Is the BMW M50 engine good?
Much like its successor, the M52, the M50 engine is considered to be bulletproof. With very strong internals, the engine blocks are able to deliver outstanding longevity with proper maintenance and care. Still to this day, the M50 is known as one of the most reliable BMW engines ever built.
What engine is the M50?
The BMW M50 is a straight-6 DOHC petrol engine which was produced from 1990 to 1996. It was released in the E34 520i and 525i, to replace the M20 engine. In September 1992, the M50 was upgraded to the M50TU (“technical update”), which was BMW’s first engine to use variable valve timing.
Is the M52 engine good?
BMW M52 Reliability Which means you should factor in some maintenance and repairs for general wear and tear items. Overall, the internals of the engine are bulletproof. You should easily surpass the 200k mile mark without any valves, chain, rods, crank, or seal issues.
What is the difference between the M50 and M52?
The largest version of the M52 is 2.8 litres, compared with 2.5 litres for the M50. As per the later versions of the M50, the M52 uses variable valve timing on the intake camshaft (called “single-VANOS”).
Which engine is better M50 or M52?
The M50 block is stronger due to it being steel, the M52 is Aluminium and if it overheats a couple of time you’re screwed. The M50 is near on bulletproof it can take up to 500hp on standard internals.
How do I know if my M50 is VANOS?
You can tell by looking at the engine, the VANOS engines have a bump at the front. Here’s an open view, the part on the end that attaches to the chains with an inside sprocket.. that’s the vanos unit.
How much power can a BMW E36 325i handle?
BMW straight 6 iron block engine is capable up to 400 hp (up to 1 bar boost) on stock internals, you need to decompression it. You can do 0.55 bar boost on stock compression and it should do around 300 hp.
How much power can the N52 handle?
Generally, the 3 best bolt-on engine mods for the N52 are headers, the 330i 3-stage manifold, and a tune. These mods alone will likely put the N52 in the ballpark of 270-280 horsepower. Pretty respectable gains for an older, naturally aspirated engine.
Is the BMW M50 a good engine to buy?
The BMW M50 are popular engines and with the ultimate sports enhancements like remapping, turbo upgrades and camshafts you will noticeably increase your driving fun. Our aim here is to review M50 tuning and provide tips on the best upgrades.
How can I improve the performance of my M50?
Adding a M50 larger valve kit, doing a bit of M50 port enlargement and head flowing will also boost performance, & importantly will give you an improved performance increase on other tuning parts.
Is the M50 worth it with a bigger turbocharger?
It’s not unheard of tuners spending a fortune on turbocharger upgrades on the M50 only to have the M50 explode when it’s completed. Large turbo chargers will usually experience a bottom end lag, and smaller turbo chargers spool up more quickly but do not have the peak rpm torque gains.
How does the intake manifold affect the performance of the M50?
The shape and flow characteristics of the Intake can make a noticeable change to fuel mixing and power on the M50. Many mass produced engine air intake manifolds are needing aftermarket parts, although a few manufacturers provide fairly well optimized air intake manifolds.