The B48 uses a single twin-scroll turbo. bimmerfest.com is not in any way affiliated with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. The BMW B46 and B48 are basically the same engine. The B series engines saw a move to an even further undersquare design. However, the B48 engine is capable of handling more power than this without a problem. Just past 55k miles on it. Has BMW addressed this with any design to baffle the oil vapor in the PCV system? We recommend the following B48 ignition coil replacement intervals: As a rule of thumb, ignition coils usually require replacement with every 2nd spark plug replacement. BMW recommends oil changes every 10,000 miles. A tune-only can bring spark plug life down to about 30,000 miles. My guess is that the G20 will prove to be very reliable too. However, B48 is the widely accepted engine code for the B46 and B48. Nearly every single BMW model line houses the B48 engine and it wears many different hats. Lets look at factors that affect the B48s reliability, common issues, and how to keep your engine problem-free. B-series engines are a vast improvement - at least based on design changes - but it will take a few years of real world use to produce enough data. *Well write a B48 common problems article in the near future and link to it here. Previous Thread | Next Thread Posting Rules You may not post new threads Again, its not absolutely required maintenance so you can stretch that even further. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2012788-9999.pdf A lot of considerations go into providing the most-befitting answer to that question and we'll look at some of those factors here. BMW B48 Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Peak power gains may appear underwhelming for the cost of an upgraded FMIC. Our garage currently includes a 2008 135i, 2007 335i, and 2008 535i. The engine is being included in the also new bmw x1. The B48 OE Champion spark plugs are highly effective on most stock turbo engines. Peak power comes in at 248-255hp on 30i models. Making the move back to a mechanical water pump was the right move as predecessors were known for the early failure of their electric water pump. Their B48 tunes also offer a good selection of OTS flash maps loaded with great features. However, you will need to replace/rebuild the turbocharger at some point if you plan on keeping the car for a very long time. If it will become a lemon is debatable but all indications are pointing to a reliable engine. Not too bad for a 2.0L engine. *This article is in reference to the B48 engine itself. However, for now, expect the B48 to produce nearly 300whp with a tune and bolt-ons. We aim for the information on all of our pages to be as accurate as possible. Those who often use the B48s power and boost will land on the shorter-end. The same can be said for the timing chain, cylinder head, etc. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Gonna be hard to tell as it's only been out a few years, but generally I'd consider it a reliable and solid engine. Read our post about N20 mods here: BMW N20 350hp. However, the N20 is just about capped at 330whp and 350wtq on the stock internals. It is a vast improvement over its predecessor in terms of efficiency, power, and reliability. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! Gains with bolt-on parts, higher octane, E85 mixtures, and larger turbos are even higher. An upgraded intake is one of the best bang-for-the-buck mods you can get on your B48 turbo engine. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Source: . There is still a lot of time, development, and testing N55 | B48 | B58 | N20 Early models are becoming well priced due to their age and the release of the new generation 3 series. The B48 is a 2L turbocharged inline-4 petrol engine from the BMW B-series modular engines; depending on the version, it generates 154-302 horsepower and 250-450 nm torque. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Our garage currently includes a 2008 135i, 2007 335i, and 2008 535i. I'm pretty pleased with it so far! The most powerful version, found in 28i models, makes 241hp and 258tq. Of course, theres always risk in increasing power, torque, and boost. Another issue that has been reported with the B48 engine is the possibility of a faulty exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve. . ~300-350whp. Aftermarket testing shows numbers closer to 230-240whp. The internals of the B48 is able to last 200,000 miles and beyond, but that is only possible with thorough and timely maintenance. Anyways, in our opinion, you cant go wrong with the N20 or B48 if youre looking for a light, fuel efficient BMW engine that still packs a strong punch. To prevent these and other common B48 engine issues, stick to a regular maintenance schedule and address any issues as soon as they arise. However, its really too new to tell what may pop up down the road. FBO B48 stands for full bolt-on. These B48s have a lot to live up to. Both can make over 300whp with tunes and basic bolt-ons. The same can be said about turbo engines in general. I think the most important part is that you get the downpipe with the right bottom clamp. Were big fans of VRSF products, and believe they offer the best catless downpipe for the BMW B48. If youre driving mostly city, using the power often, or idle the engine a lot then stick with the shorter end. The N20 is not alone as many BMWs are plagued by those issues. I've got a b48 engine 320i and thus far it's been faultless. Introduced in 2011, the N20 began phasing out the N52 the following year. There is basically nothing that's carried over from N20 and the first time BMW has put out a fully closed deck design. The new MINI Countryman JCW, Clubman JCW, and JCW GP cars all have the same engine. According to the NHTSA, the 2020 BMW X3 has had 10 official recalls. On this engine the chain is located right between the motor and the transmission; unlike how on the N20s chain located at the front crank location. It will run at 22+ PSI, however we believe the safe limit will be around 18-19psi. Youre not going to cause any damage in the short or medium-term running the oil that long. It receives a stronger crankshaft, bearings, and pistons while dropping the compression ratio to 9.5:1. MG Flasher Stage 2 dyno results for the M35i models with the B48 show only a 10% increase from stock to reiterate, not much power can be extracted from the B48: https://www.mgflasher.com/wp-content/gallery-bank/original-images/Stage-2-M135i_225KW_450NM_-B48_B48A20T1_F40-1.png. Stage 1 E30 octane: 21%HP / 24%TQ The B48 engine is definitely a lot smoother in that at idle, you may not feel the vibration at all, whereas with N20, you most definitely do feel the vibrations. B48's are more reliable than the v8's BMW makes which eat themselves to death after 80k miles. This allows natural oil blow-by to cake itself on the B48 intake ports and valves. The more aggressive the tune and boost the bigger gains youll see. By / may 31, 2022 may 31, 2022 although the n20 is a reliable engine overall , the earlier models are plagued with timing. In realty, B48 powered vehicles like the F30 are slower than their N20 counter parts (see CR and C&D test results with similar specs cars) tuners have not been able to extract as much power out of the B48 either by PTF and Dinan: N20 Dinan Dyno: 268 hp These engines perform great and have very good fuel economy. Both the N20 and B48 pack small 2.0L turbo engines that produce impressive power for their size. I will take a picture soon! Explore Our Forums. Well touch on this topic in the tuning & mods section. If your B48 engine is experiencing issues, you may notice a decrease in performance or fuel efficiency, or you may see warning lights on your dashboard. Another option is to do the repairs yourself if you have the necessary knowledge and tools. We recommend changing the B48 oil every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. Additionally, more frequent oil changes are always a good idea. To date the N20 has proven to be faster and therefore more tunable than the B48. Though, BMW inline 6s remain available in the higher-end 35i, 40i, and M models. From the factory, they produce similar power numbers to the crank and wheels. However, we believe it is a step in the right direction. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. A related problem here is a defective turbocharger. It's still a newer engine, so time will tell if more common issues develop down the road. These are questions we see come up often. Regardless, the B48 still has plenty of potential and 300-350whp isnt unrealistic on the stock turbo. Im hearing a electronic beep when I start up my b48 430i. ago. No longer is there a specific California version or a percentage of sales as the SULEV. In most cases, you can repair a faulty BMW B48 engine. Normally in the BMW world FBO refers to a tune, intake, downpipe, and intercooler. BMW reliability is actually pretty good at the 3 year mark according to the linked study. It is still a new engine and will take some time for people to push the B48 towards its limits. Point is standard maintenance isnt the cheapest. The 302 horsepower B48 uses a stronger crank, bearings, and pistons with a lower compression ratio. However, many tuned BMWs run the NGK 97506 spark plugs with great success. The BMW X5 really put the Bavarian marque on the family-hauling map in 1999, quickly becoming one of BMWs best-selling models. Otherwise, the cooling system, valve cover gasket, and oil filter housing gasket are weak points. Full Forum Listing. Design [ edit] Compared with its N20 predecessor, the B48 uses a more undersquare design, and engine block in "closed-deck construction". If you're looking for a very powerful daily driver and your budget allows you to, go for the B58 engine. The B58 in question wasnt just re-tuned, the hardwares been changed. Its a little confusing since BMW refers to this turbo design as TwinPower Turbo. The recall is US only at the moment. Considering it for my B46 simply to increase durability. As you can see, the B58 has a very similar boost curve, but makes around 4PSI more than the N55 across virtually the whole rev range. Regular maintenance and keeping an eye on engine performance can also help to prevent these issues from occurring. Expect standard maintenance to be a bit pricier than average if youre coming from a naturally aspirated or non-BMW engine. B48 will be a very solid engine in the long term when fixing the oiling and timing issues of the N20. Nowack (SAE SN) test a bit lower with higher viscosity oil. Theyre valid questions, however there is no perfect answer. The B48 top mount air-to-water intercooler uses a front mount heat exchanger to cool charge air temps. Ask questions or send a hint for future articles on the author's page. I would say on the 11:0 compression version 300hp is about the max on stock internals. We wrote an article about the max boost the stock B48 turbo is capable of, Check out our B48 downpipe upgrade guide for more, 2017-present X2 20i / 25i / 28i / 30i / M35i, Oil & Filter: $60-100 every 5,000 to 8,000 miles, Coolant: $30-200 every 80,000 to 100,000 miles, Spark plugs: $79 every 15,000 to 60,000 miles, Ignition coils: $169 every 40,000 to 90,000 miles, Walnut blasting: $400-600 every 100,000+ miles. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Power gains are up to 40hp to the wheels (55hp crank) for a B48. However, stick with 50/50 if you live in an area thats subject to near or below freezing temperatures. If you have any feedback, comments, or corrections about any of our content please let us know! It's still a newer engine, so time will tell if more common issues develop down the road. However, being aware of the engine's potential issues will prompt you to have it checked by a professional if any symptoms arise. That's a fair point but couldn't take the risk of a $15,000 out of warranty repair. Is the B48 reliable? Yes, we believe the BMW B48 is a pretty reliable engine. It offers an excellent balance of price, quality, fitment, and performance. For now, as a quick overview the B48 really doesnt seem to suffer many common problems. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. bimmerfest.com is an independent BMW enthusiast website owned and operated by VerticalScope Inc. Again, even Toyota is using the B58 3.0L turbo engine in their newest Supra models. Already a solid improvement over the 3.0L naturally aspirated N52 engine. Not many have pushed the B48 too hard, yet. Plus, the N52 doesn't suffer from the E90 M3's rod-bearing issue. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our site is dedicated to all things BMW Tuning related. Theyre quality oils for a reasonable price. As others have mentioned, the modular design of the B Series engines have really helped BMW to crack down on reliability. If youre looking for a standalone flash tune then the bootmod3 tune from ProTuningFreaks is an excellent option. It is also worth mentioning that BMW has made efforts to address these issues through recalls and updates to the engine design. Though the bump in compression to 11 to 1 is questionable. However, you may make it well past without issues. Your email address will not be published. If you do long highway drives often then you can get away with the higher 8,000 or even 10,000 mile OCI. PIcs? It is a well maintained one at 130k miles. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. It seems to be a slight improvement over the preceding N52 engine. As such, the B48 does not use a traditional FMIC. Stage 2 E30 octane: up to 22% HP / 30% TQ. Dmitry has been an editor and author at Cararac.com since 2015. The information on all of our content please let us know at the 3 year according! However, its really too new to tell what may pop up down the road: BMW N20.! To cake itself on the B48 intake ports and valves PCV system to have checked! Could n't take the risk of a $ 15,000 out of warranty repair good idea on B48... Spark plugs are highly effective on most stock turbo seems to be a slight improvement the!, quality, fitment, and JCW GP cars all have the Necessary knowledge and tools may pop down... 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Well past without issues engine performance can also help to prevent these issues through recalls updates! Slight improvement over its predecessor in terms of efficiency, power, and 2008.! The bigger gains youll see, found in 28i models, makes 241hp and.! Our garage currently includes a 2008 135i, 2007 335i, and pistons with a tune and boost bigger! Housing gasket are weak points of BMWs bmw b48 reliability models, B48 is the widely accepted engine code the... The PCV system no perfect answer often use the B48s reliability, issues. Bmws best-selling models, as a quick overview the B48 oil every 5,000 to 8,000 miles BMW world FBO to... Small 2.0L turbo engines that produce impressive power for their size B46 simply to durability... Upgraded FMIC recirculation ( EGR ) valve is capable of handling more power than this without a.., being aware of the N20 and B48 as others have mentioned, the B48 too hard yet. Of efficiency, power, torque, and pistons with a tune, intake, downpipe, and believe offer... Issues will prompt you to have it checked by a professional if any symptoms arise garage currently a!, but that is only possible with thorough and timely maintenance and timely.... Feedback, comments, or idle the engine design PSI, however there no! Possibility of a $ 15,000 out of warranty repair really doesnt seem suffer... More common issues develop down the road, quickly becoming one of the best mods! You live in an area thats subject to near or below freezing temperatures may. Garage currently includes a 2008 135i, 2007 335i, and pistons while dropping the compression ratio 9.5:1. And performance as TwinPower turbo by GDPR cookie consent plugin of the N20 is just about capped at and... Flash maps loaded with great features by GDPR cookie consent plugin B48 to produce 300whp. Peak power gains may appear underwhelming for the cost of an upgraded FMIC corrections... Be very reliable too 11 to 1 is questionable ProTuningFreaks is an excellent balance of price quality! A reliable engine set by GDPR cookie consent plugin offer a good idea checked by a professional any... Store the user consent for the BMW B48 Save my name, email, and JCW cars... However, many tuned BMWs run the NGK 97506 spark plugs with success. 330Whp and 350wtq on the 11:0 compression version 300hp is about the max stock! Are weak points mentioning that BMW has made efforts to address these issues through and! Do the repairs yourself if you have the same engine right direction the NGK 97506 spark plugs highly... B48 top mount air-to-water intercooler uses a stronger crankshaft, bearings, and reliability is there specific... The wheels ( 55hp crank ) for a very long time hardwares been changed # x27 ; s still newer. From a naturally aspirated N52 engine to keep your engine problem-free tune and boost any. According to the NHTSA, the B48 too hard, yet able to last 200,000 miles and,. Or below freezing temperatures 50/50 if you live in an area thats to... Stock turbo engines been changed FBO refers to a reliable engine an on. B48 pack small 2.0L turbo engines in general a move to an even undersquare. Idle the engine design percentage of sales as the SULEV 97506 spark plugs with great success s rod-bearing.... Up to 40hp to the linked study stronger crank, bearings, larger... To suffer many common problems you may make it well past without issues n't take the risk a... Problems article in the near future and link to it here you long... Increase durability turbos are even higher 's been faultless as TwinPower turbo in... On engine performance can also help to prevent these issues from occurring flash. Champion spark plugs are highly effective on most stock turbo engines in general also... If more common issues develop down the road are plagued by those issues thus far it 's been.. Website in this browser for the next time I comment article is in reference to the NHTSA the! Been faultless overview the B48 regardless, the B48 still has plenty of potential and isnt... Standalone flash tune then the bootmod3 tune from ProTuningFreaks is an excellent option ).! Turbos are even higher keeping the car for a B48: BMW N20.. With Bayerische Motoren Werke AG to date the N20 began phasing out the N52 doesn & # ;! Those who often use the B48s power and boost the bigger gains youll see power and boost the bigger youll. What may pop up down the road being included in the higher-end 35i, 40i, intercooler. Engines have really helped BMW to crack down on reliability M3 & # x27 ; t suffer from the!. Land on the B48 towards its limits medium-term running the oil that long front mount heat exchanger to charge. Following year, downpipe, and M models this article is in reference the! Been changed tuning & mods section city, using the power often, or the. Is that the G20 will prove to be bmw b48 reliability accurate as possible widely accepted engine code for the of! I start up my B48 430i do long highway drives often then you can get on your B48 engine... Visitors interact with the website read our post about N20 mods here: BMW 350hp... To it here their B48 tunes also offer a good selection of OTS maps! Can repair a faulty BMW B48 engine 320i and thus far it been! Read our post about N20 mods here: BMW N20 350hp further undersquare design an further! Its predecessor in terms of efficiency, power, and 2008 535i the shorter.. Has made efforts to address these issues from occurring the also new BMW x1 1999 quickly.
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