You explained pretty well. Can i still use standard size big end rod bearings if the crank WAS only "POLISHED" and not cut? Or will i have to get undersized bearings?
@@335iN54Enthusiast hi i just checked the standard piston ring box the mechanic bought. It says 72.5mm x 1.0 x 1.0 x 2.0. Will it work if the bore is 73mm? Thanks
@@335iN54Enthusiast thanks a lot of ppl were saying you can’t hone these because of the plating, in that case I’ll hone mine . What ball hone size did you use?
One question, where did you get all the torque specs for the n54? I bought the Bently manual which really doesn't deal with crank or block and Haynes doesn't have a manual for the 335i (n54). I am looking for all the torque numbers especially now for the main bearings and bead plate.
I just got a 535xi for a good deal, been wanting anything n54 for a while now so I got it non driving with lots of heavy smoke. I'm now starting to rule out possibilities of why it could be smoking. Watched all your videos and they were super Informative. I'm doing a compression test today for sure to see the readings... smokes like crazy smells like oil
Hi there awesome video! I am going to change the oil pan gasket on my n54 (rwd) soon. And since the motor has over 260k km on the clock I am thinking of checking/changing the rod bearings. Is it possible to that while changing the oil pan gasket? ( I guess I need to remove at least the oil pump for that)
Hey thanks. Yeah Im pretty sure you can do the rod bearings while youre in there if you really want to. However these motors dont have bad rod bearings like the v8's do but if it will help you sleep at night go for it lol.
@@335iN54Enthusiast I was just wondering...I bought the car just a month ago and it was in pretty bad shape, had basically all of the common issues :D this weekend I'm going to adress the turbos / waterpump and oil pan gasket. I guess if there will be traces of rod bearing material inside the pan I need to change them ^^
Thank you for the build content, it is appreciated! I just wanted to know what would be the potential problem if you do not machine the cylinder head to cater for the 9.2.1 compression ratio pistons?
@lester mackay There wouldnt be a problem if you dont machine the head in fact I may not bother. With the lower 9:1 compression that will allow you to run more boost. It will just be harder to estimate what power your making without a dyno.
Might be a dumb question but if the pistons are 9-1, and you shaved the head wouldn’t that affect the clearances? And how much did you shave off the head to get back to 10-1
Any engine allows you to shave the head and or block without affecting clearances. I'm still at 9.something to 1 compression which will allow me to run more boost than at 10 to 1. The only reason I shaved the head was because it was warped.
Um maybe I was not listening properly since it is too late in the night here but.. any reason for missing bolts around oil pump? that oil "shield" had one missing too.
My bed plate is causing me a problem, I torque it down with the bearings inserted and the crank locks up. I’ve tried the new bearings and the old stock ones but the same result for both. It spun just fine before I took the bottom end apart. Any advice?
With the bedplate torqued down...the crank will be somewhat snug to turn but should be able to be turned by hand with some force. It's not going to spin super easy either. I'm assuming your bearings are installed correctly...if you didnt need any machine work and bought new std size bearings there should not be an issue. Also there should only be one thrust bearing thats on the block itself in the middle not on the bedplate.
For those oil squirters I suggest you find the BMW tool to properly align them so they're pointing exactly where they should be....If you have at least 1 oil squirter that was untouched you could probably make a template from that to align the rest...the BMW tool probably isn't that expensive . Or you can do what I did and not touch the oil squirters at all.
335i N54 Enthusiast thanks for the quick response, I was thinking about that but thought they would have to come out to hone the bores.... can’t see me buying the tool, could make a jig of some kind, or photograph and align the best I can when I build. Like the clamp trick with the cam ledges BTW, gunna use that one. Cheers
You're welcome. No I did not....my crankshaft was in great condition...no scoring on the journals...just the bearings were in bad shape..No need to take to shop. I honed the cylinders myself just to get a fresh surface for the rings to seal.
Hi again, is there any specific gotchas with rebuilding the short block or any specific tricks that are needed for the N54?. addtly how did you secure the vaccum pump gear? did you borrow the BMW tool to secure the housing? this tool isnt cheap and i really dont want to buy it. #6 rod bearing was on its way out in my case with 115k/miles. i heard that #6 are prone to failures first! for the front and rear seals did you get away with using the primer to secure the seals? as i know they sell sealant kit for rear seal? im curious do BMW dealers actually do this type of work to rebuild an engine?
the upper block did you have that sand blasted b/c it looks very clean? my machine shop said they dont sandblast anymore due to many oil galleys. this motor looks very clean. on the intake side on mine it looks like crap even after hot bath in shop.
Vacuum pump gear was tightened by using a screwdriver in sprocket holes to stop movement. The whole bedplate and front and rear seals are sealed as a unit with liquid sealer. The primer doesnt secure anything but stop sealant from escaping out of main seal joints.
@@335iN54Enthusiast thats how i got mine out, banana in the tailpipe;). not sure if you know but when you buy the kit to do rear seal it has two separate liquids, comes with two small tubes. one you take and put the injection needle and shoot it in same location where the bed plate meets the block on either side. then use the primer. it's $75US with the very little amount you need per seal you could use it to do 50 seals. luckily have a friend who works for a BMW dealer and he let me use it! they are both of a liquid form, whereas the tube you use for bedplate looks more like silicon, along with primer. i guess if you are doing the bedplate and the seal you can use the bedplate sealant. but if you are doing the seal only youd use the kit i mentioned. just an FYI for anyone else. i dont know if the rear seal kit is even needed, but BMW id rather not risk it.
I have an 04 545i that smokes do you think it might be the oil separator idel bounces up and down when u cover the oil cap u i get an idel change hopefully u can tell me what it might be . Hopefully i can fix it if not i will have to sell it thanks .
Hi John im assuming you have an N54 in your 04 545i. Smoking could be caused by a number of issues as you can hear about in my tips on diagnosing a smoking N54 video. Its impossible for me to pinpoint that for you, sorry. Sounds like you may have PCV System issues.
hey there. how did you figure out the bearing classifications? i know its on crank, but how do you determine which color codes go on rod and cap. i see it in newtis under crankrods etc but im unsure if this is the up to date way. im guessing it is
It explains in newtis how to determine colour codes for rod bearings. I believe you go by the letters marked on the crank. Mine were all R's which means outer cap is red. I forget what the inners were. Youll find it in Newtis.
pls continue to make n54 videos! quick question, im pulling head because crank pulley bolt came loose, given theres no damage, can i lock flywheel at tdc with the timing pin and tighten bolt without hub grab tool?
Great work on explaining everything! I respect your attention to detail especially with engine rebuilds. I have an 08 335i 6mt. I had to do the oil pan gasket on mine and I remember it was 8nm and then 90* turn for every bolt if I’m not mistaken. I noticed you may not have mentioned that in the video and wanted to say it before you instal. I marked them with a straight line across and did my turn so I know it was exactly the right degree. I usually never comment on videos but yours is worth it. Thank you for the content and will you be doing single turbo or upgraded twins?
Thank you I appreciate it. Yes you are 100% correct and actually I wrote down the extra 90* but unfortunately forgot to mention in the video....Sorry bout that!! Ill add it to the description. And I believe I'll be going big single... Thanks for watching
335i N54 Enthusiast you’re perfectly fine! In just glad you did it before dropping it back in! Great work!!! Keep it up I’ve subscribed and I’ll post your video on the FB group I’m affiliated here in the PNW
I have a couple of questions about this rebuild. I noticed the oil pump was reused, why ? Also, does the timing chain and oil pump chain have to be installed prior to the split block being put back together or can it be done after ?
Oh thankyou. I work for a BMW dealership so I have access to anything really.... If you go online to Newtis.info ...thats pretty much the BMW repair manual online with processes and torque specs.
@@335iN54Enthusiast thanks, just want to make sure, because of those issues with the M52 and M54 engines. I have a N54 that i might have to rebuild. Great videos
In searching for the two bolts/screws on the exterior BedPlate closest to the crankshaft seal ...I found this on: (let me know if these are correct?) workshop-manuals.com/bmw/3_series_e93/335i_n54_conver/4_tightening_torques/11__engine_(n54)/24__connecting_rod_with_bearing/1_azd__engine_block/ Bedplate Aluminium screws/bolts are marked with blue paint. N54 M8 x 37 Jointing torque and angle of rotation must be observed without fail. Jointing torque 10 Nm Torque angle 90 ° Bedplate Aluminium screws/bolts are marked with blue paint. N54 M10 x 27 Jointing torque and angle of rotation must be observed without fail. Jointing torque 15 Nm Torque angle 90 ° Bedplate Aluminium screws/bolts are marked with blue paint. N54 M10 x 41 Jointing torque and angle of rotation must be observed without fail. Jointing torque 15 Nm Torque angle 90-degrees
You sound like the Bob Ross of engine building. Great videos
Thanks!! I appreciate it.
Can't get any better than this video. Excellent job sir.
Thankyou very much
Great video and I appreciate all of the tips that you threw in as well. Good luck with the build; I look forward to your updates!
@Greg Perez Thank you I appreciate it
I would like to get your option on using aftermarket main bearings vs Oem? Enjoying this series very informational and comprehensive.
I think they're both good bearings.....king bearings are quite popular Oem ones are good too.
Two words to say to you sir. Thank you 👍
You the man keep em coming you did a great job on that build. 🔥🔥🔥
You explained pretty well.
Can i still use standard size big end rod bearings if the crank WAS only "POLISHED" and not cut?
Or will i have to get undersized bearings?
Std should be fine always check clearances before final install.
@@335iN54Enthusiast hi i just checked the standard piston ring box the mechanic bought. It says 72.5mm x 1.0 x 1.0 x 2.0.
Will it work if the bore is 73mm?
Thanks
How did you get the crank hub off the crankshaft after you pulled it out?
beautiful clean work
Thank you! Cheers!
Been looking for this for a long time. There is not much on the n54 engine build.
so i’m new to engine performance what all would you want to upgrade vs go oem to build the engine for good boost ?
rod bearings gap ?
Thanks for the video .very informative
Thank you bud
Is there an update about this engine. ?
Next few months
You only needed one tube of the bed plate sealant ?
Yes just one bottle.
Very helpful, will be building up a spare long block soon with upgraded rods, pistons, bearings and closed inserts
Did you take it to a shop and use a torque plate to hone the cylinders? Or did you hone it at home with a drill and a stone or ball hone?
Nothing fancy. Ball hone
@@335iN54Enthusiast thanks a lot of ppl were saying you can’t hone these because of the plating, in that case I’ll hone mine . What ball hone size did you use?
One question, where did you get all the torque specs for the n54? I bought the Bently manual which really doesn't deal with crank or block and Haynes doesn't have a manual for the 335i (n54). I am looking for all the torque numbers especially now for the main bearings and bead plate.
I have access to that info. You can find alot on Google
When you install the bed plate and yuo rotate the crack is hard to turn firs and then turn ok. Or i thid something wrong 😬😬😬😬
I just got a 535xi for a good deal, been wanting anything n54 for a while now so I got it non driving with lots of heavy smoke. I'm now starting to rule out possibilities of why it could be smoking. Watched all your videos and they were super Informative. I'm doing a compression test today for sure to see the readings... smokes like crazy smells like oil
@Carlos Reyes Thanks for watching my videos im glad they're useful to you. Good luck with your 535xi
Love the video, the oil pan bolts for the short ones are 8nm +90 degrees the long ones are 8nm + 180 degrees
Yes! Thankyou for adding that in!! Thats correct
Hey man, do you think rod bearings are a common maitenance item?
Not on the N54.
Good shit 🤙
Enjoyed this Thankyou
Hi there awesome video! I am going to change the oil pan gasket on my n54 (rwd) soon. And since the motor has over 260k km on the clock I am thinking of checking/changing the rod bearings. Is it possible to that while changing the oil pan gasket? ( I guess I need to remove at least the oil pump for that)
Hey thanks. Yeah Im pretty sure you can do the rod bearings while youre in there if you really want to. However these motors dont have bad rod bearings like the v8's do but if it will help you sleep at night go for it lol.
@@335iN54Enthusiast I was just wondering...I bought the car just a month ago and it was in pretty bad shape, had basically all of the common issues :D
this weekend I'm going to adress the turbos / waterpump and oil pan gasket. I guess if there will be traces of rod bearing material inside the pan I need to change them ^^
Thank you for the build content, it is appreciated! I just wanted to know what would be the potential problem if you do not machine the cylinder head to cater for the 9.2.1 compression ratio pistons?
@lester mackay There wouldnt be a problem if you dont machine the head in fact I may not bother. With the lower 9:1 compression that will allow you to run more boost. It will just be harder to estimate what power your making without a dyno.
Might be a dumb question but if the pistons are 9-1, and you shaved the head wouldn’t that affect the clearances? And how much did you shave off the head to get back to 10-1
Any engine allows you to shave the head and or block without affecting clearances. I'm still at 9.something to 1 compression which will allow me to run more boost than at 10 to 1. The only reason I shaved the head was because it was warped.
Um maybe I was not listening properly since it is too late in the night here but.. any reason for missing bolts around oil pump? that oil "shield" had one missing too.
Yes I put those in off camera of course. lol thanks for pointing that out.
Sweet job that
Need to buy a tri pod for the time lapses
My bed plate is causing me a problem, I torque it down with the bearings inserted and the crank locks up. I’ve tried the new bearings and the old stock ones but the same result for both. It spun just fine before I took the bottom end apart. Any advice?
With the bedplate torqued down...the crank will be somewhat snug to turn but should be able to be turned by hand with some force. It's not going to spin super easy either. I'm assuming your bearings are installed correctly...if you didnt need any machine work and bought new std size bearings there should not be an issue.
Also there should only be one thrust bearing thats on the block itself in the middle not on the bedplate.
How did you hone the cylinders without taking out the oil squirters for the pistons?
Very carefully. Mind you I didn't hone the cylinders I simply deglazed the walls with a drill attachment.
Hi, super vid, just about to do this myself. Any advice on positioning the oil squirters? Cheers
For those oil squirters I suggest you find the BMW tool to properly align them so they're pointing exactly where they should be....If you have at least 1 oil squirter that was untouched you could probably make a template from that to align the rest...the BMW tool probably isn't that expensive . Or you can do what I did and not touch the oil squirters at all.
335i N54 Enthusiast thanks for the quick response, I was thinking about that but thought they would have to come out to hone the bores.... can’t see me buying the tool, could make a jig of some kind, or photograph and align the best I can when I build. Like the clamp trick with the cam ledges BTW, gunna use that one. Cheers
why did you have to compensate with shaving the head down more. what were you getting?
Head had to be shaved to straighten it.
I can't find the oil pump socket bolt anywhere. So you have a part number?
No I dont have a number for that. You should be able to find it at ECStuning.com though...
Thanks for the video did you take the bottom end to a machine shop to hone and check?
You're welcome. No I did not....my crankshaft was in great condition...no scoring on the journals...just the bearings were in bad shape..No need to take to shop. I honed the cylinders myself just to get a fresh surface for the rings to seal.
@@335iN54Enthusiast What tool did you hone the cylinders with?
@@Fix_It_Again_Tony a honing tool from auto store.
This is some asmr type shit
Hi again, is there any specific gotchas with rebuilding the short block or any specific tricks that are needed for the N54?. addtly how did you secure the vaccum pump gear? did you borrow the BMW tool to secure the housing? this tool isnt cheap and i really dont want to buy it. #6 rod bearing was on its way out in my case with 115k/miles. i heard that #6 are prone to failures first! for the front and rear seals did you get away with using the primer to secure the seals? as i know they sell sealant kit for rear seal? im curious do BMW dealers actually do this type of work to rebuild an engine?
the upper block did you have that sand blasted b/c it looks very clean? my machine shop said they dont sandblast anymore due to many oil galleys. this motor looks very clean. on the intake side on mine it looks like crap even after hot bath in shop.
I painted my block and cylinder head. Machine shop did blast the head.
Vacuum pump gear was tightened by using a screwdriver in sprocket holes to stop movement. The whole bedplate and front and rear seals are sealed as a unit with liquid sealer. The primer doesnt secure anything but stop sealant from escaping out of main seal joints.
@@335iN54Enthusiast thats how i got mine out, banana in the tailpipe;). not sure if you know but when you buy the kit to do rear seal it has two separate liquids, comes with two small tubes. one you take and put the injection needle and shoot it in same location where the bed plate meets the block on either side. then use the primer. it's $75US with the very little amount you need per seal you could use it to do 50 seals. luckily have a friend who works for a BMW dealer and he let me use it! they are both of a liquid form, whereas the tube you use for bedplate looks more like silicon, along with primer. i guess if you are doing the bedplate and the seal you can use the bedplate sealant. but if you are doing the seal only youd use the kit i mentioned. just an FYI for anyone else. i dont know if the rear seal kit is even needed, but BMW id rather not risk it.
I have an 04 545i that smokes do you think it might be the oil separator idel bounces up and down when u cover the oil cap u i get an idel change hopefully u can tell me what it might be . Hopefully i can fix it if not i will have to sell it thanks .
Hi John im assuming you have an N54 in your 04 545i. Smoking could be caused by a number of issues as you can hear about in my tips on diagnosing a smoking N54 video. Its impossible for me to pinpoint that for you, sorry. Sounds like you may have PCV System issues.
hey there. how did you figure out the bearing classifications? i know its on crank, but how do you determine which color codes go on rod and cap. i see it in newtis under crankrods etc but im unsure if this is the up to date way. im guessing it is
It explains in newtis how to determine colour codes for rod bearings. I believe you go by the letters marked on the crank. Mine were all R's which means outer cap is red. I forget what the inners were. Youll find it in Newtis.
@@335iN54Enthusiast thank for your input. will have a look again.
pls continue to make n54 videos! quick question, im pulling head because crank pulley bolt came loose, given theres no damage, can i lock flywheel at tdc with the timing pin and tighten bolt without hub grab tool?
Thankyou. You will still need the hub holder tool so that the hub doesnt spin while you're tightening the crank bolt.
@@335iN54Enthusiast thank you! i wish all youtubers were as prompt and caring as you are!
@@nilotheking I appreciate that. Thankyou! Good luck
Did you feel resistance when turning the crankshaft from no bedplate install to bedplate installed and torqued?
Yes
Do you have any recommendations on how to align the bedplate, I cannot find anything about it online
I'm pretty sure the bedplate has dowel sleeves to align it. No alignment necessary.
comments are turned off but what kinda valve cover are you using? its looks sick
Thanks its just a new stock valve cover painted to match the car.
Just the plastic one? How you get it to stand up to the heat? That's awesome
Great work on explaining everything! I respect your attention to detail especially with engine rebuilds. I have an 08 335i 6mt. I had to do the oil pan gasket on mine and I remember it was 8nm and then 90* turn for every bolt if I’m not mistaken. I noticed you may not have mentioned that in the video and wanted to say it before you instal. I marked them with a straight line across and did my turn so I know it was exactly the right degree. I usually never comment on videos but yours is worth it. Thank you for the content and will you be doing single turbo or upgraded twins?
Thank you I appreciate it. Yes you are 100% correct and actually I wrote down the extra 90* but unfortunately forgot to mention in the video....Sorry bout that!! Ill add it to the description.
And I believe I'll be going big single... Thanks for watching
335i N54 Enthusiast you’re perfectly fine! In just glad you did it before dropping it back in! Great work!!! Keep it up I’ve subscribed and I’ll post your video on the FB group I’m affiliated here in the PNW
Great video! Very well done
Thanks so much!
I have a couple of questions about this rebuild. I noticed the oil pump was reused, why ? Also, does the timing chain and oil pump chain have to be installed prior to the split block being put back together or can it be done after ?
Yeah the pump was practically brand new. I'm pretty sure the answer to that is in the video or my top end video. Thanks
Still holding up?
My car is still in hibernation. Weather isn't nice enough here yet.
Been looking for a professionally done video like this for a while. Where did you get you information from what services manual do you recommend.
Oh thankyou. I work for a BMW dealership so I have access to anything really.... If you go online to Newtis.info ...thats pretty much the BMW repair manual online with processes and torque specs.
@@335iN54Enthusiast anything you can share pictures of the torque books and stuff?
Great job on the videos. Does the engine have issues with the thread ripping out when you torque the head or the caps down?
Thankyou. Issues with threads ripping out? Not that I know of. As long as the torque specs are followed.
@@335iN54Enthusiast thanks, just want to make sure, because of those issues with the M52 and M54 engines. I have a N54 that i might have to rebuild. Great videos
Man I'm definitely doing this.
Awesome bud 🙌
@@335iN54Enthusiast as you see from IG, it came out great lol
Lol 100%!
I cant play the other video.. I have subscribed to your channel
Gotta join my friend $$
"you dont want that to spin otherwise youre fucked"
looks too easy, is there any other info you may have missed? thanks!
Always check bearing clearance.
In searching for the two bolts/screws on the exterior BedPlate closest to the crankshaft seal ...I found this on: (let me know if these are correct?)
workshop-manuals.com/bmw/3_series_e93/335i_n54_conver/4_tightening_torques/11__engine_(n54)/24__connecting_rod_with_bearing/1_azd__engine_block/
Bedplate Aluminium screws/bolts are marked with blue paint.
N54 M8 x 37
Jointing torque and angle of rotation must be observed without fail.
Jointing torque 10 Nm Torque angle 90 °
Bedplate Aluminium screws/bolts are marked with blue paint.
N54 M10 x 27
Jointing torque and angle of rotation must be observed without fail.
Jointing torque 15 Nm Torque angle 90 °
Bedplate Aluminium screws/bolts are marked with blue paint.
N54 M10 x 41
Jointing torque and angle of rotation must be observed without fail.
Jointing torque 15 Nm Torque angle 90-degrees
Yes should be correct
Do you wanna build my N54 engine?
Thank you so much for the offer but I just don't have the time at this point.