e46 engine help..

[chattyman]

hi everyone... need help and advice... i have a e46 1999 323i se 4 door.. my engine overheated and poped the head... the cheapest way to fix is to replace engine... now with it been a 1999 model does it have the m52tu engine in or the m54tu engine.. and if it has the m52tu engine in can i drop the m54tu engine in instead.... need help... thanks.. regards alan

[Lord Vader]

How bad is it? Do you really need to replace the engine or just the headgasket? Unless you blew up the engine I don't see why it can't be machined and put back on. Even a used head machined is cheaper then a new engine.

The 99 should have the M54 if I recall correctly. A picture would allow us to tell for sure. But if it is the M52 engine don't waste your money on an M54. Get an S52!

[chattyman]

can you tell me what is the s52. as far as know the cost to replace the head gasket and labour cost were a fortune. my engine code is the 256s4.. has no compression on any pots when trying to turn the engine over.. would this s52 fit straight in without any mods done. regards alan

[Lord Vader]

The S52 is the 3.2L engine found in the 1996-1999 E36 M3. It's an OBD-II engine which means its a direct bolt in replacement to the M52 engine. However a new ECU is required. The headgasket is only $100 or so, but it takes about 8-10 hours to complete.