M52 and m54?

[LukeD]

What's the difference between the m52 and m54 engines?

[Rich_D]

2

[LukeD]

2

??

[Rich_D]

Never mind, went over your head

Read this >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M54

[LukeD]

Ah I see so my 325 m sport will have a m54 engine, and I use to have an x reg (year 2000) 325ci and that would of had the m52 engine? Iv been told the m54 engines are more reliable but use more oil than the m52, is this correct?

[Rich_D]

Yeah, your 325Ci has an M54 engine and they do use oil, but that's nothing to be worried about unless it uses a lot

[LukeD]

Yeah, your 325Ci has an M54 engine and they do use oil, but that's nothing to be worried about unless it uses a lot

Yeah I no mate was just curious about the 2 types of engines lol didn't even realise until my mate told me earlier, yeah mine uses about 1lt every 1000 miles near about which iv been told is normal? With my old 325 I never needed to touch the oil lol now I know why

[Rich_D]

Search for CCV, replacing this will reduce the oil consumption

[LukeD]

Yeah was thinking about replacing this, is 1lt per 1000 about right tho?

[Rich_D]

It's within BMW's guidlines for 'normal'

[Tymm]

2

??

52-54=2 löl

[Tymm]

1ltr per 1000 maybe within but it´s still high, I was using that much till I did the CCV, all the hoses and the VCG, since then I've only used 1ltr in 10,000, parts cost me about £150 took me a day to fit it all

[Chimp Choker]

Tymm looking to do mine did you buy the kit from cotswold

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[Tymm]

Chimp,

No mate I got them from the dealers here in Sweden, Cotswold won't post here, I also got the cold weather parts

[Chimp Choker]

Aye the cold climate parts are what I was going to get slso

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[Rob-]

M54 has self adjusting valves so no need to adjust clearance. The m54 has fly by wire throttle wheras the m52 had cable. There are a few other differences but I can't remember them. The obvious one is larger cubic capacity (or smaller, depending how you look at it).

Edited August 18, 2013 by Rob-

[mit]

Ah I see so my 325 m sport will have a m54 engine, and I use to have an x reg (year 2000) 325ci and that would of had the m52 engine? Iv been told the m54 engines are more reliable but use more oil than the m52, is this correct?

No, both your 325 cars had the same engine. The 323 and 328 have a M52.

Also they are about as unreliable as each other. If its using a lot of oil it's because it's broken, therefore a part has failed, so that's an example of unreliability (or bad design, whatever you want to call it)...

1 litre per 1000 miles means you would have replaced 15 litres of oil (roughly) by the time your oil service is due, requiring a 6 litre (or so) oil change. That's nowhere near right.

Edited August 18, 2013 by mit

[GuidoK]

M54 has self adjusting valves so no need to adjust clearance. The m54 has fly by wire throttle wheras the m52 had cable. There are a few other differences but I can't remember them. The obvious one is larger cubic capacity (or smaller, depending how you look at it).

M52 also has hydraulic valve lifters I think. M54 is indeed full fly by wire and the m52(TU) is semi fly by wire. It has a throttle cable, but It also has an extra electronically controlled throttle body for things like traction control. So they also have a different ECU.

M54 has different inlet manifolds (where 3.0 is different to 2,5/2,0)

The 3 liter m54 also has different inlet timing camshafts.

But all in all they still are (mechanically) pretty much the same and probably equally reliable.

High oil consumption is most common by the m54 3.0, and that can be reduced by using slightly thicker oil in my experience (just by topping up the 5w30 (used by bmw) with 10w40 did the trick with my engine for the most part)

I think they're pretty bulletproof. Known problems are the vanos rings, disa valve, ignition coils and crank case ventilation. But these are mostly relatively cheap to fix (ignition coils and crank case ventilation are of course general problems found in many cars)

Edited August 19, 2013 by GuidoK

[RickyZ]

1ltr per 1000 maybe within but it´s still high, I was using that much till I did the CCV, all the hoses and the VCG, since then I've only used 1ltr in 10,000, parts cost me about £150 took me a day to fit it all

VCG ?

Aye the cold climate parts are what I was going to get slso

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I have just done this to mine at the weekend, the insulated parts are thicker so much more difficult to get to fit but they will go and will def help reduce oil consumption by not gunking the CCV up lol

M54 has self adjusting valves so no need to adjust clearance. The m54 has fly by wire throttle wheras the m52 had cable. There are a few other differences but I can't remember them. The obvious one is larger cubic capacity (or smaller, depending how you look at it).

M52 also has hydraulic valve lifters I think. M54 is indeed full fly by wire and the m52(TU) is semi fly by wire. It has a throttle cable, but It also has an extra electronically controlled throttle body for things like traction control. So they also have a different ECU.

M54 has different inlet manifolds (where 3.0 is different to 2,5/2,0)

The 3 liter m54 also has different inlet timing camshafts.

But all in all they still are (mechanically) pretty much the same and probably equally reliable.

High oil consumption is most common by the m54 3.0, and that can be reduced by using slightly thicker oil in my experience (just by topping up the 5w30 (used by bmw) with 10w40 did the trick with my engine for the most part)

I think they're pretty bulletproof. Known problems are the vanos rings, disa valve, ignition coils and crank case ventilation. But these are mostly relatively cheap to fix (ignition coils and crank case ventilation are of course general problems found in many cars)

Thicker oil yes but 10w40 is too thick, your better off with 5w40

[Tymm]

VCG= Valve Cover Gasket

[simonlpearce]

Thicker oil yes but 10w40 is too thick, your better off with 5w40

There isnt much difference between 5w40 and 10w40 tbh. In fact the 10w40 will be thicker on cold start so you will build pressure quicker. On an older engine this is probably beneficial. At normal operating temps they will be the same.

[GuidoK]

exactly.

Maybe in a cold winter climate like eastern europe 10w40 may be too thick, but not on the western side of europe. Most cars run on 10w40.

I now went to 10w60.

[Rich_D]

Thicker oil yes but 10w40 is too thick, your better off with 5w40

At operating temperature they are the same viscosity

[FAB_BMW]

I was always under the impression the 5w40 got around the engine quicker on a cold start, than compared to say 10w40, hence it being better for our engines?

[RickyZ]

VCG= Valve Cover Gasket

Is this the same as rocker cover gasket ?

Thicker oil yes but 10w40 is too thick, your better off with 5w40

At operating temperature they are the same viscosity

I am aware of this thanks Rich

I was always under the impression the 5w40 got around the engine quicker on a cold start, than compared to say 10w40, hence it being better for our engines?

This is the same thought process for me

Plus Opie Oils (a well known oil supplier) recommend 5w40 for higher mileage engines