Rated 4.50 out of 5 based on 22 customer ratings
(22 customer reviews)

BMW M10 Engine

$16,000.00

BMW M10 Engine

The BMW M10 is widely considered the most important engine in BMW’s history. Designed by Baron Alex von Falkenhausen and introduced in 1962, it was the foundation that saved the company and established its reputation for sporty, reliable sedans.

Quantity
Wishlist
SKU: TZU7G
Category:

BMW M10 Engine

The BMW M10 is widely considered the most important engine in BMW’s history. Designed by Baron Alex von Falkenhausen and introduced in 1962, it was the foundation that saved the company and established its reputation for sporty, reliable sedans.

It is a masterpiece of over-engineering—the cast-iron block is so robust that it served as the basis for the most powerful Formula 1 engine ever made.

Listing Details

  • 1,990cc BMW M10 Built by LH Owen
  • Cast Iron Block
  • Aluminum Cylinder Head
  • Wet-Sump Lubrication
  • Weber Carburetor

1. key Specifications

The M10 is an inline-four with a SOHC (Single Overhead Cam) and 8 valves.

  • Production Run: 1962–1988 (26 years).

  • Block Material: Cast Iron (extraordinarily thick cylinder walls).

  • Head Material: Aluminum (crossflow design).

  • Displacement Range: 1.5L to 2.0L.

  • Valvetrain: Chain-driven SOHC (very reliable).

2. Notable Variants

Model Type Power (Approx.) Notable Vehicle
M115 1.5L Carb 75–80 hp BMW 1500 (The “New Class”)
M118 1.8L Carb 90 hp BMW 1800
M05 2.0L Carb 100 hp BMW 2002
M15 2.0L Injection 130 hp BMW 2002tii (Mechanical Fuel Injection)
M31 2.0L Turbo 170 hp BMW 2002 Turbo (Europe’s first turbo car)
M10B18 1.8L L-Jetronic 105 hp BMW E30 318i / E28 518i

3. The Formula 1 Legend: M12/13

The ultimate testament to the M10 is the M12/13 racing engine used in the 1980s.

  • The “Used Block” Myth: Engineers famously used high-mileage M10 street blocks (some with over 100,000 km) for F1 engines. They believed the constant heat-cycling of daily driving “seasoned” the iron, relieving internal stresses.

  • Power Output: In 1983, Nelson Piquet won the F1 Championship with this 1.5L engine. In “qualifying trim,” it ran nearly 5.5 bar (80 psi) of boost, producing an estimated 1,400+ hp.

  • Fun Fact: BMW’s dyno at the time could only measure up to 1,280 hp; the engine simply “maxed out” the needles.

4. Common Issues & Maintenance

Despite its “bulletproof” reputation, a 40- to 60-year-old M10 has a few aging pains:

  • Valve Guide Wear: The most common issue. If the car puffs blue smoke on startup or during deceleration, the valve guides or seals are likely shot.

  • Timing Chain Tensioner: While the chain itself lasts forever, the hydraulic tensioner can fail, leading to “timing chain slap” or rattling.

  • The “Banjo Bolt” Problem: The oil spray bar bolt inside the valve cover can vibrate loose, starving the camshaft of oil. Many owners safety-wire these bolts.

5. Tuning Potential

The M10 is a “Lego” engine. You can easily swap parts between generations:

  • E12/E21 Head Swap: Using a “1.8i” head on a 2.0L block is a popular way to increase compression and flow.

  • Carb Upgrades: Replacing the single Solex with Dual Weber 40 or 45 DCOEs is the classic way to get that iconic “induction growl.”

22 reviews for BMW M10 Engine

  1. Rated 4 out of 5

    Michel Brunet (verified owner) –

    Style 5 (BBS RC) for E39 – 17” with polished lips. Minor clear coat peel but straight true. Great for restoration.

  2. Rated 5 out of 5

    Claude Perrier (verified owner) –

    F97 X3M front brake calipers – massive 6-piston. Fit under 21” wheels. The bite is insane. very pleased.

  3. Rated 5 out of 5

    Adama Traore (verified owner) –

    DCT pan and filter kit plus transmission for F10 M5 – complete package. No leaks after install. The customer photos on your site were accurate.

  4. Rated 4 out of 5

    Elena Petrova (verified owner) –

    M21 diesel engine for my E28 524td – starts right up in cold weather. Hard-to-find part made easy. 10/10 experience.

  5. Rated 4 out of 5

    Victor Santos (verified owner) –

    N63TU engine for my F06 650i – updated version with less issues. Install went perfectly. I’m a customer for life.

  6. Rated 5 out of 5

    Andrei Popescu (verified owner) –

    Bought a BMW N55 engine for my 335i. Arrived earlier than expected and looked brand new. Car runs smoother than ever – thank you genuinecarpartsforsale!

  7. Rated 5 out of 5

    Olivia Brown (verified owner) –

    BMW S63 engine for my X6M – absolute beast! Shipping was fast and the customer service helped with my questions. Highly recommend this site.

  8. Rated 5 out of 5

    Ivan Petrov (verified owner) –

    M30 engine for my E24 635CSi – a rare find. It bolted right in and runs beautifully. Thanks for keeping classic BMWs alive.

  9. Rated 4 out of 5

    Fatou Diarra (verified owner) –

    GS6-17BG for Mini Cooper S R56 – no more popping out of gear. Clutch feel is amazing. genuinecarpartsforsale is my Mini parts source too.

  10. Rated 5 out of 5

    Andreia Lopes (verified owner) –

    F10 M5 carbon ceramic brakes – huge upgrade. Zero brake fade on track. Rotors were within spec. A+++ seller.

  11. Rated 4 out of 5

    Saidou Bah (verified owner) –

    ZF 5HP18 for E34 525i – rebuilt with new solenoids. Shifts like a new car. genuinecarpartsforsale overdelivered again.

  12. Rated 4 out of 5

    Joao Batista (verified owner) –

    E60 M5 EDC shocks – hard to find but you had rebuilds. Adaptive damping works like new. Saved me thousands.

  13. Rated 5 out of 5

    Claire Bernard (verified owner) –

    BMW B58 engine for my M240i – flawless. Came with all the sensors attached. genuinecarpartsforsale has earned a loyal customer.

  14. Rated 4 out of 5

    Marta Kowalska (verified owner) –

    S65 V8 for my E92 M3 – rod bearings were already done! This site is a goldmine for M car owners. Thank you!

  15. Rated 5 out of 5

    Peter Novak (verified owner) –

    S85 V10 for my M5 – yes, it’s a risk, but this one was perfect. Long live the V10! genuinecarpartsforsale is legit.

  16. Rated 4 out of 5

    Claire Bernard (verified owner) –

    The M20 engine for my E30 restoration came exactly as described. No hidden surprises. genuinecarpartsforsale is my new go-to for BMW parts.

  17. Rated 4 out of 5

    Mory Keita (verified owner) –

    G80 M3 steel brake kit – cross-drilled rotors. No warping after hard use. Came with wear sensors. Very happy.

  18. Rated 4 out of 5

    Laura Garcia (verified owner) –

    BMW B58 engine for my M240i – flawless. Came with all the sensors attached. genuinecarpartsforsale has earned a loyal customer.

  19. Rated 5 out of 5

    Patrick O’Connor (verified owner) –

    N62 engine for my E60 550i – Valve seal issues gone! This site is a lifesaver for BMW V8 owners. Thanks a million.

  20. Rated 5 out of 5

    Benjamin Clark (verified owner) –

    S62 engine for my E39 M5 – holy grail achieved! Came with compression test results. genuinecarpartsforsale exceeds expectations.

  21. Rated 5 out of 5

    Bakary Sane (verified owner) –

    Mini Cooper S gearbox (Getrag 6-speed) – no more grinding into reverse. Came with a new clutch fork. Thanks for saving my Mini.

  22. Rated 4 out of 5

    Teresa Gomez (verified owner) –

    Gearbox for F30 340i (ZF 8HP) – but I got the manual conversion housing. Rare part. Thanks for listing it honestly.

Add a review

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top