M60B40 pricing?

[senorcarey]

Hello,

This is my first post. I will introduce myself more formerly later, but I'm out the door with some box seat tickets to the Coyotes vs. Blackhawks game tonight. This particular forum seems to have some of the best info on V8 swaps that I've seen. I'd appreciate any advice about the following...

Found an M60B40 from an 1994 540. The car has 124K on it, so the replaced Alusil motor should have less. It was involved in a front end collision, but not bad. The engine at the P&P is missing a valve cover, thermostat, as well as someone pulled off the passenger timing gear, so it would need to be retimed. All wiring is intact, as well as sensors, and accessories. It hasn't been there too long, but would need to be retimed (valves), as well having the head cleaned out from dust.

Do you think it's worth $250 and change with accessories and harness if you had to remove it yourself? I'd only need to source a valve cover and gasket set as well as a few other goods.

Thank you and I look forward to a more formal introduction soon.

Scott

[iamsam]

could be worth it. If it is at a PnP, how do you know it runs?

[Jean]

You can spend $100 or $1500 on these, you have to look at the specifics and what you are willing or not willing to do. If you buy one from a wrecked car, do you know for a FACT that it was running 100% w/o any problems? Is there proof? Do you have leak down/compression numbers? It could still have rod knock or else...

It's a gamble, so you either take it all apart and make sure ALL is good, or you spend the time installing it and it blows up a month later... or buy it from a recycler with some kind of warranty.

[senorcarey]

Yes, I agree with both sentiments. I decided to pass, but I will grab some good stuff. ;)

[AsharC]

Hawks won :). Lol, I was thinking about an m60 or an m62 for the e28 but I decided to pass, too.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I would go for it. Buying a used engine is *always* a gamble... but it's more of a gamble if there isn't a mark on the car :-P

It had to be running to run into something, right?

[iamsam]

It had to be running to run into something, right?

Yes, but do how do you know it was running right? It can be running on 6 cylinders and still run into something...

My prevailing theory is that it is best to buy an entire donor car that runs, take what you need, part the rest.

[senorcarey]

I've been pulling pans and valve covers and I've been noticing some discrepancies in timing chain set-ups in some of the M60s at the yards. Some have the plastic guard around the oil pump chain and at least one didn't.

Also, I've noticed some heads with stamped dates in the spark plug valleys under the valve covers, while some didn't have any distinguishing features. Does either one point to replacements/non-stock or did they vary from the factory?

And thanks, guys, for your opinions.

Scott

[bmwmech1]

I've been pulling pans and valve covers and I've been noticing some discrepancies in timing chain set-ups in some of the M60s at the yards. Some have the plastic guard around the oil pump chain and at least one didn't.

Also, I've noticed some heads with stamped dates in the spark plug valleys under the valve covers, while some didn't have any distinguishing features. Does either one point to replacements/non-stock or did they vary from the factory?

And thanks, guys, for your opinions.

Scott

There are basically 4 engines that look very similar from the outside, for the most part... M60B30, M60B40, M62B44 and M62B44TU. The early, smaller engines have slight differences, 1 being the TC, cover, and/or lack thereof. IIRC, the later heads don't have the same casting numbers/locations as the early ones did. The production date on the doorjamb will tell you what engine generation is in the car and what to expect as far as the differences...

Garey

[senorcarey]

Thanks, Garey. The engine without the plastic cover over the oil pump chain also had zero markings on the head that I could see. It was also the cleanest of the bunch both on the interior and exterior. The car is a 1994 540. Methinks I'll need to brush up on the Alusil/Nikasil serial number differences.

Scott

[bmwmech1]

... Methinks I'll need to brush up on the Alusil/Nikasil serial number differences.

Scott

Scott, M60B40 Nikasil casting numbers are 1 725 963 or 1 742 998.
Alusil is 1 745 872. All American market M62's are Alusil...

Garey

[senorcarey]

Thanks, Garey, after I posted that I used the search function to find the numbers. I appreciate the post! :D

[iamsam]

Blam! Garey forks out the knowledge... I bet that dude had the block numbers memorized.

[bmwmech1]

Blam! Garey forks out the knowledge... I bet that dude had the block numbers memorized.

Lol!

Garey

[The Dark Side of Will]

Yes, but do how do you know it was running right? It can be running on 6 cylinders and still run into something...

My prevailing theory is that it is best to buy an entire donor car that runs, take what you need, part the rest.

While that's the ideal, buying an engine out of a wrecked car is a pretty safe bet.