BMW N54: Everything You Need to Know

[@Dustrunnersauto]

N54, 2JZ, or RB26 - which one would you pick and why? Thanks for watching, be sure to subscribe and hit that thumbs up button 🙌🏻

[@antonyklein4882]

Picked the n54 - was the only one in this list I could realistically afford. If something breaks on the motor - fix it. It's not like the other motors mentioned dont have issues/ maintenance requirements

[@1VETaLEK2]

@Ernie Mannebach lolol they are very different motors

[@1VETaLEK2]

n54 they just cost a fraction of anything with a jz or rb. rb

[@fredamerson2116]

Love my N54 despite its flaws. What other motor can you put a $500 tune on and give Pony cars a run for their money?

[@A4rings110]

​@Ernie Mannebach 2jz has MUCH better oil cooling, harder block material, thicker deck, siamese bore cylinders, thicker cylinders, and more uniform cylinder thickness. Essentially its a stronger block all around.

[@yungmugel]

the N54 is only for car enthusiasts that know it’s going to take some loving on to keep running like the ultimate driving machine, if you’re not mechanically inclined, your wallet better be fat

[@CadexLaw]

You can say that for nearly every car ever that is 10 years or older.

[@Skibbidyboobop]

FACT

[@kaelanburke2097]

Exactly

[@dragod7233]

i would rather buy an alfa romeo giulia then , i know from start im buying kinda shitty car with rear wheel drive, but better than any bmw with N engine

[@anmac6910]

i would get an S54 engine

[@joshuamedina8920]

I mean Toyota knew what they were doing coming to BMW for inline 6 ENGINE. MPOWERRR

[@ludikonj8927]

Thats an n58, all M engines are S not N.. and by the way n55 is the worst of those three so n54 or n58 is the way to go

[@JSarmiento.]

It's cheaper to have warranty on another manufacturer's engine than to develop your own knowing how volatile the market dement is.

[@Pressplayboy]

Yea that b58 is a sleeper it can put out some crazy power

[@ajmartinez1470]

@@ludikonj8927 you forget about the 2011 legendary 1M coupe my friend

[@marioreyes932]

the n55 is not the worst of the 3 lmao, more reliable

[@SupraSav]

Had my 335i for a year now, full boltons. Pushing 390-400 rwhp. I had to change injectors when I bought the car, other than that, everything was routine maintenance. I beat on it pretty hard too

[@owenfeyen9945]

How did this comment age?

[@Jay-dx9fi]

@@owenfeyen9945 probably pretty good as mine is the same. 650nm+ in all gears FBO for 2 years

[@SupraSav]

I am now at 165000 kms, turbos are well on their way out. Make little to no boost, honestly, it's sad. I cry a little when I step on the throttle. I don't winter drive it though. I have just ordered RB two plus' and will be installing them as soon as they arrive! Expecting to make 525 rwhp.

[@_zero_8248]

@@SupraSav yes you seem to be at the mileage amount, mine just went out at 80k and I had to replace them ;)

[@deadlyloyalty8927]

@@SupraSav hows the new turbos running?

[@jacobhauenstein]

Owning an n54 is what changed my mind about BMW.

[@kaelanburke2097]

Same :/

[@TheShaun012]

Good or bad?

[@Bennydove]

Ruined my love for bmw 😂 but once a bmw guy always a bmw guy

[@blockpartyvintage1568]

@@Bennydove completely. I won't drive anything else

[@Jackchatt]

Hey everyone it’s because he’s broke and couldn’t afford it

[@ThabangMtshixa]

my dad bought it 5years ago 2nd hand 160+km had to replace the turbos once yea and the water pump and the rediator....but man for a 2007 car in 2023 we still use it as an everyday car and to top it up it still gives me goosbumps when i get to drive it, like how can i still feel you "bmwn54 35 mr 2007" how do they do it????? bmw is way ahead of time.

[@mortkb]

I have a 09 535i with the N54 and other than a few VANOS solenoid issues and waterpump replacement, it has been super reliable. Valve cover oil leak, oil pan leak but so far (fingers crossed) it has been an amazing engine. 28-30MPG on the highway and about 27 average and when you stomp it, it rolls out pretty good. No mods because honestly, it just doesn't need it. I feel like it is the closest thing to an electric motor you can get in a gas car. Torque is available everywhere in the rev range and it will scream up to 7K RPM no problem.

[@Technician586]

N54 FOR LIFE.

[@Dustrunnersauto]

Thanks for watching 🙏🏻 ps YOU LEFT CAPS LOCK ON

[@NUNYABIZNNAAAZZZ]

Heck yes!

[@dragod7233]

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@unknownuserxvii]

preach

[@rrudydedogg3779]

I have an N54 in my 2011 335is that has a few simple add-ons and an MHD Stage 2+ tune. The Dyno rated this as 485 horsepower and 537 lb.ft. of torque at the crank. It is mated to a DCT transmission and depending on which buttons are pushed and what mode you select you can either drive grandma to church without raising an eye or turn it into a track monster looking for something to kill. It is that flexibility I like the best and it does so reliably and efficiently. Love it!!

[@unluckeeeee]

485 on standard twins?

[@Stock.e60]

I have a completely stock 2008 bmw 535i and honestly I can say at 177,000 miles it still runs pretty smooth. I’ve replaced the water pump at about 156,000 miles and it WAS expensive but i haven’t had any major problems since then. Over all I’d say the n54 is pretty reliable.

[@james10165]

Agree the N54 is pretty reliable especially considering people are running 100hp plus over stock. Just hope I do not have to do the water pump anytime soon. Enjoying the car too much to have it be sitting getting repaired lol

[@johnysilvester8483]

Sir can you please tell me what all parts you've changed on the engine side so far during your period of ownership

[@johnysilvester8483]

Sir can you please tell me what all parts you've changed on the engine side so far during your period of ownership

[@Str3tSpec]

@@johnysilvester8483 upgrade inter cooler, catch can, full exhaust, cat less downpipes, index 12 injectors, bigger fueling, better spark plugs and coils, bof much more but those are basics

[@thebraapdawg]

I got a 08 535i and I'm fixing the rack and pinion. 😂 Stupid hard job, but the car is worth it!!!

[@dg8676]

I bought a 08 335i with 74k for $10k one owner almost brand new. 6 speed he was in the air force and bought it in Germany and shipped it back. I love my car.

[@ryandiaz6326]

I bought my 08 335i 6 speed also for 5k cash 80k miles brand new

[@jcbeast_135i]

Ryan Diaz nice! i just got a m135i for 9.6k 120k miles! Montego blue ☺️

[@luis-jb6hd]

i bought my 08 with 74k miles too lmao it’s been sitting for almost a year now but i still love my car too

[@Savagee5044]

Somebody want to sell me one for 2500 6 speed , 135k should I buy?

[@dg8676]

@@Savagee5044 you should pay 100 bucks and take it to bmw to get a pre purchase inspection it could end up being a money pit. I’ve put at least 5k into the car in repairs

[@valtisautoperformance8091]

To me n54 has done nothing but good, I compete in this car and has always come on top (not stock)

[@airline3hum]

Short and very informative. More videos on KZbin about cars should be like this. Well done and thank you for keeping it going five years later!

[@noroy2]

Have ‘08 335i with a N54 engine, best car ever had... greetings from Mexico 🇲🇽.

[@stephenmaxwellfuks3484]

if you're seeing this video in 2022, I have some suggestions. Having owned an n54 now and taking everything apart to fix it, there are certain improvement fixes I'd recommend. If your injectors or hpfp fail and you're tuning your car, I'd reccomend just swapping to port injection, a port injection kit and controller will cost less than a hpfp, much less injectors. It will also be capable of producing far more power and running full e85 (with a supporting lpfp upgrade). I would also recommend that you try to do all the maintenance you can before doing any tuning. I would also recommend that you be careful with the manual transmissions, everyone says they are bulletproof, which seems to be true, they can handle the power, however they seem to have problems with the 2nd gear synchros so make sure the transmission feels good in every gear, as a looseness in gear (i.e. you can wiggle the shifter excessively even when the car is in gear) as this is usually a sign that the transmission is not as good anymore.

[@jamessimmons8352]

My 2008 535i has the N54. It still runs as smooth and powerful as when new. Unfortunately it did leave me stranded on the highway once with a failed water pump. And the fuel pump was replaced under the recall. Injectors were all inspected and none were among the defective serial numbers so no issues with injectors in 11 years. Overall I’ve been very happy with the N54... Knock on wood. 🙂

[@albertkazan2232]

James Simmons same here man I have the same year same model and only have had to replace the low pressure fuel pump and the plug packs the car has 156k on it and still runs bitching KNOCK ON WOOD ,people say there's a lot of fail points and although it might be true to some extent just depends on the driver and how well the car was taken car off

[@TheJames1842]

James Simmons mine sucked the serpentine belt into the engine and bent the valves .

[@TheJames1842]

Same year and model btw :) idk what to do at this point as my car has been in the shop for about two weeks now

[@jamessimmons8352]

@@TheJames1842 Wow sorry to hear that. I'm confused though. Bent valves sounds more like a timing chain break, not a serpentine belt. I can't fathom how a serpentine belt could get "sucked" into the engine.

[@TheJames1842]

James Simmons pulled in behind the crankshaft and the timing chain hungry hungry hippos that shit into pieces which go into your oil pan and can make your gears jump which isn’t a fun result.

[@N54GASM]

My n54 has 150k Making 500ish whp owned it since 100k only had to replace coils plugs, gaskets and one water pump that was due. Other than that just the occasional walnut blast and regular fluid changes. It’s called preventative maintenance..

[@Dustrunnersauto]

Preventative maintenance doesn't solve everything.

[@maxnix346]

@@Dustrunnersauto But it is surely cheaper than parts and labor for component failure.

[@titanium9291]

Dust Runners Automotive Journal so we should never change our oil cause that’s preventive maintenance?

[@joebutlersnr7017]

Fitting an oil catch can in place of the pcv system can help with the dirty inlet valves , I paid £200 for walnut blast which I thought was reasonable , but I wonder if a terraclean could do the same thing?

[@johnysilvester8483]

Sir can you please tell me what all parts you've changed on the engine side so far during your period of ownership

[@ArkadyRenko1]

Here in England, I saw a trend of 6 pot engines being famous. I bought the N53 330i. After a month I realized that I should have gone for N54 335i. These engines are solid and fast.

[@yahtadi5152]

What's wrong with N53? I prefer N/A over turbo tbh

[@ArkadyRenko1]

@@yahtadi5152 oil Leaks Fuel injectors problem Catalytic converter failure , including all related sensors Always in limp mode with engine light on

[@1VETaLEK2]

i have a fbo 07 335 with 400whp. 180k miles no problems have a few friends with over 200k and one with 330k miles and hes running high boost on oem turbos

[@Hidavi]

My N54 has 250k miles. Tuned to make about 420whp without issues. Water pump definitely sucks on this engine though lol

[@johnysilvester8483]

Sir can you please tell me what all parts you've changed on the engine side so far during your period of ownership

[@georgesabdallah2439]

solid block, its everything around it that may fail but the block and turbo design is solid

[@PR0bro]

One advantage of the N54 being that its nearly half the weight of a 2jz-GTE, and significantly lighter than the RB26DETT while still retaining its 3.0L displacement and (Most of its) reliability. I'm no expert, but if an "N54 Simplification" type of kit was sold for more serious builds, I doubt there would be the same reliability issues. More with the fanboying, but another reason why reliability is seen as lower on an N54 is due to the fact that most people who build them aren't building for racecars, instead for comfortable street cars on a budget sacrificing crucial things such as cooling. On the other hand, it's common for 2JZ tuners to essentially build the engine ground up with only performance in mind. Advances in popularity of N54 tuning will really show what its capable of, as of now we've only scratched the surface (We've actually gone pretty far but still a lot to go in comparison to 2JZ tuning).

[@i_am_iller4377]

So i’m just throwing up some balls in the air now but would u say that it’s worth for me for an example to swap my I4 2.0L engine on my E60 to an N54? Cuze I’m looking for a new engine that can push more power than the engine I have now do.

[@xantor_]

@@i_am_iller4377 definetly. The N54 is cheap to get and the engine itself is reliable, only the accessories are prone to fail as mentioned in the video

[@jordanbunch6300]

Idk bro you can’t increase horsepower without fixing your cooling you still won’t be able to drive on the highway or for long at all. You could blow a gasket and damage the engine you must throw on a bigger intercooler on any car when you increase horses if it’s not already reliable and built to take it. That extra power creates heat bro it’s a Beamer at the end of the day cheap or not heat is like water to a witch on a bmw…..

[@CP-jt6bw]

dont buy if you can't learn to change the : injectors water pump vanos oxy sensors down pipes fmic sparks coils but if u can its good

[@spudpotat24]

N54 don't have VANOS guy

[@laurieagnew6706]

Lol. Yes they do

[@maxnix346]

@@spudpotat24 Wow, have not read the manual, I presume?

[@spudpotat24]

@@maxnix346 I mixed up VANOS and valvetronic. Sorry

[@lonniemarks8380]

Dont forget cleaning your valves constantly or installing a catch can because n54 and replacing basically everything else thats supposed to hold boost because n54

[@Chitownmud]

They use twin turbo power for twin turbos and twin power turbo fir twin scroll single

[@cdoe3395]

N54 is amazing. I had to have both turbos rebuilt @ 170000 kms and worth it. Even with the loose waste gates it was pretty quick

[@unluckeeeee]

Mine are being sent off in few weeks to have the WG replaced. Only 60k rattling like a snake.

[@johnysilvester8483]

Sir can you please tell me what all parts you've changed on the engine side so far during your period of ownership

[@cdoe3395]

@@johnysilvester8483 n54 is a good engine but needs tlc. Oil leaks fixed everywhere possible, water pump replacement 2 times in 3 years. The car has near 200,000kms on it so to be expected. Other than that it runs great some minor electrical issues as there are a billion censors in bmws.

[@johnysilvester8483]

@@cdoe3395 thnk you so much for your valuable response

[@theforeignatics9798]

Working on building my n54 on my channel! Great engine running strong and fast 🔥🔥

[@beng3345]

Index 12 injectors fixed that injector problem, under warranty. The HPFP problems were also solved under warranty with a new part. Overall, the car has been incredibly reliable.

[@YonOtto]

Had mine 3 years only had to replace the serpentine belt and coils packs. Running great.

[@Worldscientist47]

I've had it 2.5 years with serpentine belt changes twice, tensioner, fuel pump, coil pack, spark plugs and lots of misfiring. daily. but i love the car!

[@fabijanblazek3649]

best video of a n54 so far. Quick full of detaiils and easy to understand. Thanks

[@erikalvarez4516]

The crazy thing is how cheap you can find them for. Around $8,000 and you have a great all around car (335i) I have worked on my own and after 90,000 (155,000 total) I have done both fuel pumps, fuel injectors, 2 water pumps, oil filter/crank gaskets, and a new radiator and some hoses last summer and I have done it all myself. Also paid $400 for a walnit blast but if you can have a few thousand in savings or spare credit card aside for emergency (inevitable) parts and wrench yourself, you can be good to go. Buying parts with great warranties is also a must as it has saved me a few times especially with injectors. Most of my parts have been replaced only once (it being a 12 year old car soaking up the Arizona heat) I can say the feeling of driving it is well worth the maintenance.

[@MrPanaramuh]

Agreed. Have a fbo 335i and have only replaced coils, injectors(index 3 and only one was stuck so I just replaced all 6) and the water pump. Car has been a beast since I've bought it and I would recommend FCPEURO for all part needs if you can wait for the part(they ship fast.) They over lifetime warranty on EVERY SINGLE PART THEY STOCK. Even wear items like brake pads and rotors, oil, coolant, etc. Piece of mind only having to buy the item once for the lifetime you own the car.

[@MrChavis84]

You are lucky, in Europe (Spain in my case) its dificult to found a decent unit less than 15.000€

[@TheFrenchPug]

I have a 2009 335i e92. Upgraded Vargas Twin Turbos, JB 4 stsge 2 tuner, with Pure Boost Methanol Injection by Turner Motorsports. Also upgraded charge pipe and an oil catch can. Not sure what my HP at the wheels is now but my tires are chirping in 3rd and 4th gear. And it pulls harder the faster I go. Fun stuff.

[@mattb6595]

Also direct injection helps reduce turbo lag. Direct injection allows for higher compression ratio. in n54 10.2:1 so having more hp available before the turbo kicks in greatly helps

[@alexc7641]

You forgot to mention: -the costly walnut blasting of the intake ports every 30k miles. -Plastic impeller in the water pump. -Leaky Oil pan due to the aluminum bolts breaking off. Great guts of the engine but it's external components are just shit. I always have to fix something on my damn 335i.

[@kneecaps2000]

That's BMW story. Pleasure and power at the cost of non stop headaches.

[@DefiNotAVampire]

Get a port injection kit helps clean up the intake ports. Also walnut blasting costs like 100$ at most if you do it yourself

[@vw3576]

You dont need to walnut blast. I just did mine tonight with crc intake cleaner, a brass brush/drill and shop vac. Clean as new!!!!

[@TheFrenchPug]

Every other day lately for me. At 144k miles. All plastic part problems too

[@dolphinfan1493]

Do it yourself and stop crying it’s easy

[@tashinorbu444]

Simply put N54 is for car enthusiast. have some money or save to replace turbo, injectors, coil, sparkplug, vacum lines, coolant hose, oil gaskets, water pump and thermostat, dme mosfet if you buy 2007 model, walnut blast. hpfp,lpfp , rear window actuator , if auto some wires get worn out inside shift box then you have fix almost major problem . 🤣 .

[@zenden6564]

A long list, what about the Vanos?

[@quevogreen]

Ummm the wires in the shift box literally take 20 minutes to fix and are easy to get too I literally just did this a month ago when I lost my sport mode

[@mos342]

U forgot valve cover and oil filter housing gasket

[@ko4431]

I have had to do everything on your list including valve cover & gasket, oil filter housing and a transfer case replacement. Mine is on jack stands right now as I am chasing the newest issue seeing I cant stay out of limp mode lol

[@riczon1056]

Piece of cake maintenance after you’ve done them several times lol!! Love my 335i.

[@Latinblood59]

If I remember correctly, the Z4 35is used an N54 up until 2016.

[@randyrawdingii5135]

I have replaced my hpfp and I love this engine. But after sitting a year and a half in storage I drive it 2 days and a rear shock mount breaks and later it goes into limp mode. Yayyy me! Fun car. When it runs 🙄😂

[@chastenchilders6353]

2010 335i x-drive here, the only thing that has ever failed in mine is the valve cover gasket. I drive mainly city and curvy country roads so almost zero highway miles which to me is pretty impressive when I average 26+ gas mileage. Sorry about bragging but I love my car

[@izayoiaifuyu]

700 is still near twin levels, and you wouldn't need a conversion for it. Hell, to hit around 600, you need literally nothing more than: >7 or 7.5" intercooler >Dual Cone intakes >Catless Downpipe >Piggyback ECU >Low pressure fuel pump that's friendly to E85 >New charge pipe that's not plastic That's just about it. That's easy.

[@NUNYABIZNNAAAZZZ]

The dual cone intakes do nothing, not necessary

[@DRACO1ONER]

@@NUNYABIZNNAAAZZZ I feel more torque and they sound awesome I have all of the above except DP cuz CA anal

[@titanium9291]

Chris Smith DCI has been proven to make “some” power in the upper RPM range, on an aggressive tune. Plus it is much louder than the stock box. Whether it sounds better or not is subjective. But I wouldn’t say that do nothing.

[@marvinavilez1]

Izayoi Monochrome no way you’re hitting 600 with just those things

[@violenter.]

I have a 2014 Z4 Sdrive 35i with N54, it has VRSF downpipes and air intakes and a stage 2 MHD Tune, it is FAST. Although I don't know how much HP is can pack, I estimate over 400.

[@terryc2180]

N54 was produced until 2016 in the e89 z4

[@twinturbo8304]

My n-54 has 105k. With no problems other than leaky valve cover and water pump change out once. I have a tune and drive it hard to keep the carbon build up out.

[@M0MMY1SSU35]

I got a 535xi with the n54 engine less than 5 months ago and everything that can go wrong with the motor went wrong 😭 but it is a lot of fun

[@elmatatang7660]

Everyone forgets the 740 they also have n54 since 2011 those were the best year

[@kevinjekyll1521]

I have a 135i N54 it has wastegate rattle but runs fine, what options do I have moving on, it is not my daily driver, and can do my own work to a point.

[@Savorychicken41]

I have that engine in my 535xi wagon. When everything is running well it’s the greatest thing ever. But I’ve had tons of issues with the engine over the year including having to replace the turbos. The parts that need to be replace or repair keep getting more and more expensive as the car gets older. I would say that in the used market this engine is very expensive to run. This has actually turned me off to turbo bmw’s all together.

[@Booki89]

Great video! Lots of information here in such a quick vid. Loved it!

[@startingtech3900]

my 2007 BMW 335i has 201,800 miles on it still going strong boys!

[@jamesbondeson669]

I had a 2010 335i M Sport coupe with the N54 and 6 speed manual, and I loved it. It never gave me any trouble. I probably would still have it had I not come in to an inheritance in 2014. When that came through, I ordered a 2015 M4 specked out just the way I wanted it and took delivery in November of that year, trading in the 335i. The M4 is the best car I have ever owned and I plan on keeping it a lo-o-ong time! The M4 gives me even more of everything I loved about the 335i in spades, and is the only reason I don't still have the 335.

[@alfa_romeo55yush82]

Lucky you. How is your M4 currently doing 2 years later. I bet you love the 2021's and cant wait to get your hands on one.

[@jamesbondeson669]

@@alfa_romeo55yush82 It's still doing great. I will have had it 7 years next Monday (Nov, 22). But I have ordered a 2022 G82 M4. I'm still waiting for an allocation from my dealer.

[@alfa_romeo55yush82]

@@jamesbondeson669 Thats great. My math supersedes my brain Good luck with the 2022. Shes a beaut.

[@andreykurayev1318]

N54 is one of the best engines ever made on earth

[@johnlindley8323]

I havent had much luck with the n53 cracked block, rod bearings, worn cam ledges

[@Lilbros20]

i got a N54 E92 328i, should i put a single turbo on it? My N54 doesn’t have those 2 lil turbos:(

[@recordsofbas]

Small correction but it was produced until 2016 surprisingly in the z4 sdrive35i’s, although it is quite rare to z4 that’s manual

[@gearhead3500]

does the 125i have the same engine except turbos?

[@micraw714]

Despite its issues, my e92 335i is my favorite car I've owned. I also have an f80 M3, 1jz swapped s14, and had an f30 335i 😁

[@Dustrunnersauto]

Nice! I've been looking at scooping up an F30 335i for a new daily.

[@micraw714]

Dust Runners Automotive Journal it makes a great daily!

[@michaelhall9138]

N54 needs regular walnut blasting to clean valve carbon build-up.

[@CGSURG]

Catch cans solve that.

[@alisioardiona727]

Put a port injection kit on it.

[@bg-se7rq]

Paul Cochrane +1

[@Playstationpotato88]

What about N54 K2 engine?

[@Mango_Productions]

Love my N54 and lucky to have one of the last built on a 2013 IS model with a 7 spd DCT found on the M3/M4s B). Runs the quarter mile as fast as a 2018 Camaro ZL1 (supercharged 650hp car) on stock turbos 11.7 @120mph.

[@papa_pt]

the 535i is very underpriced right now bc of the popularity of the e9x cars. The weight difference btwn the two is less than a hundred lbs because of the extra aluminum used in the front half of the e6x

[@druumoren4458]

I wish I got my with a 6mt

[@n54single]

That's why I got the 535i :D

[@markringwald2776]

I think e6x looks better than e9x anyway, and has more room inside

[@smgs921]

Mark Ringwald the headlights and trunk on the E60 are hideous but it makes for a great daily. Ill keep my E92 though

[@maozedong2186]

you are lucky in US. 535 biturbo never been sold here in europe

[@craighrodgers8443]

So this motor has no valve carbon issues???

[@michaelswinford6262]

having owned all 3 in stock form and basic mods. I have been most impressed with the n54. It would have been nice if the small issues were not there with the N54

[@kneecaps2000]

I'm a big BMW and JDM fan, but its the typical BMW story. The core of their engines are bullet proof but they so silly things the Japanese designers don't. Electric pumps, cheap rubber seals etc. BMW make beautifully refined engines but spoil it with cutting corners on the accessories. Japanese engines apart from the occasional weak oil pump certainly are the reliability kings.

[@donsirsimon]

Actually electric waterpump is a lot more expensive than the regular mechanical one. Its not a cost saving measure. And they have ditched it and gone back to mechanical one on their newer engines. B58 engine in new supra and Z4 has a mechanical one. N55 still had electric pump. Why BMW things sometimes fail is because they try to innovate and being pretty much the first to implement something does sometimes come at the cost of maintenance and reliability. Electric waterpump on N54 acts like a oldschool turbotimer. it cycles coolant through the hot turbos and cools them when you have done more spirited drive,parked your car and switched the engine off. Also when doing a coolant change it has a easy bleeding mode. You just set your climate temps to max, blower to minimum and while ignition is on hold the throttle pedal down until you hear the waterpump start doing its bleeding procedure and push the coolant around. Then just watch and add coolant if needed. Finally some tunes like Dinan and MHD actually increase the rpm of the waterpump to keep your now more powerful engine cool. Of course increased rpm may mean shorter lifespan for the pump aswell. I have owned N54 powered Z4 for almost 4 years now. Have had none of the common issues(waterpump, injectors, HPFP etc) pop up. Mostly just regular maintenance. Mine is not madly modded however. Simple stage 1 tune for more than 2 years now. Planning on doing more to it soon.

[@peteringram7472]

would you do a video on the m50? there aren’t many videos about it but i’ve seen some pretty crazy builds with it

[@dappermoto8821]

Buying a n54 anymore advice ? Intro music is bangin

[@haydeneberle]

I have a N54 2009 135i. The motor is solid but everything around it is a nightmare. You just have resign yourself to the never ending string of problems. Lucky it's still redeemable because it's the most funnest thing I have ever driven.

[@dodgehemi5045]

just collected 2013 e93is dtc. lbm-coral red, aka SUPERMAN theme. ALREADY ecu Dinan2, 5" stepped fmic, FORGE bov, dci, GOLF TEE plug pipes baffle, bms oil temp valve. 390hp,420 TOKE .

[@3thirty5zo]

What years does the n54 come in the 335i

[@makamakaric9465]

N54 is perfect! ..for e30 ;)

[@hamp9061]

Keep an eye out. We could see the n54 break 1200hp this year

[@maxnix346]

Not without a built closed deck motor and strange fuel.

[@hamp9061]

Max Nix no they are gonna do it on a n52 magnesium block with n52 Internals...

[@Cafferssss]

@@maxnix346 which is what the b58 has that's in the new supra. Can't wait for the aftermarket to work its magic with this engine.

[@sebrich8214]

The housing filter gasket is a problem too ;)

[@jorianyfr4528]

I am 16 and my first car is the 335i. I have only had it two months before it spun a bearing and put metal all in the motor, now I need a new motor. Despite that happening, I still love the car. I am a BMW fan boy I guess, but I know what these motors can do and I will never regret buying this car even .if the new motor blows up.

[@colemithrush]

That's the attitude! ( If your wallet can support it )

[@jorianyfr4528]

Cole Vancouver It barely does 😂😂

[@dwightlooi]

The only reason you are a BMW fan boy and still love the car when it blew a motor in 2 months is BECAUSE YOU ARE 16 and DADDY PAYS FOR IT!

[@jorianyfr4528]

​@@dwightlooi You are dumb as fuck, I have saved money ever since I was 7 doing chores, yard work, etc. Then the day I turned 15 I started to work at Kroger's and I didn't buy anything. I then bought a crashed 2004 honda civic coupe for $600, I fixed it and sold it for $2000. I had saved about $6570. Then with the help of my mom and dad we bought a 2008 bmw 335i for $7200. I work hard for my stuff, the only thing my dad bought me was a tiny bit of the car, and new brake pads. Know who ur talking to before u talk shit.

[@druumoren4458]

Why did it spin a bearing? Did you check the oil?

[@mtbingdude64]

i knew it was an aluminum head but i didnt know the bottom end was aluminum also? does anyone know if its closed or open?

[@JusZard]

What about the regular n55

[@JonathanMartinez-xs5ze]

What year 335i does the n54 come in?

[@omarspost]

N54 was manufactured up until 2016 for the Z4. I'm trying find out the tweaks and improvements BMW made during the 10yr production run (2006-2016). Other than injectors nobody on youtube seems to have any info. If someone can point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

[@Naganch]

Had a 535i E60 for 4 years. Wonderful car and a gem of an engine. However reliability wasn’t its strong side.

[@haroldcoleman5944]

What would cause a BMW 335i 2008 to cause white smoke to come out the exhaust

[@smgs921]

The N54 was in production until 2016 actually and you can push over 500wheel on stock turbos however they wont last very long

[@JD2.0N54]

What 2016 models came with N54.?

[@smgs921]

J.D 2.0 Z4 Sdrive35i and 35is

[@JD2.0N54]

Ok maybe the Z4 but the 335is was produced from 2011 until 2013. But thanks for the info.!

[@smgs921]

J.D 2.0 the N54 came in multiple different cars. Never said it was only in the 335is.

[@smgs921]

J.D 2.0 i think i see where you misinterpreted what i said. Sdrive35i and Sdrive35is versions of the Z4. Wasn’t referring to a 335is

[@BryanChance]

The N54 is not as reliable as the JZ. Other common problems with the N54, oil leaks valve cover gasket, rear main seal, over heating in hot weather. I've learned to work on my 335 by watching youtube videos. :p To me, It's more about the car as a whole than just the engine.

[@BryanChance]

@@user-ie4kp7ni9d Yeah, I was thinking that. LOL

[@blakeburnett3334]

What years are the n54 in the 335?

[@phild5813]

Wasn't the 2016 z4 an N54?

[@thatflywelshguy9662]

would love an N55 video

[@Miguel-ix2re]

Great vid, well researched 👌 n54 is a good engine and after all, the B58 is in the new supra, definitely top tier

[@Dustrunnersauto]

Thanks 🙏🏻

[@Th3lastsong]

Miguel Gomez junk engine dude.

[@Miguel-ix2re]

Th3lastsong Lol you're entitled to your own opinion, even if its wrong 🤷‍♂️

[@grantking4891]

A young man was doing 328KM/H in his M4. So the power is there.

[@rubberyfaceimbred]

N54 isn't as reliable as a 2jz or as easy to work on I've had high HP of both, but it's got nicer torque and easier tuning initially , def a great start for bmw in the turbo scene

[@JQ_Unity]

Only thing not real easy is like the water pump and thermo along with the oil pan. Everything else is a cake walk

[@kylerwinters]

@@JQ_Unity even the water pump is easy. Everyone just bitchs about it because they have to get on their back. Water pump on a xDrive 335i is a bitch though.

[@Nautricity]

The N54 is significantly easier to modify and tune than a JZ or RB, but the issues around the accessories are the issue, the motor itself is stout, and the more serious issues had been updated later down the line in life, but BMW also continued to update parts well into the late 2010's, recently the crank sprocket got updated, so that part is not found in a production car, it is merely an updated part. Things like boost solenoids and coils and water pumps, motor mounts, turbo failure, belt drive wearing excessively, cam ledges, oil pan gasket, etc, are all headaches to deal with but can be done DIY with the mechanically inclined. There will be a lot of subframe dropping to do bigger jobs.

[@dominicbarne5218]

Bought a 335i autovogue and a 330 clubsport in a deal, the clubsport is worth more than I paid for the pair so I have a 335i owing me £0.......so I’m going to pull it out bolt on some fast bits and put it in my e34 then break the rest of the car for good money, can’t wait it’s going to be the ultimate sleeper 😎

[@iProCombo]

Can you please do a video on N54 vs N55 and power figure differences? N55 in 435i

[@brettkrehling8738]

N55 is better no video needed haha

[@maxnix346]

@@brettkrehling8738 Depends what you want out of the engine. N55 addressed head cooling, sump vapor bypass, main bearing lubrication, fuel efficiency. Pretty good on the road.

[@quevogreen]

N55 is more reliable n54 makes more power

[@stephenlozano2816]

How many miles is too many miles on an N54 engine ?

[@hoosiernative9668]

Yes

[@bcg5175]

hey bud great video, the best video ive found when searching n54 bmw 135i, too much knowledge & information to grasp as a first bmw owner & essentially chimp when comes to engines lol, just bought my first bmw friday paid in full, 2008 0 accidents 1 owner 91500 miles, carfax w 25+ service records, m package nav etc, metallic silver, the silver surfer in the flesh lol think I found myself a diamond in the rough, anymore advice for a first time bmw/ 135i/ n54 owner in particular? thanks again keep up the good work bud watched this vid bout 5 times already

[@alexandrpodgorneac1292]

Keep oil and coolant level a little under filled, so you'll get more life on your coolant pipes/hoses, valve cover/oil filter housing/oil pan gaskets..

[@james10165]

Upgrade the charge pipe, upgrade the vacuum hoses to silicone ones, change the coils, spark plugs, fluids, and check what index injectors you have (11-12 are preferred), clean the intake valves with a cleaner or walnut blast them and lastly check/do the serpentine belt/pulleys/tensioner. After all that throw on a jb4/bef or mhd and you should have a reliable fun/fast car. btw also look into the upgraded pcv valve and an oil catch can.

[@qicksilver284b1]

Can you do one on the n55?

[@sheilamorrison1954]

These were marketed as twin power? never saw that. The one which followed, n55 was as it was a twinscroll single turbo....

[@nicholaswilson9446]

Sheila Morrison I’m pretty sure he’s mistaken on that point - ‘Twinpower’ was a term brought in for the twin scrolls to distract from the fact that they’d gone to a single turbo

[@sheilamorrison1954]

@@nicholaswilson9446 Thats what I thought. Given its at the start of the video, I would have thought 10 seconds of googling would have stopped that mistake on an 'everything you need to know' video lol

[@JerainJezza]

N54 forever, had NA M3's and M5 but love my 500hp Stage 2+ 335i better in every way, especially with my OS Giken LSD!

[@Dustrunnersauto]

Nice 👍🏻

[@fastboatster]

2jz and rb26 are legendary. Legend is something you hear a lot about but will almost never see yourself. Well, at least in the US, these engines are very hard to come by while the n54s can be had in 5 grand cars

[@jon_e96]

N54 > overrated underpowered Yamaha boat engine

[@jon_e96]

And let’s be honest, nobody would care about that celica in running shoes if that chomo Paul walker didn’t drive his that stupid orange Toyota ricer in that absolute dogsh*t movie that ruined car culture forever

[@riceball4u172]

Valve cover gasket and oil pan gasket leak like hell

[@N54Blaineig]

Being a n54 owner. It’s no where close to a jz or rb reliability wise. Granted I haven’t driven a jz or rb. But from other peoples opinions that’s what I can gather. Power wise maybe. But the 6sp zf trans is not able to hold the power. The 7sp that comes in later 335is 135i and the z4 all had either 7sp dct or optional 7sp. Not very sure if some are dct or not but The n54 combined with the 7sp dct is a dream. Will say that 100%

[@drwombat]

When a turbo fails on this movie does it peripheral or catastrophic engine damage?

[@jsallerson]

Make an n55 video. Please.

[@mr.z4973]

2:43 I thought n54 was an open block?

[@guillermolopez1690]

Mr. Z it is

[@Kaizen240]

I just picked up an 08 335i with 222k miles. Am I worried? Not one bit, anything that breaks on this car can easily be fix. Just takes longer to do than most cars lol.

[@jake_spence]

*Would be nice to tag my video clip that you used at **0:43** as credit* 🙂

[@Dustrunnersauto]

I will add to the description 😬

[@nathansamole3221]

Need attention much?

[@homerthompson6028]

@@nathansamole3221 Don’t be sour, that’s immature. What’s yours is yours, and you have every right to it.

[@Alex-us2vw]

Most of those issues listed should’ve been addressed during the engines warranty period. Updated HPFP, and the new index injectors should no on just about every N54 out there. Wastegates are hit or miss depending on the engines year, with the newer years being better. Wastegate rattle is also often confused for exhaust flap rattle which is common on start up if the car is running the stock exhaust.

[@unluckeeeee]

Maybe in the US.. Not here in the UK. There is no extended warranty for said part failures.

[@Alex-us2vw]

Cars And Blades why would you need an extended warranty for a part that would’ve already been replaced during the initial warranty period. HPFP issues occurred early in the engines life, by 2018 there are no N54’s running around town with their 2008 factory HPFP’s. These are parts that were replaced with the new revision parts back in 08/09/10 when they failed or were recalled

[@unluckeeeee]

@@Alex-us2vw If you're U.S based perhaps thats the case. You're assuming the weak parts have all been replaced. That just isn't the case here in the UK. In the U.S Bmw extended the standard to warranty to 120,000 miles for the turbo waste gate, HPFP and injector issues. No such thing here in the Uk. My car at 65k has serious rattle which I will have to address at my expense. My car also has original injectors not updated index 12, although had no issue with them as yet. HPFP is also original.

[@Alex-us2vw]

Cars And Blades it’s 2018. They’ve been replaced 100% the original HPFP only lasted 20-40k miles

[@unluckeeeee]

You know nothing about my car. Stop assuming things. You look less knowledgable with every new post.

[@sipsimies1588]

The first crusing at night clip is a n55