Is it possible to have a 04/94 530 with an alusil block stock?

[infinity5]

As in, it came with one from the factory? mines way too dirty, too old, too everything to have been replaced after the fact, but i checked the casting number and its an alusil block.. should i rejoice to the fact that my car got a new block sometime ago and i really have tons less milage on my engine than the ODO says? :) or by 94 had they started putting alusil blocks in to fix the nik issue?

oh, and on a side note, i remmber jeff commmenting on the differences in the engines power wise, what was it?

[632 Regal]

Yes the Nikasil engines produce WAY more power than their Alusil counterpart, probably one if the reasons Nikasil isn't supposed to have the longevity.

I'm not sure if they mixed and matched the Alu/Nik engines or if they all came with Nik factory. I know that at first they were replacing the Niks with Niks cause they werent sure why the damage was happening but after the replacement Niks started coming back they cast new Alisil blocks and used them as replacements.

[Bill R.]

was replaced. There is no difference in the power output between the 2, same either way.













As in, it came with one from the factory? mines way too dirty, too old, too everything to have been replaced after the fact, but i checked the casting number and its an alusil block.. should i rejoice to the fact that my car got a new block sometime ago and i really have tons less milage on my engine than the ODO says? :) or by 94 had they started putting alusil blocks in to fix the nik issue?

oh, and on a side note, i remmber jeff commmenting on the differences in the engines power wise, what was it?

[infinity5]

hmm, great news bill! thank you :) guess that means the POs neglect couldn't have caused to much damage!

Is there anyway BMWNA would know when my car had its block swapped? neither of the two PO's have any paperwork even eluding to engine replacement. might BMW have built a database of faliures and such?

[632 Regal]

you might not ever be able to find a paper trail on the replacement, as long as you have Alusil it was replaced at one time or another from what Bill says.

Bill was 94 the only year regarding Nikasil being the only block?

(C'mon we all know about them power differences ;) )

[PhilipJCaputo]

ok, I "know" where the number is suppose to be stamped on the engine block..... but I swear I've looked before... any pointers to finding the number....

[infinity5]

its *directly* above the coolant drain plug under cylinder 3. its barely visible, and i think a wire is partially in the way. even in the sun witht eh hood open you'll need a flash light. i left the car on the ground, stuck my head under the fog light, and looked that direction till i saw the drain plug.


damn couldn't they just have stamped the front of it? :)

[Bill R.]

problems. They do have a database of failures but everything i've heard says that they won't release actual statistics on how many failed.





hmm, great news bill! thank you :) guess that means the POs neglect couldn't have caused to much damage!

Is there anyway BMWNA would know when my car had its block swapped? neither of the two PO's have any paperwork even eluding to engine replacement. might BMW have built a database of faliures and such?

[Bill R.]

93,94,95
you might not ever be able to find a paper trail on the replacement, as long as you have Alusil it was replaced at one time or another from what Bill says.

Bill was 94 the only year regarding Nikasil being the only block?

(C'mon we all know about them power differences ;) )

[PhilipJCaputo]

its *directly* above the coolant drain plug under cylinder 3. its barely visible, and i think a wire is partially in the way. even in the sun witht eh hood open you'll need a flash light. i left the car on the ground, stuck my head under the fog light, and looked that direction till i saw the drain plug.


damn couldn't they just have stamped the front of it? :)

did you have to drop either of the splash guards??

[infinity5]

nope. although people talk about having splash guards under their engines that i don't have. the only splash guards i have are under the PS gearbox and the starter area.


put it up on ramps and grab a flashlight. the firs thing i;'d do is stick my hand up there and feel the coolant drain plug (have you used it before? there are a lot of other bolts under there to confuse it with).

that will give you a better idea of where to look. make sure you're on the correct side of the engine (the passanger side on US cars, where the airbox and DME are located)

[PhilipJCaputo]

I have two splash guards... on below the radiator, and one right behind the oil pan.

I'll give it a look next week when I do front rotors

Thanks!

[infinity5]

yep, the guard behind the oil pan is blocking your view.. maybe both. does anyone have a pic of these splash guards? did everyones 530 come with them? i don't see any trace of even hardware to support them.

[PhilipJCaputo]

When I get up under there I'll take some photos

but if someone already has photos, post em up!

[Interceptor]

(C'mon we all know about them power differences ;) )
Hm, I think only Nikasil engines that received an EPROM upgrade had a power drop. Why should an Alusil block produce less power? Scientific facts, please :)

[632 Regal]

lol....

Anyways the code if you slide under the front of the car looking straight up, passanger side, infront of the starter "straighht up" youll definetly need a piece of paper and pen.