When was M20 replaced by M50?

[ILoveMPower]

There's this guy that I always see bombing around my town in a narrow-grilled 525i 5-spd, sounds pretty badass, just not sure which motor it has.

Was it 92 they started using the M50? And I believe this is non-vanos, and 93+ was the vanos M50? (525i only had wide grills in 95, right?)

Thanks in advance :)

[SC David]

525i only had wide grills in 95, right?
That is correct. The M50 started in '91 I believe. I was too little too late...or early :(

[R1daveg]

My info is August 92' on for M50 build date. I'm sure there's many on here that could quote the exact date and time.. ;)

[Morgenster]

It's '91. Mine is a '91.

[RichO]

my 91 with a build date of 11/90 is blessed with a timing chain :D

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

there is a real differance in drive when I have to spank those Bavarian ponies through traffic. The M50 feels so much more responsive and even verse the wind up of the M20.

[RichG]

My 525i with a build date of 07/1990 is an M20.

So from Rich0's reply, it looks like somewhere between 7/90 & 11/90.

[Yiorgos]

My info is August 92' on for M50 build date. I'm sure there's many on here that could quote the exact date and time.. ;)

I think that's not the time that the M20 was phased out to the M50, but when the M50 was updated with the Technical Update (TU), which included VANOS.

[rob101]

9/90 would be my guess for the 1991 spec car, august 92 is a load of bollocks as i have a 2/92 build date with an m50.

[ILoveMPower]

9/90 would be my guess for the 1991 spec car, august 92 is a load of bollocks as i have a 2/92 build date with an m50.

Is it the M50TU with Vanos?

Thanks for the answers guys, you wanna race my M30? :P

[rob101]

Is it the M50TU with Vanos?

Thanks for the answers guys, you wanna race my M30? :P
no its a baby killing non-vanos M50 with..... hot hot cams from the factory.
vanos started on the e34 and e36 m50s on 9/92 build date aka 1993 year of sale.