Ever wanted to add some extra hp's to your X5 diesel?

[M3_WC]

Originally Posted by JCL

I didn't have to look far to find a blown (non-diesel) engine using one of Terry's tunes. The details of one example were posted on e90post.com in the turbo forum, on the same day as your post, above.

Yup, one and only example.

Originally Posted by JCL

The users of various tunes have also had issues with broken half shafts, higher incidences of HPFP failures, injector failures, and so on. That isn't at all surprising to me given the amazing power they are getting out of the N54, and the resultant heat that power creates in the engine.

HPFP failures have nothing to do with tunes or piggybacks. Same can be said for injector failures. These are known problems on all N54's, including non-modified which the majority have no mods.

Broken half shafts are from people drag racing their cars. Drag radials plus sticky track can bust some half shafts.

Originally Posted by JCL

We could say that Terry was just unlucky that it was his customer that got so much attention. On the other hand, Shiv points out that Terry's tunes don't include ignition timing control, or the ability to read A/F ratio, or the ability to monitor timing/knock (other than using the standard knock sensor), and that Terry supplied a custom tune to an owner running 22 psi, 93 octane, meth injection, and non-stock spark plugs with a single electrode. Perhaps a blown engine isn't a surprise then.

You fail to mention. The car owner was running a prototype turbo upgrade, methanol injection. And was told to run higher octane gas, which he did not. Push the limits with 500+whp, then something can break with stock internals.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by M3_WC

Yup, one and only example.

Hey, the statement was that no one had ever had a problem. A very sweeping statement, I might add. I just pointed out that it isn't true. I have read about more than one example, but have never worked on one personally, so it is all second hand info for me. Why not ask Terry himself, who posted in a thread titled "Who has blown an N54?" a few weeks back?

Originally Posted by Terry @ BMS on N54tech.com

We know they are pretty durable < 440rw but above that it's anyones guess. I know of one that was lost to hydrolock, one where a fuel injector stuck open and locked it, a couple with grenaded/detonated pistons, two that swallowed part of an intake/charge pipe, and one that appears to have broken a piston skirt or rod.

N54TECH.COM : BMW N54 / N55 Turbo Performance forum - View Single Post - Who has blown an N54

Sounds like more than one, as those are just Terry's examples. I am sure other tuners have some similar stories, you can't develop these products in the field without some lessons being learned.

Originally Posted by M3_WC

HPFP failures have nothing to do with tunes or piggybacks. Same can be said for injector failures. These are known problems on all N54's, including non-modified which the majority have no mods.

I understand that a HPFP can fail without a tune, my own did. I said, though, that people with tunes experience a higher incidence. I think that is probably due to the heat, and duty cycle, both of which are raised with increased power output. The tune itself doesn't cause it, it simply creates operating conditions that are harder on components that already have a propensity to fail. You don't see incidence rates of injector and HPFP failures as being related to heat or duty cycle? Honestly?

Originally Posted by M3_WC

Broken half shafts are from people drag racing their cars.

I am sure they are. BMW designed the driveline for more than dragstrips, and that included making halfshafts lighter to reduce unsprung weight. BMW desired to protect the driveline from shocks, and so even installed those maddening clutch delay valves on MT cars to reduce driveline shocks. It isn't surprising that halfshafts can fail. The statement suggested that people who add hp can find other limits, and experience higher incidences of failure elsewhere. You don't agree?

Originally Posted by M3_WC

You fail to mention. The car owner was running a prototype turbo upgrade, methanol injection. And was told to run higher octane gas, which he did not. Push the limits with 500+whp, then something can break with stock internals.

I didn't fail to mention anything, I posted a thread that contains all that information about the turbo, meth injection, etc. The car owner states he was not told to run higher octane gas, and Terry called it a communications failure. If there had been safeties installed such as a meth cutout, however, it wouldn't have mattered so much that the tune wasn't tested. Please understand that I am not attacking Terry. I just think it is surprising that people think that turning up the boost without addressing other issues is safe, and won't lead to failures of engines or other components. It is only natural to expect it to do so.

[M3_WC]

Originally Posted by JCL

Hey, the statement was that no one had ever had a problem. A very sweeping statement, I might add. I just pointed out that it isn't true. I have read about more than one example, but have never worked on one personally, so it is all second hand info for me. Why not ask Terry himself, who posted in a thread titled "Who has blown an N54?" a few weeks back?

I see. Thought you were stating more than one N54 have blown with Terry's tune. There is only one case, and a very extreme case at that. Far from a stock turbo car.

Originally Posted by JCL

I understand that a HPFP can fail without a tune, my own did. I said, though, that people with tunes experience a higher incidence. I think that is probably due to the heat, and duty cycle, both of which are raised with increased power output. The tune itself doesn't cause it, it simply creates operating conditions that are harder on components that already have a propensity to fail. You don't see incidence rates of injector and HPFP failures as being related to heat or duty cycle? Honestly?

I can't say yes or no. Because there is zero proof of what you are stating. I know people with 100% stock N54 cars, that have had 3 or more HPFP's replaced. BMW's fuel system is a complete failure on the N54. They know it, but will not do full recall on the system.

Originally Posted by JCL

I am sure they are. BMW designed the driveline for more than dragstrips, and that included making halfshafts lighter to reduce unsprung weight. BMW desired to protect the driveline from shocks, and so even installed those maddening clutch delay valves on MT cars to reduce driveline shocks. It isn't surprising that halfshafts can fail. The statement suggested that people who add hp can find other limits, and experience higher incidences of failure elsewhere. You don't agree?

I don't think its the higher power. It is the combination of a sticky drapstrip, stick drag radials, and hard launches. Even with stock power, with those circumstances wheel hop can occur and half shafts will break. It is not just 335i's that breack half shafts. I seen mulitple e46 M3's break half shafts at the strip, with stock power.

Originally Posted by JCL

I didn't fail to mention anything, I posted a thread that contains all that information about the turbo, meth injection, etc.

You did in your actually post. Some people are lazy and don't click links to get the whole story.

Originally Posted by JCL

The car owner states he was not told to run higher octane gas, and Terry called it a communications failure. If there had been safeties installed such as a meth cutout, however, it wouldn't have mattered so much that the tune wasn't tested.

There have been emails released and Terry did ask hime to run race gas. Also owner had ask to remove the failsafe Terry had in place to protect from this very situation.

I don't think you are attacking Terry. Just like all the information to get out.