SOLD AND RETURNED As Defective BMW N54 Twin Turbo, Is It Actually Bad? Let's Tear It Down And See!

[@Rob_S_Z06]

I like how it’s just you and your tools tearing down engines for other peoples enjoyment and the occasional sellable part. There’s no bs patreon page for early videos, just a dude that enjoys what he does and let’s come along for the ride.

[@gilgillenwater5910]

Amen, brother!

[@LeafyVines]

On point.. best videos on KZbin.

[@J_M3444]

Amen

[@kbran9061]

And no annoying music!

[@LafemmebearMusic]

Bs Patreon help folx make a living. I’d help if he had one. Folx have to eat. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@OtherWorldExplorers]

The way you described how good and bad this engine is. It sounds like a toxic relationship that is just too good to leave

[@rayzor285]

The n54 was the best engine and the most garbage engine ever designed depending on who you ask.

[@miketdavies]

It's so true, it was such a flake, but was wild in b... on the track.

[@Echo024]

My friend and I say that about his E46

[@TheRalliowiec]

It's the abused wife syndrome.

[@heyitsjel]

As an N54 owner, here's a summary: The GOOD: the engine itself - block; head; cams; rods; pistons etc. Rock solid, rarely have issues with these components. The BAD: everything bolted to the engine tends to break / have design flaws. eg. hi pressure fuel pump; injectors; turbos; water pump etc. So many issues typically with the non-BMW manufactured components. (eg. leaking fuel injectors; failed HPFP; wastegate rattle). Oh, and like all BMW's, the gaskets between ancillaries tend to get dry/brittle and leak (eg. oil filter housing gaskets).

[@Bimmerguy88]

I worked on a 06 BMW 535i with the n54, it was a high mileage car (200k+miles) that had oil leaks FOREVER, it had that NASTY black oily gritty buildup ALL OVER IT. The customer ONLY fixed the oil leaks after the SECOND time of it completely destroying the belt and wrapping the shredded belt around the crank pulley and it wrapped it so tightly behind the crank pulley that it shoved through the crankshaft seal and the engine ACTUALLY had belt fragments wrapped all the way around the timing chain ON THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE! The oil pickup was completely stopped up as well. Somehow it did not jump timing and I were able to clean the oil system up and get all the fragments out of the timing chain and clean the screens for the vanos system and the engine ACTUALLY ran and functioned just fine, WHICH IS A MIRACLE! LOL

[@brianlee677]

I had the same thing happen but not as severe my ps pump bolt broke and caused the belt to shred itself upon start up and wedge into crank pulley luckily I shut it down in time and only had to remove belt fragments.

[@Bimmerguy88]

@@brianlee677 WOW Brian you DEFINITELY got lucky! :D it's awesome that you pay such close attention to your car that you were able to tell something was wrong immediately, I can talk till I'm blue in the face to some customers about how they need to listen and pay attention to how their car feels and any noise it makes because that might be the thing that makes the difference between just fixing a leak and putting a motor in the car!

[@dustyc324]

what a great engine.... overcomplicated pile of junk. dude points to every part and says known failure. looks like a pain to work on too. just ridiculous stupid engineering

[@cutabove9046]

95 percent of all BMW's ever made are still on the road. 5 percent made it all the way home.

[@roscothefirst4712]

Perfect, I'm going to steal that 👍🔥

[@Joserocha-wm9de]

😂😂😂😂😂👌

[@aaronatwood9298]

That sounds like you are talking about Alfa Romeo

[@amplituhedron5582]

I have a BMW and had an Alfa 156. The Alfa was pretty reliable, it was a diesel engine though. The BMW has had many problems, including needing new piston rings at 55k miles. Then it blew a head gasket, water pump, alternator, burned oxygen sensors like a pot head, trim is disintegrating, water somehow got inside the parking sensor computer (that's a positive, I hate those things)...

[@amplituhedron5582]

And the Alfa was more fun to drive.

[@aaronoliver3349]

That plug on the oil pan is for the CCV system on the earlier models that had an external setup like on the original N52, it’s the oil return. I’m assuming they used the same oil pan from the N52. Also, the high pressure fuel pump is attached to the vacuum pump! That cap you pulled off the front of the motor that had the central torx you used the impact on was for the vacuum pump, which also drives the HPFP. The fuel pump can be removed from the vacuum pump with the 3 Allen’s on the back. I believe it’s 3, been a while since I’ve messed with one.

[@drewdavis239]

Thanks- I'm here just for that answer

[@hobgoblin9308]

Just watched a teardown and it suggested it was a crank lock pin port...

[@aaronoliver3349]

@@hobgoblin9308 that’s the plastic rod going through the bed plate or block. Different from the one on the oil pan itself.

[@arnoldm889]

BMW is the Amber Herd of cars. Looks good and when its working an amazing experience. But when it goes bad, that BMW will sh!t the bed and abuse you financially and emotionally!

[@johnathanashleyOCSO]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@thomasfletcher4765]

Sounds like Cadillac , too

[@Bimmerguy88]

Oh my GOD!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA Dude YOU NAILED IT! Rotflmfao

[@somerandomusernamenobodyhas]

lmao

[@immikeurnot]

They do like to shit the bed.

[@45AMT]

It's always great when someone in the salvage business is honest. If there's a doubt you don't sell it as good. Nice there are people with a conscience in the business. I can't tell you how many times I've Been interested in buying used parts advertised as good and when you see it, it's much different.

[@inshanity84]

Or you take the time to install a part and find out it's bad. Don't ask me how I know

[@Mr.Thermistor7228]

thats why you always got to inspect thoroughly before you buy/install the part. i get it some times its impossible but that is very rare. always inspect and test beforehand

[@MagnetarCO]

I had a 535i with that engine, worst mistake I ever made. It never met a mechanics shop it didn't like. At 97k the oil pump failed and seized the engine, best thing that happened to that engine.

[@geonerd]

How the hell does an oil pump outright fail?

[@hitchedzebra59_42]

@@geonerd heard that on some of these engines the nut/bolt for the gear backs off and it is not keyed. So when loose enough the gear turns but not the pump

[@Blue-moon12]

@@geonerd By being in an N54

[@Mp-jw1qg]

you didnt take care of it or dont know how to work on euro cars or the owner before you didnt then. i have 535i that i bought brand new in late 2007. its running on its original vanos solenoids at 300k miles in 2022 , doesnt leak at all. my 335i, not so much haha. first thing you do when you buy a used n54, replace every rubber gasket on the engine except the headgasket. walnut blast the valves, replace the vanos, plugs, coils, boost solenoids, and all vaccum lines. cost you about $1500 and it will last you forever.

[@randymagnum143]

@@Mp-jw1qg don't simp for eurotrash.

[@rustymotor]

I always look forward to the weekly engine teardown videos, no fancy video and patreon content, just good old fashion tools and engine talk! Thank you!

[@joCk3]

My N54 on my 07 335i has treated me good even with ~590whp on upgraded turbos @28psi. I have driven it about 50000 miles since I bought it and have had one hpfp going bad (don't know how long the previous owner drove with it) and I also had to replace the injector seals. Other than that I replaced the oil pan gasket, valve cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket for peace of mind. I do all work myself so it really hasn't cost me much and its a blast to drive! 😁

[@gster109]

Yup preventative maintainance saves these engines. Like most motors…. Mines at 250000 km’s on mhd 2+

[@huanweili7699]

Mines is currently at 350k miles. N54 CNC Custom Built Td04 21T @ 38psi. CNC Custom Built 10" intercooler. Full e85 tune. 1090whp.

[@1VETaLEK2]

@@huanweili7699 really you got an Instagram or anything?

[@1VETaLEK2]

Yeah not bad, I'm running 21 psi on big twins.. in the low 500s tho..... With 253k miles on my car

[@gster109]

@@1VETaLEK2 wow. Have you done rod bearings??? Your oil looks clean?

[@ericecklund676]

I love how you describe your love/hate relationship with the N54 engine. I have a 2012 Honda Accord with a 4 cyl, and my mechanic says that as long as I keep up with my oil maintenance it won't need to come out of the car until around 450,000 miles.

[@grunthostheflatulent9649]

The best advice I ever got about BMW's was. "If you can't afford to buy a new BMW, you can't afford to own a used one".

[@Troy_Built]

The best advice I ever got was from BMW dealership owner. "Never own any German car out of warranty."

[@moehoward01]

Best advice I ever got - from pretty much every mechanic I've ever talked to - is: stay away from European cars. _Especially_ German cars.

[@foxman105]

BMW is a car that works great... until it doesn't. They make cars that are amazing to drive until they break.

[@grunthostheflatulent9649]

@@foxman105 The depreciation on modern luxury cars is the only guide you need.

[@RJon2006]

Great advice.

[@Slaktrax]

BMW's, like Merc's used to be ultra reliable. I owned three E30's in succession; a 1984 323i, a 1985 325i and a 1987 325i all with the M20 straight-six and adding all three of the car's mileages together came to just over 330,000 miles. The engines never missed a beat, a cracked stock exhaust manifold on the 323i, a slow leak through the centre of the oil pressure switch on the first 325i and absolutely nothing on the last owned 325i which was stroked to 2693cc with an 81mm crank. Apart from changing the rubber timing belt at the required service interval (and always a water pump at the same time for peace of mind) they were the best cars I ever owned. I've owned Ford and GM cars and they were the only ones that gave me mechanical failures. It's a sign of modern times that BMW don't have that same reputation any more. A pity.

[@stepheng283]

Had this exact crazy-girlfriend of an engine in my 2010 535ix 6-speed. When it was good it was really good and when it was bad, well, it was truly awful, leaving me stranded on 3 separate occasions. I was the second owner and made sure it was serviced regularly. Despite that, in the 70k miles I owned it, walnut blasting of the intake valves was needed 3 times to remove the accumulated goo from having direct injection, the injectors themselves failed, both turbos had to be replaced, the water pump failed, the high pressure fuel pump was replaced under recall, spark plugs replaced well before their maintenance interval, plastic valve cover replaced due to cracking, oil filter housing gasket replaced due to a leak and the serpentine belt ate itself. I persuaded BMW to pay for a lot of this, but it was the most expensive car to run that I've ever owned. The final straw was the front differential exploding and taking the oil pan with it. Sold it for near scrap value to my local BMW service tech - maybe that was his secret plan all along?

[@jfan4reva]

No plan, just biding his time....

[@exsoda345128]

Did you service it at BMW's recommended intervals?

[@stepheng283]

@@exsoda345128 Yup...was pretty religious about it. Those services along with multiple other issues beyond just the engine resulted in the car making dozens of trips to the dealer. Ownership was a true love/hate thing.

[@jamie0193]

@@stepheng283 what are the intervals in the USA? In Europe they had crazy long oil intervals of 15k miles when first released which caused a lot of issues over time.

[@exsoda345128]

@@stepheng283 bmw normally recommends about 30000 km intervals which is way to long I have a 335i 23xxxx km on it and it has had a waterpump and rebuild turbos. Has serviced every 10000km. Maybe I got a unicorn

[@gallagherbares]

Eric, I recently did my first (engine out of course) service on my N54, I have nothing but respect for you and your ability to disassemble some of the hardest engines in the most entertaining fashion. thanks for making such great content, keep it up! Gallagher

[@JimF-777]

Man, I used to rebuild my engines when I was younger (circa '72 Datsun Z's and early SBF) and thanks to your vids, I see how far tech has come. Engines are soso much more different now.

[@malachy1847]

Could well have mean you see how Backwards Engines have become...Simpler Engines and Simpler Times...those Datsun Z cars were really great cars and nicely styled Cars ...

[@catinthehat5140]

@@malachy1847 backwards means simple,

[@nineteen76]

You’re absolutely right. These engine are great when they are working great. And it takes maintenance to be on top of it. From experience, these engines are sensitive to degradation to the vacuum boost control system and the pcv system. Mine used to have smoke on boost and leak from the turbo. But going with an external pcv setup cleared those up.

[@Slaktrax]

External PCV with a catch-can is best for any engine. Eating the crankcase oil mist cokes up the intakes and lowers the effective octane of the gasoline.

[@robertforester-lake2849]

@@Slaktrax So true. I made this system for my Saab 9-5. I hate the idea and actuality of sending all that muck back through the engine.

[@anomamos9095]

Warning The sequence for removing or tightening cam bolts only applies when the motor (cams) is in the correct rotation. You can snap a cam if you follow the correct sequence but not have the cams in the correct position. Tip If you don’t have the sequence or the head is off the block. Loosening, start with the fasteners near the cam lobes that ARE NOT depressing a valve then in small stages loosen all the fasteners always loosening the ones under pressure last. To tighten Start with the lobes that will depress a valve and in small stages tighten all the fasteners doing the ones that depress valves first in the sequence always.

[@robertforester-lake2849]

Thank you.

[@humphrey09applebee61]

Thank you so much for your content, I have had my own negative experience with Volkswagen and always thought BMW was better.....third fuel pump upon 75k miles no thanks and no easy repair either. among other issues. Happily driving Honda nowadays! German engines -> superior performance but made to break so incredible high maintenance. Japan -> best value you can get, good performance, hardly anything ever breaks down if you service it frequently, incredible value. During the same time span of usage, my VW racked up 3k in repairs, the Audi....turned out a wreck because maintenance exceeded the cars value, it was 15 years old though. The Honda none so far...its 8 years old 4 years in my care nothing nada....it runs like clockwork and gets its yearly maintenance and oil change like the others but with no additional sudden break downs and repairs. My VW was 2 years old when I bought it as well and while I never had engine troubles everything around it failed after a while those mentioned 3k repairs I racked up during the then 6 years I had the car. Again the Honda again nothing of the like, nothing out of the yearly service. Never had a better car.

[@chrismuy1244]

To answer your oil Pan plug question….I believe this oil pan Generally fits most N AWD Engines and certain BMW N52 engines have the oil separator or PCV system where the return heater hose goes to that plug and returns residual oil instead of going back into manifold. If not then the PCV system in later models are integrated in with valve cover. I hope I was able to adequately answer your question

[@I6N54]

I had two of these, didn’t have any major issues. Great engines.

[@desdecardo]

2:58 Grey smoke with some black thrown in for good measure. This is a vehicle with a catalytic converter so in order to even see this level of smoke the cat has to be poisoned beyond redemption. This could be rings, a bad headgasket or something as simple as valve stem seals. That's a lot of oil coming out of the tailpipe. Mas no bueno.

[@TheFrenchPug]

What a trip. I have an N54 with 147k miles on it. Changed the waterpump once at 90k. Put in index 12s and recently had to put in a new radiator (#3) and upper heater hose. Other than that it has been a beast. Knock on wood! Nice video!

[@Blue-moon12]

Sell it whilst it running well....

[@1VETaLEK2]

@@Blue-moon12 for sure, before it hits 253k miles like mine... On big turbos... And 530whp.... Or like a buddy's 330k mile fbo n54 yeah for user you wana get ride of it before that point!

[@TheGuruStud]

@@1VETaLEK2 you can stop lying, b/c the maintenance on that junk is either a fortune or months of your life

[@alangil40]

I have a 2010 535i M-Sport 6-speed with the N54. I bought it with 28k miles on it and now it has 140+k miles. It went through two HPFP under warranty, and I was lucky enough to have both turbos replaced under extended warranty when they exhibited a tiny bit of rattle. And the water pump failed twice, again one under warranty and the second I got BMW to cover to part. Since then it has been pretty reliable. I have been running a Cobb Stage 1 tune on it for years. I had it walnut blasted once. And I have done some DIY repairs including new index 12 injectors, an oil hose running to the oil cooler, a top radiator hose and a coolant overflow tank (along with regular maintenance). Its a good engine, it doesn't have any catastrophic failure modes, but it will nickel and dime you if can't DIY and can be stressful to own until you get really familiar with it. If you buy a used one make sure it has the newest HPFP and the newer turbos that fixed the wastegate rattle if possible.

[@matthewb8229]

Something your channel has taught me: Even if I could afford a BMW, there's no way in hell I'm buying one.

[@jh5131]

Man...same, not worth it all

[@geojesse9230]

I was thinking the same thing especially when he had the engine out of the car and still was having trouble taking things apart

[@cutliss]

The old ones are said to be solid.

[@4our5ive61]

gives you a big respect for the simplicity of an old school small/big block chevy

[@Haulinbassracing]

Nothing better than resale value of german cars that are off warrenty. Why do drug dealers love early 2000s 3 series, because they are $2500 when just about everything that drives is 3k minimum.

[@jamesplotkin4674]

Ford learned the hard way about those steam transfer slots between cylinders and these do actually look like they leaked under the gasket into the bore(s).

[@ojaiguru]

N52 in 2007 E60 is about to turn 200,000 miles and runs smooth as silk. Regular oil changes and gasket leaks have been fixed. I like the idea of N54 power, but direct injection with necessary walnut blasting and HPFP issues are discouraging. When I did the valve cover gasket everything was pristine inside. Car gets 35+ mpg cruising at 70mph and still plenty of power to cruise at higher speeds. Great daily driver.

[@RavTokomi]

Have a 135i with 120k on it. Been pretty good by N54 standards. Wastegates are shot so it is a bit laggy but still gets to 12psi eventually and is fun to drive. What I have always told people is that the N54 at its core is a great engine, it's all the stuff attached to it that is a problem.

[@immikeurnot]

The braided fabric on that hose is just a sheath. Germans have been using it on their car for decades. I've seen plenty of times where the actual hose inside that covering failed, collapsed and started leaking with no external indication. You can just replace it with regular, non-covered vacuum hose.

[@Fix_It_Again_Tony]

Exactly, I replaced all of mine with quality silicone vacuum hose 130,000 miles ago.

[@PorscheRacer14]

I had a 2011, all blacked out one and loved that car. Great mileage and perfect on the long highway trips. I only got rid of it because it was really difficult and expensive to tinker with, which I like doing. Was a great car in the winter though!

[@Fix_It_Again_Tony]

That is what I love and hate about my 2007 as well. It has 188,000 miles and gets 30 mpg on the interstate, but it makes 400 horsepower. As you said, it's expensive to tinker with and that is really what I like doing.

[@mattyritt]

Amen to all the issues with this motor My 08!335 xi blew the water pump at 54,000 miles. High pressure fuel pump was replaced before I bought my car as a cpo. You need to replace the spark plugs every 45,000 miles. I got my intakes walnut blasted when I had the spark plugs replaced. Massive difference after the walnut blasting is an understatement. Ran phenomenally after it. I sold it with 61,000 miles on it

[@yuribrandi8212]

Looks like a newbie installed it, freaked out when it smoked, blamed the engine, returned it. Though I think in the long term the person did win out, since the crank did look questionable, as did the conrods / piston rods... Most likely was residual oil in the cylinder from "storage" since I doubt they put the engine in immediately as most rookies do. Your return policy is godlike though. Since where I work at doing basically what you do, our return is 6 months, starting when it's sitting on the engine pallet ready for transfer. Since we had a few customers actually pay in full and then let their engine sit in our garage / warehouse for 6+ months and then proceeded to pick up... thinking the warranty started then. The returns we do get are meticulously gone over, since we've had a lot of customers just remove their junk parts and place them back in ours.. We've even had some people try to return their junk engines to us. One that almost burned us was a 7.3 we sold for 4,000 dollars. (It only had 27,000 miles on it at the time of sale..) customer gave us their old 7.3 and even went as far as putting our heat tabs on it and marking it up almost exactly... What burned him was when I removed the valve cover and showed him he missed marking the inside top of the cover itself. As I do that with most engines we get..

[@sirich7751]

I'm no mechanic. (yes I do pretty much all my own maintenance and a little more). But after watching many of your videos......I love my 2005 4runner more and more. 17 years of first crank start up and going. Granted she's never seen oil over 4-4500 miles.

[@tyguy6827]

Recommend N52 for the reliability. Owned three and all of them have the same issues ranging from valve cover gasket leak, oil filter housing gasket leak, and VANOS solenoids. That's pretty much it.

[@iyoteiskote4317]

I can back this up with the addition of some coolant lines and connections failing

[@somerandomusernamenobodyhas]

Unfortunately the N54 has the added issues with the HPFP, injectors, and wastegates.

[@DiamondEyes84]

the entire cooling system.... just sayin'

[@tyguy6827]

Only had coolant issues with an E70. E90/E92, I guess the water pump though that's with every BMW

[@DiamondEyes84]

@@tyguy6827 seems to be the case indeed.

[@justsumguy2u]

I'm not so sure it was oil starvation alone, those BMW rubber gaskets are a real problem. It's possible that one of them failed, and allowed coolant to enter the crankcase, before it made it's way into the combustion palace. Completely unrelated; as a gearhead, I always enjoy the fact that you don't speed up the video when you're cracking high-tension bolts loose, I love that sound

[@greggjohnson7667]

I've never really had a burning desire to own any BMW. After watching your videos regarding them I'm pretty sure I never will!

[@GraemeWant]

Very Good. I enjoy your tear down videos because you don't waste my viewing time with idle chatter, which is not really relevant and that you speed up dismantling so as not to waste my viewing time again. Your speech is clear and concise. You get to the parts that we want to see really quickly, like Head condition, Piston and Crank condition and the all important part of what is in the Crankcase. Great job, I will keep watching you.

[@shaneroberts8668]

Would you ever do Manual transmission rear downs? I know it could be a great series for the common used ones in motorsports: T56,W58,AR5, R154/160, KA/ SR, CD009. I know they alllll are expensive but just food for thought

[@CanTURKeyed]

ı have this on a z4 35is 2011; stock form. 66000 km ; zero problem so far. smooth and powerful. awesome machine.

[@Malaveldt]

The only thing I would ever want with a BMW engine in it is an FW 190

[@Dennis-vh8tz]

That'd make the maintenance on a BMW car engine look cheap in comparison....

[@TestECull]

@@Dennis-vh8tz It would sound better. And actually work when asked.

[@Dennis-vh8tz]

@@TestECull If one must have a life consuming hobby vehicle: the FW190 is far cooler, and far more impressive!

[@HaVoCevo]

I agree about all of these common problems. I replaced the injectors, coils, and water pump. Luckily I didn't have issues with my hpfp or leaky VC gaskets or filter housing. I'm pretty certain my turbos were shot though. I'd always smell burnt oil coasting to a stop, but she was a quick car.

[@AlessandroGenTLe]

That plug on the oil pan is for a manual check of oil level. It's present also in my Alfa Giulia. In these engines there's not a oil stick (which is a dumb idea for me) but a tool exists which is basically a temporary stick that mechanics can use to verify if the oil level is on pair with what the electronic says.

[@atlantajunglepythons1744]

May I say it again, “A DUMB IDEA!”

[@KyoChuffy]

It’s for draining oil you idiots

[@pattonpending7390]

I remember in the early 2010's, I bought a CPO 535i and drove it for about a month before dropping it back off at the dealer with a hearty one-finger salute. I then went and got a non-CPO 550i and I still own it and drive it every week. I may have added a supercharger and other knick knacks for it over the years, but it has never left me on the side of the road. Man, I love that V8.

[@FoamCrusher]

You ask for suggested tear downs. I would like to see a Gen 1 Ford/Lincoln 2.7 L direct injection twin-turbo V6. This is a 335 Hp engine and it would be interesting to see how Ford gets that kind of power from 2.7 liters.

[@cvanhook85]

Am I the only one who watches your videos after managing a automotive shop just to unwind and relax? Bravo sir, one suggestion, perhaps doing a KZbin channel logo and I’d be the first to buy a shirt with your logo on it. Respect ✊

[@timlad123456]

Excellent tear down great content thanks for doing the N54. These motors are a tuners dream 500 horsepower is very easy to make and there is a ton of aftermarket support. Great work again, lets see a 335 D motor next

[@devinmarshall4720]

i will agree. ive seen a lot of vw tdi’s but i still have yet to even see under the hood of a bmw D.

[@randellgribben9772]

..then you buy a new engine

[@jpguthrie6669]

I had a 740i with this engine, and found it to be reasonably powerful and economical. I had no major issues with the car, it only required ordinary regular maintenance. I traded it in on a new 750i because I wanted the twin turbo V8, and after 40,000 miles this car continues to run strong. Oil consumption is the highest of any car I have ever own, but I love the power, and the other features like four-wheel-steering are much more useful than I had thought they would be. I live in Japan where the roads are narrow and parking can be tight, but the big 7 series can make a tighter u-turn than my old E60 5 series.

[@plumberpete86]

All I hear through the whole video is "This is a common failure point for this era of BMW's"

[@edwinlomonaco6754]

Don't know if someone has already answered your question. But the hole that's in the oil pan not being used is for the older engine where the pcv system had a tube that went into the oil pan right at that hole.

[@qx4n9e1xp]

You pretty much summed it up. These engines are good when they're good. I love mine, but I definitely sunk in the cash. The way I look at it, spending 15k plus another 20k in mods/maintenance, and I have a car that's BETTER than a 50-60k M car.

[@czarekaj1098]

Don't forget the leaking alternator bracket.

[@roscothefirst4712]

When I first heard about that I assumed it was a joke like blinker fluid...apparently it's just more engineers on crack

[@roguepoops23]

I hated how BMW designed every part of this engine until I saw the removable cam journals. That I think is an incredibly intelligent choice in terms of modularity and serviceability.

[@liftedcj7on44s]

Love my N54. That is as long as it's not having issues.

[@Trump-The-GREATEST]

Im about to hit 200K miles on my 2011 535i M Sport BMW with the reliable n55 engine and the engine still sounds healthy and amazing. Stage 2+ tuned and roars like a Tiger! Luv driving the fkr everyday! Beautiful manly car!

[@jacobhauenstein]

Have had two. Currently have one with 76,520 miles making 450whp at 17psi on stock turbos. I've done the oil pan, high pressure fuel pump, and swapped out the stock coils for Precision Raceworks coils. They're great engines, but only if you work on them yourself. Unfortunately a lot of the people who own them modify them without understanding what they're doing, misdiagnose the issues they run into, and generally just apply the wrong mentality to working on/with them. If you are looking for an n54: Mhd, Jb4, xhp, vrsf, bms, docvu for custom tunes. You shouldn't need anything from anyone else. I've beat the crap out of mine driving hard in high altitude and have not seen any sign of turbo degradation as I track WGDC, no wastegate rattle and no smoking, ever. The n54 is a great engine for the guy who wants a fast sedan for less than 10 grand and doesn't mind doing maintenance, but I've had three friends who bought one thinking that "Maintence" meant oil changes and the occasional hose replacement. No, this requires some real work.

[@1VETaLEK2]

What? 450whp is a record level for stock turbos like just about killing them well over 20psi.... At 17 you would be lucky to be over 350... I have a 253k big twin/methanol 21psi n54... And I'm just scratching the 500s whp

[@jacobhauenstein]

@@1VETaLEK2 are you using ethanol...? I'm on a brand new HPFP, running e85. I do a 9.3-9.4 60-130 full tank, 0 weight removal. Plenty of guys cracking 500whp on stock turbos. I'm on inlets and outlets and ethanol so 450 is not really impressive honestly conservative. Just to be clear, you could push 23psi on shit fueling with almost no timing and make less than someone on 19psi with good fueling running an aggressive timing map. I'm like 30+ revisions into this. 17 is what the car targets but I've seen peaks of 18.4 and sometimes only hit 14psi because i will drive from sea level to 7,000ft altitude in a day. If that doesn't add up I guess I need to go back to a new dyno. Edit: I guess I failed to mention the inlets and outlets, but I was writing in the context to non-n54 owners. 450whp is absolutely possible with proper modifications and a good tuner on stock turbos if you have access to ethanol. 500whp on stock turbos is possible but is asking for WG rattle and early failure. I don't want or need hybrids because my car is built for canyon/track and I would rather put $ into tires & suspension than more power.

[@dustyc324]

maintenance does not mean replacing failed parts. that's called repair. changing the fuel pump is not maintenance. they are in no way a great engine. the first 10k is probably pretty sweet. that's not saying much.

[@jacobhauenstein]

@@dustyc324 That's fine, don't buy one then. I daily a toyota that has only had oil changes. The n54 and e90 are a great engine and a great platform, very fun, you don't have to agree. For what it's worth, my HPFP did not die and need replacement, I had an original unit and it wasn't capable of producing the pressure to push over double the stock PSI on ethanol blends, so I put a new in that was. On stock or even pump gas, the old HPFP is fine. I'd like to know what you think a "great" engine is, because that's pretty subjective.

[@1VETaLEK2]

@@jacobhauenstein I suppose, I haven't really looked into what stock turbo cars make running pure E. You will be alot better served with a set of hybrid turbos. To make the same power with a whole lot less boost or even E. And if the price is a concern, new viv china turbos are plenty solid... That or Frankel's... Something around 1500$. My personal issue with building around the stock tubros is... Cost... It's very easy and you really do not need all that much as far as tunning and fuel to easily out perform stocks. I need to dragy my car and see what my 60-130 is. As far as my fueling goes... I run a wb255 stock hpfp... On 93. I don't see under 70psi. And hit usually around the 2700s on the high side. I do also run meth. Next for me is porting my rails, then PI and cranking it too 28psi.

[@sailandmore7869]

I'm driving BMW for over 30 Years. all Models more or less from new to old and used. Currently a 430 D. I never had any Engine Problems. My last 330TD I sold with 345000 Km. No leaks nothing. But the M Engines are most based on regular BMW Engine Block and then tuned to max performance. What do you expect. A Formular one car needs engine replacement after every race... Also dependending on the way you drive, warm it up, and even more important cool it down afterwards. Very Important with BI-Turbo systems as well.

[@davemetcalfe3388]

I'm a fan of your channel. I look forward to each one regardless of the engine. What absolutely floors me with BMW's 'reputation', is how come their engines always seem to have great designs that are poorly engineered or great engineering with parts that self-destruct ... for the prices they charge. BMW = Break My Wallet.

[@arbiter1]

its on purpose so you keep giving them money.

[@life_of_riley88]

B-M-Trouble You

[@davemetcalfe3388]

@@arbiter1 BMW has a great marketing gang that knows just what to say to make people part with their money ... over & over again. Genius Grifters

[@outby50]

I *loved* our 2009 135i. We sold it in 2014 since we were moving somewhere without a BMW dealer--the nearest one is 90 miles shipping by weekly ferry, $250 each way. After the first ten minutes of this video, I'm so glad I made that call. Still miss it, though. Love/hate...

[@jolmeaki]

My guess is that when buying an engine usually some parts are changed before swapping it in. Some could have been changed since everything seems to be lose. The screw in the pickup tube staved the engine of proper oil flow and caused the damage. You sold a good engine that someone serviced and caused the damage.

[@thecomputerguy777]

That’s what I was thinking. Someone decided to wrench on it, with either good or bad intentions, and wound up creating a bigger problem.

[@alexlirette6819]

@@thecomputerguy777 n54 always smokes rod bearings at higher mileage. a big one is when people do the OFH gaskets and don't prime the system before restarting. the windage tray bolt seems odd, if i had to guess someone did a oil pan gasket, checked the rod bearings, reassembled wrong, and didn't prime it before starting.

[@heyitsjel]

I don't know how I feel about this video. Some bearing wear/damage like that shouldn't cause the issues they're supposedly seeing (and to be honest, it wasn't *catastrophic* wear/damage). I wonder if the PCV is knackered? You can easily tell if it's using coolant during combustion, as like you said - there will be signs (overly clean areas; plus you can usually smell it). I honestly wonder if they knew about running it dry (eg. accidentally); then were concerned about bearing damage / longevity of the engine, and then intentionally dumped oil in the intake to make it smoke so that they could return it. For these engines to run dry, needs to more or less be major user error or some catastrophic leak. They hold close to 7L (7 quarts) of oil when changing, and you get a notification of low oil at 1L below full... I'm guessing the engine was shipped with no oil in it, to minimize spills? Wouldn't be hard to believe someone could install a motor, and fire it up without checking the oil level first, especially given the lack of dip-stick for these engines....

[@maxcactus7]

Thank you for saving me so much money, Eric, by convincing me never to buy any vehicle with a BMW engine! Peace.

[@MistaaFrosty]

my m4 is really reliable 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@jeremm9808]

N54 is very strong .... No like shit american motor xD

[@stu4181]

I’ve had years of un problematic motoring with a range of BMWs the key thing seems to be they were all from the N\A era, turbo charging seems to have changed things dramatically

[@jamesmackie9292]

Shame I can't dislike this comment

[@jamesmackie9292]

@yue0707 supercharger systems I would expect to cost more

[@TroyRosenbaugh]

That's why you are successful, you have integrity... great vid.

[@anomamos9095]

Water cooled turbos can put coolant into the exhaust, so can EGR coolers. There is a danger of coolant pooling and flooding a cylinder hydrolocking the engine.

[@matt_h537]

I was thinking the same thing hearing the engine run didn’t sound bad..but failing turbo seals can easily blow smoke out of the exhaust..I have went through my fare share of turbos on these engines yes (plural) but also port injection upgraded turbos E85 (700+hp)

[@Tracked350Z]

After watching the end. My N54 did this as well, except only when the engine was warm. Cold starts, no issues, but on a warm start, insane amount of smoke coming out the exhaust. 100% compression on each cylinder, no visible leaks, but nasty white smoke out of the exhaust. Leads me to absolutely believe, it has everything to do with the turbos.

[@tronn_carter]

Agreed

[@rayzor285]

I'd be willing to bet the turbos were the culprit in that smoking issue.

[@GMacnz]

If i was a beting man i would put money your right, seemed to be alot of oil around the rear turbo comp intake and would explain excesive buildup in the intake ports and the sparkly oil (carbon)

[@SharpTuskWorld]

I didn't think I wanted an N54 and now I know I don't. Thank you!

[@prevost8686]

I began my career as a professional automotive technician in the late 80s so I’ve been around and seen a few things and In my opinion BMW is a company that has lost their way so badly that they have no hope of ever getting back. Of course, they are not the only ones in that category but they are one of the saddest. Now, if they were priced the same as a Kia I wouldn’t pay for them.

[@I_Do_Cars]

I agree. I have some addiction to their 90’s cars but one “n” engine is enough for me.

[@johnfranklin5277]

Have to say ive had Toyotas,, Honda, Pontiacs, a 3 kias, 1 Hyundai. All were respectable, all bought new. My 94 Trans am ive kept, 338.000 miles on it now, Lt1 engine, never been touched, even the timing chain is original, still runs like new. My kias were all very good, sold them of after around 130.000 miles, engines still running fine. My Hyundai Elantra, 2017, just turned 94.000 miles, 0 repairs, 0 issues..shame such expensive cars like BMW have very poorly designed engines that can barely make 100.000 miles..

[@prevost8686]

@@johnfranklin5277 Didn’t used to be that way. Mobil 1 tested their oils on an old 3 Series back in the late 80s. You can still find it on KZbin. They were simple designs, with engines made of the highest quality iron, steel, and aluminum. I can’t recall all of the 3&5 Series cars I serviced back in the day that had well over 200K and never had anything but proper maintenance. Volvo has gone the same way as BMW. Back in the 80s-early 90s they had bulletproof redblock engines, overbuilt bodies that sounded like a vault when you closed the door on them. Now their just a Chinese piece of crap.

[@dylan-nguyen]

I was lucky enough to had an 08 335i w/ N54 6mt. I’ve owned a few other bmws since then and still miss that engine to this day! Fun fact the 08 model introduced a USB iPod input that worked with at least an iPhone 7 even if you used Spotify, etc

[@Bamahut]

I love seeing engines tear down, makes me appreciate the engineering put into them. I just wish they would be made to be easy to work on in the long run tho!

[@2006gtobob]

I am so glad cooler heads prevailed for my wife and me. We seriously considered a 2007 335i coupe in 2007. I loved the styling and overall look, but I knew this was a 1st year vehicle, it's turbocharged, and, it's a turbocharged BMW.

[@zeroyon4562]

What did you buy instead out of interest? I still think the E92 is a great car if you’re a keen DIY’er.

[@adamwiggins8290]

"The N54 is a good engine when it is good." "OJ Simpson was a good husband when he wasn't killing." Same energy.

[@life_of_riley88]

"Hey, that's my lucky stabbing hat!"

[@frankdesbaux]

OJ was found innocent. The N54 is an ill fitting pair of gloves.

[@craigewing3054]

The best KZbin automotive personality.

[@xxtovarichxx]

Ever since I started watching your videos I have an irrational fear of bearing wear/oil starvation.

[@volvo09]

Shows how little people pay attention to their car, and how long they drag out oil changes. A tiny bit of consumption adds up when that oil change is 12 to 15k miles!

[@Fix_It_Again_Tony]

Check your oil regularly and sleep well.

[@icebreaka1969]

at 9:09 I have replaced one of that coolant line for a customer, he say it is very easy to replace should not be expensive on labor charge, until I gave him the labor rate on this coolant hose, it took me almost 8 hours to get it replace without removing the engine from the car. never expect a BMW is easy and cheap to fix, another way to say, if you have to ask how much, then this is not the car for you. oh another thing about why I can remember this, the customer try to low ball me $200 on labor after the job is done, since he had agreed to pay for the price on fixing his trouble, he is asking for another big discount because the car can not pick up at the same day, which is next day morning, he is disappointed, and he says if the car does not last for another 100K miles he will come back to get me into trouble, I told him that this car will continues to keep you in trouble every other month, so, you don't to want to come back and give me your hard earn money, then sell the car, it is not for you to own or drive. Great video man, keep up the good work, even I am working on cars everyday, still interest to watch your tear down videos when I am off from work.

[@dowen1511]

I love this channel it has taught me to never buy a used BMW 👍

[@falconman9554]

Yea I spent a number of years in the Auto salvage business and the newest BMWs I got to mess with were the late 90s early 00s M52/M54 engines I also messed with alot of Japanese and american Cars too and the way thoes engines were designed back then made it seem like they were meant to fail, with the plastic intakes/water outlets and all that. It seemed like BMWs quality control just hit the floor in the late 90s. We also dealt with alot of E30s and they seemed to have far better build quality than the later cars...but then again they were alot simpler too...

[@adamwiggins8290]

German engineering: why should we make it right at the factory when the customer can spend thousands of dollars to make it last a fraction of miles it should? Oil starvation? If only cars had a way to check the oil level. Some sort of "stick" that you "dip" into the motor. Wonder if BMW has thought of that...

[@09corvettezr1]

Those oil level checking devices are for unsophisticated dipsticks, not the sort of clientele for this "fine german engineering."......🤢

[@ericcarr1648]

Very well said! Lol

[@wconstructionco]

I got crappy timing guides, but I can check my oil myself on my m62

[@Nic1Moreno]

They were looking for the place you add oil ...the cap was upside down and said 710 ...honest mistake for a blonde

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Hmmm, I had a 430000k Landcruiser that had never had the rockercover off. I have seen a 600000km Falcon cab engine that had never had the rocker cover off. So those are no good and we should buy Euro cars. Hmmm, maybe not.

[@qkruss]

I owned a 2010 335i n54, FBO with Rob Beck turbos, I daily’d the car at 420whp on pump fuel, and when I wanted to have fun on the weekends (track/drag events) 480whp on ethanol with no major issues. I always carried out preventative maintenance, changed the oil every 10k km and just took care of it as if it was my baby. To date it’s been the best car I’ve owned and was a blast to drive. Really miss it.

[@gster109]

How many k are you?? Worried about rod bearings??

[@qkruss]

@@gster109 I sold the car in 2019 when I moved to another country. Car ran FBO with RB turbos for 50k km. the new owner still keeps in touch, motor hasn’t missed a beat but the RB turbos required a refresh after about 70K km.

[@timboyle3114]

Oh boy looking at this, I'm so glad I live in the M5x engine world! The engineers must have been on acid developing this!

[@chrismechanic2000]

i drive an E46 320i tourer, the 6 cylinder 2200cc one, it needs some TLC and new parts sometimes but the engine has never been out, it's a 2002 at 150k miles. im a vehicle tech and i have driven all cars new and old, and this is what i choose as my daily too, i understand you completely.

[@Jamk14]

Points out 37 thousand failure prone parts.... The n54 is a great reliable motor

[@dustyc324]

he did say it's not that reliable. my problem is that it's not even impressive. 300 hp? Why so much failure and overcomplicated crap? I dont see what is actually great about it. Are we missing something?

[@Jamk14]

@D C um those motors are forged from factory and many can make upwards of 700 wheel hp. They might suck but they don't suck 😂

[@dustyc324]

@@Jamk14 if the water pump doesn't give up. or you know everything that is attached to the forged engine. sure the rods and crank are plenty good. hope you like replacing every other piece every 3 years

[@kivesimmons1735]

A water pump I had similar to that one I picked up for scrap the housing was good but the plug and wires actually burned out of it other than that it didn’t look bad I tore it completely apart it’s a very interesting part

[@wyattgardner3552]

Is there any chance that the turbo(s) would leak coolant into exhaust? I heard you say oil and water cooled.

[@Jason-gy2ux]

I've only done with oil filter housing gasket on mine, caught it fairly early when I noticed it getting a bit oily in front. Put a new serpentine belt + tensioner while I was in there just for peace of mind.

[@GrockleTD]

If you can find one, i'd love to see you tear down a Saab B207L or equivalent

[@mattjohns3394]

I second that notion.

[@melvinjones3895]

Thanks for the N54 look at I had a 1992 that went 170,000 miles and still was a runner.

[@peterpeter5666]

never understood why manufactuerers make important parts like water pumps and water outlet housing out of plastic. you KNOW theyre going to fail! -40 to 200 deg day in and out ?

[@mikeyoussef5672]

I was thinking the same thing. And with as much thought that went into designing that engine how are those easy solutions overlooked? Boggles my mind.

[@dustyc324]

it's intended to fail. BMW sells single use luxury garbage. longevity it's part of the business model. wealthy people don't drive old cars and they don't care about secondary owners, that doesn't make them enough money. throw that junk away and buy this new one. we changed everything and didn't fix a single issue or figure out how to make oil stay inside the motor. also 300 hp for all that overcomplicated fail prone expensive shit isn't even a little bit impressive. it would be different if that unreliable junk made 5 or 600 hp. 300 is what minivans have.

[@peterpeter5666]

@@dustyc324 100% right!

[@peterpeter5666]

@@dustyc324 my camry from 2011 has 270 hp . its reliable no turbo bs no oil leaks no burning oil etc... best car i ever owned

[@dustyc324]

@@peterpeter5666 exactly my point about these BMWs being shit. The small power gains are not worth the amount it costs to operate the thing. I've owned 3 Different Toyotas over 300k. 2 v6s one 4 cyl. Honda 4 cyl I'm driving now has 225k on it. I have replaced a few things on the Honda. Nothing comicated or expensive. Very basic things, 15 years of service before replacing some gaskets. Not 15 months and a $4k repair bill.

[@timram3766]

I’ve purchased a E93 335i new with this engine back in 2007. Within the warranty period, injectors have been replaced once, a high pressure fuel pump replaced twice, turbo chargers twice, and a rattling exhaust once. All these within 3 years from new. I call this engine a crap. So happy when I got rid of the car after 4 years.

[@thisguyshorty3554]

I was thinking that bolt was loose after a rod bearing job, and found its way into the pick up tube causing oil starvation. Hence the not so bad oil pan gasket and missing bolt from windage tray. My speculation.

[@BMW1M]

I reckon you're right. This engine died because of someone's mistake.

[@semurray1921]

My wife wanted a 2005 5series very badly back in the day. We never bought one. From watching this video it sounds like I dodged a bullet! As always love the content! Keep it up!

[@petertobin6022]

Have you ever torn down a 3.6L Pentastar V6 ? I own a Jeep Gladiator with that engine and would love to see the inside of it and what makes it tick. I've heard that some of these engines have bad heads. I really enjoy your channel and tear downs. Keep them coming !!

[@mattt198654321]

I suggested this in the last video! And what makes them tick is...bad rocker rollers. There's now a class action lawsuit about it :) Mine had the problem fixed already, it's been a great engine otherwise.

[@Noslime]

I know that a lot of this is to each his own, and I respect that. There’s something to be said about a tiny engine making a ton of horsepower. However, I could never bring myself to live some thing that was problematic. I want to get in my car turn it over and then drive it. Heck, I might even want to drive it hard. That’s why I will always find Hondas or Toyotas. I do have a Chevrolet 2011 Silverado, but no one else really makes a good full-size truck that is affordable. I know my truck will have no issues getting over 200,000 miles on the original build. And I know that no current European made car can boast that. I can get in my 2016 Odyssey know that it’s going to start every time. I also know that I have to do all the maintenance work which is super easy on a Honda

[@frankmoreau8847]

Wow, that engine defines the concept of over engineering" Why make simple when you can make it very complicated and achieve the same results."

[@life_of_riley88]

Velcome to ze gurman vay of doingk ze engineeringk.

[@andrewgarcia3136]

They didn't used to be this bad about that lol. At some point it became less about building for durability and more about trying to impress folks that show up to automotive trade shows and selling on "innovation"

[@calesarkcaster1334]

" Lets put an electric, plastic water pump on a high heat - twin turbo engine "

[@david929190]

After changing an engine on a 335xi I would describe these cars as over engineered and under built.

[@dougbourdo2589]

Very much appreciate the direct, honest assessment of the components Good or Not so Good.

[@victorrobison5069]

I would vote right now for the engine being okay, most likely a turbo seal gone.

[@frankdesbaux]

nope.

[@williamstachour4019]

It's like BMW has no institutional memory. Problems that Japanese seem to have tracked down and fixed permanently crop up over and over on the Ultimate Driving Machine. (How can vacuum lines or water pumps be an issue at this point?) Why are reliability / longevity / easy serviceability not key design goals? (Love the channel!)

[@svenforfifr1390]

Turbo oil seals and shaft failure causes exhaust smoke on these when they get turned up from what I've witnessed. The rod bearings being hurt stinks of this thing got tuned and beat.

[@somerandomusernamenobodyhas]

Tuned and beat doesn't necessarily cause these problems. This looks like a result of poor maintenance/oil starvation due to the oil being blown out the turbo oil seals.

[@The_Usual_Mechanic]

As well as a bad valve cover and or pcv tube. 100% will cause smoking.

[@hugieflhr03]

Exactly, the head, piston and spark plug would look new if it was burning coolant. But those bearings were in bad shape. I would say those bearings were making noise on a hot summer day.

[@islandaerial3414]

I can hear Scotty Kilmer's 'stay very far away, it's an ENDLESS money pit' 🤣

[@apachelives]

Scotty is the Donald Trump of mechanics

[@paulvarrieur976]

I like your wagon very much. The N54 you just dismantled should be an easy rebuild. I hope someone buys it to do it.

[@MrElectrify]

I've been waiting years for this one, do you know how many miles were on this one? Got me paranoid about my bearings :P

[@gster109]

!!! The real questions

[@dustyc324]

sell it while it still runs and before it costs you $5k to "maintain"

[@gster109]

@@dustyc324 lol nothing else beats it for the price so u can kick rocks buddy. I’d be willing to do an engine swap on my chassis they’re such good all around cars.

[@dustyc324]

@@gster109 you can build a turbo 4 cyl and make more power for the cost to buy one of these and replace all the shit that goes bad every 50k. then 50k later you gotta do it all over again or it will leak oil and coolant everywhere. nice engine.

[@gster109]

@@dustyc324 you dont know shit about shit. Classic honda/evo/subi boi. I bet u never owned any of these cars yourself lol.