looked at an 89 iC today, 325E motor?!

[2.5-12]

I looked at a local 1989 325iC today and it appeared to have a 88+ Super ETA motor in it judging by the intake manifold and the injector type.

does that appear the same to you?

the head has a small casting on it by the spark plug leads that says 2.5 and the valve cover is that of an 885 head and not that of a 200 but I would hate to buy it and not know if it has the twin springs and fuck the head.

the car started life as an automatic (surprise surprise) according the door jamb so I figure it is possible that someone, unknowingly swapped in an 89 325 motor out of a super ETA since it would all appear to be in the same place.

the lady that owns it has almost certainly never taken it above 4,000 rpm so I really want to know before I potentially dish out 2000 dollars for a car that might be crapped on.

it has a 325E intake manifold, whitish injectors (19lb), has a toothed gear on the front which was super ETA and I only. didnt feel like ripping her glove box out to see what ECU it had. still has an I cluster in it if I am not mistaken as well.

any help appreceated.

[call me jack]

i see your from Minnesota. is it the white one that was on car soup?

[2.5-12]

no, thats a 1988 automatic

[SpecM]

all you know for sure is that it has a super-eta manifold and injectors. Maybe the long block is still an b25i?

I say open the valve cover and inspect the cam/springs

looking at the DME wouldn't tell you much, a b25 computer can run a s-eta just fine

[MR 325]

Definitely the eta intake. Driving the car should tell you what motor t has...

[call me jack]

Oh! is this the "rare one of a kind"? on craigslist?

[2.5-12]

if it was my car, I would pop off the VC and take a look to see if it had the other valve springs but its not mine.

@call me jack: it's not on craigslist -- this is a person I have known for a while that is giving me first priority before she lists it.

i probably should have driven it when she brought it, but if someone made a 2.7i out of the stroker then it would drive just like the SETA motor and I would never know whether or not I could rev it past 5,100

[MR 325]

It takes less than 5 minutes to pull the valve cover.

[2.5-12]

It takes less than 5 minutes to pull the valve cover.

I know. its not my car though, I doubt Im allowed to pull the VC on a car thats not mine.

plus, Id have to replace the VC gasket in all good conscience.

[bear]

you probably got this sorted out by now but i've found more than once that indy shops and backyard mechanic types will put an e head on an i motor because it happened to be available, cheap, or at the yard just to get the car running. i bought a 325i off of a renowned bmw tech in my area who did just this to get the car running so he could sell it, funny thing was, it hauls fuckin ass, it does have the i manifold and stuff tho.

[2.5-12]

well, it would have to be the superETA 88+ head because the 200 casting ETA head would crunch the i pistons

but yeah, Im sure this was just a cheaper alternative to an i motor

that being said, I think the convertible should have had this motor from the factory, low end tq and about 28mpg on the highway.

screw the 6,800 rpms, 5,100 will do. haha

still trying to aquire this car, soon though.