New to BMW

Baba

Baba

Newbie
American Zeds
Joined
Sep 16, 2025
Points
3
Model of Z
Z3
Hey everyone, I am picking up a 1997 2.8L Z3 from my father this weekend. I've never owned a BMW so im super excited for this to be my first one. I just started maintaining and fixing/working on my own vehicles so im sure ill be reaching out on these forums for advice along the way. I also recently started a YouTube channel to document my journey learning how to work on my cars. The Z3 will be making its entrance onto my channel sometime next week.
 
Welcome from Mansfield. I had a 2.8 Z3 for seven years, after a couple of years without I now have a 2.5 Z4. Enjoy the forum.
Screenshot_20231218_132340_Photos.webp
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Hi and welcome from me in Scotland :welcome:.

You will find a wealth of information on here for your Z3 and a good few very knowledgeable and helpful folks who will be happy to assist you with any stuff you are having issues with.
Stephen.
 
:welcome:
 
Welcome to the forum from Oxfordshire!

You have picked the best engine! Or though I am biased.

Here is a thread to help you with parts buying:
zroadster.org

Technical - Part Buying Guide For Newbies

Smudgemanuk submitted a new resource: Part Buying Guide For Newbies - Part Buying Guide For Newbies Hi all, welcome. I thought I would make a part buying guide for people new to the forum, as I found it quite daunting for the first few weeks of owning my z Step 1 - Finding part numbers...
zroadster.org zroadster.org

Chris.
 
Smudgemanuk said:
Welcome to the forum from Oxfordshire!

You have picked the best engine! Or though I am biased.

Here is a thread to help you with parts buying:
zroadster.org

Technical - Part Buying Guide For Newbies

Smudgemanuk submitted a new resource: Part Buying Guide For Newbies - Part Buying Guide For Newbies Hi all, welcome. I thought I would make a part buying guide for people new to the forum, as I found it quite daunting for the first few weeks of owning my z Step 1 - Finding part numbers...
zroadster.org zroadster.org

Chris.
Click to expand...
Biased for a reason the 2.8 tu is a great unit .
Stephen.
 
Interesting, the car im picking up this weekend had a remanufactured 2.8 installed. Even though its a 1997, could either the single or double have been installed and if so, how can I tell?
 
I just looked back on an older thread and I saw that the TU is fly by wire, meaning no throttle cable? My dad mentioned that it uses electric throttle and that it currently will not accelerate.. so im guessing its a TU. My first project is to figure out why its not accelerating... my first guess is a sensor
 
2.8 tu has a throttle cable only 2.2 tu and 3.0 are drive by wire and maybe some later 2.0 as well
My 99 pre face-lift 2.8 tu has a cable.

This is the engine bay of a 97 m52 2.8 single vanos.
20250917_192223.jpg


And this is the engine bay of a 99 m52tu 2.8 twin vanos
20250917_192136.jpg


As you can see the Tu unit has a number of differences in the engine bay
Different airbox and air intake , relocated power steering bottle and screenwash bottle , secondary air pump ( smog pump) added twin vanos cover at front engine meaning different radiator with separate expansion bottle
There's obviously a number of other things but that's a few of the more obvious ones.
Stephen.
 
That's amazing, thank you for that! Ill report back this weekend when im with the car!
 
Hi and :welcome: to the forum from me too in Stafford.
 
From Down here too, Welcome
 
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