e21 head/cam with early distributor(1973)

[Luke's02]

Help! I have a 1973 distributor from my original engine which and I intended on using for my replacement engine. The problem is this new engine has a 1984 head which has high compression piano top pistons mated to a 1974 engine block. From my previous research they say that the distributor/camshaft in the 1980-1984 models of M10 to turn in the opposite direction, thus making the original distributor unusable. I just want to confirm if anybody has had this issue before, what the reason being would be because it does not make a lot of sense. Why would bmw do this? Anyways if that is the case I am looking for a 1980-1984 distributor off an e21 if anyone has one lying around. Any help would be appreciated!

 

 

 

Here is a couple photos of the cam and engine

 

Edited May 20, 2020 by Luke's02

[jimk]

Look thru recent threads. This whole scenario was played in the last few days.

[jireland2002]

Are you sure your 1984 head has the 1984 cam?  

[Cooper]

I was running an 84 head with a tii distributor but I don’t know where the head came from exactly or what was done to it. So not a lot of information there, but it is possible 

[Son of Marty]

Take your 73 dist and hold it up to the cam gear do the teeth match if they match you have a early cam if not you'll need a later dist or a new cam. 

[TobyB]

Yes, your E12 head was cast in 1984.

 

But it's a head for a 2002.  Since the E12 was never used in the E21.

 

If you mentally mate the 2002 distributor (below) to your engine (also below)

you'll see that you might just be able to use that '73 dizzy...

 

t

 

 

[Luke's02]

Thanks for all the replies. @TobyB I think you are right about the e12 head being different from an e21. It should work hopefully.

[Mike Self]

The other giveaway that your head isn't from an E21 is the blanked off mechanical fuel pump mount.  All E21s sold in the US had EFI so no mechanical pump and no need to blank off a blanked off mount.

 

mike

['76mintgrün'02]

7 hours ago, TobyB said:

 

Is that a Harbor Freight distributor?

 

9 hours ago, Luke's02 said:

I have a 1973 distributor from my original engine

 

How much play is there between the gear and the distributor body?

[02Les]

That distributor looks very much like one I bought from IE. It was a dud right out of the box, but having had it for 6 months before finding out, it was trashed canned.