non water cooled alternator options

[imprttuner88]

ok, discovering this subforum has been the WORST thing for me to do

I have started to "slowely" collect parts and am planning on a 2-3 year collection of parts/build of a 4 door. The one thing I have read but am either blind as a bat if there is an outright answer out there or just haven't looked hard enough, what options are out there that don't include the expensive water cooled alternator? I'm curious because this is going to be a DD build and want to keep normal failure points (alt, starter, wp) on the less expensive side of things if at all possible.

[slammin.e28]

Assuming you are using a M62TUB44 for your engine?

Otherwise there are no water cooled alternators.

[imprttuner88]

Assuming you are using a M62TUB44 for your engine?

Otherwise there are no water cooled alternators.

Correct, I am going to try and find the M62 but have been reading alot about how complicated/expensive the alternator setup was. Was mainly looking at the M62 over the M60 was the slight difference in power but mainly to get as low a mileage engine as I could.

[slammin.e28]

Wonder if you can't just swap the M62TU timing cover for just a normal M62 cover to do away with that.

I'd just make myself a nice hybrid M60/M62 motor if I had the money/time to invest.

[hendrixvodu]

Have fun I think I paid over $500 for the alt on my e38, I'd try anything per 98 they had air cooled alts on the m62

[imprttuner88]

Thanks for the confirmation everybody

[Vtec?lol]

No way around it unless you swap the block.
The housing is huge as well and will take up more space in the bay.

[JGood]

Make sure you aren't confusing the m62TUb44 for the m62b44. In '98, they replaced the m62 with the m62TU, which is the vanos and water cooled alternator (among other things) version that is inherently more expensive to swap/maintain. 99% of people doing this swap use m60's or m62's, not m62TU's.

[imprttuner88]

Make sure you aren't confusing the m62TUb44 for the m62b44. In '98, they replaced the m62 with the m62TU, which is the vanos and water cooled alternator (among other things) version that is inherently more expensive to swap/maintain. 99% of people doing this swap use m60's or m62's, not m62TU's.

That's precisely what I was doing. I have been doing so much reading it started to blur, hence my post.

I have my head on straight now! :p

Now to begin a multi month parts collection binge. As a HS shop teacher I have to do this on a budget, they don't pay teachers in NC well so this will be an extremely budget minded build! That and find a rust free 4 dr shell.

[M3 euro ltw]

Good luck with search

The king of the V8 series you're speaking of didn't use the water cooled alternator, the S62. However, these are not cheap.

It is possible to find cores with low mileage, but they go for a lot more.

I came across a 15K mile engine M60 that I bought locally for my E34 MSport, which will eventually need it (Nikasil issues) or not. I paid a decent premium for it, but its very low miles, and would bring up the value of the MSport if I decide to sell it.

On the flip side, as the S62 is a direct bolt in replacement for an M60, its very tempting to make that happen as well for a rare combination. Won't be a true M5, but, pretty cool nonetheless.

(Integrating AC is the only really interesting bugaboo I can think of in that swap for me... I think the signals between the climate control in an E39 to the DME to regulate idle/rpm and avoid a slump or stall before the AC kicks are all CAN bussed in...vs the E34 chassis)

Alex.