hey bimmerforums,
about that time to replace my nikasil block on the old e32 740.

found some reasonable motors here in SoCal, but i am double checking the engine codes to make sure they are alusil blocks.

one of the serial numbers i found today was: 1 729 528
i searched google and on here, but didnt find anything matching that number. it is supposedly a 4.0 8cyl m60 out of a 1993 740.

thanks in advance!

This directly from the tech articles on the Koala Motorsports website:


"All M60 and M62 blocks have casting numbers on the right side, directly alongside the 3rd cylinder, slightly above the coolant drain bolt.

These are the casting numbers to look for:
Nikasil M60B30 1 725 970 or 1 741 212
Nikasil M60B40 1 725 963 or 1 742 998
Alusil M60B30 1 745 871
Alusil M60B40 1 745 872
Alusil M62B44 1 745 873

NOTE, all US market M62 engines are Alusil.

This is the only way to determine which M60 you have, short of removing a cylinder head.

In performing engine repairs or rebuild procedures in the future, it is imperative that you correctly identify the cylinder block, as the pistons and rings used in each style are different and not interchangeable."

yes,
this is exactly the info i found everywhere.

so is the number i have incorrect, or do i just have to look again to find the right number?

That number identifies the intake manifold for various M60 motors; it doesn't match any known BMW replacement powerplant numbers.