[OpenAir]

Originally Posted by e46m3lol

Mechanic sent me pics last night and the engine has been put together and it's back in the car. He still has to turn the car on and make sure everything is good. Looks like I might be getting her back today

[e46m3lol]

Got confirmation that the car is all done and ready for pickup!! Now I have to wait for the gf to get off work so she can help me bring back one of the cars

[marcoac14]

Originally Posted by e46m3lol

Got confirmation that the car is all done and ready for pickup!! Now I have to wait for the gf to get off work so she can help me bring back one of the cars

Nice

[e46m3lol]

That's it guys and girls... She's back!

[Bam226]

Originally Posted by e46m3lol

That's it guys and girls... She's back!

Nice! Awesome job.

[OpenAir]

WHEW Glad to see her back on the road again!!!

[AUSf22]

Good to see the car is back on the road !

[e46m3lol]

Thanks guys for the warm welcomes! Everything has been running smoothly. I've put about 60 miles on her so far but have to wait a few hundred more miles for the break in period before I start driving her spiritedly again.

I actually got approached by a tuning company yesterday and it looks like I'll be running their tune shortly. I'll release more details on that as soon as I get the go from them.

[CalCarNut]

Originally Posted by e46m3lol

Thanks guys for the warm welcomes! Everything has been running smoothly. I've put about 60 miles on her so far but have to wait a few hundred more miles for the break in period before I start driving her spiritedly again.

I actually got approached by a tuning company yesterday and it looks like I'll be running their tune shortly. I'll release more details on that as soon as I get the go from them.

Uh huh..what happened to 'no tune'

Glad it's back on the road brother!

[dirtye84]

let me know when your parting out. i want the wheels and maybe the hexon turbo upgrade.

[dirtye84]

there is a shop in texas that has rebuilt n20s with forged rods and pistons from a N54 and it worked!!!

[OpenAir]

Originally Posted by e46m3lol

Thanks guys for the warm welcomes! Everything has been running smoothly. I've put about 60 miles on her so far but have to wait a few hundred more miles for the break in period before I start driving her spiritedly again.

I actually got approached by a tuning company yesterday and it looks like I'll be running their tune shortly. I'll release more details on that as soon as I get the go from them.

Here we go again!!! This is how it starts!!!

[SteveInfante]

Originally Posted by dirtye84

there is a shop in texas that has rebuilt n20s with forged rods and pistons from a N54 and it worked!!!

Any more info on them?

[e46m3lol]

Originally Posted by dirtye84

let me know when your parting out. i want the wheels and maybe the hexon turbo upgrade.

Hexon stage 1 turbo upgrade is out of the car now and will be going up for sale this week.

[alexc93]

Originally Posted by e46m3lol

I actually got approached by a tuning company yesterday and it looks like I'll be running their tune shortly. I'll release more details on that as soon as I get the go from them.

After all the problems you've had and all the knowledge we have about how weak the stock internals are on the N20, and the fact that you work at a BMW Dealership you would think you'd know better than this.

People have even blown up stock N20's! It's only a matter of miles before it would happen again...

[2msport]

Originally Posted by alexc93

After all the problems you've had and all the knowledge we have about how weak the stock internals are on the N20, and the fact that you work at a BMW Dealership you would think you'd know better than this.

People have even blown up stock N20's! It's only a matter of miles before it would happen again...

He blew his engine because he pushed the car past its limit. That doesn't mean we can't find a happy in the middle limit. Because it's there. Stage 1 piggyback tunes are proof of that. We don't know which kind of tune he'll be testing but just because it's a tune doesn't mean he'll blow his engine again. If a stock n20 blows that's another issue and would have happened anyway. The N20 is a good engine even if it's not a power house like BMWs larger engines.

[alexc93]

Originally Posted by 2msport

He blew his engine because he pushed the car past its limit. That doesn't mean we can't find a happy in the middle limit. Because it's there. Stage 1 piggyback tunes are proof of that. We don't know which kind of tune he'll be testing but just because it's a tune doesn't mean he'll blow his engine again. If a stock n20 blows that's another issue and would have happened anyway. The N20 is a good engine even if it's not a power house like BMWs larger engines.

I'm not saying that it needs to be a "power house" like larger engines. I drive and have driven many smaller engined cars such as my 09' 6 speed mini which is a blast.

But it is already evident that the blocks in these N20's is NOT strong, even stock. So adding any power, even stage 1 (which fyi is not proof of anything), is pretty much asking for trouble.

Just because it's not a power house engine, doesn't mean it can handle extra power.

EDIT: p.s. i am just going off of what i've been told by friends who are techs at the local dealership who have seen 2 or 3 228i's in completely stock with blown motors...

[Stubok]

Originally Posted by alexc93

I'm not saying that it needs to be a "power house" like larger engines. I drive and have driven many smaller engined cars such as my 09' 6 speed mini which is a blast.

But it is already evident that the blocks in these N20's is NOT strong, even stock. So adding any power, even stage 1 (which fyi is not proof of anything), is pretty much asking for trouble.

Just because it's not a power house engine, doesn't mean it can handle extra power.

EDIT: p.s. i am just going off of what i've been told by friends who are techs at the local dealership who have seen 2 or 3 228i's in completely stock with blown motors...

There may be a few stock blown engines out there. But look at any car company and I bet you'll find some random blown stock motors. The truth is hundreds if not thousands of N20 engines have been tuned successfully to stock N55 power without issues.

However those brave pioneering souls that have gone above the 'safe' zone have discovered that the Conrod bolts, conrods and pistons can't take more than about 23-25psi.

Read GSR's thread. Their engine let go up around 400lbft torque. I believe it was down to a Conrod bolt stretching and associated Conrod being thrown. It should be noted though that this is for a racing scenario and they were trying to find the limits, and doing so scientifically I might add.

They have also discovered that the oil pressure drops to nothing under hard braking and certain cornering situations. So the word is a baffled pan is being looked into.

Clearly if you tune the N20 you should think about other precautions. For the N20 it appears you should start with colder plugs. the F80-S55 "high power" ones are a few steps colder than the Stock N20 plugs, they fit and definitely help with any knock-preignition, which seems like it had a big role in the other failures. They made my engine run so much better after the tune and bolt-on's.

Chargepipes are also a worthwhile investment as is a better intercooler. The stock Chargepipes have been know to pop and the intercooler heat soaks quickly and doesn't cope very well with the added heat rejection requirements of greater boost and mass flow at higher temps. The result is much higher intake temps and higher chance of knock when you push it. So better FMIC with more surface area can bring those temps back to stock temps, but with the higher flow and boost.

Finally a DV+ kit for the fragile diverter valve is inexpensive (though it's a pain to install), so maybe should make the list too.

Anyway welcome back e46m3lol glad it worked out for you man, and that you didn't need a complete new engine. Slightly sad that you didn't go down the forged internals path... But at least it's good to hear GSR are looking at it.

[marcoac14]

Originally Posted by Stubok

There may be a few stock blown engines out there. But look at any car company and I bet you'll find some random blown stock motors. The truth is hundreds if not thousands of N20 engines have been tuned successfully to stock N55 power without issues.

However those brave pioneering souls that have gone above the 'safe' zone have discovered that the Conrod bolts, conrods and pistons can't take more than about 23-25psi.

Read GSR's thread. Their engine let go up around 400lbft torque. I believe it was down to a Conrod bolt stretching and associated Conrod being thrown. It should be noted though that this is for a racing scenario and they were trying to find the limits, and doing so scientifically I might add.

They have also discovered that the oil pressure drops to nothing under hard braking and certain cornering situations. So the word is a baffled pan is being looked into.

Clearly if you tune the N20 you should think about other precautions. For the N20 it appears you should start with colder plugs. the F80-S55 "high power" ones are a few steps colder than the Stock N20 plugs, they fit and definitely help with any knock-preignition, which seems like it had a big role in the other failures. They made my engine run so much better after the tune and bolt-on's.

Chargepipes are also a worthwhile investment as is a better intercooler. The stock Chargepipes have been know to pop and the intercooler heat soaks quickly and doesn't cope very well with the added heat rejection requirements of greater boost and mass flow at higher temps. The result is much higher intake temps and higher chance of knock when you push it. So better FMIC with more surface area can bring those temps back to stock temps, but with the higher flow and boost.

Finally a DV+ kit for the fragile diverter valve is inexpensive (though it's a pain to install), so maybe should make the list too.

Anyway welcome back e46m3lol glad it worked out for you man, and that you didn't need a complete new engine. Slightly sad that you didn't go down the forged internals path... But at least it's good to hear GSR are looking at it.

Can you tell me more about the plugs? I'm very interested. PN?

Thanks

[marcoac14]

Originally Posted by dirtye84

there is a shop in texas that has rebuilt n20s with forged rods and pistons from a N54 and it worked!!!

Do you know if the guy who worked on the engine was Alex@ABR Houston? I talked to him a while ago (about a year) and he told me he's rebuilt quite a few hydrolocked N20s but with stock parts. However he's mentioned it was possible to use N54 parts.

[dirtye84]

Originally Posted by marcoac14

Do you know if the guy who worked on the engine was Alex@ABR Houston? I talked to him a while ago (about a year) and he told me he's rebuilt quite a few hydrolocked N20s but with stock parts. However he's mentioned it was possible to use N54 parts.

yes. it was him. he said they are time consuming

[marcoac14]

Originally Posted by dirtye84

yes. it was him. he said they are time consuming

Interesting. Gotta talk to him again. Thanks a lot.