The M88 was produced alongside the BMW M30 engine, as the higher performance engine. In North America up until 1989, the BMW S38 engine was used instead of the M88. In 1989, an updated version of the S38 became the worldwide replacement for the M88. The M30B35LE is a SOHC engine which is based on the M88/1; this is sometimes referred to as the M90.
The construction is an aluminium cylinder head and a cast iron block.[7][8] The bore is 93.4 mm (3.68 in) and the stroke is 84.0 mm (3.31 in), resulting in a displacement of 3,453 cc (210.7 cu in).
M88/1 with some parts replaced with Plexiglas for display purposes
The M88 was the original iteration of the engine and was fitted to the BMW M1. It produces 204 kW (277 PS; 273 hp) at 6,500 rpm and 330 N⋅m (243 lbf⋅ft) at 5,500 rpm. A dry sump is used.[12]
For the BMW M1 Procar single-make series, the M88 engine was bored out marginally to reach 3,498 cc (3.5 L). This racing version, called the M88/1, met the Group 4 regulations. This race engine produced 470 PS (350 kW; 460 hp) in Procar specifications. This version had forged pistons, sharper camshafts, bigger valves, as well as oil cooling for the transmission and rear differential.
For Group 5 racing, the M88 engine was turbocharged and became known as the M88/2. It was downsleeved and had a shorter stroke to displace 3,191 cc (3.2 L), which with the 1.4 turbo factor placed it in the 4.5-liter class. This race engine produced up to 670 kW (900 hp).[13]
The M88/3 was also fitted to the South African BMW 745i, due to packaging problems with the turbocharged M102 engine which was used in other markets.[16]
The M30B35LE is a lower performance, two-valve, SOHC version of the M88/1 engine, also known as the M90. It utilizes the same block as the M88 and maintains the same bore and stroke, but borrows its head from the BMW M30 engine family. Different years of this engine uses both Bosch Motronic and Bosch L-Jetronic engine management systems.[5]
Typically identified by a white L painted on the block behind the oil filter housing and coolant water passages on the side of the block.
As sold in Europe and most other markets (except North America), this used a compression ratio of 9.3:1, did not have a catalytic converter and produced 160 kW (218 PS; 215 hp).
