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BMW M52

TLDR: The BMW M52 is a type of engine that was used in BMW cars from 1994 to 2000. It is a straight-6 engine, which means it has six cylinders arranged in a straight line. The M52 engine was known for its performance and was used in various BMW models, including the E36 320i and the E39 528i. It was eventually replaced by the M54 engine in 2000.

The BMW M52 engine was designed to be powerful and efficient. It had a displacement range of 2.0 to 2.8 liters, which refers to the total volume of all the cylinders in the engine. The M52 engine had a cylinder bore (the diameter of the cylinders) ranging from 80 to 84 millimeters and a piston stroke (the distance the piston travels inside the cylinder) ranging from 66 to 84 millimeters.

One notable feature of the M52 engine was its use of variable valve timing (VVT), which helps optimize the engine's performance at different speeds. The M52TU version of the engine, introduced in 1998, also included VVT on the exhaust camshaft. This allowed for better control of the engine's valves, resulting in improved power and fuel efficiency.

The M52 engine came in various models with different power outputs. For example, the M52B20 had a displacement of 1,991 cc and produced 110 kW (148 hp) of power. The M52B28, on the other hand, had a displacement of 2,793 cc and produced 142 kW (190 hp) of power. There was also a high-performance variant of the M52 engine called the S52, which was used in the American and Canadian market E36 M3.

One issue that some M52 engines faced was premature wear of the bore-liners due to high levels of sulfur in the petrol. To address this issue, BMW switched to using steel cylinder liners instead of the Nikasil coating that was causing the problem. The M52TU engine, introduced in 1998, was not affected by this issue.

In summary, the BMW M52 engine was a powerful and efficient straight-6 engine used in BMW cars from 1994 to 2000. It featured variable valve timing and came in various models with different power outputs. While some M52 engines faced issues with premature wear, BMW addressed this problem in later versions of the engine.