However, its usually the rods or pistons that let go first. Stage 2 E30 octane: up to 22% HP / 30% TQ. From fuel pump failures to cylinder head gasket leaks, BMW owners with this engine have had to deal with costly repairs and downtime. B48/46 is not basically the same engine. Those looking to push 350+whp are definitely best suited to the larger, more capable engines. The B48 engine, which is in many BMW cars, appears to have a few reliability issues th BMW. These engines perform great and have very good fuel economy. We suspect cooling system issues, valve covers, and oil pans gaskets may become commonplace at 100,000+ miles. Carolina Stone is the founder and lead contributor of carolinasbmwmoa.org, a popular blog dedicated to all things about BMWs. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. thanks so much for the write up. BMW changed to a top mount air-to-water intercooler design. It's reliable, efficient, and sporty. Mod for mod the B48 probably wont ever have a big advantage over the N20, if any at all. She is a proud owner of a BMW M3 and has been an active member of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America (BMW MOA) for many years. BMW reliability seems to be trending in the right direction, though. However, being aware of the engine's potential issues will prompt you to have it checked by a professional if any symptoms arise. The BMW X5 really put the Bavarian marque on the family-hauling map in 1999, quickly becoming one of BMWs best-selling models. It is a well maintained one at 130k miles. However, carbon build-up can cause rough idle, misfires, power loss, etc if left for too long. Or once a year whichever comes first. A modest tune and bolt-ons should be very safe. As of now, it seems to be the most reliable 4-cylinder engine BMW has ever produced. Check out our B48 downpipe upgrade guide for more. This allows natural oil blow-by to cake itself on the B48 intake ports and valves. However, come 100k miles, you will need to replace a large number of difficult to reach items and gaskets. Peak power gains may appear underwhelming for the cost of an upgraded FMIC. Nonetheless, well lay it out as straight forward as possible. 1. I've found cars equipped with the the B engines to be super reliable here in the Midwest. Although, dont expect these engines to be as tuner-friendly as the larger inline 6 turbo BMW engines. The N20 features an open-deck block while the B48 receives a closed-deck block. As far as weights, 0W-20, 0W-30, 5W-20, and 5W-30 all work well on the B48. Gasket oil leaks can be expensive repairs at the shop. This ensures a precise, strong fit. The JB4 is the most advanced and highly featured tuning system available for your B38/B46/B48 MINI. Regardless, in this post we will lay it out as clearly as possible. B48 Dinan Dyno: 254 hp, N20 BMS Dyno: 233.7 hp If you have any feedback, comments, or corrections about any of our content please let us know! Regardless of the fact if you are interested in MINI Cooper S, B48 Supra or BMW 330i tuning. Again, its not absolutely required maintenance so you can stretch that even further. It covers the vast majority of questions and I would say is respectfully fair in assessment(fact based opinion) and etc. Is a brake light and running light the same? Generally, higher compression is not great for boosted engines. This engine is in my Mini Cooper S. The one common theme I am hearing is change the oil at 3000 to 5000 miles. One of the lines that connect to the turbocharger may start leaking oil. We wrote an article about the max boost the stock B48 turbo is capable of. Its still a newer engine, so time will tell if more common issues develop down the road. 11.0:1 compression ratio. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2012788-9999.pdf According to the NHTSA, the 2020 BMW X3 has had 10 official recalls. The more aggressive the tune and boost the bigger gains youll see. This was an N20 powered car and within a week a thread was posted here about the N20s eating themselves and grenading. Within the modular B series of engines, it does fall short of the B58 which seems to be the most reliable engine in the family. 82.0 mm bore x 94.6mm stroke (3.23 x 3.72). 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 small 2.0L turbo engines are fuel efficient, emissions friendly, and light, all while providing impressive performance. Stage 2 91 octane: 20%HP / 24%TQ The success of the X5 led to the expansion of the BMW X model line, beginning with the introduction, Read More BMW X1 vs X3 Specs, Performance, Reliability, & MoreContinue, The new BMW B series modular engines went in a new direction for charge air cooling. Mini Cooper S Mods Summary Toyota uses the B48 engine in some of their models, notably the Toyota Supra. Stage 1 E30 octane: up to 20% HP / 28% TQ However, theyre cheap repairs for the DIY crowd (though time consuming repairs). HID lights are significantly brighter than traditional halogen lights and provide a slight edge over LED lights at night. Some of these examples are engines that have not been maintained with regular oil changes. This is a good thing, though, as the B48 is one of the best four-cylinder engines in the world. I need to get a walnut blast, ignition coil and spark plug changed. Its still early in the world of tuning the B48. Nevertheless, as the engine puts on more miles, users may continue to detect more issues and report them. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. B48/46 is not basically the same engine. Onsomeshid 4 mo. ago. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Early models are becoming well priced due to their age and the release of the new generation 3 series. Thanks. The 302 horsepower B48 uses a stronger crank, bearings, and pistons with a lower compression ratio. Lets look at factors that affect the B48s reliability, common issues, and how to keep your engine problem-free. That is not to say either engine is unreliable. There is still a lot of time, development, and testing N55 | B48 | B58 | N20 84K views 2 years ago #reliability #BMW #issue Reliability Is GONE In This New BMW Engine! If you want your B48 to last as long as possible, just be sure to take proper care of it. The engine is being included in the also new bmw x1. Obviously, it's still a relatively new design, so it's too soon to gauge the BMW B48 reliability in a more long-term . Another representative of the modular family, the BMW B48 engine comes in the shape of a more compact four-banger. Like its better in every single way outside of price. Anyways, B48 maintenance isnt horrible as shown above. Here are some of these problems: High-pressure fuel pump Some drivers have complained about a knocking or ticking noise coming from the pump, which can be caused by a faulty component or lack of lubrication. Nonetheless, expect the B48 to be a reliable engine overall. Theres no right answer, but in general the B58 should last as long as youre willing to continue repairs and standard maintenance. Ultimately, anything LL01 and above will work well on the B48 engine. However, if the damage is severe, it may need to be replaced. One of the biggest factors that can affect the cost of repairing your BMW B48 engine is the severity of the issue. Turbo BMW engines like the B48 burn through spark plugs and ignition coils fairly fast. Another note, the B48 is a part of BMWs modular B series engine objective. B48 oil capacity is 5.25 liters (5.55 quarts). In 2018, she decided to combine her passion for BMWs by creating a blog specifically for BMW enthusiasts in the region. As others have mentioned, the modular design of the B Series engines have really helped BMW to crack down on reliability. Some common problems with this engine include oil leaks, cylinder head gasket failures, and faulty fuel pumps. Use the following keys to search for a specific topic: We will break the B48 FAQ guide into the following subjects: The B48 is a 2.0L single turbo engine that is part of the BMW B series modular engines. Water actually offers better cooling benefits than actual coolant. If left unchecked, the engine could run low on coolant. Again, the B48 engine should be an even further improvement. Removal of speed limiters may allow speeds in excess of 160mph on certain models. In this guide, we will discuss the many benefits of running an upgraded, Read More BMW N20 Upgraded FMIC GuideContinue, What is the max boost the B48 turbo can handle? The X3 . Needless to say we traded the vehicle a year later due to concern over long-term reliability. Personally, I think B48 is better than N20. A longer stroke helps the B48 make a lot of low-end and mid-range torque. No, completely different design. Required fields are marked *. Otherwise, the N20 is plagued by typical BMW issues. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. A catless downpipe on the B48 will offer about 15-25whp gains. Plus, the N52 doesn't suffer from the E90 M3's rod-bearing issue. However, the N20 and B48 will always be over-shadowed and less advanced in the tuning world than the larger inline 6s. It receives a stronger crankshaft, bearings, and pistons while dropping the compression ratio to 9.5:1. Please let me know We recommend a 50/50 water and coolant mix for the BMW B48. I've replaced a couple of water pumps but have yet to see one leak oil. Stage 1 93 octane: up to 16% HP / 26% TQ Certain 30i models feature the 248hp variant producing 258 lb-ft of torque. BMW B48 Engine Reliability Common Issues and Price to Fix Them, KIA Sportage Hidden Features - Making Your SUV Even Smarter. 3) How can I tell if my B48 engine is experiencing issues? Direct injection engines are inherently prone to carbon deposits forming around the intake valves, and injector nozzles. Are BMW 3 Series expensive to maintain? Most of the time it is piston nr.2 Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Assuming a standard 15% drive-train loss the N20 is closer to 270 horsepower. DTK parts catalog does show the part numbers if you want to add the oil cooler to the car. SunshineF32 4 mo. Its a little confusing since BMW refers to this turbo design as TwinPower Turbo. The lines might be long and itll be a wait and see for codes. Its a single turbo. B58 vs. S58 Horsepower & Torque. At least when you compare the B48 and B58 reliability to that of the earlier N54, N55, N63, S65, etc. A tune-only can bring spark plug life down to about 30,000 miles. We post engine specific tuning guides, maintenance guides, DIY repairs, etc. We suspect some normal BMW problems to pop up like the cooling system, rubber gaskets, etc. 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. 20i models generally receive the lower output B48 engines. In the short-term, expect the B48 to be pretty inexpensive to own and maintain. Nowack (SAE SN) test a bit lower with higher viscosity oil. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Overall, it is a reliable engine with a low maintenance cost. It's built on the same basic design as the 6-cylinder B58 with two less cylinders. Thats about it. The great news is the B48 is off to an excellent start from a reliability perspective. The standard oil weight is 0W-20. Yes, we believe the BMW B48 is a pretty reliable engine. Old coolant hoses, connectors, and couplings can get notoriously brittle, especially if located near the hottest engine parts. While this engine features improved features like a tougher crankshaft and modified pistons, it's not without shortcomings. BMW M20 Engine. However, coolant helps lower the freezing point and increase the boiling point. If you do long highway drives often then you can get away with the higher 8,000 or even 10,000 mile OCI. Its a tight engine but Im sure a tuner can point you in the right direction for that. Installed bootmod3 stage 1 93 on it this weekend. The B48 225kW engine has a stronger crankshaft, bigger main bearings, and new pistons providing a reduced compression ratio of 9.5:1 allowing higher boost levels and also sports a new intake tract design. . BMW B48 Specs Stock Power: 248hp-255hp Record HP: 500+whp Displacement: 1998cc (1.997L) Turbocharger: "TwinPower" Single Turbo Compression: 11.0 to 1 Bore x Stroke: 82.0mm (3.23") x 94.6mm (3.72") Internals: Forged Rods & Crank Block Design: Closed-deck Redline: 7000 Injectors: Bosch solenoid style direct injectors Although the B48 is one of the most reliable engines BMW has ever made, it can have issues, like any other engine. Another option is to do the repairs yourself if you have the necessary knowledge and tools. I also an continuing to run 5W30 (oil was specked on car in 2015 and recommended oil is now 0W20). The BMW B48 is a turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine that was first introduced in 2015 replacing the N20. It is a a smoother engine, with more power, better sound, and more likely to be reliable at high mileage. Ignition coils also wear pretty quickly on turbo engines like the B48. Note that these issues are not necessarily common in all B48 engines, and many drivers have experienced no issues at all with their engines. Recommended Communities. What do you think of the ER charge pipe? Although this engine isn't perfect, because it's not turbocharged, it avoids the contemporary N54 engine's problems. Yes, we believe the BMW B48 is a pretty reliable engine. So just because the B48 is related to the B58, dont think its anywhere as good. Web when the timing and oiling problems of the n20 are resolved, the b48 will be a very reliable engine in the long run. In MINI Cooper s, B48 maintenance isnt horrible as shown above for BMW enthusiasts in the,. Wrote an article about the max boost the bigger gains youll see them, KIA Sportage Hidden features - your... And highly featured tuning system available for your B38/B46/B48 MINI this weekend engines in the shape of a more four-banger! Large number of difficult to reach items and gaskets the short-term, expect the.... 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The fact if you want to add the oil at 3000 to 5000 miles in 1999, quickly one! Engine could run low on coolant here in the world, please enable JavaScript your. Limiters may allow speeds in excess of 160mph on certain models direction, though our downpipe! 5.55 quarts ) low maintenance cost with your consent continue to detect more issues and price to Fix them KIA. Cooling system issues, and injector nozzles the vehicle a year later due to their age and release. Mod for mod the B48 engine, which is in my MINI Cooper the... Of now, it is a good thing, though even further improvement mileage... B58 reliability to that of the fact if you want to add the oil at 3000 to 5000.... Things about BMWs larger inline 6s MINI Cooper s, B48 Supra or BMW 330i.. Hoses, connectors, and 5W-30 all work well on the same basic design as the engine could run on. Mod for mod the B48 receives a closed-deck block compare the B48 engine, which is in MINI! Long and itll be a reliable engine overall run low on coolant part of BMWs modular series! It may need to be replaced, S65, etc if left for too long gaskets become... Wont ever have a big advantage over the N20 is plagued by BMW...