Does my Aug 92 320i have variable valve timing?

[full_chat]

I've just bought an E36 320iSE which was registered in August 1992, by checking www.parkers.co.uk I can see variable valve timing was introduced in Sep 92, so it seems I am a month early for this! However is there a definitive way I can check if it has this or not, by looking under the bonnet for example?

Many thanks,

Chris

[chibbard]

I would say no. I thought it was introduced a bit later than that. Try looking at the front of the valve cover. Vehicles with VVT had a (large lump) at the front of the valve cover to incorporate the gear on the inlet cam.

[tw99]

The claimed effect of the single Vanos is to somewhat improve torque at low revs.

I had a 1994 320i (therefore with Vanos), and frankly it still had no torque at low revs, and I ended up using 2nd gear a lot more than I'd have liked. (Going from that car to something with a light-pressure turbo with max torque from 1500rpm was a revelation!)

So whether you have Vanos or not, I think you still end up stirring the gearbox...

[full_chat]

Well the reason I originally asked was that I thought the car was a 93 model when I bought it and I was wondering if I had done myself out of masses of performance, but not by the sound of it!

So far I haven't had so much as a wheel spin which I was putting down to decent tyres but it's more likely just that the torque is so low at low revs! It does shift if you work it, although fuel economy dips a fair bit and the temperature of the engine rises a lot too, it's been a while since I have had a car without an electric fan! Extremely refined engine though especially if you are happy to go with the flow.

Edited to say have checked the engine and there's no Vanos. So I don't get the extra little bit of torque or the extra gubbins to potentially go wrong!



>> Edited by full_chat on Friday 22 October 08:46

[rich_b]

The 2.0's have a great sound but they really need to be revved to make progress. I had an E30 320i, and everything seemed to happen from 4000rpm onwards. From there the power surged and it pulled hard all the way to the redline. I miss that car

[full_chat]

rich_b said:

The 2.0's have a great sound but they really need to be revved to make progress. I had an E30 320i, and everything seemed to happen from 4000rpm onwards. From there the power surged and it pulled hard all the way to the redline. I miss that car

I had an E30 325i Touring, eventually got rid of it when the cylinder head turned pourous, wish I had got it repaired now and kept it!

[catso]

full_chat said:

I've just bought an E36 320iSE which was registered in August 1992, by checking www.parkers.co.uk I can see variable valve timing was introduced in Sep 92, so it seems I am a month early for this! However is there a definitive way I can check if it has this or not, by looking under the bonnet for example? Many thanks, Chris

I had a new 320 in August 92, it didn't have Variable Valve Timing, I think that any Sept update is destined for the next year model.

[kenny320]

rich_b said:

The 2.0's have a great sound but they really need to be revved to make progress. I had an E30 320i, and everything seemed to happen from 4000rpm onwards. From there the power surged and it pulled hard all the way to the redline. I miss that car

full_chat
I agree completely with rich_b. If you drive it with a heavy right foot you'll get some go. Just be careful on wet roundabouts in 2nd gear at 5000rpm. Thats when you get some fun

>> Edited by kenny320 on Saturday 23 October 17:44

[rich_b]

kenny320 said:

Just be careful on wet roundabouts in 2nd gear at 5000rpm. Thats when you get some fun

Indeed

Its addictive!

[kenny320]

rich_b said:

kenny320 said: Just be careful on wet roundabouts in 2nd gear at 5000rpm. Thats when you get some fun Indeed Its addictive!

It is, and you get some interesting looks from onlookers

[rich_b]

Through the passenger window

[liquidken]

No

Vanos was introduced in early 93.

[turbobloke]

Also, remember that sales at around that time followed a recession - once looked at an M-reg (94) six cylinder E36 3-series that didn't have vanos, it had sat unsold for years.

[full_chat]

Just been doing some hunting, looks like with Vanos peak torque is at 4200rpm and peak power at 5900 rpm, without Vanos peak torque is at 4700 rpm and power at 6000rpm, with both max output figures being the some. So it's just a slight shift of both curves to the left.