Many of our first time customers first contact us after receiving a 5 figure repair bill from their local BMW specialist. They’ve had some kind of catastrophic engine failure that wasn’t expected and are now faced with a huge repair bill. Unfortunately your local mechanic may not be comfortable sourcing a motor, installing it, and standing behind a used engine. As experienced engine builders we have had the experience of getting to see the common failure points on all BMW engines. This experience allows us to develop a reliable process for sourcing used engines, addressing the common failure points, and installing them in your vehicle at an economical price.

On the E46 M3, Z3M, and Z4M equipped with the S54 we have the process down. We source a used engine from our reliable supplier. The first step is to perform a leakdown test to make the used engine has good valves and pistons, this also checks the cylinder wall integrity. From there we will install new rod bearings, and address the common VANOS problems like the oil pump hub disc and the cam bolts. Doing these two maintenance items before the engine is installed is not only economical, but allows us to confidently provide a warranty on a used engine. Most repair shops simply will not stand behind used engines because it’s hard to know how long they will really last.

The S85 Engine in the E60 M5 and E63 M6 is another engine we commonly replaced. These engines suffer similar bearing failure problems as the S54. We perform a similar rod bearing replacement and leakdown test on all of these engines before they are installed back into the vehicle.

In some cases a new replacement engine straight from BMW is the best way to go. On the N20 and N28 engines found in the F30 320i and 328i BMW is offering some very competitive pricing for new engines right now. In this case the warranty that comes with a new engine from BMW is hard for anyone to beat.

It’s important to choose a repair facility that has experience replacing not just BMW engines, but the engines in your particularly vehicle. A repair shop that does this kind of specialized work consistently will know the most economical and reliable engine source for your vehicle. At Lang Racing Development we evaluate your situation and guide you towards a repair that makes sense financially and provides you with peace of mind that your car will be reliable for many years after it leaves our shop.

 

Leave a Comment