M52 - BMW 328i - e36, e46, M52 Engines ...

The BMW M52 is an I6 piston engine. Displacement ranges from 2000ccm to 3200ccm. It is a DOHC 24-valve engine with VANOS Variable Valve Timing. It replaced the BMW M50 engine in 1994 and was replaced in 2001 with the BMW M54 engine. The engine used Nikasil lined aluminium cylinders rather than a cast iron cylinder block in markets with low-sulfur fuel, resulting in lighter engines in those markets. The M52 includes VANOS variable valve timing on the intake.

However, there has been critism of the M52 engine in some markets, especially the UK, which had high levels of sulphur in the petrol during the late 90's. Sulphur acts as a corrosive agent against Nikasil and led to a lot of early cars having premature bore-liner wear. This problem was solved in post-September 1998 cars with the introduction of steel cylinder liners, with the designation M52 TU-3. The M52 was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 1995 through 1998.