Is RealOEM.com ever wrong?

[rex]

Have you guys ever ran into this type of thing? realOEM can't be wrong, can it???

I'm doing a valve adjustment and tore the breather hose while removing from the valve cover (#3 on pic below). Real OEM says 11 15 1708 801



However, the part I pulled out out my car is different - 11 15 1278 804



This is for a 02/1987 ETA - 325 base model automatic

I ended up buying the part that was shown in realOEM, and tomorrow I'll see if it works.

Here's a pic of my car by the way.

[Kershaw]

If you click on the part number you can see what's cross compatible and the history of iterations of that part and their successive part numbers.

[ak-]

Don't question my God


But what Kershaw said is right.

[AndrewBird]

Note that RealOEM says "From 09/1986". The part number on your hose is for older that 1986. A previous owner must have swapped it, or maybe your car, being an early 87, got the 86 hose.

If you look here, it lists both part numbers:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=1564-USA-08_1984_E30_BMW_325e&diagId=11_0538#11151278804

It is definitely different though. See the pictures here:

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11151278804/ES19505/

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11151708801/ES2580371/

[SkiFree]

In a broader answer to your question, yes! Especially the many errors that were made as a result of the switch from microfische to the ETK system.

[LateFan]

I've always wondered what ETK stood for. Isn't the Audi / VW system ETKA?

Maybe it's German for Eefishient Tool Krafte Assistance yah.

[rex]

If you click on the part number you can see what's cross compatible and the history of iterations of that part and their successive part numbers.

Thanks, I knew that parts get updated/replaced, but I didn't see any info like that when I went to the part number

Don't question my God

That's what I thought too, lol

Note that RealOEM says "From 09/1986". The part number on your hose is for older that 1986. A previous owner must have swapped it, or maybe your car, being an early 87, got the 86 hose.

If you look here, it lists both part numbers:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=1564-USA-08_1984_E30_BMW_325e&diagId=11_0538#11151278804

It is definitely different though. See the pictures here:

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11151278804/ES19505/

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Sit...801/ES2580371/

Now that you mention it I remember some posts on r3v where people said their cars came with earlier/later parts than they were "supposed to". And yep, can never rule out PO shens, although based on the way the thing fell apart when I tried to pry it off, I think its original.

The 2 part numbers looked so different with regard to the shape, but based on the direction of the ends, it looks like either will work.

In a broader answer to your question, yes! Especially the many errors that were made as a result of the switch from microfische to the ETK system.

Interesting.
:hitler: <hitler finds out there were errors when switching from microfische to ETK system.mkv>

I've always wondered what ETK stood for. Isn't the Audi / VW system ETKA?

Maybe it's German for Eefishient Tool Krafte Assistance yah.

lol

[nando]

I've always wondered what ETK stood for. Isn't the Audi / VW system ETKA?

Maybe it's German for Eefishient Tool Krafte Assistance yah.

E is Elektronische. T is Teile and K is Katalog.

Electronic Parts Catalog ;)

[Matt-B]

Also some part #s change over time , when superseded by a new item, happens a lot to electronics

[TobyB]

...But BMW is pretty awesome about managing that, compared to most manufacturers.

t

[rex]

update, RealOEM.com was wrong

the hole that the hose connects to is on the left hand side of the throttle body, if you are looking at it from the valve cover side. at some point BMW switched to having this hole on the right hand side of the throttle body. the shape of the hose is specific based on that.

i thought that i would be able to make it work, and technically i was able to use the hose to connect, but it required bending the hose so much that it was basically closed off at the point of the bend, which i figured defeated the purpose of having this hose. so i bought the other one and it installed relatively easily.

[roguetoaster]

Same thing exists for early M42 owners as some cars came without a nipple on the bottom of the TB, and instead route PCV to the intake boot. This is of course not illustrated, nor is there a P/N for the alternate TB AFAIK.

Just because there were a few aberrations or changes doesn't mean that realoem is wrong, just not complete.

[Blue55]

I've experienced it being wrong before. Sometimes the updated part number is not available either. It's still a pretty valuable resource.