LukeD Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 What's the difference between the m52 and m54 engines? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 2 mit and mneth1986 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeD Posted August 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 2 ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Never mind, went over your head Read this >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M54 LukeD, mit and James B 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeD Posted August 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 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 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeD Posted August 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Search for CCV, replacing this will reduce the oil consumption Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeD Posted August 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Yeah was thinking about replacing this, is 1lt per 1000 about right tho? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 It's within BMW's guidlines for 'normal' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tymm Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 2 ?? 52-54=2 löl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tymm Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimp Choker Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Tymm looking to do mine did you buy the kit from cotswoldSent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tymm Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Chimp, No mate I got them from the dealers here in Sweden, Cotswold won't post here, I also got the cold weather parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimp Choker Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 Aye the cold climate parts are what I was going to get slsoSent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob- Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 (edited) 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- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mit Posted August 18, 2013 Report Share Posted August 18, 2013 (edited) 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 M3NXN and RickyZ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuidoK Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyZ Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 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 Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tymm Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 VCG= Valve Cover Gasket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonlpearce Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuidoK Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted August 19, 2013 Report Share Posted August 19, 2013 Thicker oil yes but 10w40 is too thick, your better off with 5w40 At operating temperature they are the same viscosity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAB_BMW Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyZ Posted August 20, 2013 Report Share Posted August 20, 2013 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...