[Cornhusker]

I had an 07 335i, one of the first. Sold it a year ago and got a lil suv, I'm bored to death and the mod bug is getting at me. In 5 months I'll be moving into the house I'm building which is 3.5 blocks from my office so I'll only be putting 4k/miles/year on whatever my daily driver is. I figure since I won't be putting on many miles I'd like something fun, used, and cheap I can modify. I want a xi because I ski and the canyons here in utah can get ugly.

I know there's differences between years in modding potential but I can't remember all the differences. I believe the n54 is more mod friendly and has more options, correct? It ended in 2009? 2010 is n55?

Also, some of isn't there a welded diff starting at some point? This makes it more expensive to get an lsd, correct? What year did that start in?

Anything else I should consider?

Are there upgraded turbos yet that have proven to be non problematic? I won't run meth, only 91 octane and maybe race gas for track days. I was hoping for 400whp w/o meth on 91 octane. Any upgraded turbos for n55 yet?

My buddy says he'll wrap it for free, he has done it for a living, so I guess I could get any color if ones cheaper and has the right options.

[ppatel223]

2011 n55

[335iJWC]

Originally Posted by ppatel223

2011 n55

Why n55 he wants WHP!!


GO with N54

2009+ have the newer idrive system.

the welded diff only aplies to RW i think? but for that you have to get at 07

[ppatel223]

Originally Posted by 335iJWC

Why n55 he wants WHP!!


GO with N54

2009+ have the newer idrive system.

the welded diff only aplies to RW i think? but for that you have to get at 07

I meant to say all 2011 335i are N55 equipped. Why? I believe N54 335i killed M3 sales a bit, cuz N54 is stronger motor (forged) than N55

[Turkeybaster115]

Originally Posted by ppatel223

I meant to say all 2011 335i are N55 equipped. Why? I believe N54 335i killed M3 sales a bit, cuz N54 is stronger motor (forged) than N55

Some N54's have cast iron pistons, like the N55. Ones built after fall of '08 are especially suspect.

[Skydive]

Originally Posted by ppatel223

I meant to say all 2011 335i are N55 equipped. Why? I believe N54 335i killed M3 sales a bit, cuz N54 is stronger motor (forged) than N55

Actually, it's more likely that the cost to manufacturer and warrant a single turbocharger is considerably less than the cost to do the same things for two turbochargers. BMW felt they could maintain appropriate spool and throttle response with a variable geometry turbo. Such turbos were very new at the time of the N54's design, so it was done with the twin design. So far, tuning results seem to be better with the N54, so enthusiasts tend to prefer it.

I know... .

Sorry.

[samchoi604]

Originally Posted by ppatel223

I meant to say all 2011 335i are N55 equipped. Why? I believe N54 335i killed M3 sales a bit, cuz N54 is stronger motor (forged) than N55

only early N54's have forged internals

[sear]

Get an N54 2010 or earlier if you want to tune it, especially if you are in Utah @ altitude. There is less effiecent boost margin in the N55 than the N54 and you'll use some of the boost margin even stock while at altitude, thus leaving less left for tuning

Good luck either way! The N54 tuning market is about as good as it gets for German cars in hp/$

[momstmg78]

Get a 335is, it's a n54.

[chrisw335i]

n54 ftw

[Alan l.]

Any N54 would be fine. The whole thing about some not having forged piston's is just speculation and does not make ANY sense on bmw's part. Later models did start to leave out certain items like under hood insulation pad, back seat storage nets, etc....which is very different from swapping out a major engine component.

[Skydive]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

Any N54 would be fine. The whole thing about some not having forged piston's is just speculation and does not make ANY sense on bmw's part. Later models did start to leave out certain items like under hood insulation pad, back seat storage nets, etc....which is very different from swapping out a major engine component.

At this point, it's more than just speculation, and it's not unheard of. In fact, I'm willing to bet that the transition from N54 to N55 was primarily a cost savings measure as well, and the development of that revision was certainly a larger investment than was the move from forged internals to cast. Regardless, if the OP is purchasing the car with a specific intention to modify it, I can think of more than one reason beyond forged components to look for an early car. The early cars have bolted diffs, which make a LSD swap much easier. If he's going to mod, there's little sense in paying for the remainder of a warranty. The 2007s are now coming out of OE warranty and there is a cost savings there.

...and yes, there's good sense in differential upgrades, even with an Xi. (We did it all the time with Quattro cars.)

-Michael

[Turkeybaster115]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

Any N54 would be fine. The whole thing about some not having forged piston's is just speculation and does not make ANY sense on bmw's part. Later models did start to leave out certain items like under hood insulation pad, back seat storage nets, etc....which is very different from swapping out a major engine component.

I think the problem is that you want to hold on the the belief that an auto manufacturer always over engineers their product, and that is certainly not the case.

[Alan l.]

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...8&postcount=34

Its pretty damn clear to me.... Stop spreading misinformation that has NOT been proven yet. Mahl isn't BMW.

My car is a 6/2009 built date so I am good regardless. It would be pretty stupid for bmw to decide to swap pistons in the N54 during its last few months of production in the E90/92 and just before it ups the boost in the 335is and 1M models?

Post by Dzenno

Originally Posted by dzenno

Just looked it up on realoem.com and I don't know where you guys got the numbers above but it looks wrong...here's info from realoem.com (notice the "UP TO" date, its 12/2009, starting with Dec 2009 the N54 piston part number changed, see below):

========

No. Description Supplement Qty From Up To Part Number Price Notes
01 Piston (0) 6 12/2009 11257577581 $354.95
01 Piston (+0,25) 6 12/2009 11257577582

======

THEN selecting the batch of N54s built while N55s were out shows that starting in 12/2009 a new part number of the N54 pistons came out: 11257610295, 11257610296:

===
No. Description Supplement Qty From Up To Part Number Price Notes
01 Piston (0) 6 12/2009 11257610295
01 Piston (+0,25) 6 12/2009 11257610296
====

Notice that this new set of piston parts started in Dec 2009.

What this clarifies is the following:

1) All cars built before December 2009 have the same pistons
2) 3 members of this board had their engines taken apart and got confirmation on FORGED pistons, rods and crankshaft (enrita, unfor and E92Fan)

What's not clear:

1) Starting with Dec 2009 N54 pistons, are these still forged or cast?

Mahle isn't clear and "very possibly" referred to late model N54s (Dec 2009+)...

There is "no doubt" N54 pistons BEFORE Dec 2009 are forged as this has been confirmed multiple times...

[Skydive]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...8&postcount=34

Its pretty damn clear to me.... Stop spreading misinformation that has NOT been proven yet. Mahle isn't BMW.

Post by Dzenno

Mahle is the OE supplier. (...and if you'd ever been in the parts business and had to source parts among multiple model years and VIN splits, you'd know that things like this change ALL THE TIME. In fact, they can change functionally and numerically from month to month, and week to week.)

So... proven or not, the possibility (probability?) exists. Can you think of a reason that the OP should NOT choose an earlier car? He's not looking for warranty since he is looking to mod. A bolted diff might be better for him. Early cars cost less. Early cars might have stronger motors. Unless OE Navigation is particularly important, or the LCI aesthetics appeal strongly to you, I can think of no reason that a late car would be a better modding platform until and unless it perhaps becomes impossible to find low mileage early cars.

-Michael

[Alan l.]

^^ Never said the OP needed to get a late model car. As long as its a N54 he has worlds of options out there. Simply stating if something isn't proven yet we should pass it off as fact. Mahle is a OE supplier but do they make the N54 pistons? I know they make a lot of other stuff for all different platforms.

Alan