BMW N54B30TO engine

The entire line of engines that belonged to the N54 series are six-cylinder in-line power units, which are equipped with direct fuel injection and two snails. The powertrain was first presented in Geneva in 2006. In the same year, serial production began. This series of engines is positioned by the motorists of Bavaria Motors as a more productive option, which was equipped with BMW 3 and 1 series. Motorists liked the use of two small turbines and an excellent direct fuel injection system. All of this allowed for torque smeared on the tachometer and lack of turbo lag compared to its predecessor. It’s a small engine, but one that produces torque similar to a mid-liter V8 powerplant.

The turbocharged N54 is an inline 6-cylinder gasoline engine that was produced from 2006 to 2016. It was the first mass production of turbocharged gasoline engines from BMW. After the introduction of the N55 successor in 2009, production of the N54 began to gradually decline. The last model with the N54 engine is the E89 Z4 sDrive 35is, which was produced until 2016.

The N54 has won five consecutive International Engine of the Year awards.

Engine specifications N54B30TO

Advantages

The N54 was produced almost simultaneously with the BMW N53 ( non-supercharged ), and both engines have direct injection, variable valve timing ( dual VANOS ), a similar cylinder block, and an electric water pump. However, the N54 is based on the older BMW M54 engine, so it has an aluminum engine block (instead of the magnesium alloy used in the N53), a displacement of 3.0 L; (2979 cc) and no valve lift control (Valvetronic).

The N54 in direct injection uses piezoelectric injectors, in line with the non-injected N53. The N55 engine uses electromagnetic type injectors.

Valvetronic technology is not installed on these power units, as the German engineers considered it an unnecessary overkill. The engine block of our protagonist was similar to the older M54, which was made of aluminum and equipped with cast iron cylinder liners. The unit uses two small turbochargers, which significantly adds to the power of the engine and gives the working torque at low revs. On the downside, the direct fuel injection system uses expensive piezo injectors. They are not able to reveal their potential, as they give incomplete combustion. Therefore, in later modifications, a direct injection system with Bosch injector is installed.

The first versions of the BMW N55 produced the same peak horsepower and torque as the N54, although the N55 produced peak torque 200 rpm earlier. Initially, high-performance versions of the N54 (such as those used in the 2009 F01 740i) were more powerful than the N55. However, more powerful versions of the N55 have been available since 2016.

Disadvantages

The most common problem with the N54 engine is related to the high pressure fuel pump (HPFP). It will serve you no more than 50,000 kilometers of mileage if you use low quality fuel. The main symptoms of an HPFP problem include reduced power.

Sometimes, you may experience white smoke problems. This is when you need to check the coolant level, which is the main cause of such a problem in most cases.

After 100,000 kilometers of mileage, high pressure fuel injectors often fail in N54 engines. Same expiration date for the water pump and turbocharger. Spark plugs will last for about 20,000 km of mileage.

The above figures also depend on the level and type of use.

To summarize, this engine is quite reliable and powerful. Owners are unlikely to encounter any problems. At the same time, this motor has a high level of durability and a long service life. In addition, it is the best choice for those who like various customization experiments. That is why the BMW N54 is one of the best engines ever created by a major Bavarian automaker.

Technical specifications

N54B30TO is a powertrain that has a displacement of 3 liters and power and 340 German horsepower. Equipped with turbocharging and installed on the first series of cars from the company BMW. The exact volume of the engine is 2979 cubic centimeters. All this volume can develop a maximum power of 340 horsepower. The maximum torque is 450 Newtons per meter at 4500 rpm. The engine consumes about 9.6 liters for every 100 kilometers of mileage. In terms of engine type, it is an inline 6 cylinder engine equipped with direct fuel injection. There are only 4 valves per cylinder. Maximum power is 340 horsepower at 5900 rpm. It is installed on a supercharger. This is the most powerful modification that was installed on M-series cars.

Chip tuning

You won’t face any difficulties in upgrading your N54 engine. At the same time its modification will not cost you a fortune. The JB4 / Cobb standard will be more than enough to get you started. The Stage 1 firmware will give you up to 350 hp. If you need to increase this to 400hp, you will need to modify the cooling system (replace the fans and install an additional radiator). At the same time you need to buy a large intercooler, as well as an air filter. Don’t forget to buy a quality exhaust system and oil coolers. The BMS JB4 / Cobb Stage 2 firmware provides 400-420 hp. This is the best bet for tuning the BMW N54 engine. It combines power, affordability and longevity.

If you want to bring the power level up to 450 hp, you’ll need to install a methanol injection kit.

Such mods will allow your 135i / 335i models to accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour in 4.5 seconds. The N54 FBO Stage 2 firmware will allow you to cover the quarter mile in 11.3 seconds.

A large single turbo kit along with cylinder head porting will maximize the power of our engine. You will benefit from a wide variety of different components. You can use an Alpine B3 S Biturbo head gasket to reduce the compression ratio. Internally stock N54 engines are capable of 650-700 hp.

This engine is installed on the following models:

BMW 1-Series (E82)