N54 WHP, Boost, longevity ?

Cornfed54

Specialist
Feb 6, 2018
80
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E92 335
Thanks for posting feedback. Can you say a little about your car's configuration: which turbos / tune / other things possibly relevant to longevity?

Thanks!

Filippo
The last setup was pure stage 2 hybrids with port injection and typically around e60 for fuel. I ran what I consider relatively conservative timing, around 10.5 degrees max. I think that’s important to point out as I frequently see logs where people are running what seems like crazy timing. At one time, I recall seeing an ots tune asking for 16 degrees through mid/ upper rpm!

My AFR typically would be around 12.8 @ 3k rpms and slowly taper to somewhere around 11.9 towards the upper rpm range.
I was/ am religious about data logging and analyzing the logs regularly. A lot of my miles were highway trips for work but I certainly didn’t baby the car at all. It saw a handful of 2-3-4th gear pulls weekly and it was autocrossed at least 5-6 times. My “new” car, 07’ 335 coupe, presently has 135k miles, running GC turbos @20 psi, similar tune but with full e85. I run it hard but I am very good about maintance. Before the first performance part ever got installed, the car got a completely new cooling system, belt, pulleys, mounts, hoses, injectors, gaskets, etc. oil changes every 3-3,500k with Motul excess 5-w40. With my current setup, I was shooting for max reliability while still making respectable power. I guess it’s always a gamble when increasing power on stock components but these motors seem extremely tough considering we are more than DOUBLING stock output.
 
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Cornfed54

Specialist
Feb 6, 2018
80
31
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E92 335
Running 550WHP daily for 25,000 miles. JB4, GC Turbos, port meth injection, down pipes, BEF, decated, stage 2 bucketless pump, aftermarket DVs, 7" FMIC.
Before the upgrade, running 475WHP on stockers daily for 50,000 miles.

These cars are solid if you look after them and replace weak parts. Notably Turbos, fuel pumps. My original HPFP has survived but I believe it's because I spray so much meth.
That’s promising, nice setup!
 

iminhell1

Sergeant
Jun 17, 2018
419
207
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I bought my car (2010 135i auto) Dec 31 of 2015 with 46,xxx miles.
I currently have 115,xxx on it.

Been on the MHD v5 E40 tune almost the whole time. Google receipt says March 30, 2016.
Did the LPFP upgrade shortly after, Fuel-It 450 kit.
The plugs and coils ... actually back on a few factory stock coils now. They actually weren't bad.

Later on did the intercooler, RB evo inlets, 1320 downpipes, berk mids, ...

Car has seen more racing and track miles than some put on their car in a year and is my only and daily car, year round.


I have zero complaints and have seen no loss of power or had anything fail, other than 1 waterpump early last year (April I think it was).

granted I'm not the 600hp. But I use every bit of the power I am making probably more often and for longer than those guys and absolutely in more conditions; anyone else ice race their car?


I am on factory stock injectors, factory stock HPFP and factory stock turbos.
 
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MoreBoost

Sergeant
Jul 27, 2017
361
143
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335i
I still find myself looking around to see what N54s are running these days. Here's a view of a log. 26 psi on GC turbos with meth injection and 99ron/93 octane fuel.

I wonder how much more the stock hypereutectic pistons can take vs what I'm pushing now. I'd like to push further but this setup has worked for me since early 2017. Keep hearing that the ringlands can close up as well, if the piston doesn't fail itself. I think the meth injection is keeping that at bay so far.

jb4 log 26 psi.png



I would quite like to give the Vargas double barrel shotgun setup a go but it's a little bit too pricey for me. I'm UK based.
It's not cost effective for me to ship a fuel rail over there for the core charge either. Regardless this is one of the fastest UK cars currently on the road.
 

tisdrew

Corporal
Jun 27, 2017
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09 335i 6MT
My mechanic has built and maintained dozens of these turbo BMW cars and for the N54 specifically, he told me if you're shooting for over 7, it's recommended to upgrade pistons at a minimum if not rods and bearings as well.
 

MoreBoost

Sergeant
Jul 27, 2017
361
143
0
Ride
335i
My mechanic has built and maintained dozens of these turbo BMW cars and for the N54 specifically, he told me if you're shooting for over 7, it's recommended to upgrade pistons at a minimum if not rods and bearings as well.

How many PSI do you typically run yours at?

What PSI did you make 625whp on?

Have you had the MMPs installed long?
 

fmorelli

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Aug 11, 2017
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E89 Z4 35i, F10 535d
Have you considered porting a head? It's extremely inefficient for the kind of power you're making, which drives the boost up.

Filippo
 

MoreBoost

Sergeant
Jul 27, 2017
361
143
0
Ride
335i
Have you considered porting a head? It's extremely inefficient for the kind of power you're making, which drives the boost up.

Filippo

Yes I have. Read alot into N53 heads and porting the N54. But it's fairly costly. For the the N54 you'll want cams to take advantage.

I think I'm stuck now. Any significant gains in power will be costly. I've captured the low hanging fruit.
 

Cornfed54

Specialist
Feb 6, 2018
80
31
0
Ride
E92 335
Just checking in with an update on my higher mileage (146k) stock motor 2007 e92 with 6mt. I have been running 525+wtq for 35K, and 600-670whp/ 600-630wtq for another 15k on top of that. This is on twins, GC's with e85 and PI. I did a compression and leak down last month and numbers came back pretty close to when I last checked about 1.5 years ago. Oil consumption is low, less than a quart per OCI. I find small quantities of very fine brass colored particles in my oil filter which I can only assume is bearing material, but I've seen this on my car for 4+ years now with no further signs of trouble so I don't worry about it anymore lol.
I don't daily my car but its pretty typical to see pulls in 3rd - 4th sometimes into 5th gear 6-10x a week since day one, often in 100+ degree heat with some half mile racing and some 1/4 mile passes. I am meticulous about maintenance and datalog basically every time its driven. I run fairly conservative timing, keep boost low in the lower rpm range, don't bang off the limiter, don't launch the car hard, etc. I never beat on it till oil is 180+ deg, change the oil every 3-4k miles with quality oil, RLI Biosyn Extra 0W40. (Side note, I highly recommend this oil on ethanol/ DI boosted engines based on research and UOA's.)
I have basically expected, and planned for the motor to go boom at any moment once I started running over 600whp but so far, so good.....I was in the process of piecing together a built motor but ran into some issues with that setup and have changed paths. I am currently on the fence between finding a low mileage stock motor to keep on hand or going all out on a full Rebello Racing motor. The stock one has done so well that I'm wondering if its actually worth the cost and risk of switching to built motor for my usage and power level. I'm all ears for any opinions here....
 
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SlowE93

Major
Jul 2, 2017
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Just a plane ticket away !
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E93
Just checking in with an update on my higher mileage (146k) stock motor 2007 e92 with 6mt. I have been running 525+wtq for 35K, and 600-670whp/ 600-630wtq for another 15k on top of that. This is on twins, GC's with e85 and PI. I did a compression and leak down last month and numbers came back pretty close to when I last checked about 1.5 years ago. Oil consumption is low, less than a quart per OCI. I find small quantities of very fine brass colored particles in my oil filter which I can only assume is bearing material, but I've seen this on my car for 4+ years now with no further signs of trouble so I don't worry about it anymore lol.
I don't daily my car but its pretty typical to see pulls in 3rd - 4th sometimes into 5th gear 6-10x a week since day one, often in 100+ degree heat with some half mile racing and some 1/4 mile passes. I am meticulous about maintenance and datalog basically every time its driven. I run fairly conservative timing, keep boost low in the lower rpm range, don't bang off the limiter, don't launch the car hard, etc. I never beat on it till oil is 180+ deg, change the oil every 3-4k miles with quality oil, RLI Biosyn Extra 0W40. (Side note, I highly recommend this oil on ethanol/ DI boosted engines based on research and UOA's.)
I have basically expected, and planned for the motor to go boom at any moment once I started running over 600whp but so far, so good.....I was in the process of piecing together a built motor but ran into some issues with that setup and have changed paths. I am currently on the fence between finding a low mileage stock motor to keep on hand or going all out on a full Rebello Racing motor. The stock one has done so well that I'm wondering if its actually worth the cost and risk of switching to built motor for my usage and power level. I'm all ears for any opinions here....
Thats nice to hear. Anything done to crank hub ?
 

RuskiRacer

Captain
Jul 17, 2019
1,209
758
0
Ride
2009 e93 335i
Just checking in with an update on my higher mileage (146k) stock motor 2007 e92 with 6mt. I have been running 525+wtq for 35K, and 600-670whp/ 600-630wtq for another 15k on top of that. This is on twins, GC's with e85 and PI. I did a compression and leak down last month and numbers came back pretty close to when I last checked about 1.5 years ago. Oil consumption is low, less than a quart per OCI. I find small quantities of very fine brass colored particles in my oil filter which I can only assume is bearing material, but I've seen this on my car for 4+ years now with no further signs of trouble so I don't worry about it anymore lol.
I don't daily my car but its pretty typical to see pulls in 3rd - 4th sometimes into 5th gear 6-10x a week since day one, often in 100+ degree heat with some half mile racing and some 1/4 mile passes. I am meticulous about maintenance and datalog basically every time its driven. I run fairly conservative timing, keep boost low in the lower rpm range, don't bang off the limiter, don't launch the car hard, etc. I never beat on it till oil is 180+ deg, change the oil every 3-4k miles with quality oil, RLI Biosyn Extra 0W40. (Side note, I highly recommend this oil on ethanol/ DI boosted engines based on research and UOA's.)
I have basically expected, and planned for the motor to go boom at any moment once I started running over 600whp but so far, so good.....I was in the process of piecing together a built motor but ran into some issues with that setup and have changed paths. I am currently on the fence between finding a low mileage stock motor to keep on hand or going all out on a full Rebello Racing motor. The stock one has done so well that I'm wondering if its actually worth the cost and risk of switching to built motor for my usage and power level. I'm all ears for any opinions here....
Pop a low mile stock block in and continue your good maintenance
 

Cornfed54

Specialist
Feb 6, 2018
80
31
0
Ride
E92 335
Thats nice to hear. Anything done to crank hub ?
Nothing done to the crank hub. I had contemplated the VTT “crank hub Fix”, but ultimately decided with my luck, I should just leave it be. If I built a motor, I’d be interested in their spline lock hub.
 
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