Can The N54/N55/S55 Be Bulletproof Platforms?
After an emotional and introspective edition of Turner Motorsport Weekly last Sunday, let’s lighten things up with a bit of education this week, shall we? A few editions back, we talked about the possibility of the B58 replacing the N54 as the BMW tuner’s engine of choice. While we certainly feel as though the B58 can surpass the N54’s popularity, and is quickly on its way to doing so, the N54, N55, and S55 are still incredibly relevant as platforms for producing some serious performance figures. This week, we’re looking at those lovable turbo straight-sixes, discussing some of their inherent flaws, and introducing you to our latest solutions so those who wish to stay married to their N5X/S55 can do so for years to come without any extreme sacrifices. (Or, at least, without having to make any more extreme sacrifices.) | | | When the N54 first entered the market back in 2006, BMW tuners were quick to realize their potential for eyebrow-raising performance. They discovered the ceiling on these engines was much higher than likely even BMW had anticipated, which led to enthusiasts referring to the platform as the ‘German 2JZ’ for good reason. With basic bolt-ons, turbo upgrades, a tune, and some E85 power, these engines were throwing 600 HP dyno sheets around left and right. With more extensive internal work, 1,000 HP-capable builds were extremely achievable, which made the N54-powered BMW selections popular, especially to the crowd who would have ordinarily preferred an M3 were it not for the substantial price difference. | | | That popularity and performance potential came at a cost, though. Almost as quickly as tuners recognized the abilities of the N54, they found certain ‘limitations’ to an otherwise perfect platform. Wastegate rattle, turbocharger failure, injector failures, widespread boost leak issues, charge pipe cracking, carbon buildup, crank walk, and serpentine belt explosions are a few of the most common catastrophic problems that affected even unmodified engines as they aged. These are just some of the ‘growing pains’ BMW experienced with their re-introduction of turbocharged engines. | | | Thankfully, the popularity of the N54 platform and the N55 twin-scroll variant that followed made the development of solutions to their inherent flaws a priority for enthusiast companies. BMW’s remedies included band-aids, like walnut shell blasting as a routine service, but they weren’t quite what we’d call ‘permanent resolutions.’ With BMW’s focus on the development of new engines rather than sinking time and money into their existing platforms, that left it up to the aftermarket world to devise more ‘lifetime’ fixes for these weaknesses to an otherwise sturdy engine. | | | Vargas, a well-known aftermarket turbocharger supplier, led the charge with a fix for some of the more catastrophic of issues. Their Crank Bolt Capture kit locks the crank hub in place to prevent the dreaded ‘crank walk’ that is notorious for introducing pistons to valves in these engines. With the capture kit installed, your N54, N55, or S55 is no longer susceptible to crank walk and ready to handle all the boost you can throw at it. | | | Additionally, their Crank Seal Plate is equally critical for maintaining a healthy N5X/S55. It’s unfortunately all too common for the serpentine belt to experience a failure that results in the belt, or parts of the belt, wrapping around the harmonic balancer and entering the engine through the front main seal. When this happens, belt shrapnel will lodge in oil passages, contaminate your oil pan, clog your pickup, and ultimately kill your engine. The crank seal plate is an easy and permanent measure that prevents this disaster from happening even if you do shred a belt by covering the block behind the belt and protecting it from any potential hazards. | | | These two extreme failures are perhaps the most common causes of N54/N55/S55 catastrophic deaths besides lack of maintenance. Naturally, we recognized the importance of both preserving and maintaining your engine, which led to what we’re now calling ‘Bulletproof Kits.’ Our Packaged By Turner N54, N55, and S55 Bulletproofing Kits feature the Vargas Crank Bolt Capture, Crank Seal Plate, a new OEM accessory belt, OEM belt tensioner, and idler pulleys, LIQUI MOLY 5W-30, OEM Hengst oil filter, OEM oil filter housing/cooler gaskets, and Genuine BMW coolant so you can eliminate the possibility of premature engine death as well as maintain it for proper service and efficiency. With this kit, your BMW can expect to continue providing the ultimate driving experience for you while you can sleep soundly knowing tomorrow won’t have the possibility of being a very bad day. | | | Ultimately, the lifespan of your N54/N55/S55 is determined by how well you care for it, how hard you drive it, and how much you ask of it to perform with upgraded parts, but the risk of premature failure is always looming without addressing these critical problems. Thanks to the folks at Vargas Turbo and your friends here at Turner Motorsport, you have an all-in-one solution to some of these platforms’ biggest problems. Now you’ll feel comfortable pushing the limits of what your N5X/S55 can achieve without the worry that all your hard work could be undone by a manufacturing oversight out of your control. While we’re excited to see where the B58/S58 takes us in the future, we’re certainly not finished with the well-loved N5X/S55. That’s why we’re happy to bring you continued support for these tried-and-true (if not a bit bipolar) turbocharged sixers. | | | If you have an N54/N55/S55-powered BMW, we highly suggest you get in front of these common problems now before they become an expensive headache later. Once you’ve finished, you can start to look at where the power ceiling really sits. For a good start, check out some of our previous articles like ‘How To Make 100 HP In An Afternoon’ and be sure to share your thoughts on these engines with us as usual at [email protected]. Maybe you’ll find your BMW in a future edition of Turner Motorsport Weekly. | | | |
