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BMW engines... BMW S38 Engine (1988-96)

Available from 1986 to 1996, the BMW S38 was an

inline six-cylinder petrol engine that was developed
and built by BMW’s ‘M’ division (BMW M GmbH).

The S38 engine replaced BMW’s M88 engine and was

based on the M88/3 variant within that engine family.
Compared to the M88/3 engine, the S38B36 engine
had: £2.19
+ Info
Bigger bores for increased capacity;
A new forged steel crankshaft which increased stroke;
Duplex timing chains.
Bigger intake valves and air filter housing; and,
A three-way ceramic catalytic converter

S38B36
The S38B36 engine had a cast iron block, a cross-flow alloy cylinder head, a forged steel
crankshaft, double overhead camshafts (DOHC, duplex chain driven), four valves per cylinder and
a compression ratio of 10.0:1. Furthermore, the S38B36 engine Bosch Motronic M 1.2 engine
management and a hot wire air mass sensor.

The S38B36 engine also had an electronically-controlled butterfly valve in the intake plenum that
would operate to improve torque at low engine speeds and power at higher engine speeds.
Similar to a variable length intake manifold, the butterfly valve operated to vary the length of the
induction tract when
Engine speed was below 4120rpm and full throttle was applied; or
Engine speed was above 6720rpm and full throttle was applied.

S38B38
Available from 1992, the S38B38 engine introduced the following changes:
Coil-on-plug ignition (replacing the distributor of the S38B36);
Bosch Motronic M 3.3 engine management;
New aluminium alloy pistons and an increased compression ratio of 10.5:1 (from 10.0:1);
The resonance flap was controlled by the engine management system (previously
controlled by a separate unit) and could be operated at 2480rpm, in addition to the 4120rpm
and 6720rpm engine speeds;
Camshaft duration was changed to 264 degrees/108 degrees;
Bigger inlet valves (38.5 mm, previously 37 mm) and sodium-filled exhaust valves (32.5 mm,
previously 32 mm);
Valve lift was increased to 10.7 mm for improved cylinder filling;
 A new dual mass flywheel was introduced which had a harmonic balancer with four stretch
bolts;
The exhaust manifold was produced from Inconel, a high grade super-alloy;
The twelve crankshaft counterweights were rounded on one side to reduce the inertia of the
crankshaft; and,
A more compact and lighter Emitec metallic type catalytic converter with six monoliths
replaced the ceramic catalytic converter.

BMW S38 engine

Engine Capacity Peak power Peak torque C.R. Models Years
3535 cc
232kW at 360Nm at
S38B36 (93.5 x 10.0:1 E34 M5 1988-92
6900rpm 4750rpm
86.0)
3795 cc
250kW at 400Nm at
S38B38 (94.6 x 10.5:1 E34 M5 1992-96
6900rpm 4750rpm
90.0)

Article by Eric Smith

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