BMW M41D17 engine

Today we are going to talk about BMW M41 D17 engines. This line of power units is a special series of engines, which BMW motorists developed to equip sports cars. The most important sales market was in North America. And a special distinctive feature of serial engines M41 was a special design architecture, which is based on the m36 and modernized 16-valve version.

In 1989, full-scale production of the M41 series engines began. This continued until 1996, when BMW decided to create a completely new generation of sports engines with serial number 44. Power units in the 41 series were designed for special concept cars such as BMW 318i with E30 body, BMW 318 in E36 body and on Z3 models.

M41D17 engine specifications

Advantages

With careful engine operation, they are guaranteed to run for more than 300,000 km without replacing any parts. We do not take into account consumables. But an engine with mileage over 450-500 thousand kilometers requires a comprehensive approach to diagnosing faults. This engine is suitable for novice drivers, because it is able to give the car sufficient dynamics, and be quite reliable and economical in maintenance. Another plus is the average fuel consumption.

The M41 had the same swirl chamber and cylinder spacing as the M21. But while with the M21 the aim was low cost and integration of parts from the M20.  Like its gasoline counterpart, the M40, the valves were hydraulic and the engine was chain driven. Unlike the M40 it was a 12-valve engine, this was acceptable for a lower speed diesel, especially with forced induction.

The engine was designed from the outset to operate with a catalytic converter, utilizing exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to further reduce emissions. Like the M40, the M41 used a serpentine belt system to power the auxiliary units.

But, two years later, an update was released. The unit had the same peak power but slightly more torque.

Disadvantages

As for the disadvantages, you need to pay attention to unstable revolutions. In order that this problem does not bother you, it is necessary to work on the throttle adjustment, as well as check the air duct for dust and other foreign objects.

As with all BMW cars, engines are prone to overheating. BMW’s engine engineers have worked on cooling efficiency, but it remains inadequate. Constant high temperature of the power unit is the main cause of radiator malfunction, thermostat malfunction or leakage of the plastic lines of the cooling system. Another cause of malfunction is failure or breakdown in the ignition system. It manifests itself in a problematic start of a cold car. For the sake of truth, it is worth pointing out that this problem is the most common on engines of any brand that were produced at the end of the 20th century. You can correct this technical point by replacing the structural angles of the gasoline pump or ignition coil. But from yourself, we also recommend replacing the high-voltage wires with models of larger cross-section, which will significantly reduce the level of overheating.

The enemy of all diesel engines is carbon deposits. An EGR valve that becomes clogged with dirt exacerbates this issue. The first step for any poorly performing diesel engine is to clean the entire fuel system, especially the EGR valve.

This generation of diesel takes longer to warm up than a gasoline engine because there is no throttle, so the cylinder gets a big gulp of cooling air at idle.

Features

Another interesting feature of the M41 engine is that they were produced exclusively at BMW Steyr facilities. Quite an entertaining situation occurred at the BMW factory, related to this engine. More than one million copies of this power unit were produced. And with the model, which has the serial number “1 million” is connected with a separate story. This version of the engine has a dedicated VIN number, which is placed under each cover. Also, the VIN is painted in black with a special heat-resistant paint. Fans and collectors of BMW products have more than once bought this engine at auctions, and sold it for a value that is significantly higher than the price of the original model, which was produced before the 1 million version.

Diesel engines operate by compressing only air. This raises the temperature inside the cylinder to the point where it ignites the atomized diesel fuel that is injected into the combustion chamber. This is in contrast to spark ignition engines such as a gasoline or gas engine. In diesel engines, glow plugs may be used to facilitate cold weather starting or, when the engine uses a lower compression ratio, the original diesel engine operates at a constant pressure cycle of gradual combustion and does not produce an audible detonation shock. Low-speed diesel engines can have efficiencies in excess of 50%.

Another peculiarity is that M41/M42 engines deliver their power exclusively with high-octane fuel. This means that for normal and long service life of the power unit requires quality gasoline brand a-95. In turn, as for the BMW m41, a quality Diesel is needed. Fuel consumption in the diesel version is from 9 liters in the city and does not exceed 8 liters on the highway or highway. As for concern for the environment, the environmental friendliness of the engine exhaust is fully compliant with Euro-2 standards.

BMW motorists have taken care of the owners of cars with this engine. They are quite unpretentious to the quality of machine oil. We recommend pouring 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30, 5W-40 or 10W-40 into the engine. The average consumption of lubricant for each 1000 km does not exceed 1 liter. And the total volume of lubricating fluid in the entire engine slightly exceeds 5 liters. The technical regulations specify that the oil should be changed every 10,000 km, but we recommend to perform a complete replacement of the oil fluid every 8,000 km and be sure to flush the system with technical alcohol.

Technical specifications

Let’s talk about the technical characteristics. The BMW D-17 model was a logical continuation of the M40 series, but was characterized by increased life and performance due to numerous modifications made by Bavaria Motors. The most important difference between the M41 and M40 engines was the complete transition of power units to the 4 valve type. This modification allowed to significantly reduce fuel consumption and significantly increase the value of torque.

In addition to this modification, it is worth paying attention to the installation of lighter pistons that significantly reduced the weight of the engine and saved several tens of kilograms of the car itself. The connecting rods in the power unit had a diameter of 140 mm. The transition to the 4 valve type was due to the introduction of new cylinder heads, which had 16 valves.

Another major step forward was the installation of a balanced camshaft support. And the icing on the cake of the modified version 41 was serious work on optimizing the combustion chamber and working on improving the fuel mixture.

Our model is equipped with an independent fuel injection system in each cylinder. A major step forward was the installation of hydrocompensators for valve clearances, which reduces headaches for car owners and increases power potential. All these innovations have increased engine performance, reduced weight and reduced CO2 emissions.

The cylinder block material is made of special cast iron. The combustible mixture is fed into the combustion chamber by means of an injector. The engine has four cylinders and four valves per cylinder. The piston strokes 81 millimeters and the cylinder diameter is 84 mm. The compression ratio is 10 units. In order to develop the maximum 140 horsepower, the engine needs to be pushed into the red zone at over 6,000 rpm. And in order to reach the maximum torque of 175 Newtons per meter, the engine must be revved to 4,500 rpm.

Chip tuning

It should be noted that tuning M41 engine is not the best investment decision. It would be better to buy more reliable and powerful engines, such as BMW M50B25 or M54B30, do a swap at a certified service station and enjoy a fast ride.

If you still want to develop your little M41 motor, you should forget about chip tuning, as it will be absolutely useless in this case. Stroker is the best option for this engine.

This engine is installed on the following models:

BMW 3-Series (E36)