Despite widespread assumptions to the contrary, the BMW N55 engine is actually a quite reliable one. In no particular order, the valve cover and gasket, water pump, oil filter housing gasket, and VANOS solenoids are the four most frequent issues with the N55. The majority of the parts are inexpensive, and none of these are particularly serious problems. However, if you consistently service your car at the BMW dealership or independent repair shops, the repair costs might start to mount, and I believe this is where the myths about BMW reliability come into play.
Also, bear in mind that this is not a comprehensive list of potential issues with the N55; just because something is on the list does not indicate that it will always be a problem. The “average” N55 and what goes wrong with the “average” engine are the subjects of our investigation. Many N55s with 100,000 miles have not required any out-of-pocket spending on repairs, but others with many fewer miles may do so at a cost of thousands each year. It all comes down to how well you take care of your N55, as well as some random chance. In general, the BMW N55 engine is a dependable one that is simple to tune to produce excellent horsepower and torque.
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What is the lifespan of a BMW N55 engine?
The BMW N55 engine should have little trouble surviving beyond 150,000 miles, and some owners say their engines have exceeded 250,000 miles. Although you will need to start spending more money on repairs as the engines wear out more quickly, owners have reported that changing turbos and engine gaskets can be pricey.
At its foundation, the 3.0L inline 6-cylinder engine that powers the N55 is renowned for being incredibly dependable. Since the inline six-cylinder engine has been produced by BMW for more than 30 years, the company’s entire research and development effort went into the 2010 release of the N55.
The N55 is more dependable than the engine it replaced, the N54, although it doesn’t last quite as long as its replacement, the B58. Overall, the most crucial thing you can do for your N55 engine is to take care of it and avoid pushing it over its breaking point.
BMW N55 Upgrades You Must Have For Performance & Reliability
The BMW N55 engine, which was the Bavarian powerhouse of the 2010s and is now a tuner’s dream, is a BMW trademark. For the business that had only a few years earlier produced the roaring, naturally aspirated S54, the all-aluminum engine with a forged rotating assembly, direct fuel injection, and a twin-scroll turbocharger was a significant event. The N55 changed with the times as emissions rules started to tighten their hold on gasoline-burning engines, enabling BMW to produce more power than ever without jeopardizing its fuel economy criteria. The fastest modified BMWs on the market today, nevertheless, were built using it as a strong foundation by tuners.
Which BMW engine has the best reliability?
BMW is known for producing high-end vehicles. You could be wondering if they are trustworthy, and the answer is that they are absolutely trustworthy. Even though they have quite high price tags, they are still worth the money. They have superb and potent engines that will allow you to use them at their maximum speed.
- 1. BMW B58 Motor
- 2. BMW M20 Motor
- 3. BMW M50 Motor
- 4. BMW S62 Motor
- 5. BMW N52 Motor
- 6. BMW M54 Motor
BMW turbos are they reliable?
The strains that a turbocharger must endure seem like a prescription for mechanical disaster, with operational temperatures that soar to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit and internal speeds that soar over 100,000 rpm.
And indeed, during prior spikes in turbo popularity, catastrophes occurred frequently. Consumers may be wondering whether they should be concerned about the reliability of these devices now that automobiles with turbocharged engines have increased to over 20% of new sales, according to Honeywell, a major components supplier.
The automotive turbocharger, which uses a small turbine powered by the engine’s exhaust to spin a compressor section, is merely a pump intended to force more air into an engine. Because of the technology, automakers may use smaller engines to achieve the necessary horsepower while also achieving higher fuel efficiency. Because of this, as new models are released, turbo engines are becoming more and more well-liked.
Inadequate materials and insufficient lubrication have been blamed for the turbo failures of previous decades. In either case, the malfunctions can damage a carmaker’s reputation and the repairs are expensive. Therefore, the technology-using automakers can’t afford any errors.
They made blunders in the past. Some 1980s cars’ turbos proved to be problematic. When the engine was running, the turbine bearings were lubricated, but when it was shut off, they overheated, turning the lubricating oil into deposits of hardened ash. Customers started to avoid turbos.
The influx of turbocharged vehicles suggests that the issues have been resolved, at least in part. The reliability of turbos has increased, according to Mike Katerberg, a senior powertrain engineer at General Motors, who also noted that the warranty rate for GM turbos is extremely low and that they don’t rank among the top 15 most often failing engine components. Internal parts can withstand high speeds better thanks to lubrication circuits for bearings and cooling that continues after shutdown; the turbo housings are composed of more robust alloys.
Real-world durability is still up for debate. Consumer Reports magazine, which conducts extensive owner surveys, has observed certain problems.
According to Douglas Love, a magazine spokesman, “Traditional turbos from Audi, Volkswagen, and BMW have proved reliable when they are relatively new but developed issues as they aged.” “Newer turbo engines, like the Ford EcoBoost, haven’t always proven dependable, even at first.”
Condensation-related issues with acceleration were reported by Ford owners to NHTSA, however failures of the turbo itself don’t seem to be frequent. Turbo failure issues have been reported by NHTSA for the Volkswagen Passat TDI and the BMW 535is (which uses a turbodiesel engine). Additionally, a 2015 A3 model’s turbo failure was reported in an Audi service bulletin in August.
Other problems exist besides turbo longevity. Small turbocharged engines aren’t delivering on the fuel-efficiency claims by the manufacturers, according to a Consumer Reports report from February 5, 2013.
The GM engineer Katerberg noted that the turbo will outperform the larger normally aspirated engine under light loads at constant cruise speed since it operates without boost and the benefits of reduced displacement come into play.
Can the N55 be trusted more than the N54?
When talking about the N54 and N55, this is a sensitive subject that never goes away. The N55 is simply more dependable. The first gasoline turbocharged engine produced in substantial quantities by BMW in decades was the N54. I think it is fair to say that the N54 was in many respects a “experiment” given that the majority of BMW’s current lineup in 2017 is turbocharged. Early on, the N54 was infamous for having frequent and problematic faults. During the first several years of the N54’s manufacturing, problems with the HPFP (high pressure fuel pump) and waste-gate rattle plagued the vehicle. These and other problems have led some BMW owners to decide against purchasing the N54. BMW did, however, provide a number of recalls and extended warranties to assist in fixing the dependability concerns. Here you may read about all of the most typical N54 issues.
Many of the problems with the N54 have been fixed since the N55 was released thanks to BMW’s adoption of new HPFPs and fuel injectors. On the N54, waste-gate rattle is still a fairly common issue, but this usually has no impact on the turbos’ lifespan. BMW also provides an 8 year, 82,000 mile extended warranty for the N54’s waste-gate rattling. Actually, I used the extra warranty to have my 2007 335i’s turbochargers replaced (a story for another day). In conclusion, I am impressed by BMW’s willingness to “make things right” and see that the problems with the N54 are fixed. Despite being designed to be more dependable than the N54, the N55 nevertheless has flaws. Learn about the most typical N55 issues.
What vehicles run on the N55 engine?
- 2009-2017 F10/F11/F07 535i.
- 2010-2013 E90/E91/E92/E93 335i.
- 2010-2013 E82/E88 135i.
- F25 X3 xDrive35i 2010–2017.
- E70 X5 xDrive 35i, 2011–2013.
- 2011-2015 F30/F31 335i.
- E71 X6 xDrive 35i, 2011–2014.
- E84 X1 xDrive35i from 2012 to 2015.
The 335i received the N55 when?
The single turbo N55 engine replaced the twin turbo N54 in 335i models beginning with the 2011 model year. Piezo injectors were replaced with solenoid-style injectors in the N55. This was a significant improvement in terms of reliability over the N54’s problematic piezo injectors. The N55 utilizes the same gasoline pump as the N54, though. A more durable solution to the HPFP problems wasn’t discovered until around 2011 or 2012. Though it’s expected that by 2020 most would have failed and been replaced with the newest models, some early model N55s may still retain the defective pumps.
How durable are N55 Turbos?
It’s challenging to estimate this with precision. In general, more boost will shorten the stock N55 turbo’s lifespan. N55 turbos, for instance, have been known to run 50,000 miles or more when operated at 23 psi. However, even at 20 psi, the stock turbo may opt to go off significantly sooner. You must be willing to take some risk in order to drive the N55 turbo to its breaking point. However, a relatively safe limit for the stock turbo should be around around 20psi.
Once you exceed 21 psi, you start to leave the N55 turbo’s efficient operating range. In other words, you would be increasing the turbo’s workload significantly for rather small performance benefits. Feel free to use the stock turbo if an upgrade is on the horizon for you. Before deciding to let go, it will likely continue to produce more boost, possibly even up to 26–27 psi.
Is the N55 a good tuning tool?
Despite being inferior to its N54 counterpart mod for mod, the BMW N55 is nevertheless a powerful, easily tuneable engine that can produce about 400whp with a few straightforward bolt-ons and an E-85 mixture. While cruising normally, the N55 feels stock; nevertheless, apply hard throttle, and the N55 soon serves as a reminder that it is far from stock. The N55 continues to be a dependable, poised engine even after being modified. Overall, the BMW N55 is a reliable and all-around driveable engine that is tuner-friendly and capable of producing enough power with the factory turbo to satisfy the majority of fans.
How much does a N55 engine replacement cost?
Engine installations can be done internally for as little as $2,995. Before shipping arrangements are made, you must get in touch with Ghassan Automotive. Upon receipt of the core engine, a $2,000 core charge that is not shown in the cost will be reimbursed. Core engines can be sent in advance to Ghassan Automotive.