BMW Diesels -Avoid?

[Bandit]

The engines cash buyer are refering to are probably the VM 3.6 litre block i belive later bored out to 4.2?? in later versions.

I was unfortunate to have the 3.6l 180 hp.

The block was stamped VM

The engine had BMW stickers on it as they were using their petrol engines and buying in diesels from VM .

The engine also had Mercruiser stickers on it as BMW had just decided to pull out of the marine market and had sold out to Mercruiser.

I do not believe this engine was ever used in cars or 4wd's they used the 2.5l block.

BMW diesels are excellent.

The mongrels i had, developed overheating problems but with a bit of chain around them would have made good deadmen, they were **** but replaced with a nice pair of 265 Sabres which is what the boat should have had in the first place.

 

[ccscott49]

I had a vauxhall omega 2.5 diesel, BMW derived, magic engine, it's still going in the hands of my son-in-law well over 250,000 miles, bodies no great shakes but that engine has been faultless. However the one my mate had in his Hardy 24, was a nightmare, I reckon they are not up to constant load as demanded by a marine engine.

Different engines.

 

[coliholic]

I get who BMW are, but who's IDI and VM?

 

[neale]

I get who BMW are, but who's IDI and VM?

I'm guessing IDI is indirect injection and VM are these people

 

[PaulGooch]

I had a vauxhall omega 2.5 diesel, BMW derived, magic engine, it's still going in the hands of my son-in-law well over 250,000 miles, bodies no great shakes but that engine has been faultless. However the one my mate had in his Hardy 24, was a nightmare, I reckon they are not up to constant load as demanded by a marine engine.

John, the Omega used the BMW 2.5 TDS engine, as fitted to the 325 TDS and 525 TDS. Cracking engine and virtually indestructible.

The BMW marine engine being discussed is actually built by VM and just badged BMW.

 

[Bandit]

3.6L built by VM, Badged BMW in my case and Mercruiser.

 

[piratos]

Cashbuyer - the engine referred to is the BMW 636 -
6 cylinders, 3,6 l engine and the same as Mercruiser named 3,6, and yes its basicly the same engine that later became the Merc 4,2. The problem with the BMWs is the plate heatexchangers. If cleaned EVERY year they should avoid any problems with overheating.
I also bought a boat with BMWs at a good price with one engine down. It was broken down due to overheating, and a friend of mine did the repair (cost me a fortune in beers - but spareparts were very cheap) All pistons cylinderliners etc exchanged. When the heatexchangers were checked we found 60% were blocked ! We also added an extra cooler (inserted in same line used to heating water and in the seawater after the heatexchanger).

Fact is that my Engines had done 1800 hrs when I sold the boat.

Basically its a question how is the boat priced, but honestly I beleive the BMW engines are too small for this boat anyway.

 

[rafiki_]

I am the LAST person to spring to the defence of VM, however when doing due dilligence on them years ago I raised overheating issues with them. No lover of IDI engines, but the old VM IDI engines had internal temperature gradients which were plain nasty. As ususal there is a big but, I was shown reams of correspondence between VM and Brit Leyland/Rover Group highlighting the fact that niether the Range Rover or the Rover SD1 which also used the engine had cooling systems which were fundimentally inadequate and never compliant with VM requirements.

Just wanted to set the story straight, also current motors share nothing with the goofy old IDI designs.

The RR definitely did not have an inadequate cooling system. The problem on the RR occured when the engine was run at high speed down an incline, and basically underfueled, causing piston crown problems. Don't think you run a boat downhill often, except in a big sea.

 

[Latestarter1]

The RR definitely did not have an inadequate cooling system. The problem on the RR occured when the engine was run at high speed down an incline, and basically underfueled, causing piston crown problems. Don't think you run a boat downhill often, except in a big sea.

Wow, after all these years I think we have discovered one of the authors of the original snotty BL/Rover Group memos to VM!

 

[Cashbuyer]

Thank you guys

Looks like I've avoided a costly mistake...

Shame, because these old Fairlines look very comfy

Not mechanically inclined at all - so probably best to avoid unless I want a sationary floating sofa

 

[neale]

The RR definitely did not have an inadequate cooling system. The problem on the RR occured when the engine was run at high speed down an incline, and basically underfueled, causing piston crown problems. Don't think you run a boat downhill often, except in a big sea.

But the Range Rover did go through a modification to its cooling system between being launched with the VM in 86 and sometime before they upgraded the 2.4 to the 2.5 around 1990, so there def was an issue with the system.

 

[omega2]

Murv read this thread

 

[Elessar]

Murv read this thread

why he's buying murcruisers? Same base engine that's all.

 

[rafiki_]

But the Range Rover did go through a modification to its cooling system between being launched with the VM in 86 and sometime before they upgraded the 2.4 to the 2.5 around 1990, so there def was an issue with the system.

Ooh, well done in dredging this up. Yes the new RR radiator had twin in-tank oil coolers for the engine and gearbox oils, and a 14 row P section design. Nothing to do with BMW/VM marine installations though.

 

[neale]

Ooh, well done in dredging this up. Yes the new RR radiator had twin in-tank oil coolers for the engine and gearbox oils, and a 14 row P section design. Nothing to do with BMW/VM marine installations though.

Whoa there. I didn't drag this up. Check the dates.

 

[rafiki_]

Whoa there. I didn't drag this up. Check the dates.

Yes, Neale, i know you weren't guilty, just amused me

 

[Murv]

Murv read this thread

Thank you, interesting reading