Will a '05 3.0i SE have an N52 engine?

[johnbmwboy]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice, I hope you can help.

I'm going to look at a 2005 3.0i SE this week. I'll use the car on weekends and holidays, which means the car is likely to be sat for days without being driven.

I've heard the N52 engine can have a problem with the HVA's (Hydraulic valve adjusters). Does the 3.0i 2005 Z4 have the N52 engine?

Thanks,
John

 

[chris]

No it uses the 3ltr M54 engine. Its the facelift 2006 3ltr Si that uses the later N52 engine.

 

[johnbmwboy]

No it uses the 3ltr M54 engine. Its the facelift 2006 3ltr Si that uses the later N52 engine.

Thanks Chris. Do you happen to know if there are any similar or other issues with the M54 engine?

Cheers,
John

 

[chris]

Only things that are common are oil light being faulty, cam sensors need replacing at 100k ish, oil usage can be high (but thats on my old E46, and they are supposed to have double valve stem seals from 2002 ish). But they are a good engine, and look after them and they will do 200k :wink:

 

[johnbmwboy]

Only things that are common are oil light being faulty, cam sensors need replacing at 100k ish, oil usage can be high (but thats on my old E46, and they are supposed to have double valve stem seals from 2002 ish). But they are a good engine, and look after them and they will do 200k :wink:

Thanks again

As it's an older engine than the N52 is it any less economical?
John

 

[Wondermike]

The M54 is thirstier and less powerful, but that's the price of progress. Still a great engine and probably better for you with your intended usage

 

[chris]

Honestly not sure on it being less economical, but i get 32-34mpg average, and thats quite a bit of town driving too. Much better than 27mpg i was getting from my 330!

Less powerful, but with a remap that will give you an extra 20bhp roughly, so around the same ish BHP, well a tad under. Shame they are having issues with the N52, as on paper it sounds like an excellent engine! Lighter, more powerful etc

 

[johnbmwboy]

The M54 is thirstier and less powerful, but that's the price of progress. Still a great engine and probably better for you with your intended usage

Sounds about right Mike, thanks.
Here's hoping I'll soon join many seemingly happy Z4 owners

John

 

[Spud]

Honestly not sure on it being less economical, but i get 32-34mpg average, and thats quite a bit of town driving too. Much better than 27mpg i was getting from my 330!

Less powerful, but with a remap that will give you an extra 20bhp roughly, so around the same ish BHP, well a tad under. Shame they are having issues with the N52, as on paper it sounds like an excellent engine! Lighter, more powerful etc

A remap will, quite simply, not give you +20bhp on the 3.0i. It's an NA engine. You'd be lucky if it got 5.

 

[chris]

5BHP off a remap? Err they are doing something very wrong if you only get 5 :lol:

I had my 330 remapped, and got 15bhp rise out of that, well it was never 231bhp when it was remapped though, as age and miles take there toll on the horses

Any N/A engine you will get decent ish results, obviously not like a turbo-ed engine, but still good results imo.

 

[Spud]

It's been tried before by quite a few people. Do a search. You won't get more than 5.

But feel free to spend a few hundred quid on proving me right, if you wish!

 

[chris]

I will ;.)

Still an m54 engine, and I would bet my car you will get at least 15 extra 8)

 

[a11y]

The tuners will tell you +15bhp and will "demonstrate" the increase from a remap on their rolling road, but it's a load of balls. As Spud says, you'll be lucky to get a 5bhp increase on a n/a engine like the M54.

But if that's what you want to do then fire on 8)

 

[chris]

Does supprise me you guys think this. As the m54 is hardly tuned. But fair enough, all I'm going off is when I tuned my 330 m54 engined coupe. And that was well worth doing. All depends on who does it, and whether it's a generic mapp or a custom mapp done on a RR. I've seen quite a few 330's and a 2.5 Z4 that have been done, and all with good results. And the guy I use had a z4 m54 engined beast, and that went brilliantly, and pulled a lot better through the rev range, as my 330 did after a remap.


I am getting done soon ish, well maybe at Gaydon if I can. So will give you a review then. If it's the same then fair enough, but as I said I can see it having good results IMO, and that's just with a pipercross filter element nothing else at the moment.