|
In Reply to: Re: What is the US 535i/s? Doesn't show up in ETK posted by rcbmw on June 08, 2001 at 14:44:36:
To Clarify, BMW produced a 535i and 535is for the North American market. Both cars used the 3.5 litre 3430cc engine
THis is true. You will only find information on the 535iS from BMW NA. As far as BMW Ag is concerned, the "is" was just another option package ordered by US customers.
that is also found in the E28 M535i, producing 182bhp with catalysts and 218bhp without. When the engine hit North American shores the engine was hampered by the usual emissions control regulations, including three way catalysts.
OK. There are 2 main engines found in the 535i euro and USA.
The first is the 218bhp, or high compression engine. This one had 10:1 compression motor, no cats, no charcoal cannister emission regs, and the DME didn't have an O2 sensor input. The cam was the 264 degree cam also found in the E34 535i (M30 B35) motor.
The second is the 182bhp (SAE, or 185bhp PS-DIN), or low compression engine. In euro trim, this engine had the 8:1 compression ratio, the cats, O2 sensor, and after 9/86, it had the charcoal cannister just like the USA motor. The USA motor always had the charcoal cannister, and was the same in all other respects.
The MAIN horsepower reduction came from the loss of compression ratio from 10:1 to 8:1 - not from emissions. Don't misunderstand, the emissions regs did lose a few bhp, but the MAIN reduction came from compression ratio.
In an attempt help fuel consumption, the US 535i and 535is were given a 2.63:1 axle ratio.
This is incorrect, I'm afraid. For some reason, a lot of books and some mags list this axle ratio for USA cars. It is NOT true. USA cars always had the 3.25 rear diff, and LSD was an option fitted to a lot of them. (In europe, you could have had a 3.46 for automatics).
The 2.63 came into discussion because that is the effective ratio you get if you're in 5th gear. (Multiply the 5th gear ratio by the rear axle ratio: 0.81 * 3.25 = ~2.63). And some people mis-labeled that as the rear axle ratio, and the mistake was perpetuated.
The 535is was offered with a switchable automatic transmission and a 5 speed manual transmission. The 535is was essentially a spoilered version of the 535i with revised suspension.
The "is" suspension consisted of Bilstein shocks. Das it!
On some later cars, a 21mm front bar was installed instead of the 19mm, but these are rare(r) and there is no way to check with VINs. BMW was master of the parts bin - if it fits, it'll go on.
Also, the rear spring made for bilsteins is different (part number), but the same spring rate as the non-bilstein rear spring. I've measured them.
Christopher Graff
Head Coordinator
BMW M535i SIG
www.m535i.org
© 1997 -
2009
Jump Internet Inc. All rights reserved.
