[SnapCoupe]

Originally Posted by Welcome to NBA Jam

There is no statistical evidence of a trend. There are a known handful of outliers who experienced a specific failure. That is not the definition of a trend. We don't have enough data to create even the most rudiamentary of models to suggest any correlation of factors for failure.

I agree, no trend as of yet. Just a series of failed N55 cases which are basically best guesses as far as to what the cause of failure actually is. Without pulling these motors apart and investigating the cause of failure, there will be no hard evidence pointing towards this actually being a real issue. Unfortunately, it is highly doubtful that even if there is an issue, anyone is going to find it. The last thing someone is thinking of when they blow their motor is sinking more money into diagnosing a lost cause. It just doesn't make sense when you're in that position.

[bbnks2]

Especially when people are saying "I miss shifted but my motor didn't blow until the next traffic light. It cant be related it mustve been from the ofhg!"

[9krpmrx8]

Exactly, most of the ones I have seen, which is only a handful here and on other platforms have been modded, some extensively and some mildy and most were bought used with with decent mileage on them. And sure, my buddy is a BMW dealer tech and he has seen a couple that were stock N55 cars (almost all X5's) but he says he has seen a couple of low mileage N52's and just about every other BMW engine fail prematurely too because with every engine, there will a few bad ones. And they don't get to tear them apart at the dealer to find out why if it is a warranty job, they just replace them.

Hell I know a guy who had a brand new Corolla years back as a daily, and the engine failed a year after he bought it due to a engine oil sludge issue that was big problem with certain Toyota engines. They replaced the engine under warranty and fixed whatever the issue was and he still drives it today.

[Pladi]

The people who had an engine failure are going to want to believe that its a trend and common problem. The people who have working engines dont wanna hear none of that. No concrete statistics. But i find it weird that its all been 2011 year cars. Pretty much the E90 N55. On this forum anyways.

[HawkeyeGeoff]

Originally Posted by Pladi

The people who had an engine failure are going to want to believe that its a trend and common problem. The people who have working engines dont wanna hear none of that. No concrete statistics. But i find it weird that its all been 2011 year cars. Pretty much the E90 N55. On this forum anyways.

Could be because we are on the E series part of the forum.

[9krpmrx8]

[Pladi]

Originally Posted by HawkeyeGeoff

Could be because we are on the E series part of the forum.

N55 is used on F series, but we only see these types of posts here. You know what i meant. IF not thats ok ill explain myself better

[SnapCoupe]

Originally Posted by Pladi

The people who had an engine failure are going to want to believe that its a trend and common problem. The people who have working engines dont wanna hear none of that. No concrete statistics. But i find it weird that its all been 2011 year cars. Pretty much the E90 N55. On this forum anyways.

Now this is a trend that I feel like should have more attention pointed towards it compared to other probable causes such as OFHG, oil type, etc. At this point I have not heard of, read about, or seen a 2012+ N55 car spin a rod bearing or seize up for reasons other than obvious neglect. No matter if its a bone stock E90, big turbo 1 series, or even a leisurely driven X3/5, all of the N55 motors I have seen pop have all been 2011 cars. Considering it was the introductory year for the N55, I think it might be the most plausible trend we have seen (if there is even a correlation). I know someone on here was compiling an excel sheet for blown N55 motors, I can't remember who it was but it would be interesting to see how many non-2011 cars are on there.

[9krpmrx8]

Join the F30 forums and related facebook groups, I have seen a few F30's with engine failures. Typically the same story though, bought used, no documented service history and mods. But of course only a few so overall it means nothing.

[lwgrenier]

Originally Posted by SnapCoupe

Now this is a trend that I feel like should have more attention pointed towards it compared to other probable causes such as OFHG, oil type, etc. At this point I have not heard of, read about, or seen a 2012+ N55 car spin a rod bearing or seize up for reasons other than obvious neglect. No matter if its a bone stock E90, big turbo 1 series, or even a leisurely driven X3/5, all of the N55 motors I have seen pop have all been 2011 cars. Considering it was the introductory year for the N55, I think it might be the most plausible trend we have seen (if there is even a correlation). I know someone on here was compiling an excel sheet for blown N55 motors, I can't remember who it was but it would be interesting to see how many non-2011 cars are on there.

They’re all 2011. It’s not a very long list but still, interesting.

[Pladi]

Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8

Join the F30 forums and related facebook groups, I have seen a few F30's with engine failures. Typically the same story though, bought used, no documented service history and mods. But of course only a few so overall it means nothing.

Point us to threads or some links where you see this many posts on the F30. ..

Instead of i have seen i know blah blah..

[weehe126]

[bbnks2]

Originally Posted by SnapCoupe

Now this is a trend that I feel like should have more attention pointed towards it compared to other probable causes such as OFHG, oil type, etc. At this point I have not heard of, read about, or seen a 2012+ N55 car spin a rod bearing or seize up for reasons other than obvious neglect. No matter if its a bone stock E90, big turbo 1 series, or even a leisurely driven X3/5, all of the N55 motors I have seen pop have all been 2011 cars. Considering it was the introductory year for the N55, I think it might be the most plausible trend we have seen (if there is even a correlation). I know someone on here was compiling an excel sheet for blown N55 motors, I can't remember who it was but it would be interesting to see how many non-2011 cars are on there.

This couldn't be further from the truth. There are plenty of blown F n55s lol. Just like there are tons of blown N54s daily. Not sure why people tend to be so biased lol...

The N55 section on this forum is pretty much exclusively 2011 N55 owners... Why? Because 2012+ N55s were not DME unlocked until recently and still aren't flashable without physically removing the DME.

The F-N55 cars are on the F-series forum lol...

I guess you haven't clicked the "rod bearing" thread right below this one? LOL:
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...&postcount=324

Or this (N20s):
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1023545

Or how N54s don't bend rods, only N55s, right?:
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...1550309&page=4

I would personally think that a trend between OFHG work and rod bearings failure would point to shoddy mechanical work rather than an engine defect in 2011 N55s lol...

[9krpmrx8]

Originally Posted by Pladi

Point us to threads or some links where you see this many posts on the F30. ..

Instead of i have seen i know blah blah..

I'm not your fucking do boy, go on the F30 forums and search your damn self, there are plenty of threads. I am an admin on the BMW N55 FB page as well, plenty of stories there as well.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by bbnks2

This couldn't be further from the truth. There are plenty of blown F n55s lol. Just like there are tons of blown N54s daily. Not sure why people tend to be so biased lol...

The N55 section on this forum is pretty much exclusively 2011 N55 owners... Why? Because 2012+ N55s were not DME unlocked until recently and still aren't flashable without physically removing the DME.

The F-N55 cars are on the F-series forum lol...

I guess you haven't clicked the "rod bearing" thread right below this one? LOL:
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...&postcount=324

Or this (N20s):
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1023545

Or how N54s don't bend rods, only N55s, right?:
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...1550309&page=4

I would personally think that a trend between OFHG work and rod bearings failure would point to shoddy mechanical work rather than an engine defect in 2011 N55s lol...

Ok but the first one you linked and the second one are clearly not rod bearing failures.

[9krpmrx8]

I mean the few who claim rod bearing failure never even confirm that honestly, it's just a guess by them or some tech who has not even torn the engine apart.

[bbnks2]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Ok but the first one you linked and the second one are clearly not rod bearing failures.

Please define what you mean by "rob bearing failure" then because there is nothing to a rod bearing that can "fail." They don't just magically disintegrate.

And as stated above, we've never seen anyone tear down an N55 and say "omg look how chewed up my rod bearings are" like on the S65/S85 platform... There is always an underlying oiling or mechanical failure. There is nothing presented on the N55 platform to infer that the rod bearings themselves have some kind of defect (load capacity, material, eccentricity, etc...). Changing an oil filter housing gasket and then spinning a bearing would point to a mechanical/labor problem and NOT a rod bearing problem... so not sure where you're going with this.

Even the S65/S85 "failed" rod bearings usually just look like excessive wear and tear from abuse/neglect... not a bearing material defect.

[Pladi]

Originally Posted by 9krpmrx8

I mean the few who claim rod bearing failure never even confirm that honestly, it's just a guess by them or some tech who has not even torn the engine apart.

Nothing is confirmed so we are trying to make sense of all this. You cannot say there is no problem because you too have no data. You cannot say there is no problem or there is a problem. But you cannot shut down any scenario. This is an open discussion.

[Pladi]

Originally Posted by bbnks2

Please define what you mean by "rob bearing failure" then because there is nothing to a rod bearing that can "fail." They don't just magically disintegrate.

Multiple cases of rod knock and motors locking up. We dont see as many reported cases on F30. This doesn't mean anything but it also doesn't mean we should not have an open discussion.

[SnapCoupe]

Originally Posted by bbnks2

This couldn't be further from the truth. There are plenty of blown F n55s lol. Just like there are tons of blown N54s daily. Not sure why people tend to be so biased lol...

The N55 section on this forum is pretty much exclusively 2011 N55 owners... Why? Because 2012+ N55s were not DME unlocked until recently and still aren't flashable without physically removing the DME.

The F-N55 cars are on the F-series forum lol...

I guess you haven't clicked the "rod bearing" thread right below this one? LOL:
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showp...&postcount=324

Or this (N20s):
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1023545

Or how N54s don't bend rods, only N55s, right?:
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...1550309&page=4

I would personally think that a trend between OFHG work and rod bearings failure would point to shoddy mechanical work rather than an engine defect in 2011 N55s lol...

I am specifically talking about rod bearing failure on the 2011 N55 cars. Not bent rods, not timing chain failures, nothing else. From my experience seeing 4 2011 N55 motors in person, including my own, with all of the EXACT SAME symptoms is what is pushing me to the conclusion that the rod bearing is the probable cause of failure. All these motors seized upon acceleration, were unable to start for a period of time, started up seemingly normal after sitting for an hour or so, drove somewhat normal, then developed a slight knock around the 2200-2500 RPM range. Upon checking the oil filter, the oil was FULL of copper shavings. From the many experienced technicians I have spoken to, the general consensus from these symptoms is a failure of the rod bearings.

This is the particular case I am looking for when I mentioned that I have only seen this on 2011 cars. At my dealer, I have seen a few N55 F30 cars with seized motors, but the stories and symptoms don't line up with the 2011 cars that have failed due to claimed rod bearing failure. If some N55 F30 cars have these exact same symptoms I would love to read up if they are posted somewhere.

Originally Posted by Pladi

Multiple cases of rod knock and motors locking up. We dont see as many reported cases on F30. This doesn't mean anything but it also doesn't mean we should not have an open discussion.

I agree with the open discussion aspect of these threads. The more discussion that happens on this topic, the more potential there is for possibly coming to a conclusion that could help N55 owners or potential N55 owners in the near future.

Having to spend more than half the value of a car to fix a blown motor sucks beyond sucking. Its a terribly shitty position to be in. If having an open discussion on the topic has the chance to uncover any important information and educate others to help avoid engine failure, then i'm 100% for it.

[9krpmrx8]

Originally Posted by Pladi

Nothing is confirmed so we are trying to make sense of all this. You cannot say there is no problem because you too have no data. You cannot say there is no problem or there is a problem. But you cannot shut down any scenario. This is an open discussion.

I can say there is no real problem because there is no evidence that there is. That is how it works. If someone states that there is a problem with the N55 engine that is leading to premature rod bearing wear then then have to support that claim.

[MartinWake]

Alright guys so the mechanic opened my engine up and nothing is broken for some reason the engine got no oil so it seized up he said I have to change the crankshaft so thats what Im gonna do ill post a video soon!