The 318i sedan, however, is a true E36 chassis and step-by-step projects relating to the rear suspension and chassis are applicable to these cars, if you can find one in the United States.
The M42/M44 series 4-cylinder engines are a carryover from the E30 line but are equipped with DOHC and four valves per cylinder, with an iron block and aluminum heads. These engines feature strong forged cranks and header-style exhaust manifolds in the long block and a Bosch Motronic ignition that eliminated the distributor in favor of individual coils.
Weak points in these engines included coolant gaskets in the timing case, which allowed coolant into the oil sump. The M44 engine series adopted in 1996 eliminated this problem, and the updated parts can be installed on the M42 engines.
318i (1992–1998)
The 318i sedan, 318is coupe, and 318ti hatchback used the M42B18 engine from 1992 to 1995. This engine displaces 1,796 cc and generates a maximum of 138 hp at 6,000 rpm, and 129 ft-lbs of torque at 4,500 rpm.
For the 1996–1998 model years, the 318 series switched to the slightly larger M44B19 at 1,895 cc, developing the same 138 hp at 6,000 rpm and improving slightly to 133 ft-lbs of torque at 4,300 rpm.
320i (1993–1995)
Canadian buyers were offered the E36 with the traditional M50B20 engine displacing 1,991 cc in the 320i. This engine was good for 148 hp at 6,000 rpm and 140 ft-lbs of torque at 4,300 rpm. This model was not offered in the United States, but some examples may be found.
6-Cylinder Cars
By far the greatest number of E36 chassis sold in North America included some version of BMW’s inline 6-cylinder engine. This started with the 2,494 cc M50B25 in the 325i line in 1992. The M50 engine family used a cast-iron block and aluminum alloy head, with four valves per cylinder and DOHC. After the 1992 model year, E36 models in America received the M50B25TU engine, which featured variable cam timing on the intake cam only. BMW called this VANOS, an abbreviation of its German name.
The M50 line was upgraded to the M52 line for the 1996 model year along with the advent of OBD-II across the North American BMW line. European versions of the M52 used an engine block made from Nikasil aluminum; North American engines used an iron block due to high sulfur concentrations in American fuel. In 1999, the M52 received a technical update to implement VANOS on the exhaust cam as well as the intake, but the M52TUB28 engine was never sold on the E36 chassis. However, this engine can be retrofitted for a small boost in mid-range torque.
The 325i series was available with two or four doors, with the two-door bearing the designation 325is. This series carried the M50 engine of 2.5-liter displacement.
The most powerful of the 6-cylinder engines were the S50 and S52 series, used in the U.S.–market M3 editions of the E36. These engines used the same heads and engine block as their more prosaic counterparts but were enlarged in both bore and stroke and included high-performance cams and valve-trains to increase performance by about 50 hp.
325i (1992–1995)
The 325i was introduced in 1992 as a four-door sedan or two-door coupe using the M50B25 engine, displacing 2,494 cc and generating 189 hp at 5,900 rpm. Maximum torque was 181 ft-lbs at 4,700 rpm. The engine featured a bore of 84 mm and a stroke of 75 mm.
The 325 series was updated to the M50TUB25 engine for 1993, featuring the same 2,494 cc displacement but with slightly higher compression and VANOS variable intake cam timing. Horsepower and max torque remained the same, but max torque now came at 4,200 rpm. This engine was in use until the end of the 325 line in North America at the close of the 1995 model year.
328i (1996–1999)
For the 1996 transition to OBD-II in America, BMW selected the M52B28 engine with 2,793 cc of displacement and changed the 325i into the 328i.
Like its predecessor, the M52B28 engine offered four valves per cylinder and DOHC with VANOS. To create the extra displacement, the new engine used the same 84-mm bore as the M50B25 engine, but extended the stroke to 84 mm as well, creating a “square” engine geometry. The 2.8-liter engine produced 190 hp at 5,300 rpm and 210 ft-lbs of torque at 3,950 rpm. This engine was used throughout the E36 328i production run, ending in 1999.
Interestingly, the 2.8-liter engine did not produce any more horsepower than the 2.5-liter, but the increased stroke added 29 ft-lbs of torque, making the 328 a much better performer at lower RPM and the best low-cost candidate for performance upgrades.
The 328i used the longer stroke of the M52 engine to produce almost 30 more ft-lbs of torque than the 325i. The M52 also supported OBD-II engine management; the previous M50 engine did not.
The M3 was BMW’s factory hot rod E36. First released in 1995, the S50 engine produced 2,990 cc of displacement, 240 hp, and 225 ft-lbs of torque. The S52 was released starting in 1996 at 3,152 cc and the same horsepower, but with 240 ft-lbs of torque.
323i (1995–1999)
With the advent of the 328i, BMW did not abandon the 2.5-liter engine but instead updated it to M52 standards, creating the M52B25. This engine was used in the new 323i 1996–1999, violating the convention of putting the displacement in the last two digits of the model code. The 323i engine still displaced 2,494 cc with a bore of 84 mm and stroke of 75 mm, but it was detuned to 168 hp, presumably to provide more of a performance difference with the 328i. Torque remained the same at 181 ft-lbs at 3,950 rpm.
M3 (1995–1999)
For serious performance enthusiasts, the best E36 variant is the M3. Introduced in 1995, the first M3 used the S50 engine based on the M50 line. This engine used the same fundamental cast-iron block and aluminum cylinder head as the M50, but with lighter pistons, upgraded connecting rods, better cams, stiffer valvesprings, an improved exhaust manifold, and an optimized cat-back exhaust system. The new engine featured a square bore and stroke at 86 mm, yielding 2,990 cc of displacement and 240 hp at 6,000 rpm and 225 ft-lbs of torque at 4,250 rpm. The S50 engine can be identified by the “BMW M Power” logo on the plastic engine cover.
But like the rest of the E36 line, major changes were in store for the 1996 model year. The S50 was upgraded to the S52, which remained in place until the end of the E36 line in America in 1999. The S52 is based on the M52 line in the 323i and 328i models. The S52 engine offered an increased displacement of 3,152 cc courtesy of an 86.4-mm bore and 89.6-mm stroke. The combination produced the same 240 hp at 6,000 rpm, but boosted torque to 240 ft-lbs at 3,800 rpm.
The M3 also included upgrades in suspension, brakes, steering, and bodywork, making it the top choice for stock performance. However, M3 models cost more to purchase at all levels of age and condition, and performance enhancements from the already high level of the M3 come at an incrementally greater cost.
S50 and S52 engines read “BMW M POWER” on the valvecovers. S52 engines carry intake-side VANOS where S50 engines do not.
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