How to: Replace N54 Rod Bearings (335i with 200k Miles!)

Today, we're replacing the rod bearings on my 200,000 mile motor in my 335i wagon! I show you step by step how to remove the oil pump the bearings, install the new ones, and check your clearances, all with factory torque specs!
Note: This video description contains affiliate links. If you click on one of them and make a purchase, I may receive a commission. This occurs at no extra cost to you, but helps keep the channel going!
Some of the tools you'll need:
Clamp-style Torque Angle Gauge: amzn.to/3bkJUzo (affiliate)
Tekton Torque wrench: amzn.to/3ncHSnD (affiliate)
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[@devonsmith1995]

100% those are your timing chain guides that are in the oil pain. I’d recommend replacing them asap. Just like everything else on the bmw those are plastic and just like with most plastics with heat and time inevitably it’s going to get weak and start breaking away. And that engine has had 200k miles of heat through it and the car is almost a 20 years old. If you don’t replace those guides your gambling on them breaking, you jumpin timing. won’t be going anywhere fast but your block will weight about a piston less. 😂 great video by the way definitely one of the better ones on KZbin. I hope this thing becomes a beast💪🏾

[@christophebuisson7536]

He’s a professional I can guarantee you he knows what he’s doing !!

[@devonsmith1995]

@@christophebuisson7536 cool

[@rasheedcampbell2973]

I totally agree I've just discovered the same thing yesterday.

[@timlad123456]

Great content the N54 appears to have a decent oiling system, rod bearing failures are not as common compared to the M cars. It might have to do with the lower rev range, just my humble opinion. I'm glad you did this DIY for all of the viewers really helpful information, this job would cost thousands of dollars at any shop.

[@pawn3d167]

that reddish plastic can be only one thing. timing chain guide. the guide is probably due at this mileage tbh so its good you caught it before the chain started slapping

[@kar4tube]

Excellent DIY! I've got this video saved for future reference. Glad to see that despite some (mostly manageable) faults the N54 is one helluva robust power-plant!

[@TheBimmerBarn]

Thanks for watching! Yes, a strong motor it is :)

[@Nico_335i_DCT]

Great job Chris. Yep , nice even ware. On the engine color you can see this engine got good oil and the right service intervals. I heard indeed, these oil pump bolts can break or even come completely loose! Mostly discovered at the oil pan gasket service. Have a great weekend, Dutch regards, Nico.

[@BassFraud]

What a fire video !! 🔥🔥 This is a valuable DIY

[@cjlomax2156]

I ran into the same issue on my rod bearing change. I found the head of a bolt from the oil pump in the pan. fun times. I was just going to do the pan but decided to check the rod bearings as well. Good thing I did. The upper and lower on number 1 were both broken in half. and as usual the oil pan had about 4 bolts broken. No wonder it was leaking. I had a extraction tool but it was pins and needles drilling then tapping them out. Some were easy a few took some time. All in all it was a long but satisfying job. I used OEM bolts and King bearings as well. When using the old rod bolts to plasti-gauge them one of them snapped .. you'll feel it get tight then it just went loose .. good thing was it snapped up near the head of the bolt so the remnant was easily removed by hand. BE VERY careful out there when doing plasti-gauging with old bolts. The hardest part of this job is removal and replacement of the oil pump sprocket up front - Oversll the other bearing had minimal wear after 117K miles .... Great content bro! OH I had some weird errors regarding the active steering as I removed it totally to get more clearance but it cleared up after a few drive cycles.

[@TheBimmerBarn]

Valuable info from your experience, thanks for sharing!

[@marcin4255]

Very good job. Gratulations.

[@douglasmiller1467]

Nice video bro!

[@arthurglazier5954]

nice info, you should have way more subscibers.

[@paul17109]

I agree that it is probably part of the chain guides.

[@nghiamedia]

Great video. thank you.

[@MetroCommando8282]

wow outstanding~!

[@SHWELL11]

Just put my N54 on a Stand in hopes of trying to accomplish this job (Though I am sure a bearing is spun since it had knock). Hopefully I'll end up with a functioning spare engine.. Thanks for such a great video, but you make this job look EZ bro...

[@kirbyallen2145]

Broken plastic pieces are parts from your timing chain guides.. You May want to check them..

[@philipdenner8504]

i'm amazed you didn't get any oil on those pink crocs you were wearing !!

[@nickdalton6609]

I had that same oil pump bolt come loose. In an n54 engine... ended up with the piston delete mod in cyl 6...

[@TheBimmerBarn]

😭😭😭

[@nickdalton6609]

@@Tipo-F120b it's a joke... can't send pics on here but the carnage was as good as it sounds...

[@nickdalton6609]

@@TheBimmerBarn love the videos!!! Keep em coming.... have any plans for some 535xi's

[@chrisbradley3224]

What oil do you use? This is the best looking set of rod bearings I have seen taken out of any high mileage N54/N55/S55.

[@nimnim1572]

Great video did you ever have any issues after replacing the bearings i about to get mine done but im worried as i heard of multiple people whose bearings didnt last more than a few hundred miles

[@qx4n9e1xp]

I've done the oil pan gasket myself, but I'm nervous about doing rod bearings. I think I'll just have my be shop do it for me. Maybe I'll have them build the whole engine & replace everything while they're at it. 😅

[@damon123jones]

Oem bearings fit pe4fect

[@domenicfrenza9420]

Did you do an oil change after the install ans break in of the new bearings. Redline lube says it won't plug filters but I'm unsure if it's common practice to change the oil after the break in of a bearing change

[@bestbomb17]

I actually remember doing some of this at my tech school. Bearing measurements and all that, so this job is honestly not that bad.....luckily i dont own a bmw tho 😂

[@MrMiha00]

I used king standard size, ther is a mark on them STD U it means Upper, and STD L lower.

[@azaelgarza1871]

Did you ever get around to posting the part list? Trying to find the part # for the bearings. Having a hard time finding a reputable seller

[@josephbonilla5910]

Hello l got 2009 bmw 335i making rod Bering noise do you think 🤔 is better put other engine or just fixed thanks you

[@roberts6236]

also bet the oil pump bolt was broken when the addressed the guide,just a guess.

[@philipdenner8504]

Why did you not check the mains while you were there ??

[@oscarfuentes-hd2cw]

Don’t you have to test fit dry when checking clearances??

[@MrMiha00]

I also replaced rod bearing on my n54, used king! I used ald bolts, the reason why I replaced rod bearings is because the Serpentine Belt came inside the engine, and blocked oil Pump filter, also I replaced oil Pump it had bid scratches l.

[@TheFrenchPug]

That's some major work! Congrats on taking care of that. What caused your belt to suck up?

[@MrMiha00]

@@TheFrenchPugleaking oil filter housing Gasket

[@TheFrenchPug]

@BMWrecker rus Crap!!! I replace my OFH gasket around 90k. At 148k now. Don't see any noticeable oil leaks from it still. We're you able to bad leaking before it happened?

[@mark-ui8lu]

Did you use undersized bearings?

[@ericklewis289]

Seems like most of the king bearings for the n54 are on back order.

[@ahw5hcgfyj]

what is the name of the final beat?

[@F80__Los]

Where did you get the rod bearings? What size did you use? There’s several online. If your still within spec stock should be fine ?

[@BVonBuescher]

King Bearings … FCP Euro …. ALWAYS

[@domenicfrenza9420]

Where did you get all your specs from. I've been looking for a workshop manual and can't find one that has everything

[@TheBimmerBarn]

There is a website called workshop-manuals and they have a lot of material to view! Or you can try a website called newtis, just give it a google and you'll find stuff!

[@keithhicks3262]

Dis the bearing job hold up

[@eightfivezerobraxton5509]

@3:39 your oil pan looks cracked?

[@roberts6236]

the plastic is a timing chain wear guide i bet.

[@pinoysi06]

Did not set tdc???

[@tomasis7]

Good job! How did you remove broken bolts? Drilling sounds painful :)

[@TheBimmerBarn]

Luckily they weren't cross-thread in there or anything, so thos aluminum stretch bolts came out easy. Thanks for watching!

[@stephenpeterson8694]

Thank god u used oem rod bolts. Cause u cannot use arp bolts in n54s

[@armandonika]

Why you can’t?

[@bigfwopl4873]

recommended torque wrench?

[@TheBimmerBarn]

link in the description! Tekton, my favorite choice for precision tools like this.

[@user-uo1ks8sh6x]

Timing chain guides

[@stellavouxinc945]

Was it confirmed that is an 200k miles engine?

[@BEAMERNOOB]

those bearings would of gone another 100k easy lol. that being said the new ones should never be an issue again

[@damon123jones]

Ive read falures after replacemn5 with king bearings,on the n54.....go oem

[@SyncedCyberSoule]

Looked like a piece of chain guide.

[@davidelswick3032]

The only plastic inside an N54 is the timing chain guides. That plastic inside ur oil pan is from the timing chain guides

[@EGLyrical]

Ha my g35 Rods replaced themselves right out of my block lol life

[@TheBimmerBarn]

💀💀

[@PartiBuoy]

bearings are reliable its the fuel injectors that ruin good bearings

[@MrMiha00]

One time I replaced rod bearings on n54 with 183k miles, they were with cuper, people rod bearings on n54 max 170k miles.

[@TheBimmerBarn]

Wow copper at 180k! Glad I changed mine in time ⌚

[@newfinishautospa]

Happily surprised? Those things looks scratched to hell! Working for an engine manufacturer we would scrap brand new rod bearings with a hairline scratch anywhere on them. Yours look like there were rocks in the oil channels. You also didn’t even inspect the entire crank and it should have been thoroughly cleaned before reassembling. A spec of debris on the bearing shell can cause a failure.

[@TheBimmerBarn]

The bmw factory bearings use a copper core, and usually the bearings have failed after the copper core has started showing. These haven't worn down to that layer yet, and the "scratches" you can see don't have any depth to them, so that's why I was surprised. I expected more wear. Crankshaft journals looked fine though! Thanks for the comment and sharing your knowledge 👍