Hey… did you know that tuning isn’t only about making cars more obnoxious and louder? It’s actually mostly about improving performance, be it power and torque or fuel efficiency. All to gain full confidence when accelerating, overtaking or merging onto a highway, as well as to save fuel under regular driving conditions.

Yep, you read that correctly: by having your BMW engine tuned, you can make it less thirsty. Not only that, with a proper tune, you are also looking at potential increases in reliability.

But how do you go about BMW ECU tuning? Read on to find out the most important aspects of it and see which bimmer engines are good performance improvement candidates.

What Makes a BMW Engine Good for a Tune Up?

There are only a handful of “ingredients” that determine whether or not an engine is right for tuning. That being said, each of them is very important, so if you are considering a BMW tune, take a look at the list below.

1. Aspiration type – turbocharged engines are much more tuneable than naturally aspirated ones, because there are more parameters that can be controlled to affect the performance.
2. Design durability – what you want from a good tuning platform is plenty of OEM reliability. The tune itself will help improve the longevity, but the more robust an engine is from the factory, the more safety margins you’ll have.
3. Engine condition – for tuning, a BMW engine has to be well maintained, according to a regular checkup schedule, along with timely oil and filter changes, and spark plug inspections.

Based on those three aspects, it’s easier to specify which power plants are better suited for tuning than others. So, what are they?

BMW Engines Perfect for Tuning

In the world of various BMW performance upgrades, there are a couple of designs that are definitely tune-worthy. They are characterized by respectable durability margins and reasonable factory power output. Additionally, they are relatively well thought out, at least in most cases.

Let’s dive deeper into the specifics of the abovementioned engines.

BMW B58 Engine Specs and Reliability

The largest of the Bavarians’ modular power plant family, the BMW B58 engine is their latest representative of the inline-six breed introduced in 2015. Depending on the variant and application, it pumps out 322–382 HP and 450–500 Nm of torque. It has forged aluminum piston rods and crankshaft, as well as a closed deck block.

This means the design is very robust from the get-go and it can handle power gains well. It also greatly aids the reliability of the BMW B58 engine, giving it a long-lasting potential, which can be improved even more with appropriate BMW B58 tune… But more on that later.

The BMW B58 engine is used on almost all current production 40i bimmers, including:

• BMW 340i (F30/F31/F34)
• BMW 440i (F32/F33/F36)
• BMW M240i (F22/F23)
• BMW 540i (G30/G31)
• BMW M340i (G20/G21)
• BMW M440i (G22)
• BMW M240i (G42)

BMW B48 Engine Specs and Reliability

Another representative of the modular family, the BMW B48 engine comes in the shape of a more compact four-banger. The Bavarians managed to squeeze out 154–255 HP and 250–400 Nm of torque from it. Thanks to the modularity of the designs, the very same forged piston rods that go into the B58 are also used in B48. In addition, similarly to its bigger brother, the inline-four also has a closed deck aluminum engine block.

Although the B engines are all relatively new, their hefty internal components bode really well for their base longevity. They also make for a solid tuning platform.

In what cars can you find the BMW B48 engine?

• BMW 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series, and 5 Series 20i, 30i or 30e models after 2014
• MINI Cooper S (F56)
• Toyota Supra (J29)

BMW B46 Engine Specs and Reliability

Despite the BMW B46 engine being almost identical to the B48, it’s still worth explaining the different numbering. After all, you might’ve already come across this designation. BMW B46 is basically a version of B48 that complies with the American SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) requirements. The changes include distinct air intake, sensors, catalytic converters, and factory tune adjusted to those parts.

From the perspective of BMW ECU tuning or reliability, there are no significant differences between the two. The B46 was installed basically in the same models as B48, only destined for the US market.

BMW B38 Engine Specs and Reliability

The smallest and the first engine of the modular B family, this inline-three was introduced in 2013 along with the BMW i8 hybrid. The two versions it comes in (1.2 and 1.5 L) are available with outputs of 74–228 hp and 150–320 NM of torque.

Although it might seem like a lot of horses out of such a tiny engine, thanks to its durable construction, you still have some room for extra power gains. But, most importantly, engine tuning can help you take some load off of it.

As the lowest-displacement member of the family, B38 engine was meant for the lower trims of BMWs and the budget cars like:

• F20/F21 BMW 118i (2015–2019)
• F30/F31 BMW 318i LCI (2015–2019)
• F40 BMW 118i (2019–present)
• F44 BMW 218i Gran Coupé (2019–present)
• F22/F23 BMW 218i (2015–present)
• F45/F46 BMW 218i Active Tourer/Gran Tourer (2014–present)

BMW N54 Engine Specs and Reliability

Introduced in 2006, the BMW N54 was the Bavarians’ first turbocharged gasoline engine. It took advantage of two turbos to produce 302–335 hp and 400–450 Nm of torque. Similarly to the later B58 engine, it used forged internal components (piston rods and crankshaft), but its engine block was of open deck design.

The BMW N54 engine is able to handle increased boost pressures really well and has a lot of potential for longevity improvements with ECU tuning. Below you’ll find a short list of models that were powered by this power plant:

• BMW 335i (E90/E91/E92/E93)
• BMW 535i (E60/E61)
• BMW 135i (E82/E88)
• BMW X6 xDrive35i (E71)
• BMW Z4 sDrive35i (E89)
• BMW 740i (F01)
• BMW 335is (E92/E93)
• BMW 1 Series M Coupe (E82)
• BMW Z4 sDrive35is (E89)

BMW N55 Engine Specs and Reliability

An evolution of the previous design, the BMW N55 engine was produced from 2009 and gradually replaced the N54 in many applications. It was rated at 302–365 hp and 400–465 Nm of torque, depending on the version. Instead of two turbos, BMW used only one twin-scroll turbocharger, which made the motor lighter than the N54.

Similarly to its predecessor, the BMW N55 engine is quite strong and tolerates power increases well. This means that along with taking a few years off of it, with tuning you’ll be able to gain some extra “juice,” to help you overtake other cars swiftly.

• BMW 535i (F10/F11/F07)
• BMW 335i (E90/E91/E92/E93)
• BMW 135i (E82/E88)
• BMW X3 xDrive35i (F25)
• BMW 335i (E70)
• BMW 335i (F30/F31)
• BMW X6 xDrive 35i (E71)
• BMW X1 xDrive35i (E84)
• BMW 435i (F32/F33/F36)

BMW N20 Engine Specs and Reliability

If you are into Bavarian engines, you might think that the BMW N20 isn’t really suitable for tuning. Although it had its share of problems right after its inception, they have mostly been solved. Moreover, one of the issues that troubled this design was related to high intake air temperatures it experienced. Which is something that can be easily remedied by a proper ECU tune that will lower how hot the engine is running overall.

Introduced in 2011, this turbo inline-four was a replacement for a naturally aspirated straight-six N53 engine. It came in two displacement versions (1.6 and 2.0 L) and produced 168–241 hp and 250–350 Nm of torque.

As a predecessor of the B48, it was installed in a similar range of cars (with the exception of 30i BMW models) until it was replaced by the latter after 2017. Examples of N20-powered vehicles include:

• BMW 220i/228i (F22)
• BMW 320i/328i (F30) 
• BMW 320i/328i GT (F34)      
• BMW 420i/428i (F32) 
• BMW 520i/520Li/525Li/528i (F10)

BMW Engines Good for Tuning – Honorable Mentions

Apart from the power plants described up to this point, there are also other BMW engines that are really well-suited for ECU tuning. They are at the bottom of the list not because of their small potential, but due to the fact that they already are extremely powerful in their stock form.

However, if you wanted to, their durable internal components offer great safety reserves for additional power gains. So, which of these designs are a perfect match for engine tuning?

• BMW S55 – a performance version of the N55 introduced in the BMW M3 (F80), with different variants producing 275–493 hp and up to 600 Nm of torque. Manufactured from 2014 to 2021.
• BMW S63 – the strongest engine currently offered in the Bavarian lineup, this twin-turbo 4.4 L V8 powers the top-of-the-line M cars, like BMW M5 (F90) and M8 (F91/92/93), as well as their Competition variants. Produced from 2009, this power plant makes up to 635 hp and 750 Nm of torque.
• BMW S58 – based on the B58 but heavily revised, this engine debuted in BMW X3 M (F97) and X4 M (F98) in 2019. Currently still in production and used on models like the latest BMW M3 (G80), it pumps out 453–503 hp and 550–650 Nm of torque.

How to Tune a BMW Engine Safely?

There are many variables that have to be taken into account when tuning an engine. If you were to try changing any parameters within your BMW’s ECU, you would be at risk of damaging or even destroying the engine. Because of this, a remote tuning service like Awaken Performance by BimmerTech is your best bet.

During an online coding session, their technician does everything for you: they introduce necessary ECU changes and make your engine work at a lower operating temperature. As a result, it also drinks less gasoline (if you don’t change your driving style), and delivers power more smoothly. All while increasing the longevity of your car.

How to Take Care of a BMW Engine after Tuning?

After you’ve decided to give BMW ECU tuning a go, just don’t neglect the maintenance of your car. Use the best quality fuels (octane rating higher than 93 in US and at least 98 in Europe) and motor oils, and regularly inspect everything. And, most importantly, enjoy your car as if it was brand new, again!

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post Top 7 BMW Engines for Tuning: How to Tune & Is It Safe? appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

BMW announced two new 2.0-liter diesel engines that will be available on the current 5-Series starting this summer. The BMW 518d will get the 148hp version while a more potent 188hp engine will be seen on the BMW 520d.

If you opt for the entry-level unit of these two, sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h takes 9,5 seconds for the Sedan and 9,1 seconds for the Touring. Moving up to the 188hp version, accelerating from standstill to 100 km/h is possible in 7,9 seconds (Sedan) and 8,1 seconds (Touring).

BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system is available for this model but makes the Touring model 0,1 second slower.

If fuel economy is your concern, you have to know that the BMW 518d returns average figures of 54,7 to 50 mpg US (Sedan) and 51,1 to 47 mpg US (Touring). The BMW 520d does 54,7 to 50 mpg US (Sedan) and 51,1 to 47 mpg US (Touring).

Be sure to check the spec sheet below for more details on BMW’s new offerings.

The post BMW adds new 2.0-liter engines to the 5-Series lineup appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

I can’t help but think that the more or less subtle war between the three German automotive giants is the reason they all offer splendid models and services.

While you can’t really point to any one of them and say he has won it, each year can bring new victories for either.

For example, the first couple of months of this year presented themselves with Audi overtaking BMW in sales, even if by a slim margin. This is the first time in 9 years it happened and the response was pretty much what we should have expected.

BMW announced expanding their production facilities in China in order to churn out more engines so that they can catch up and reclaim their rightful place. Why did they choose China? Like it was predicted quite long ago, last year China managed to become the largest market not just for BMW, but Audi too and pretty much most other high profile manufacturers.

The effort is being backed by BMW’s Chinese partners, Brilliance, and the end results point towards a production of 400.000 units each year.

The post BMW will be expanding their engine production in China appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

When BMW announced that they will be dropping the S65 4 liter V8 engine, a lot of fans reacted quite badly, as the engine was the heart and soul of their ride.

On the other hand, there are those that are all for the new 3 liter S55 engine set to replace the S65 on the new F80 BMW M3 and F82 BMW M4.

At the recent Detroit Motor Show, the German car maker took the time to present not just the new models they are so proud of (and for good reasons), but also the new power house, which got a stand all for itself. For my two cents, I am all for the change and really don’t understand those who cling to the “old ways”.

The 3 liter biturbo S55 is smaller than its predecessor, yet it produces more horses and more torque while keeping the weight way lower. In conclusion, there is no objective reason why this new engine should not be welcomed with open arms. For slightly more details, watch video below.

The post S55 3 liter biturbo engine presented at Detroit appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

The Bavarians at BMW announced their plans to expand the engine range of the 2014 BMW X5 as well as the BMW 4 Series Coupe. To begin with, the BMW 420i is powered by a 184-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit alongside two new diesels powerplants.

These units are capable to deliver 258hp (BMW 430d) and 313hp (BMW 435d). If the less potent diesel model can be equipped with a manual or automatic gearbox, the higher-spec BMW 435d comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

You can add more style to the German model by opting for the Modern Line package which brings new alloy wheels, aluminum inserts, ambient interior lighting and a revised steering wheel wrapped in leather.

If the 2014 BMW X5 is on your wish list, you have to know that the company introduced a new 218-horsepower four-cylinder diesel engine for the sDrive25d while a more potent diesel producing 313 horses equips the xDrive40d.

Last but not least, the BMW X5 xDrive35i slots between the diesels with a 306-horsepower six-cylinder petrol unit.

The post BMW expands engine lineup for X5 and 4 Series appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

By now, everyone must have heard about the Brilliance – BMW joint venture that is active on the Chinese market.

With so many models coming out on either Chinese or European markets, BMW is hard pressed to keep everything under control.

So, in order to control the quality of the products sold in China, BMW decided to build the engines for the Chinese vehicles locally. Of course, it is all done under BMW supervision, making sure that each unit is up to spec and delivering expected performance for a Bimmer every time.

All these units will be manufactured at a local plant ran by Brilliance, BMW’s Chinese counterpart. Said power plants will be delivering horsepower to models like the 3 Series, 5 Series and X1. If this proves to be lucrative, BMW might even consider building engines locally for more vehicles on the current and future range.

These rumors, saying that the engines produced by the Chinese in the southern Sichuan province will be used in the BMW models sold on other markets than the Chinese might be interpreted the wrong way. Yet this means only one thing: the German car maker isn’t cutting corners and saving money on models just because they are built for the Chinese market (which has gotten quite a notorious connotation nowadays). So, no matter where the engine powering your Bimmer was produced, you can expect top performance in a true BMW way.

The post Brilliance will be using BMW tech to build engines appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

It seems more bad news comes from BMW. After they have announced their frustration at the CO2 emission targets and the sacrifices they will have to make in order to meet them, BMW is now dropping the naturally aspirated engines.

And it seems the culprit is the same Euro6 regulations considering CO2 emissions.

The first one to go will be the F10 BMW 5 Series, which come summer and the facelifted version, it will be powered by an N20 4 cylinder engine instead of the N53B30 in line six. That might be a bitter pill to swallow for many community members, but the BMW 535i just didn’t comply with Euro 6 regulations.

And the 5 series is not the only model to drop naturally aspired engines. Once the 2 Series launches and replaces the E82 1 Series Coupe and E88 Convertible, it will also sport a cleaner 4 cylinder engine, dropping the N52. Even the BMW M3 will lose its naturally aspirated engine, but since the current generation vehicles are all spoken for, you can consider it already gone.

The post BMW will discontinue using naturally aspirated engines appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Most car enthusiasts tend to think not so highly of the diesel engines. Mostly because of the noise and the low rev.

On the US market, customers had to contend with only a few options of diesel engines on their BMW, but changing trends and technology advances will soon change that.

If you think about it, for all its “flaws”, diesel burners also have plenty of advantages. Sure, they might not sound quite so delightful when the throttle hits the floor, but diesel provides more torque. And although these engines won’t rev quite as high, the fuel in them is used much more efficiently.

Thing is we could go back and forth on this subject all day, and many would still prefer a gasoline engine, but fact remains diesels aren’t the clunky, smoke producing engines good for hauling and nothing else. BMW invested a lot into developing technologies, and the results show.

The diesel engines from BMW are one of the best on the market at this time. Better injectors and capable turbocharging make sure of that. The new generation engines even manage to increase the rev limit. So I think the US BMW market should be plenty happy to receive them into the fold.

The post More diesel for the US market appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

The trend in the car making industry is pointing toward lower and lower CO2 emissions. The hi-revving, fast cars are slowly becoming extinct.

To remain one of the best car companies in the world, BMW can’t ignore the big trends, and so their plans will be tailored to suit the need of the masses.

So far, BMW has delivered a few technologies to further the cause of a greener future, while still maintaining its standards of quality. For the traditional gasoline or diesel engines, BMW came out with a 3 cylinder solution. The new engine has proven itself to be a very good replacement for most 4 cylinders.

On the electric front, we have BMW’s i3 small city car and the sporty i8, both being prime examples of high quality products designed for eco-friendly users.

And now it seems that BMW also wants to break into the natural gas powered market. But just as with the electric vehicles, the German manufacturer won’t be spearheading the advance on this front. Instead they will wait for another big company (like Volkswagen) to test the waters and should they consider it a safe investment, we should expect to see natural gas powered BMWs by 2020.

The post BMW to make gas powered cars appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

The Germans from BMW announced that a new agreement between the company and the Californian manufacturer has been recently signed. According to this agreement, BMW will deliver around 100,000 engines each year to the company founded by Henrik Fisker, the same person who is the designer of the current BMW Z8.

“The BMW engine was an obvious choice for us, as BMW is known for producing the best and most fuel efficient gasoline engines in the world. We are very pleased to have signed this agreement,” said Henrik Fisker, co-founder and CEO.

To be more precise, the Munich-based company will supply around 100,000 units of the 2.0-liter turbocharged engines. According to the first details, the four-cylinder gasoline units will fit the future Fisker vehicles, the models known as “Project Nina”.

Fisker also announced that the engine will be part of a hybrid powertrain which will include an electric motor as well, the new model following to be a mid-size premium sedan built at the Wilmington plant, somewhere in late 2012.

Recent rumors announced that Fisker will reveal a new model at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. However, we don’t know if the model in question will be powered by an engine bearing BMW’s badge.

The post BMW signs new agreement with Fisker appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.