[skievl23]

I beat the living shit out of my motor. Every day I go for drives on farm roads and am in 3-6k RPM range for at least a half hour. Other than tires and other wearable parts, how long can my N20 keep up? I have 37k miles and bought it at 31k certified preowned. I plan on driving the piss out of it for the next 3-4 years and want to tune. Any recommendations on preventative maintenance? Will i blow this N20 if I stage 2 tune?

[hwntime]

Originally Posted by skievl23

I beat the living shit out of my motor. Every day I go for drives on farm roads and am in 3-6k RPM range for at least a half hour. Other than tires and other wearable parts, how long can my N20 keep up? I have 37k miles and bought it at 31k certified preowned. I plan on driving the piss out of it for the next 3-4 years and want to tune. Any recommendations on preventative maintenance? Will i blow this N20 if I stage 2 tune?

If you're driving that hard, first thing you need to swap out is the charge pipe. Yours is bound to bust by keeping boost up for prolonged periods how you do.

[skievl23]

Solid advice, I heard those have tendency to implode. I'm more curious about the motor itself.

[overcoil]

I do worry.

My opinion. Best oil at the right interval ) I use the BMW branded and never more then 5,000 miles.

I saw this tip in this months Roundell magazine and it’s something I’ve always done - after a bout when parking lift the hood to dissipate the heat.

And getting a cold drivetrain up to temp and then stepping up in gradient to the high rpm and then at the end of the drive getting fresh cool air into the front grill - I never tailgate or suck in orher exhaust by pulling in to close to tail pipes in front.

I inspect the engine at each fuel fill up and use quality fuel from a busy gas station.

And I have a tire fetish, I’m constantly felling my tire tread for debris or nails and inspect sidewalls when washing car and I keep car detailed.

[biz4two]

It is a BMW!! LOL!! YES, you should worry.

The N20 has been a rather reliable engine overall. Some early built pre-2013'ish in the 3-series did have timing chain issues (stretching).

The 2014 and 2015 have the dreaded P0597 -- Thermostat Open circuit issue. YUP, I am proof...as mine is in the shop right now for that issue.

Otherwise, it's a rather solid engine!! IMHO...it is necessary to run HARD in Sport mode every now and again. Clean out that carbon!! lol


biz

[Radracer228]

Just under 21k on my 2016 and I needed a new oil pan gasket. A little concerned.

[SteveInfante]

I drive mine like I stole it most of the time, within reason of course. 8k mike oil changes. Keep up with everything else maintenance wise on a regular interval and you will be fine. I've been tuned since 49,000 miles. Stage 1 BMS tune. I hit this mileage today.

[Radracer228]

Apparently one of the bolts on the oil pan was slightly loose so they replaced the gasket and the bolt for good measure.

[GoMifune]

these motors have a three-year lifespan yo. more peeps lease than buy. y'all geschraubt!

[Radracer228]

Can you provide a source for the number of documented engine failures? Seems like 3 years is hard to believe since the warranty is 4 years.

[hwntime]

Originally Posted by GoMifune

these motors have a three-year lifespan yo. more peeps lease than buy. y'all geschraubt!

Troll much? The N20 has been around for some time and you see tons of them in the 3 and 4 series which have been out longer. I've yet to hear of a 3 year lifespan. Maybe when you actually get your own car and give up your mom's 1998 Dodge caravan that you borrow after school and on the weekends, you can provide a little more input to this forum YO!

[GoMifune]

[hwntime]

Originally Posted by GoMifune

And your point is? It's an engine fire which could've been caused by anything. did you actually read the story behind that fire or did you google for a pic LOL

[hwntime]

So I guess Ferrari's, Lambo's, and Porsche's all have crap motors too since there's pics of them on fire? LMFAO

[Maynard]

Actually, P-cars have had very crap engines - google IMS bearing failure, or that lovely rundown in Grassroots this month listing e/t from coolant/pump problems to cylinder scoring (like 'you need a deep sump for a/t with more g-force than all-season tires').

But no matter how photogenic, engine fires are usually an entirely different kind of problem.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Actually, P-cars have had very crap engines - google IMS bearing failure, or that lovely rundown in Grassroots this month listing e/t from coolant/pump problems to cylinder scoring (like 'you need a deep sump for a/t with more g-force than all-season tires').

But no matter how photogenic, engine fires are usually an entirely different kind of problem.

Can you provide the grassroots link ?

[Maynard]

It is this month, the November issue. To me, Porsche sort of turned on the real sportscar lovers a while ago, with many reports of both iffy quality, and nasty business practices; seemed like so many formerly first-rate companies that sold out and had their reputation cheapened or exploited (mainly the combo of iffy engineering,and prorating or denying warranty claims if a car was suspected to have been tracked - bad for Toyota, but hypocrisy for Porsche). Used to be that they were one of the few auto makers that you didn't need to rebuild and blueprint before running on track. But to be fair, GRM is heavily 'payola'd' and the recent article is based upon the guy who patented the fix for the IMS, adjacent to a full page ad for his deep sump pans (so perhaps not quite as bad as he portrays?).

[skievl23]

Originally Posted by SteveInfante

I drive mine like I stole it most of the time, within reason of course. 8k mike oil changes. Keep up with everything else maintenance wise on a regular interval and you will be fine. I've been tuned since 49,000 miles. Stage 1 BMS tune. I hit this mileage today.

this makes me happy