BMW 325 With Vanos VS 325 no Vanos

Aur1z · #1 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 02:38 PM

What diference between this engines witch better and why?

Stu Mc · #2 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 04:57 PM

It's BMW's system of varying cam timing with an adjustable sprocket. It was introduced in 1993, and the M50's before then did not have it.

It switches over at 1600rpm and at 4100rpm.

Aur1z · #3 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 10:53 PM

But i found BMW 325 made in 1992.11 and hi with VANOS
chek it VIN: WBABF31030EF12362 engine type M50 but i saw this Bimmer hi with VANOS

BoomerE30 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 06:50 AM

good thread... this topic was bothering me for a long time...
i have a 1993 325is which was made in 7/92.... so im not sure if i have vanos or not... though i can feel it kickin' in after 3,500 rpm.
also im not sure but i think i can see the vanos unit if it is what i think it is...

92Coupe · #5 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 09:25 AM

you can easily recognize the Vanos unit by looking a this picture
the big bulge on the distribution chain cover on the right side of the radiator cap is the Vanos unit

BoomerE30 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 09:43 AM

ok so i do have vanos... cool

the thing is, i know some people that have a 92 325 that is non vanos and built in 92/9 while mine is a 93 built in 92/7 and does have vanos.
that got me worried.

btw, anyone have a non vanos m50 engine pic?

fuuukaiai · #7 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 09:49 AM

non vanos would just be kind of flat across the front. no bulge at all. if yours looks remotely like thta in the front you have vanos.

kiley_sean · #8 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 10:00 AM

That little half-circle piece of timing cover infront that you see, would not be there on an M50 (a vanos equipped M50 is called a M50tu 93-95). I can't get ahold of a picture of a non-M50tu right now, so that's the only way I can expalin the looks.

The M50 (non-vanos) has dual valve-springs (instead of single conical on the M50tu, S50. S52s and so on), and "supposedly" meatier valve stems. They also came with hotter cams compared to the tu's, and I have heard of people swapping in the cams from the early 525i's (91-92). The downfall was not having a flat torque curve of the M50tus and the head being heavier. Now, I am not a guru, so take what I said with a grain cause it is all what I have learned from other people and not myself.

Me, personally, I would rather have the non-vanos (M50) long block. Vanos is good, but I would sacrifice the extra torque for peace of mind of having a more solid valve-train, and as most M50 guys will tell you, their 325i's keep pulling when the vanos M50tu's are running out of steam up top.

Eitherway, they are both super high perfomance engines for their displacement compared to most of the auto. industry, so you can't lose.

Stu Mc · #9 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kiley_sean
That little half-circle piece of timing cover infront that you see, would not be there on an M50 (a vanos equipped M50 is called a M50tu 93-95). I can't get ahold of a picture of a non-M50tu right now, so that's the only way I can expalin the looks.

The M50 (non-vanos) has dual valve-springs (instead of single conical on the M50tu, S50. S52s and so on), and "supposedly" meatier valve stems. They also came with hotter cams compared to the tu's, and I have heard of people swapping in the cams from the early 525i's (91-92). The downfall was not having a flat torque curve of the M50tus and the head being heavier. Now, I am not a guru, so take what I said with a grain cause it is all what I have learned from other people and not myself.

Me, personally, I would rather have the non-vanos (M50) long block. Vanos is good, but I would sacrifice the extra torque for peace of mind of having a more solid valve-train, and as most M50 guys will tell you, their 325i's keep pulling when the vanos M50tu's are running out of steam up top.

Eitherway, they are both super high perfomance engines for their displacement compared to most of the auto. industry, so you can't lose.

You've got the right idea, but some of the info is incorrect.

The non-VANOS motors did have beefier valve stems, 7mm instead of 6mm. The valve springs on VANOS 2.5L's were not conical, but linear rate, and single.

You cannot put VANOS Cams in a non-VANOS motor, and vice versa.

The hot cam setup for non-VANOS engines is to put the intake cam in place of the exhaust cam, and buy the Schrick 252 non-VANOS intake cam. Now you have M3 durations with similar lift.

triplebeam · #10 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 11:15 AM

vanos rocks

BoomerE30 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 11:51 AM

yea i have vanos for sure. my engine compartment looks identical to the one in the picture above (im writing this in the garage, literally 1 foot away from the engine compartment

)

but i stil dont understand how some e36s were made after mine and didnt have vanos while mine did.

kiley_sean · #12 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stu Mc
You've got the right idea, but some of the info is incorrect.

The non-VANOS motors did have beefier valve stems, 7mm instead of 6mm. The valve springs on VANOS 2.5L's were not conical, but linear rate, and single.

You cannot put VANOS Cams in a non-VANOS motor, and vice versa.

The hot cam setup for non-VANOS engines is to put the intake cam in place of the exhaust cam, and buy the Schrick 252 non-VANOS intake cam. Now you have M3 durations with similar lift.

STU, what did I get wrong? The 525i's were the first with the M50s (why e30 swaps depend on the early oil pans of the E34's) so why would swapping cams between the two non-vanos M50s be a compatiblity problem. I have heard on two occasions that the M50 for the 525i had a different duration than the M50 for the 92' E36. Is this true or not? Can we lay this myth to sleep?

As stated, they are more robust heads. Is my grammar that off? Thus the heavier head.

I never stated that the M50tu carried over the dual valve springs of the M50.

Are you saying that the valve springs ( on the M50tu) are cylindrical instead of conical? Please elaborate, I must learn more.

92Coupe · #13 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BoomerE30
yea i have vanos for sure. my engine compartment looks identical to the one in the picture above (im writing this in the garage, literally 1 foot away from the engine compartment )

but i stil dont understand how some e36s were made after mine and didnt have vanos while mine did.

maybe one of the first models with vanos or it has had an engine swap

richieio · #14 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by triplebeam
vanos rocks

Aur1z · #15 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 09:45 PM

Why VANOS rocks? i heard what vanos slowing engine on high RPMs or smthg