Verify M52/S52

[justin_l_]

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=176638
Bottom of this thread.

Wow, I really fucked that up huh?

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showpost.php?p=844667&postcount=1

Bottom of that post

[samiam3356]

haha Justin, I went to that thread and was thinking, "that smart ass."

[matt]

What can you gather by decoding them?

Not a whole lot... displacement and if it's rebuilt or original.

[STAGGERED M3]

Not a whole lot... displacement and if it's rebuilt or original.

Can you get the vin off it?

[matt]

No. The VIN is only on a sticker on the back of the head.

[Sharino]

Well there is no sticker on the back of the head and I searched high and low on the block for stampings. I pulled the ECU and it as a '402' M50 one. Looks like I got hosed. I assumed when I purchased it, there was a possibility of this. Strange thing is, they swapped in a 'M' cluster, M52/S52 headers, 'M' valve cover and every other 'M' part imaginable (bumpers, door sills, mouldings, etc). I wish there was an easier way in identifying BMW blocks. Can you run a 3.2L off the 402 ecu with a flash/chip, it has been opened? Any way of checking what cams are in the car? What a piss off!!

[justin_l_]

402 is non vanos. Does the engine have a vanos bulge or smooth accross the front of the valve cover? I don't know any way of running a 402 on a vanos motor....

[Mr.SWISS]

Well there is no sticker on the back of the head and I searched high and low on the block for stampings. I pulled the ECU and it as a '402' M50 one. Looks like I got hosed. I assumed when I purchased it, there was a possibility of this. Strange thing is, they swapped in a 'M' cluster, M52/S52 headers, 'M' valve cover and every other 'M' part imaginable (bumpers, door sills, mouldings, etc). I wish there was an easier way in identifying BMW blocks. Can you run a 3.2L off the 402 ecu with a flash/chip, it has been opened? Any way of checking what cams are in the car? What a piss off!!

Post a pic of the engine. At this point we know it's not an M engine at all, I just want to see the valve cover so I can see how obvious it was when you got schooled. M cluster? Post a pic of that too lolz. I hate ebaY!

[Sharino]

Post a pic of the engine. At this point we know it's not an M engine at all, I just want to see the valve cover so I can see how obvious it was when you got schooled. M cluster? Post a pic of that too lolz. I hate ebaY!

You don't know what a M valve cover looks like? I can take a picture if you want. Tell me then, how can you verifiy a North American M5x vs S5x engine since they are the same head and blocks are exactly the same except for casting numbers, that don't exist on mine. Not sure what is funny about the M cluster also. It is genuine, the entire car was done up as a clone, with a bastardized collection of parts. It has everything from oem door sills, bumpers to door mouldings. I was aware all along of this possibility of this but was hoping it actually was a 3.2, that is why I was asking if there is any other way to verify. I bought it cheap enough I can make the money back on other parts alone, which was my intention when purchasing it.

[Uber E30]

Well aisde from the ECU you should see the vanos bulge on the front on the engine

Vanos


NV


Also since the PO claimed it was an s52 the engine oil cap should be in the front instead of the back like a m50nv