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Have been busy recently tackling the 95 525i I bought earlier this year. This 5 series I picked up is sort of a mistake. With the engine on the stand and almost stripped, I kind of lost heart but have no recourse but to chug along and complete it. Reason is the amount of sludge in the valve train is somethng I have never seen in any engine before. Why would someone do this to a BMW I could not understand.
My 9k's are all acquired after 100k miles. All of them have been reasonably well taken care of by the previous owner and I thought very little of it before jumping in to buy. I did the same on this 5 series and was bitten. But that is not the reason of my post.
Compared to the post 93 VANOS engine, the SAAB 2.3L engine is simple to be elegant. Maybe I have been familiar with the 9k engine owning them for a few more years more than the 5 series. Or maybe that is the reason why SAAB has take such a long mileage out of the 2.3L engine. It is simply too good.
I'll break it down component by component:
Ignition module: The 5 series has individual ingnition module. SAAB integrate them to a cassette. I call it even. SAAB has it in a clean package. Although it is expensive to replace. On the 5 series you can replace each modules independently.
Chains: the 9k has a timing chain and a balance shaft chain as we know. The 5 series has 3 chains (two chain tensioner, the oil pump chain has no tensioner). A primary timing chain, a secondary connecting the two cam sprocketd through the VANOS unit. And there is a third chain for the oil pump. I particular liked the 2.3L planetary gear oil pump. It is elegant.
Belt: We know our 9k has only one belt and one tensioner. The 5 series has two and two tensioners.
CPS: The 5 series also has two, a second for the VANOS unit.
Gaskets: Our 9k has only one valve cover gasket. The other surfaces such as the sump pan and timing cover use no gasket. The 5 series have gaskets all over the place. There is a gasket for every mating surface holding oil or water.
I do like the fact the 5 series combines the sprocket for the oil pump and the timing sprocket on the crank shaft in one unit. On the 9k, the timing sprocket and the balance shaft sprocket are individually mounted on the crank shaft.
Overall, the 5 series engine has many, many more parts than the 2.3L. But I think because of the number, BMW parts cost less than the average 9k parts. It is definitely more work ona 5 series.
The picture shows the 5 series engine rotated 90 degrees after I sprayed about 5 cans of engine gunk remover to wash the sludge off the valve train.
posted by 165.254....
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