Raise your hand if you've blown up an N54!

Have you blown up an N54?

  • Yes

    Votes: 51 41.8%
  • No

    Votes: 71 58.2%

  • Total voters
    122

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
9,303
4,331
0
AZ
Ride
2009 E93 335i
I agree on why its taking this long too. I was told that the lifters got smashed down into the bores (some of them) and they couldn't remove them. They also said (for the third time) that my coated bearings that they ordered arrived and Paul found a flaw in a few of them again so now i'm waiting for the 4th set of bearings. I have plenty of pics of damaged head and tops of pistons. I made a surprise visit there 2 weeks ago and boy were they surprised to see me. Went to look at the progress of my motor and apparently they had been taking my block to auto shows to show off new closed deck work. I've spent over 30 grand on both of these builds, I just want my motor back. It's been almost 2 years now. WTF?! And I hope they ordered the correct head studs from you like I requested.

Wow! So what did they say about toting your engine around instead of building it?
 

Erichale77

Lieutenant
Nov 14, 2016
827
447
50
Clearwater, FL
Ride
07 E92 coupe
I told them that crap has come to an end and that they had 2 weeks to finish my motor and ship it or i'll would be forced to hire legal council. They apologized and said ok it will be done. So we shall see. This is the last week. I'm hoping for the best, I've waited more than long enough. Soo frustrated
 
Nov 5, 2016
615
624
0
Bay Area
Mourad is on vacation til the 11th so I would expect a delay. I called them today because we are waiting on some important parts, they checked on them, and are going to call me back tomorrow. Mourad tries to stay on top of things the best he can
 

Erichale77

Lieutenant
Nov 14, 2016
827
447
50
Clearwater, FL
Ride
07 E92 coupe
Yes i've been in contact with Mo. He's a great guy and deserving of a much needed vacation but Paul is still there and he's building the motor. Tony should be overseeing everything so things should be moving along.
 

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
9,303
4,331
0
AZ
Ride
2009 E93 335i
I told them that crap has come to an end and that they had 2 weeks to finish my motor and ship it or i'll would be forced to hire legal council. They apologized and said ok it will be done. So we shall see. This is the last week. I'm hoping for the best, I've waited more than long enough. Soo frustrated

I think I'd be even more pissed that all they needed was that phone call... I don't know VAC but I'd like to hear their side of things.
 

Erichale77

Lieutenant
Nov 14, 2016
827
447
50
Clearwater, FL
Ride
07 E92 coupe
Ask them why. So many people on the forums have been asking me why it's been taking so long and i'm embarrassed to say. Even my coworkers are convinced I sold my car.
 
  • Funny
Reactions: doublespaces

matreyia

Major
Apr 19, 2017
1,780
711
0
Ride
335i e93
70k
Dinan 3
Sprint booster
Hit a massive pothole 40mph.
Then a few minutes later punched the pedal with sprint booster on level 3 amd heard a crackly sound...limp mode and engine light. Drive to dealer from houston to austin....6 hrs
Later dealer calls to tell me new engine has been ordered.

Apparently the catalytic converter internals got damaged and sucked into engine circulating and ate up the innards bad. Also found rod 4 bearing was gone to heaven.

Ran perfect for years - before that.
 

The Convert

Captain
Jun 4, 2017
1,487
1,052
0
Ride
335
70k
Dinan 3
Sprint booster
Hit a massive pothole 40mph.
Then a few minutes later punched the pedal with sprint booster on level 3 amd heard a crackly sound...limp mode and engine light. Drive to dealer from houston to austin....6 hrs
Later dealer calls to tell me new engine has been ordered.

Apparently the catalytic converter internals got damaged and sucked into engine circulating and ate up the innards bad. Also found rod 4 bearing was gone to heaven.

Ran perfect for years - before that.
Your scenario is not possible. Sounds like you got taken for an expensive ride for a bullshit reason.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kayzrx82

matreyia

Major
Apr 19, 2017
1,780
711
0
Ride
335i e93
Your scenario is not possible. Sounds like you got taken for an expensive ride for a bullshit reason.
Here we go again...
It was under warranty and they showed me the while thing.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
9,303
4,331
0
AZ
Ride
2009 E93 335i
I think he is basing that assumption on to the fact that the cats are after the turbos and the only thing after them is the mufflers. So unless your exhaust dumps out in front of your intake with no cone then that doesn't sound likely. At least in the way you've explained it.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: The Convert

matreyia

Major
Apr 19, 2017
1,780
711
0
Ride
335i e93
I think he is basing that assumption on to the fact that the cats are after the turbos and the only thing after them is the mufflers. So unless your exhaust dumps out in front of your intake with no cone then that doesn't sound likely. At least in the way you've explained it.

Well that was what I thought too. Until I saw the cat meterial inside the engine and engine oil. And so did all the techs... they were confused and they could only theorize that somehow that cat material got pushed back into the engine because of a freak back pressure moment.

Can't argue with reality even if technical knowledge says otherwise. Unless I cut open the cats and stuffed the innards into the oil hole there is no other way that the material could have gotten into the engine and oil.
 

colo_evo

Corporal
Jun 6, 2017
159
111
0
Ride
E90 335i MT
Unless I cut open the cats and stuffed the innards into the oil hole there is no other way that the material could have gotten into the engine and oil.

That's more plausible than your original statement. Maybe not you, but somebody from the dealership.
 

matreyia

Major
Apr 19, 2017
1,780
711
0
Ride
335i e93
That's more plausible than your original statement. Maybe not you, but somebody from the dealership.

Something about engine vacuum pulses and back pressure in a very rare event...caused some of the honeycomb to get into the engine after the cats were damaged internally from the 40mph pot hole hit.

Who knows. But all you guys sitting in your armchairs pointing fingers based on your book or street knowledge weren't staring at cat material in an engine and oil pan with cat material.

And I doubt the techs would purposely damage the engine just to replace it for free.

Apparently this has happened before to other makes and models.
 

The Convert

Captain
Jun 4, 2017
1,487
1,052
0
Ride
335
Something about engine vacuum pulses and back pressure in a very rare event...caused some of the honeycomb to get into the engine after the cats were damaged internally from the 40mph pot hole hit.

Who knows. But all you guys sitting in your armchairs pointing fingers based on your book or street knowledge weren't staring at cat material in an engine and oil pan with cat material.

And I doubt the techs would purposely damage the engine just to replace it for free.

Apparently this has happened before to other makes and models.

I worked at a dealership in my younger years and you have no idea what some techs will do to get billable hours. A dealership doesn't care if the work is warranty work or not. They still get paid, less hours under warranty, but that beats no hours when you're slow.

As far as attitudes go, you're the only one here lashing out at people, bro.
 

The Convert

Captain
Jun 4, 2017
1,487
1,052
0
Ride
335
I think he is basing that assumption on to the fact that the cats are after the turbos and the only thing after them is the mufflers. So unless your exhaust dumps out in front of your intake with no cone then that doesn't sound likely. At least in the way you've explained it.
Ding ding ding!
 

ryanmamikel

Specialist
Nov 5, 2016
58
28
0
London Ontario, Canada
70k
Dinan 3
Sprint booster
Hit a massive pothole 40mph.
Then a few minutes later punched the pedal with sprint booster on level 3 amd heard a crackly sound...limp mode and engine light. Drive to dealer from houston to austin....6 hrs
Later dealer calls to tell me new engine has been ordered.

Apparently the catalytic converter internals got damaged and sucked into engine circulating and ate up the innards bad. Also found rod 4 bearing was gone to heaven.

Ran perfect for years - before that.

I have seen this happen firsthand. More than once actually.

First time was an s54 (e46 m3 engine). Customer got a CEL and very strange running issues after a track day. Brought it into us and we had a hell of a time figuring out what the issue was, as compression was on low end of the allowable spec. Other than a rough run situation on a cold start. Cold compression was low, but would only slightly increase with oil being put into the cylinders (Wet compression test) . Upon dismantling, catalyst material was found in exhaust PRE-CAT, and what happened was the exhaust valve seats were not sealing properly. I cannot remember at this point whether there was catalyst material in the engine oil or not, but it would seem likely that there was some there.

Second one was on an N55, newer production in an X6. Came in with turbo whine. Removed Cat while replacing turbo to find it badly damaged, further inspection found again, exhaust valve seal wear w/ minor scrubbing/scraping on the cylinder walls, and fine metallic material in engine oil.

It does happen, if I knew why then I would try to explain it better. But @matreyia is not crazy or getting hosed. IT can and HAS happened.
 
  • Like
Reactions: matreyia

matreyia

Major
Apr 19, 2017
1,780
711
0
Ride
335i e93
I have seen this happen firsthand. More than once actually.

First time was an s54 (e46 m3 engine). Customer got a CEL and very strange running issues after a track day. Brought it into us and we had a hell of a time figuring out what the issue was, as compression was on low end of the allowable spec. Other than a rough run situation on a cold start. Cold compression was low, but would only slightly increase with oil being put into the cylinders (Wet compression test) . Upon dismantling, catalyst material was found in exhaust PRE-CAT, and what happened was the exhaust valve seats were not sealing properly. I cannot remember at this point whether there was catalyst material in the engine oil or not, but it would seem likely that there was some there.

Second one was on an N55, newer production in an X6. Came in with turbo whine. Removed Cat while replacing turbo to find it badly damaged, further inspection found again, exhaust valve seal wear w/ minor scrubbing/scraping on the cylinder walls, and fine metallic material in engine oil.

It does happen, if I knew why then I would try to explain it better. But @matreyia is not crazy or getting hosed. IT can and HAS happened.

I have no idea how cat material was in the oil or engine... I just reported it and all these fuckers go apeshit.
 

ryanmamikel

Specialist
Nov 5, 2016
58
28
0
London Ontario, Canada
I have no idea how cat material was in the oil or engine... I just reported it and all these fuckers go apeshit.

There has to be some sort of explanation as to why it happened. I too, was in complete awe. My analytical mind did something similar to some of these responses the first time I observed it.

Reality is that it can happen, until exposed to these situations I would have not believed it either.

My speculation would be that it would be a high heat situation in the catalyst followed by a misfire. Uneven pressure pulses (possibly vacuum) from the lack of combustion combined with a hot and weakened Cat material would allow the material to travel backwards for a short period of time. BUT, I'm just a mechanic.

@matreyia are you getting or did you get new turbos and oiling system components when they replaced the engine?
 
  • Like
Reactions: matreyia