BMW Engine Transformation [M52B28] M50 Motor Restoration Timelapse | E30 Build | 045

Here's what I used in this video:
@teslongusa Borescope: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inspection-T...
Locking Oil Pump Sprocket Nut: https://ebay.us/j02vYv
Meyle Metal Water Pump: https://ebay.us/HYQdsO
Aluminium Thermostat Housing: https://ebay.us/zLwSaz
NGK 2288 / BKR6EK Spark Plugs: https://ebay.us/hZ8pWo
Valve Cover Gasket: https://ebay.us/mk5Ys9
Oil filter Housing Gasket: https://ebay.us/BBj0du
Crank Position Sensor: https://ebay.us/9pqteS
Goxawee Rotary Tool: https://ebay.us/NwUQC3
Wire Brushes: https://ebay.us/7vjoX2
Hycote Black Engine Enamel: https://ebay.us/yjbI62
K2 Gold Brake Caliper Paint: https://ebay.us/vwt8cP
Hondabond: https://ebay.us/qEHmct

In this BMW E30 build series video I focus my efforts on restoring the M52B28 engine on it's stand. This was a lot of work so the manual sections I have run as an engine restoration timelapse.

Following the strip down and inspection of this 24 valve motor previously, I decided that there's no good reason to want to strip it down entirely and rebuild it with new rod bearings etc. It looks good to go.

However, from a cosmetic standpoint, its in a very sorry state with decades of build up baked onto it. This is the main thing I needed to address before the M52 engine could be swapped into my E30 engine bay.

The first thing I did was refinish the sump and the oil filter housing. I started by wire brushing these items with my Goxawee rotary tool, and followed up by using a silver VHT paint finish.

After some frustration I switched over to a silver brake caliper and wheel type paint which gave a much nicer satin finish. I refinished the power steering pump in black paint while I was at it.

With these curing, I turned my attention to the engine itself, the first problem I had was a snapped exhaust stud. Knowing that something like this can very quickly turn into a show stopping problem, it seemed right to tackle it before applying any engine enamel paint to the block.

I attacked the broken stud by welding a nut onto it and turning it out, which worked very well. I then removed the remaining studs, some of which were also quite stuck.

With that out of the way, I fitted a choice modification to the oil pump. A wire-locking oil pump sprocket nut. M52 and M50 engines have a known issue with the oil pump nut backing off over time. If the nut works its way off the oil pump will have no drive which can starve the engine of oil and destroy it very quickly.

To solve this, you can drill and wire-lock the nut to the spokes on the sprocket, but thats difficult so you can buy a kit with a pre-drilled nut.

I switched my oil pickup to my modified E34 sump one which is shortened to suit, and following that remasked the bottom end of the engine.

At this point I set about wire brushing the block and the head of the engine using my rotary wire brushes. This was a long and painstaking job getting into all of the intricate shapes, but luckily because this M52 is an aluminium block, it'd remained in surprisingly good condition with none of the rust scabs you'd generally find on an iron block motor.

Following that I washed the engine to remove any remaining grease and wiped it down with panel wipe ready for the Hycote black engine enamel paint, which was a treat to work with giving a lovely gloss finish.

Following a night of curing, I came back into the workshop to start unmasking and I'd had a delivery from the guys at Teslong in the shape of a new borescope. Excited to check the bores of the engine I gave it a try.

The extra LED brightness and camera resolution meant I could see in the combustion chambers in more detail than before and I noticed some light scoring in some cylinders. Not enough to alarm me though.

I then fitted the sump with Hondabond 4 to ensure no future leaks and painted the head of the engine in a gold brake caliper paint. I selected gold as a fun nod to BMW motorsport engines of the past.

After another night of curing I unmasked and got the new crank sensor, new metal water pump, and new aluminium thermostat housing. I also refitted the alternator, and power steering pump, water pump pullet and the new 1555mm aux belt. Finally I refitted valve cover with new gasket, NGK sparkplugs and coil packs. I'm over the moon with the result and the engine is gleaming like a new one.

For more helpful how-to guides and restorations: https://www.spannerrash.com/

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#m52b28 #m52 #bmwe30 #e30build #e30