[Spazdoc]

A question I have is how is the current 335/N54 engine related to the 328 and the older 330 engine? Is the 335 simple a tuned, turbocharged version of the others, or a completely new engine altogether?

[DrM]

Originally Posted by Spazdoc

A question I have is how is the current 335/N54 engine related to the 328 and the older 330 engine? Is the 335 simple a tuned, turbocharged version of the others, or a completely new engine altogether?

Spazdoc, you might want to read the first sticky in this forum. It contains a lot of that information.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38856

[jmonier]

Originally Posted by Spazdoc

A question I have is how is the current 335/N54 engine related to the 328 and the older 330 engine? Is the 335 simple a tuned, turbocharged version of the others, or a completely new engine altogether?

Just about everything about the N54 is different from the N52 used in the 328 and 2006 325 and 330 including the block construction (aluminum with cast iron liners vs aluminum/magnesium).

Whether it's completely new or not is sure to cause an argument. Many components ARE new but the block is the same type of construction and bore/stroke dimensions as the E46 engine.

[Spazdoc]

Thanks, but I asked this question in that exact same thread you referred me to.... It is quite informative, but it does not answer my question.

I am trying to find out if all the 3 series engines are relatively the same, and if parts can be swapped out. kind of like the Civic-Integra compatabilities and the B series engines, then the K. Or like the JZ-GTE toyota series.

[LOLrance]

Its closer to a e46 engine with twin turbos.

[Spazdoc]

Originally Posted by l4wr3nc3

Its closer to a e46 engine with twin turbos.

What I am getting at is one of my buddies has the 2006 328 (325?) and says the engine is the same as the 330 and 335 except different programming. I do not have enough info to tell him that is waaaay off.

[picus]

Originally Posted by Spazdoc

What I am getting at is one of my buddies has the 2006 328 (325?) and says the engine is the same as the 330 and 335 except different programming. I do not have enough info to tell him that is waaaay off.

He is wrong. There are enough differences that they are "different" engines; the main, and most obvious one, being that the 335i block is *all aluminum* whereas the 325/328/330 block is aluminum/magnesium. When something is made out of a different substance than something else, most people classify it as "not the same".

That goes without mentioning the iron lined cylinders, or the fact that the N52 has valvetronic, and the N54 is direct injection.

A very simple way to put it is: if you added two turbo's and the appropriate ECU to a 328/330i would it give you a 335i engine? The answer is no.

[Spazdoc]

That is what I was wondering. With the Japanese motors, within one company, the engines are reused and remodeled to the n-th degree. I do not have that same experience with European cars.

For example, I had an Accord V6, and when the Acura CL-S came out with 60 more HP, we would swap in the cams and heads to get about half that difference. And it was a pretty direct swap, since one engine was simply a modified verison of the other.

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by jmonier

Just about everything about the N54 is different from the N52 used in the 328 and 2006 325 and 330 including the block construction (aluminum with cast iron liners vs aluminum/magnesium).

So does anyone know why the switch from Al/Mg to just Al block. I heard there were some issues with the early Al/Mg engines. Al/Mg alloys tend to be a more durable and better cooling performance. So why the change to just AL was it becuase of the those early issues?

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Maestro

So does anyone know why the switch from Al/Mg to just Al block. I heard there were some issues with the early Al/Mg engines. Al/Mg alloys tend to be a more durable and better cooling performance. So why the change to just AL was it becuase of the those early issues?

Everything you need to know is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_BMW_engines

The N54 engine in the 335i is all aluminium (like the older e46 330i engine) because BMW didn't feel that the newer al/mg engines would be strong enough for turbocharging.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N54

the N52 engine in the e90 330i is still in production - it's the engine that is still used in the 328i.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N52

Confusingly I believe that this is detuned for the US e90 328i, but has also been uprated to a 200kw version in the x3 3.0si etc..

The N52 will ultimatey be replaced by the N53 which will have direct injection like the N54:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N53

As it says in the wiki - this is not really a new engine - more of an upgrade - and it may never be sold in the USA.

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by needforspeed

The N54 engine in the 335i is all aluminium (like the older e46 330i engine) because BMW didn't feel that the newer al/mg engines would be strong enough for turbocharging.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N54

Good links,

However, I think they went back to the older all Al engine due to issues they were unable to resolve with the Al/Mg alloy engine. The reason I say that is because I do not buy the comment that says it would not be strong enough.

Ferrari use a Al/Mg alloy block for their 600 hp engines in the 599 GTB, so why can that engine handle it and not the BMW.

I think one reason is that Ferrari inspects and tests each block as they are made verses BMW mass productions. So maybe it was becoming too costly for BMW to deal with the Al/Mg engines. It is a shame since the Al/Mg would give us a lighter car and cooler engine.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Maestro

Good links,

However, I think they went back to the older all Al engine due to issues they were unable to resolve with the Al/Mg alloy engine. The reason I say that is because I do not buy the comment that says it would not be strong enough.

Ferrari use a Al/Mg alloy block for their 600 hp engines in the 599 GTB, so why can that engine handle it and not the BMW.

I think one reason is that Ferrari inspects and tests each block as they are made verses BMW mass productions. So maybe it was becoming too costly for BMW to deal with the Al/Mg engines. It is a shame since the Al/Mg would give us a lighter car and cooler engine.

So what 'issues' do you think they were worried about?

BTW .. I think the N53 is Al/Mg like the N52 - so it's not as if they have ditched this option. It's only the N54 that has changed.

[picus]

Originally Posted by Maestro

Good links,

However, I think they went back to the older all Al engine due to issues they were unable to resolve with the Al/Mg alloy engine. The reason I say that is because I do not buy the comment that says it would not be strong enough.

Ferrari use a Al/Mg alloy block for their 600 hp engines in the 599 GTB, so why can that engine handle it and not the BMW.

I think one reason is that Ferrari inspects and tests each block as they are made verses BMW mass productions. So maybe it was becoming too costly for BMW to deal with the Al/Mg engines. It is a shame since the Al/Mg would give us a lighter car and cooler engine.

FI puts a lot more pressure on the cylinders, hence the iron linings and one material for the block. Having two materials means two different coefficients of expansion, probably not ideal for a FI setup.

I'm not saying there isn't an issue with the al/mg block BMW uses, just kind of pointing out the obvious reasons not to use it in the N54.