to aluminum block in E46.

Realoem shows the e36 323 going from '97 to '00. The pictures look to me like an iron-block M52, same as other 3 series.

The '97 & '98 Z3 were the only M52s (that I know of) that had an aluminium block in the US, previous to the e46 coming out.

If you want a light single-vanos OBD1 engine (just guessing here), then you need the head from an M50, and the block from a '97-'98 Z3. Crank can be from either engine, depending on what displacement you want.

The aluminium block is closer to 50 lbs lighter than the iron one, but a big pain to deal with. For example, the head bolts are special longer ones to get a better hold on the aluminium, and still commonly strip out even torquing them to factory specs.