Car Model History

Two-door sedan · 2.0L fuel-injected M10 inline-four (110 hp / 112 lb-ft)

1977 BMW 320i

BMW of North America's history identifies the 320i as the sole U.S. 3 Series model for its 1977 debut.

1977 BMW 320i E21 Group 5, front view
Exact 1977 3 Series reference photograph; exact configuration not verified ·

Photo: “1977 BMW 320i GR5 (front).jpg” by David Merrett / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.

Factory configuration

What this model is

Trim
320i
Body style
Two-door sedan
Engine
2.0L fuel-injected M10 inline-four (110 hp / 112 lb-ft)
Transmission
4-speed Getrag manual or 3-speed ZF automatic

Rear-wheel drive. European-market 316, 318, 320, and 323i offerings are outside this U.S.-market roster.

Configuration-specific ownership

Maintenance for this exact configuration

These items are filtered to the engine, transmission, trim, and model-year applicability recorded for this configuration. Broad Amazon category searches are suppressed here; shopping links appear only beside catalog-backed part numbers.

Service desk

What this car needs & when

Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1977 BMW 320i. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.

Service topics
10
Scheduled topics
8
Applicability stated
10
Exact references
1

Before ordering Identify your engine, options and build date. Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.

  • Engine oil and filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine oil and filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 6,000 mi / 9,600 km · Change at the BMW Oil Service and again at each 12,500-mile BMW Programtest.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 94 — engine and engine-oil-filter rows · checked

  • BMW ProgramtestView intervals, applicability and sources

    BMW Programtest

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 12,500 mi / 20,000 km · After the initial 600-mile Programtest, repeat the published BMW Programtest at this interval.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook pp. 94–95 — service-instruction-plan column headings · checked

  • Manual-transmission oilView intervals, applicability and sources

    Manual-transmission oil

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · manual · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 25,000 mi / 40,000 km · Change at every second BMW Programtest; check the level at each Programtest.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 94 — manual-gearbox row and 25,000-mile footnote · checked

    Automatic-transmission oil

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · automatic · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 25,000 mi / 40,000 km · Change at every second BMW Programtest; check the level regularly.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 94 — automatic-transmission row and 25,000-mile footnote · checked

  • Engine coolantView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine coolant

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 24 months · Renew the coolant filling every two years.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 95 — radiator row · checked

  • Brake and clutch hydraulic fluidView intervals, applicability and sources

    Brake and clutch hydraulic fluid

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 12 months · Renew the brake-system fluid once a year; check the level regularly.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 95 — brake/clutch hydraulic-fluid row · checked

  • Main fuel filterView intervals, applicability and sources

    Main fuel filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 12,500 mi / 20,000 km · Replace at each BMW Programtest; clean the fuel-tank pre-mesh filter every 37,500 miles.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 95 — fuel-supply rows · checked

  • Engine air-filter elementView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine air-filter element

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 12,500 mi / 20,000 km · Renew at each BMW Programtest.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 95 — air-filter row · checked

  • Final-drive oilView intervals, applicability and sources

    Final-drive oil

    Fitment must be confirmed

    Change the factory running-in oil at the initial 600-mile Programtest; check the final-drive level at each recurring Programtest.

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 94 — final-drive row · checked

  • Throttle linkage, hinges, locks, and latchesView intervals, applicability and sources

    Throttle linkage, hinges, locks, and latches

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 12,500 mi / 20,000 km · Lubricate at each BMW Programtest; the initial Programtest also lubricates the throttle linkage.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 94 — linkage, hinge, lock, and latch rows · checked

  • Engine oil filter — catalog fitmentView intervals, applicability and sources

    Engine oil filter — catalog fitment

    Exact reference available

    Applies to: 1977 · United States

    2.0L fuel-injected M10 inline-four (110 hp / 112 lb-ft) — K&N HP-1002

    K&N HP-1002

    Manufacturer-catalog replacement-part fitment only; it does not establish a BMW service interval. Confirm the VIN, production date, engine, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Applies to: 1977 · 2.0L fuel-injected M10 inline-four (110 hp / 112 lb-ft) · 320i · United States · Exact model-year and engine-family catalog scope; verify VIN and production date before ordering.

    Source: K&N — BMW 320i replacement oil-filter catalog · 1977 BMW 320i 1.8L/2.0L gasoline — HP-1002 · checked

    Verified ordering references

Search results may cover different scales, trims and model years. Check each listing; this search does not establish an exact replica of the documented vehicle.

Sources

  1. BMW of North America — first 3 Series U.S. history and specifications
  2. BMW of North America — new BMW 3 Series Sedan and Sports Wagon technical release

Other 1977 configurations

Filter documented 1977 configurations →