Engine Type

Ephraimramodike

New member
Hi Fanatics,

How do I know or check what engine type I have?

My car is a 2001 E46 318i SportPack... but I dont know if my engine is a 87kw or the 107kw or so...

How and where can I check?:thinking:
 

XMAX

///Member
phone BMW, give them the VIN no. They will be able to tell you the engine model and the power output.
 

XMAX

///Member
@Prevanp - I think that Realoem might have that info as well.


according to my research (Wikipedia): The 105kw motors came out in the 2002 models upwards. If your specific car was a late 2001 model, its possible that it had the N42 engine.

I think that the pre facelifts came with the 1.9l M43 87kw engine, and the facelifts with the 2.0l N42 105kw engine.


I hope this helped.
 

Ephraimramodike

New member
Sankekur said:
Does it have a black plastic cylinder head cover or the (silver) metal one?

It's the silver metallic one....

XMAX said:
phone BMW, give them the VIN no. They will be able to tell you the engine model and the power output.

I was just lazy to do that..... :bangdesk:

XMAX said:
@Prevanp - I think that Realoem might have that info as well.


according to my research (Wikipedia): The 105kw motors came out in the 2002 models upwards. If your specific car was a late 2001 model, its possible that it had the N42 engine.

I think that the pre facelifts came with the 1.9l M43 87kw engine, and the facelifts with the 2.0l N42 105kw engine.


I hope this helped.

Thank u sir, will the VIN no tell BMW exactly when it was made in 2001?
 

XMAX

///Member
Yip it will. When BMW do their check, you can ask them for the date of the original sale.

you could also check the log book of the car. It will tell you the date of first sale. That will tell you whether it was an early or a late 2001, though it wont help with the engine output.


If its late 2001, you could be lucky enough to have gotten the higher output engine. Not for sure, but you could be lucky.
 

Ephraimramodike

New member
Okay, so I took XMAX's advise by calling BMW and this is what they said:

Manufacturer Date – 18 April 2001
Sell Date - 20 April 2001
Engine Type - M43 TU

Now I know and I want a bigger and more powerful engine! :bangdesk:
 

zaleonardz

Well-known member
Guys,

If your standing in front of the car, the right shock tower has a little black sticker on it (if it does not, it means the car has been in an accident and has been resprayed)

On the sticker, you will have the engine designation.
 

Ephraimramodike

New member
Now, question: What would be the most cost-effective way to mod the car?

My needs: Power, Speed, Torque with efficient fuel consumption.

What will take to get it to... say 120kw from 87kw (flywheel)?
 

Legacy

///Member
Ephraimramodike said:
Now, question: What would be the most cost-effective way to mod the car?

My needs: Power, Speed, Torque with efficient fuel consumption.

What will take to get it to... say 120kw from 87kw (flywheel)?

Sell the car and buy a 325i, 328i or 330i. I have a 318i and modding it in terms of performance is pretty useless since it has the 8 valve motor, you can probably spend about R30k to get to about 140kw or so and then you will probably ruin the "reliability" and fuel consumption and 318i's with a free flow or some sort of exhaust sounds retarted.

Why do you need better fuel consumption? The 318i is about 9.5l/100km in urban and around 5l/100km in highway driving.
 

Ephraimramodike

New member
Legacy said:
Ephraimramodike said:
Now, question: What would be the most cost-effective way to mod the car?

My needs: Power, Speed, Torque with efficient fuel consumption.

What will take to get it to... say 120kw from 87kw (flywheel)?

Sell the car and buy a 325i, 328i or 330i. I have a 318i and modding it in terms of performance is pretty useless since it has the 8 valve motor, you can probably spend about R30k to get to about 140kw or so and then you will probably ruin the "reliability" and fuel consumption and 318i's with a free flow or some sort of exhaust sounds retarted.

Why do you need better fuel consumption? The 318i is about 9.5l/100km in urban and around 5l/100km in highway driving.

Thanks Legacy... I don't have a problem with the current consumption... I just really feel like a more powerful car... and I appreciate your advise. I will leave it the way it is and get a bigger engine one time.

:thumbs:
 
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