My engine builder called me the other day to tell me that I need to get the bearings for the intermediate shaft. He is in the process of balancing and blue-printing my engine for the 2002 race season. I had already given him the rod and main bearings but overlooked the intermediate bearings. So today, (after hours of internet searching)I go to my local BMW dealer. The guys at the parts dept couldn't find any reference to these bearings in their computer, so the call BMW North America. BMW NA says that the bearing are considered to be part of the engine block, and the only way to get the bearings is to buy a new block. My reply was, "Get the F#%& out!" I suggested that we try finding the bearings for a 325e instead of a 325i(afterall, the blocks are the same). Turns out that the bearings are available for the "e", and they are not considered to be part of the block. But the bearings aren't on the diagram of the 325e in the BMW Parts locator, you just have to know that they are there. I went ahead and ordered the 325e bearings, hoping that they will fit. Both engines have the same intermediate shaft, so the I.D. of the bearings should be the same, I would think that the O.D. should be the same.

Has anyone else come across this problem, and if so, what bearings did you use?