Engine M10 (M41) is a gasoline power unit from the engineers of the company BMW, which was produced for the installation of cars of the third series of the first generation E21 in the coupe body. With a working volume of 1.6 liter engine was able to develop 90 horsepower of maximum power.
M10 (M41) engine specifications
| Power, hp. | 90 |
| Fuel type | Gasoline |
| Volume, cm*3 | 1573 |
| Maximum torque, N*m (kg*m) at rpm. | 167 (17) / 4000 |
| Engine type | in-line, 4-cylinder, carbureted. |
| Number of valves per cylinder | 2 |
| Maximum power, hp (kW) at rpm. | 90 (66) / 6000 |
| Compression ratio | 8.3 |
Advantages
The M10 (M41) engine is characterized by the use of a classic cylinder arrangement – all four cylinders are installed in one row. The use of such a solution from Bavarian engineers made it possible to significantly reduce the complexity of repair of the power unit, and also positively affected its cost. These engines were very popular, so there are practically no problems with finding spare parts.
The engineers made every effort to provide a smaller piston stroke in relation to the cylinder diameter. Such a decision was justified and relatively favorable for the time. Since there are fewer moving parts in the design, it is easy to repair such a motor, and its service life becomes somewhat longer than in the long-stroke version of the design.
The cylinder head is made of a strong aluminum alloy, while the block itself is made of cast iron. This has made it possible to combine high reliability with minimal weight. As a result, the engine is very robust and also provides excellent performance. The cast iron cylinder block can be easily repaired and even bored.
The design of the power unit provides for a 30 degree tilt to the right side. This solution was chosen by American engineers in order to reduce the negative impact of the forces generated. Thanks to this it was possible to provide excellent technical characteristics, combined with increased service life. Only for this purpose it is necessary to use only original oil and quality gasoline.
The intake and exhaust manifolds are well designed to be located on opposite sides of the power unit. This makes it possible to provide quick and easy access to all parts of the power unit that may need to be removed during repairs. This design allows for a significant reduction in the cost of performing routine and repair work on the engine.
Disadvantages
Despite all the positive qualities and success of the M41 power unit, it has certain disadvantages, because the design is not ideal. As practice shows, owners of cars with such power units under the hood are characterized by such almost identical problems.
The weakest place that causes problems for owners of cars with such motors under the hood is the cylinder block. Very often it develops cracks, which are observed on the threaded connections designed for fixing the cooling jacket and cylinder head. As a rule, cracks occur after the motor succumbs to overheating. Symptoms of cracks include a rapid decrease in coolant in the expansion tank, as well as emulsion in the lubricant. Through the crack in the block, some of the coolant enters the crankcase. This leads to increased wear of the parts that rub during operation, as well as an increased likelihood of overheating. Today, it is quite difficult to find a whole cylinder block, as almost all motors are characterized by such defects.
The rocker cam and eccentric washer are characterized by a short service life. Premature wear of these components is a common problem for owners of vehicles with this power unit under the hood.
Engineers have used low-quality materials to manufacture the gasket located under the cylinder head, which leads to rapid burnout. This causes antifreeze to enter the combustion chamber and the engine stops working properly.
After a large number of kilometers, the engine starts to burn oil. Increased lubricant consumption is a common problem for all Bavarian engines. This is due to the fact that the piston group succumbs to natural wear and tear.
Despite all the inherent faults of the M41 power unit, these engines have proven to be among the most reliable. These engines are characterized by ease of maintenance and repair, as well as low fastidiousness to the oil and fuel used. Despite the fact that a very long time has passed since production stopped, they can be found on domestic roads quite often, which indicates the success of the design.
Technical specifications
The M10 (M41) engine is also known to Bavarian car enthusiasts as the M10B16. It is a modernized version of the M116 engine, which was developed specifically for installation under the hood of BMW 1600 and 1602 cars.
The power unit was developed specifically for use in the first BMW Third Series cars. A distinctive feature of the engine was that it used a dual Solex carburetor.
The maximum power developed by the power unit is 90 horsepower, which is reached at 6 thousand rpm. If the engine is revved up to 4,000 rpm, 123 Nm of maximum torque can be obtained.
Production of the power unit was started in 1975, and in 1983 the last copy came off the assembly line.
0 Comments