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1998 e36 328 How do i know if my 328i has a nikasil block????

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block nikasil
17K views 21 replies 14 participants last post by  E36_turbo 
#1 ·
basically the title says it all!!!
just bought my 328i and just curious to know if it has a nikasil head or not.
if it does what can i do about it!!!!!
 
#7 ·
From what I recall, all cars built after march 1998 had the NON nikasil engines fitted, however, there is nothing to say that a non nikasil engine could have expired and been replaced by another donor engine, which could be a nikasil one.
Check the engine number on the block, check your V5 to see if they correspond, and/or check the dealer for engine number details.
Hope this helps you.
 
#9 ·
I think this was done form week 6 onward of 98. You can read ur ecu or dme and find the exact manufacture date. I have a nikasil block ( which i realised it is nikasil with help of great people in the forum) and it is running well, touch the wood :)

If you worried do a compression test
 
#10 ·
i've had my car (e36 328i '96) for a few weeks and drives great. i've forgotten all about the nikasil issues from the late 90's. My car has done 104,000 miles and 15yrs old, so i (touch wood) would think any problems would've shown well before now.

i thought ALL e36 328's had the nikasil block? thanx for the pics, i might check under mine later to see.
 
#11 ·
The trouble surrounding the Nikasil block was that they were susceptible to corrosion from the high sulpher content of petrol in the late 90's. This caused the liners to break down which in-turn caused too large a gap between the liner and the piston rings which lead to a loss of compression.

It's safe to say that if you have a Nikasil block engine and it's running fine, it's likely to stay fine because of the lack of Sulpher in petrol these days.
 
#15 ·
No such thing as an Alusil block on an E36. Nikasil is an alloy block with a Nickel/silicon bore coating, and Alusil is an alloy block impregnated with a silicon compound and the bores machined to expose this - no liners, no coatings. M62 V8 engines and V12's have Alusil.

Post 3/98 M52 engines have an alloy block with steel liners pressed in.
 
#19 ·
The best way to know whats happened with the car, is to have a word with BMW.
It's possible someone else has changed it in the past. Check the logbook for the engine number and see if it matches.

All M52's will have one of the tabs identifying, the only way to be 100% is to slide under and take a look :thumbsup
Not always - The later M2's had their crank position sensors in where that blanking plug normally goes.
And you can also see the plug from the top !
 
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