The BMW M52 is a straight-6 DOHC petrol engine which was produced from 1994-2000. It was released in the E36 320i, to replace the M50.
In 1998, the "technical update" (M52TU) upgrades included adding variable valve timing to the exhaust camshaft.
The M52 was replaced by the M54 in 2000.
The 1996-1999 E36 M3 in the United States and Canada is powered by the S52 engine, a higher performance version of the M52.
The M52 and S52 engines were on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list from 1997 to 2000.
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Design
The M52 moved from the M50's cast iron engine block to aluminium. (However, cars in the United States and Canada - except for the Z3 - use cast iron.) The largest version of the M52 is 2.8 litres, compared with 2.5 litres for the M50.
As with the later versions of the M50, the M52 uses BMW's single VANOS variable valve timing on the intake camshaft. The redline is 6,500 rpm.
Technical Update (TU) versions
In 1998, the M52TU ("technical update") was released, adding variable valve timing to the exhaust camshaft (called dual VANOS by BMW). Other upgrades included electronic throttle control (which uses a throttle cable as backup), a dual length intake manifold (called "DISA" by BMW) and revised cylinder liners.
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Models
M52B20
A 1,991 cc (121 cu in) version was introduced in 1994. Bore is 80 mm (3.1 in) and stroke is 66 mm (2.6 in). The compression ratio is 11.0:1.
Applications:
- 1994-1998 E36 320i
- 1995-1998 E39 520i
M52TUB20
The "technical update" in 1998 included dual VANOS, which improved low rpm torque.
Applications:
- 1998-2000 E46 320i, 320Ci
- 1998-2000 E39 520i
- 1999-2000 E36/7 Z3 2.0i
M52TUB24
2.4 L. For Thai market only. The bore is 84 mm (3.3 in) and the stroke is 72 mm (2.8 in).
M52B25
A 2,494 cc (152 cu in) version introduced in 1995. It produces 125 kW (168 hp). Bore is 84 mm (3.3 in) and stroke 75 mm (3.0 in). The compression ratio is 10.5:1.
Applications:
- 1995-1998 E36 323i,
- 1995-2000 E36/5 323ti
- 1995-2000 E39 523i
M52TUB25
The "technical update" in 1998 included dual VANOS, which improved low rpm torque.
Applications:
- 1998-2000 E46 323i, 323ci, 325i
- 1998-2000 E39 523i
- 1998-2000 E36/7 Z3 2.3i
M52B28
The 2,793 cc (170 cu in) version of the M52 debuted in 1995. It has a bore of 84 mm (3.3 in), a stroke of 84 mm (3.3 in) and produces 142 kW (190 hp). The compression ratio is 10.2:1.
Applications:
- 1995-1998 E36 328i, 328is
- 1995-1998 E39 528i
- 1995-1998 E38 728i, 728iL
- 1997-1998 E36/7 Z3 2.8
- 1997-2000 Land Rover Defender (South Africa only)
M52TUB28
The "technical update" in 1998 included dual VANOS, which improved low rpm torque.
Applications:
- 1998-2000 E46 328i, 328Ci
- 1998-2000 E36/7/8 Z3 2.8
- 1998-2000 E39 528i
- 1998-2000 E38 728i
Nikasil problems with high sulfur fuels
The aluminum M52 engine received criticism in some markets with high levels of sulfur in the petrol during the late 1990s. Sulfur has a corrosive effect on Nikasil and led to many early M52 and M60 engines having premature bore-liner wear. Countries with high sulfur fuel (such as the United States) received an iron block version of the M52 (except for the M52B28 in the Z3 which was an aluminum block), so the Nikasil problem does not apply to most M52 engines in these countries.
Once the Nikasil coating was determined to be the cause of the problem, steel cylinder liners were used instead of the Nikasil coating. Therefore, the M52TU engine was not affected by the Nikasil problem.
S52
The S52 is a higher performance version of the M52, which replaced the S50B30US in the post-facelift (1996-1999) North American E36 M3.
Compared to the S50 the S52 is less powerful and shares more in common with the regular M52 engine than the S50 did with the M50. The S52 uses the North American M52 engine's iron block, aluminium head and single VANOS. Unique to the S52 is a bore of 86.4 mm (3.4 in) and stroke of 89.6 mm (3.5 in) for a total displacement of 3,152 cc. Compression ratio is 10.5:1. Other upgrades over the M52 include lighter camshafts (with increased lift and duration), valve springs and the exhaust system.
The S52 produces 240 hp (179 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 236 lb·ft (320 N·m) of torque at 3,800 rpm. The S52 shares the M52's 6,500 rpm redline.
Applications:
- 1996-1999 E36 M3 (Canada and United States only)
- 1998-2000 E36/7/8 Z3M (Canada and United States only)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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