M42 \ M44 - differences in Japanese engines

[HaNasich]

Hi All
in continue to this thread

i today went to pick up my new engine.
it came from Japan (A Japanese BMW once had it)
i had there three engines to pick from, all has new-shape intake manifold, two had plastic oil-filter nest, and one had a metal oil-filter nest as i knew from my M40B16 and early M42 engine.
now, again, i want to make sure - can it be that there's a M42 engine with plastic oil filter nest?


here's a pic of an M44 with such thing. can it be that im getting a M44 instead of a M42 engine?
i have the engine code : 01458303  stamped on the engine block if it is any help to determine M44 from M42 engines.

[D. Clay]

More info please. I knew they imported a lot of Japanese engines but have never heard of one for a BMW. Usually the Japanese engines cost less than $1000.

[HaNasich]

More info please. I knew they imported a lot of Japanese engines but have never heard of one for a BMW. Usually the Japanese engines cost less than $1000.

Im in Israel, here we import engines from Europe and Japan mostly.
anyhow, the engine came attached to an automatic GM gearbox (which also makes me believe that it is an M44 and not an M42)


how can tell for sure if its a M44 or an M42?
i have harness and ECU for M42, would it work with an M44 engine? Block?

why should i perfer an M42?


Ron.

[HaNasich]

OK,
so i looked even more into this (telling between M42 and M44 is worse than finding out a rabbit's sex...) to find out that M42 and M44 from 96' both had plastic oil filter cover...

M42

and M44


Any other noticeable signs i can tell between an M44 \ M42?


Ron.

[D. Clay]

The oil pan with the sump in the rear would be the main difference. You can swap the oil pan, intake, and valve cover from your current engine to the M44 and use your existing wiring to put the M44 in an E30. The accessory drive is optional - you can use either one. The GM transmission was used in European and Japanese 318's from 1992-1998. The engine could be an M42 if out of an E36 car from 1992-1995 or an M44 from 1995-1998.
Assuming you have an E30 car of course. If it's an E36 it may be a bolt in with just swapping the wiring on the motor.

[2002maniac]

There should be a VIN tag on the back of the engine.  Go to realoem.com and input the last seven digits of the vin.  This will tell you everything..

[tim_s]

The M44 is pretty different. Plastic thermo housing on the front of the head, MAF etc are the main visible giveaways. the one in the pic above is 100% m44. got any pics of the one you're looking at? as you suggest, plastic oil filter housing can make its way onto both engines, is actually the standard replacement part for all m42s now.

[HaNasich]

The M44 is pretty different. Plastic thermo housing on the front of the head, MAF etc are the main visible giveaways. the one in the pic above is 100% m44. got any pics of the one you're looking at? as you suggest, plastic oil filter housing can make its way onto both engines, is actually the standard replacement part for all m42s now.

OK,
i have no pic of the engine yet (its in the garage) but u mention there a MAF, on the engine i was looking at there was an AFM - flap door, same trick as in old M42 or in my current M40.
is it certain that the M44 uses MAF (niddle type?) - ok, i can answer myself about this -
the engine i bought had metal thermo. housing :



and had an AFM (flap type) the M44 has a MAF (niddle type) as can be seen in the pictures i attached :


Ron.
-the whole thing is that i plan to add the downing/atlanta S/C kit and i rather add it to an M42 which is more tolerate to abuse than the M44 one-

Ron.

[tim_s]

-the whole thing is that i plan to add the downing/atlanta S/C kit and i rather add it to an M42 which is more tolerate to abuse than the M44 one-

rubbish! who told you that? DASC will be fine on either.

AFM =M42, 100%

[johna]

The location of the cylinder head cover breather pipe may help. Early M42 engines had this at the front of the cylinder head cover, adjacent to the oil filler cap. Later M42 engines (1994 on), and M44 engines has it at the rear of the cylinder head cover. If it is at the front then it is an M42 for sure, if it's at the back it could be either.

M44 engines also had the tidy plastic squarish-shaped covers for the air filter, radiator fan shroud, etc that all join together. M42 engines had the rounded fan shroud and a separate air filter housing.

If it doesn't have a MAF then it won't be a M44.

A few more details on the changes between the M42, late M42 and M44 can be found here: http://www.motortraders.net/groups/318is