Project ET-001: BMW M62 4.4L V8 Engine
I still remember the day I saw the first one. It was a nice early spring day in 1997 and I was in walking around near Battery Park in downtown Manhattan. There in the corner of my eye I saw it; jet black, on its three-piece wheels which came only on the models with six-speed manual transmission and mandatory sport package, was the new E39 chassis BWM 540i Sport. The front seats were occupied by two happy looking Wall Street-types that were wearing matching fancy sport sunglasses contrasting their starched-up shirts and ties. That car was just beautiful, an instant modern classic in my mind. Perhaps you recall the cover of Motor Trend from that period where C. Van Tune, the editor at the time, had the speedometer of this very car pegged at around 155mph on the German autobahn. The car, with its 282-horsepower engine and six-speed transmission was definitely awe-aspiring, especially to young college student such as myself.
So, ten years or so later, here I am taking the M62TUB44 apart. I was taking it fairly slowly, analyzing the construction of this engine, how things are connected, what each thing does and why. Each part has a purpose, each part is connected to another for a very specific reason, and each part is made in such way that it can withstand extreme heat and vibrations, all working together. It is still mind-blowing to me to see this operate at 7000rpm.
I was doing this while in the back of my mind thinking of that very day where I saw the black 540i. A lot has happened since and a lot has changed and it was still very reassuring knowing that we still have things made in this world that have not been drawn up by “designers” from some fancy art school. It is really sad how we get to think of cars and engines in a very generic sort of “it’s only a car” way, to all those people I say this: go take it apart and put it back together.
Dozens of people have asked me about this project, and I have to say is that you’re going to just have to wait and see. If you read this carefully, there is a hint somewhere in here…
ooo..ooo..oooo..I know, I know…you are going to make a race car bed out of it for the kids
No? How about a boat anchor? I think today’s engines look rather blandtastic with all those useless plastic covers. I want to see throttle bodies, manifolds, beautiful sand castings. I guess designers don’t want to work that hard when all they have to do is cover everything up with some plastic. The old BMW S14 and S38′s were really works of art with that huge plenum connected to individual throttle bodies covered by an elegant, simple valve cover with the glorious M Power cast in the top.
Ahhh the good old days,
Bob K.
So I guess you wouldn’t like this?
http://l.yimg.com/dv/izp/lexus_is_250_awd_2009_other_engine.jpg
You’ve GOT to be kidding me. That is completely ridiculous! Talk about wasting plastic for absolutely no reason at all. That thermal management must be a total nightmare.
Now.. you didn’t post exactly 39 pictures on purpose did you? (ahem.. E39?)
Ha, I wish I was that clever!
The block is still in the shop, should have been ready yesterday.
Where is the chassis laying around? I bet it is a BLACK 540i sport!