Turbos for BMW 5 Series E61 (2006-2010)

Turbo maintenance has become part of our daily lives here. Our Service department does several turbo overhauls, wastegate adjustments, carbon cleaning, and upgrades every week. For the DIY owner, however, having a complete overhaul kit takes some of the stress out of 135/535 turbo replacement and this kit includes all of the basic items. It's highly likely N54 turbos will have to be replaced before 100,000 miles. Signs of a failing turbo are high oil consumption and blue smoke from exhaust (not from a leak or failing CCV system) because the internal oil seals are no longer retaining oil. Without critical lubrication and cooling effects from oil, the turbo shafts and bearings are usually the first to wear and that requires a complete rebuild. You might also see increased turbo lag or failure to hold boost, which is usually a sign of a failing wastegate or some other internal issue. With any internal problems the turbos need to be replaced. 

This package uses new (not rebuilt) Mitsubishi turbochargers (the original supplier to BMW). These are essentially direct replacement turbos but we went straight to the manufacturer instead of going through BMW. They are the same as the factory turbos but without a BMW logo so you save yourself a few hundred dollars. It includes everything that needs replacement during a 135 or 535 N54 twin turbo overhaul -

• Front and rear new OEM Mitsubishi turbos (the original supplier of BMW turbos)
• 1 gallon of Genuine BMW coolant
• ​16 - ASA M7x39 studs
• 16 - Flange nuts
• All required gaskets and o-rings
• Water pump install hardware
• Replacement vacuum hose
• T-bolt clamps

These are brand-new turbos so a core charge does not apply.

T-Bolt clamp used for the intercooler piping. This ensure that there will be no leaks from the intake hoses or pipes, holding everything tightly together.

Genuine BMW Clamp
This item fits the following BMW Chassis:
E82 1M Coupe,E71 X6,E82,E89 Z4,E90,E92,E93,F01,F02,F06,F10,F12,F13,F15,F16

Fits BMW Engines including:
N54,N54T,N63,N63N

Vargas builds on their stock replacement turbo kits with this Stage 1 upgrade. Using the stock housings but with improved internals, this N54 turbo upgrade is good up to 470whp. Stage 1 is a hybrid of stock and upgraded internals - a new larger higher-flow cast compressor wheel matched with the stock turbine wheel. The Vargas stainless wastegate arms are also part of the rebuild. The Vargas standard rebuild is good up to 400whp so Stage 1 gives you a more capable turbo system to match your upgrade goals.

Vargas Turbo Technologies has been in business since 1979, offering rebuilt and re-engineered turbo solutions. With the N54, they identified a need for both cost-effective turbo replacements and proven turbo upgrades. The biggest complaint on N54 turbos is the rattle from the wastegates. The factory wastegates have actuator arms that lose their tension very easily, resulting in an annoying rattle. N54 wastegate rattle is the biggest complaint we hear from our customers. Vargas rebuilds each turbo assembly with OEM internals and replaces the actuator arm with a stainless steel arm of their own design. Because the Stage 1 uses stock BMW/Mitsubishi turbo housings, all of the stock turbo plumbing and intake hoses will match up. It's recommended that the rest of the system be upgraded to handle your tuning goals. The final Vargas rebuilt turbos are better than the factory rebuilds and at a lower cost!

Two other upgrades are also offered for Stage 1 -

• TD04 thrust bearing upgrade - stronger and 30% more surface area than the stock thrust bearing for better bearing life and less stress
• Billet Aluminum compressor wheel - stronger and more efficient compressor wheel than stock for 20% better airflow

Silicone inlet and turbo manifold pipes are also strongly recommended as upgrades over the stock plastic and aluminum pipes. Since both are prone to cracks, the silicone will be a lot stronger and almost no chance of a disappointing boost leak. Turbo replacement is the best time to add the silicone hoses. There are two styles of turbo inlet pipes - with stock diverter valves (DV) or with aftermarket blow-off valve (BOV). For the turbo manifold, there is no standardized connection to the intercooler so you will need to make note of which type you have and select the appropriate adapter from the options list.
Option A (+$25) - 2.5" and 90* turn up from the intercooler (CPE, AA, ER Sport, CXRacing)
Option B - 2.5" and angled up from the intercooler (AD Engineering, ETS, Helix, Cobb, ER Compeition)
Option C (+$25) - 3.0" and angled up from the intercooler (VRSF)
Option D (+$25) - 2.75" and angled up from the intercooler (Wagner EVO)
Option E (+$50) - 3.0" and straight out from the intercooler (AA Race)
Option F (+$25) - 2.5" and straight out from the intercooler (Forge)
Option G (+$15) - 3.0" and straight up from the interooler (AMS)

Install Kit - an Install Kit is also offered that includes all of the additional parts and pieces that will need to be replaced during this install (gaskets, hardware, etc).

Oil Recommendation - modern engine oil is formulated for emissions and to be environmentally friendly. The additives in current oil lowers the oil's ability to withstand high temperatures and stresses, lowering its shear strength and its lubricating properties. Vargas recommends oils with high ZDDP (zinc and phosphorus) content that will better protect and cool the turbo bearings. Examples of high-zinc oils are Red Line Race, Red Line Euro, Motul 300V Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Valvoline VR-1 oil, and most Diesel-spec oils that you can buy off-the-shelf. Some oils, especially the Race type, will need more frequent oil changes and may be harmful to catalytic converters.

WHP rating: 470. This rating is used to compare various stage of Vargas turbo kits. There is no advertised horsepower gain with this kit as it depends on your other mods and tuning. The rating is provided as a reference to use in your tuning planning. Custom N54 tuning is recommended to match these turbos to your existing mods and upgrades.

Vargas builds on their stock replacement turbo kits with this Stage 1 upgrade. Using the stock housings but with improved internals, this N54 turbo upgrade is good up to 470whp. Stage 1 is a hybrid of stock and upgraded internals - a new larger higher-flow cast compressor wheel matched with the stock turbine wheel. The Vargas stainless wastegate arms are also part of the rebuild. The Vargas standard rebuild is good up to 400whp so Stage 1 gives you a more capable turbo system to match your upgrade goals.

Vargas Turbo Technologies has been in business since 1979, offering rebuilt and re-engineered turbo solutions. With the N54, they identified a need for both cost-effective turbo replacements and proven turbo upgrades. The biggest complaint on N54 turbos is the rattle from the wastegates. The factory wastegates have actuator arms that lose their tension very easily, resulting in an annoying rattle. N54 wastegate rattle is the biggest complaint we hear from our customers. Vargas rebuilds each turbo assembly with OEM internals and replaces the actuator arm with a stainless steel arm of their own design. Because the Stage 1 uses stock BMW/Mitsubishi turbo housings, all of the stock turbo plumbing and intake hoses will match up. It's recommended that the rest of the system be upgraded to handle your tuning goals. The final Vargas rebuilt turbos are better than the factory rebuilds and at a lower cost!

Two other upgrades are also offered for Stage 1 -

• TD04 thrust bearing upgrade - stronger and 30% more surface area than the stock thrust bearing for better bearing life and less stress
• Billet Aluminum compressor wheel - stronger and more efficient compressor wheel than stock for 20% better airflow

Silicone inlet and turbo manifold pipes are also strongly recommended as upgrades over the stock plastic and aluminum pipes. Since both are prone to cracks, the silicone will be a lot stronger and almost no chance of a disappointing boost leak. Turbo replacement is the best time to add the silicone hoses. There are two styles of turbo inlet pipes - with stock diverter valves (DV) or with aftermarket blow-off valve (BOV). For the turbo manifold, there is no standardized connection to the intercooler so you will need to make note of which type you have and select the appropriate adapter from the options list.
Option A (+$25) - 2.5" and 90* turn up from the intercooler (CPE, AA, ER Sport, CXRacing)
Option B - 2.5" and angled up from the intercooler (AD Engineering, ETS, Helix, Cobb, ER Compeition)
Option C (+$25) - 3.0" and angled up from the intercooler (VRSF)
Option D (+$25) - 2.75" and angled up from the intercooler (Wagner EVO)
Option E (+$50) - 3.0" and straight out from the intercooler (AA Race)
Option F (+$25) - 2.5" and straight out from the intercooler (Forge)
Option G (+$15) - 3.0" and straight up from the interooler (AMS)

Install Kit - an Install Kit is also offered that includes all of the additional parts and pieces that will need to be replaced during this install (gaskets, hardware, etc).

Oil Recommendation - modern engine oil is formulated for emissions and to be environmentally friendly. The additives in current oil lowers the oil's ability to withstand high temperatures and stresses, lowering its shear strength and its lubricating properties. Vargas recommends oils with high ZDDP (zinc and phosphorus) content that will better protect and cool the turbo bearings. Examples of high-zinc oils are Red Line Race, Red Line Euro, Motul 300V Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, Valvoline VR-1 oil, and most Diesel-spec oils that you can buy off-the-shelf. Some oils, especially the Race type, will need more frequent oil changes and may be harmful to catalytic converters.

WHP rating: 470. This rating is used to compare various stage of Vargas turbo kits. There is no advertised horsepower gain with this kit as it depends on your other mods and tuning. The rating is provided as a reference to use in your tuning planning. Custom N54 tuning is recommended to match these turbos to your existing mods and upgrades.

Turbo maintenance has become part of our daily lives here. Our Service department does several turbo overhauls, wastegate adjustments, carbon cleaning, and upgrades every week. For the DIY owner, however, having a complete overhaul kit takes some of the stress out of 135/535 turbo replacement and this kit includes all of the basic items. It's highly likely N54 turbos will have to be replaced before 100,000 miles. Signs of a failing turbo are high oil consumption and blue smoke from exhaust (not from a leak or failing CCV system) because the internal oil seals are no longer retaining oil. Without critical lubrication and cooling effects from oil, the turbo shafts and bearings are usually the first to wear and that requires a complete rebuild. You might also see increased turbo lag or failure to hold boost, which is usually a sign of a failing wastegate or some other internal issue. With any internal problems the turbos need to be replaced. 

This package uses all Genuine BMW parts. It includes everything that needs replacement during a 135 or 535 N54 twin turbo overhaul -

• Front and rear Genuine BMW rebuilt turbos
• 1 gallon of Genuine BMW coolant
• ​16 - ASA M7x39 studs
• 16 - Flange nuts
• All required gaskets and o-rings
• Water pump install hardware
• Replacement vacuum hose
• T-bolt clamps

BMW rebuilt turbos have a two year warranty.

Each turbo has core charge each that will be refunded once your original rebuildable turbos are returned.