If I had more time right now, I'd jump all over this for something crazy. Not mine, of course:
http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/970585475.html
previously listed as having a new exhaust. Must have popped a head gasket or something. Pull it, megasquirt it, and put it in a Miata.
i'd put it in a straight-six falcon
Excellent idea.
Hmmm....that's about 20 minutes away.....nah.............welllll................nah....
Locost Donor!
A $500 750il is one of the most expensive cars you'll ever buy. 
stuart in mn wrote: A $500 750il is one of the most expensive cars you'll ever buy.
Quoted for such truth . . .
The V12 isn't really a V12 at all. It's two I-6s slapped together, as such, you've got two sets of spark plugs, two DME's, two water pumps, two timing assemblies, two coil packs, it's really a nightmare when those cars go wrong.
I'd be willing to bet you can offer to "take it off his hands" and he'll give it to you.
-Dave
There is almost always a few of those on craigslist for well under $1k. Id kinda like to drive one once just to say I did, but thats about as much as i want to do with one.
Black Stig wrote: The V12 isn't really a V12 at all. It's two I-6s slapped together, as such, you've got two sets of spark plugs, two DME's, two water pumps, two timing assemblies, two coil packs, it's really a nightmare when those cars go wrong. -Dave
Some truth in this, but there's not two water pumps. And of course a V-12 has twice as many spark plugs as in I-6. Only one timing assembly (chain), as well.
does have two fuel pumps, two ECUs, two distributor caps/rotors. The benefit of this is that if any one item fails, the entire associated bank shuts down and you continue driving just fine on 6 cylinders.
I've put about 85,000 miles on mine with no more maintenance than any other car I've owned.
Unfortunately they raised their price to $1000.
Megasquirt can be set up to eliminate the duplicate parts - it's just time and a whole lot of effort, right?!
(And I'd be really interested in seeing the v12 that doesn't have "two sets" of six spark plugs.)
dculberson wrote: (And I'd be really interested in seeing the v12 that doesn't have "two sets" of six spark plugs.)
The v-12 in my firetruck actually had 4 sets of 6 plugs, two plugs per cylinder. It also had 4 coils and two compete 12-terminal distributors.
If the DK valves are good thats the cost of the care X2. I had to track a pair down for a 850i once.
So what does the I6+I6=V12 look like? Sounds like a funky beast.
Nitroracer wrote: So what does the I6+I6=V12 look like? Sounds like a funky beast.
It looks pretty much like any other V-12. The I6+I6 comment was referring to the fuel and ignition systems. It seems Bosch didn't offer anything for 12 cylinders when the car was being developed, so BMW just used 2 sets of their I6 ECUs/distributors/etc.
It is kinda interesting to see the pair of drive-by-wire throttle bodies on an engine that's almost 20 years old.
Here's a pic of mine (with the radiator and water pump and belts removed. You can see the distributors on the front of the engine, down pretty low.
Eh, actually not that low. They're right on the front of the cams.
I seem to recall hearing some story about one where there was an engine management problem, I think with the drive-by-wire system and the parts total was over $1000 essentially just to reconnect the gas pedal to the engine. 
My thought is, "what's wrong with a cable?" 
But then again, a V-12 would be really nice, as long as it is running well and gas stays fairly cheap.
wearymicrobe wrote: If the DK valves are good thats the cost of the car X2. I had to track a pair down for a 850i once.
What's a DK valve?
The only phrase that springs to mind for which that's an abbreviation is "Don't Know." If I started poking around in there, I bet I'd find more than two "DK" valves.
Matt
Throttle body. I forget the German word.
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