Missed another big one. The mechanical vacuum pumps go bad and suck oil in to the vacuum system. Particularly problematic if you have the vacuum controlled wastegate.
I’ve got 2014 428i Msport n20 with 118k miles and all I’ve had is the oil leak problem which is totally fixed now. Otherwise most reliable car I’ve owned.. still scared about the timing chain every time I start it 😢
I have had 1 replaced. If I knew then what I know now, I may not have had to replace it. Mine was the oil pump. I now have 100k on the new motor knowing what to look for. I change the oil more often than I should, plugs as well, and had the head gasket replaced at 50k out of caution. Runs like it did when I had it put in
@@gnt4l I would get these random low oil pressure warnings. They would appear, and then clear and not be seen for weeks, then return. This went on and off for nearly two years, and they could not figure it out. Finally it returned, and when it did it was different as this time the car started acting very odd and the temp shot up. As luck would have it, this time the shaft on the oil pump actually broke. Everything looked fine structurally from the outside as the belt and such were still attached and moving, but I believe the shaft broke very close to the impeller, so everything stayed in place and nothing leaked. Apparently they issued a TSB on this a few months later. Never were able to determine why it went intermittent for a couple of years before it went catastrophic.
It's simple - the valvetrain drive, which is the only serious problem can be replaced for around 1-1.5k$ while vehicles with this engine tend to cost 3-5k$ less than alternatives. I've made 140k miles in mine, 0 issues so far, but I'm planning to replace that valvetrain drive just in case.
Can i suggest you put a difficulty factor in the repair? I have had my Rocker cover gasket go and was advised to replaced the whole cover as they get brittle. I now need the sump gasket to be replaced. Good to hear the heads up on the timing chain however
Great info for N20 BMW owner. I have replaced valve cover(include gasket), spark plug , oil filter housing for my 2015 X3 28i (manufactured in Nov 2014). Recently got multiple engine misfires and one Fuel Pressure too low codes. The error went away after the reset was told to replace fuel pump if the code comes back.
i think the n20 is a great engine all timing chains on any car need to be inspected after 9 years any way so you might as well replace it then and what car isnt leaking a bit of oil after 100k km
Plastic drain plug on plastic oil pan not that it’s a bmw problem but an oil change is one of the most frequent things outside of pumping gas that an owner has to do and the average person is not going to BMW for an oil change which mean diy. Buying these parts from the local auto parts stores sometimes the plastic drain plug comes with the filter and it causes tons of problems leaks strip, it doesn’t fit right or you may over torque it. All of this is rare with your traditional oil, pan and drain plug.
I have a 2018 320i just tuned to bm3 stage 1 81k miles. Planning it to keep it stock. should i be worried. i do oil changes every 5k miles with liqui moly
I have a misfire that comes and goes and now the engine stumbles and seems like the turbo turned off…since there’s no power service sucks where Iam at any known problems cause a misfire like thy?
Troy - Do you have a Check Engine Light? We would advise getting an OBD2 code reader cause it will quickly help you diagnose the issue. From the sounds of it, it could be an ignition component (spark plug/ignition coil).
hi, the oil light came on on my 2013 N20 (328i) and temp gauge showed it was overheating so I added a quart of oil and all of a sudden white smoke was pouring out the exhaust and the engine won't stay running. Turns on then immediately dies. bmw mechanic said its a turbo problem but white vapor tells me head gasket. Would you have any thoughts please??
@@8020Media Yes likely HG, but I fail to see how it could possibly be turbo related!? Is there a seal failure in the turbo that could allow water vapor out the exhaust!? Thanks again for thoughts
I have a 2015 Bmw 320i and since a few months I have been having burned oil smell inside the car. They (bmw) changed the valve cover gasket. Same problem they check the turbo oil lines, the oil filter housing gasket. They say everything is find. Any other suggestions? It has to be oil falling on the exhaust to produce that smell. 😕
I’m in the process of buying an f30 and getting a 320 or 330. Would it make sense to pay the extra money just to get a B48 to avoid the issues of the N20?
Chhem - Personally we prefer the B48 over the N20. Toyota uses the B48, with some slight changes, but that says a lot about the engine. However, make sure to abide by your financial situation.
want to buy a n20b20 220i 2014 with stage 2 tune 278 hp 90 000km is it worth it or are the engine realy bad. Gonna use all my money dont got alot left for engine fix but can of course do normal maintance.
Erling - We aren't going to give advice on if you should buy it or not, especially given the budget constraints. But what we will say is if the maintenance has been kept up with, it may not be a bad buy.
Hi i bought a 2012 bmw 528i x drive for 11k lease it has warranty for enegine and transmission for 24 months the car has 106k miles the timing chain already been change should i worry ?
anyone has any idea why my f30 320 n20 car will go rough/growl during heavy rain or going through small water puddle? It's like the car cannot go fast and if i press gas, strange vibration, i had to drive 60kmh for quite some time until it went normal again. Strange no error. how do u fix it ? If it's dry or light rain no problem.
@@beaugator i see, i also noticed my coil plug had this rust, if this normal? Just changed all 4 coil plugs and 4 spark plug early this year. How water could enter the coil while i had cover on top of my engine, how do i prevent that? Also, bad news my 320i stage 2 , just went kaput on cylinder 4, 20psi , low compression. *Sad*
@@shahosj5023 Any rust should be treated and protect the connection against further corrosion with dielectric silicon. It will protect against water intrusion as well. The low cylinder pressure could possibly be from a too tight valve adjustment. you need to do a leakdown test to see if it's the rings or the valves leaking.
I bought a 2015 428i xdrive 70k miles ive owned for 1 year 106k nothing but problem's At 87k ive put a rebuilt head and gasket timing kit new aluminum valve cover complete tune up spark plugs ignition coils and oem thermostat Now at 106k its broke down thinking its water pump biggest money pit since owning And i went from a 2014 e550 4matic v8 biturbo to save $ on a daily The 428i coupe is a beautiful car always getting compliments
Y - Nope! You should be good for many more miles before thinking about the timing chain. However, make sure you stay on top of maintenance. Lack of maintenance intensifies other potential problems.
Folks, should be common sense. If are unable to afford repairs on thesw cars stay away from high end cars. Unless of xourse you are a experinced mechanic. You can buy used at a decent price but the maintence/repair cost require deep pockets. 😮😂
And the problem with your little engine is that there are two missing cylinders as well. Either get a 4 for economy or an 8 for power anything in-between is a joke.
@@8020Media just adding that this is my first 4 cylinder BMW engine and I drive bimmers for the last 30 years. 6 cylinder are much better BMW engines. Not perfect but better.
N 20 is the worst engine bmw has eve made, that thing can jst fail while driving no warning light no nothing, I have about 8 engine um rebuilding nw , it's very hard to rebuild, it needs original Crankshaft bearings ,. If you use these after market Cranks you will never win
I have a 2013 bmw 528i with the n20 4 cylinder and with 200k miles and countless problems it won't die I'm proud of it
We've got an N54 that's been the same way - it's been driven on low oil for so long and just keeps going.
Considering I have the same car with 80k this makes me very happy regardless lol
@Toddgetsbread
Make sure to save for that timing chain from now tho in case it goes out
@@Toddgetsbreadme with my 73k😂
@@lloidpadilla427Replaced at 77k 🎉
Great video on the an20 problems, interestingly my water pump lasted 11yrs and 281000km, just replaced it last week
S - Thanks for the feedback! Seems like you got lucky!
Missed another big one. The mechanical vacuum pumps go bad and suck oil in to the vacuum system. Particularly problematic if you have the vacuum controlled wastegate.
I - Thanks for sharing this insight!
Great informative video. Very underrated channel!
Noah - Thanks for the feedback! We appreciate the support.
I’ve got 2014 428i Msport n20 with 118k miles and all I’ve had is the oil leak problem which is totally fixed now. Otherwise most reliable car I’ve owned.. still scared about the timing chain every time I start it 😢
V - Thanks for taking the time to share your experience! Sounds like you've got a good one.
I have had 1 replaced. If I knew then what I know now, I may not have had to replace it. Mine was the oil pump. I now have 100k on the new motor knowing what to look for. I change the oil more often than I should, plugs as well, and had the head gasket replaced at 50k out of caution. Runs like it did when I had it put in
Taco - Thanks for adding your experience! Sorry to hear about the first one.
Did you notice any symptoms from the pump before it failed? What should we look out for from your experience?
@@gnt4l I would get these random low oil pressure warnings. They would appear, and then clear and not be seen for weeks, then return. This went on and off for nearly two years, and they could not figure it out. Finally it returned, and when it did it was different as this time the car started acting very odd and the temp shot up. As luck would have it, this time the shaft on the oil pump actually broke. Everything looked fine structurally from the outside as the belt and such were still attached and moving, but I believe the shaft broke very close to the impeller, so everything stayed in place and nothing leaked. Apparently they issued a TSB on this a few months later. Never were able to determine why it went intermittent for a couple of years before it went catastrophic.
It's simple - the valvetrain drive, which is the only serious problem can be replaced for around 1-1.5k$ while vehicles with this engine tend to cost 3-5k$ less than alternatives. I've made 140k miles in mine, 0 issues so far, but I'm planning to replace that valvetrain drive just in case.
K - Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
Can i suggest you put a difficulty factor in the repair? I have had my Rocker cover gasket go and was advised to replaced the whole cover as they get brittle. I now need the sump gasket to be replaced. Good to hear the heads up on the timing chain however
G - Thanks for the feedback and taking the time to share your experience!
Great info for N20 BMW owner. I have replaced valve cover(include gasket), spark plug , oil filter housing for my 2015 X3 28i (manufactured in Nov 2014). Recently got multiple engine misfires and one Fuel Pressure too low codes. The error went away after the reset was told to replace fuel pump if the code comes back.
JS - Thanks for the feedback and for sharing your experience!
Hey mate, how many kilometres are on the odometer. Thinking of buying 4 series with the same engine haha.
Thanks
i think the n20 is a great engine
all timing chains on any car need to be inspected after 9 years any way so you might as well replace it then
and what car isnt leaking a bit of oil after 100k km
J - They certainly can be great engines. We don't make these videos to scare, strictly to inform.
I just got a 328i at 105k miles and I am happy that i got 2 years of warranty in case the timing chain goes bad lol
R - Good decision! Thanks for sharing your experience!
very good infos, thanks a bunch!
J - Thanks for the feedback! We hope it helps.
Plastic drain plug on plastic oil pan not that it’s a bmw problem but an oil change is one of the most frequent things outside of pumping gas that an owner has to do and the average person is not going to BMW for an oil change which mean diy. Buying these parts from the local auto parts stores sometimes the plastic drain plug comes with the filter and it causes tons of problems leaks strip, it doesn’t fit right or you may over torque it. All of this is rare with your traditional oil, pan and drain plug.
C - Well said. Thanks for sharing.
nice guide!!!!
AF - Thanks for the feedback!
All things considered, is this an engine to avoid? Especially 28i n20?
S - Not necessarily. These are pretty solid depending on how they are/have been maintained.
I have a 2018 320i just tuned to bm3 stage 1 81k miles. Planning it to keep it stock. should i be worried. i do oil changes every 5k miles with liqui moly
John - Nope, you should be in good shape, so long as you maintain it well!
I have a misfire that comes and goes and now the engine stumbles and seems like the turbo turned off…since there’s no power service sucks where Iam at any known problems cause a misfire like thy?
Troy - Do you have a Check Engine Light? We would advise getting an OBD2 code reader cause it will quickly help you diagnose the issue. From the sounds of it, it could be an ignition component (spark plug/ignition coil).
hi, the oil light came on on my 2013 N20 (328i) and temp gauge showed it was overheating so I added a quart of oil and all of a sudden white smoke was pouring out the exhaust and the engine won't stay running. Turns on then immediately dies. bmw mechanic said its a turbo problem but white vapor tells me head gasket. Would you have any thoughts please??
M - It honestly could be either. It's giving us head gasket, but there's no way to truly tell unless you get under the hood and find it first hand.
@@8020Media Yes likely HG, but I fail to see how it could possibly be turbo related!? Is there a seal failure in the turbo that could allow water vapor out the exhaust!? Thanks again for thoughts
M - Have you had it checked out by a shop yet?
Lol, I'm the shop. I'll do the usual tests and figure it out. Just baffles me how white vapor out the exhaust could be a turbo problem
Mascho - Keep us updated!
What is better engine bmw 428 n20 or 430 b48 ?
E - Our opinion, B48. But both engines are great.
I have a 2015 Bmw 320i and since a few months I have been having burned oil smell inside the car. They (bmw) changed the valve cover gasket. Same problem they check the turbo oil lines, the oil filter housing gasket. They say everything is find. Any other suggestions? It has to be oil falling on the exhaust to produce that smell. 😕
J - Certainly indicates an oil leak somewhere.. Interesting that they couldn't find anything. Are you losing oil faster than usual?
Yes.
J - The problem is there are so many gaskets that could be causing an oil leak, but that would be our guess.
Update: the valve cover was leaking and had to be changed.
J - Nice! Glad to hear you found the issue! Thanks for coming back and updating. This will certainly help future viewers!
I’m in the process of buying an f30 and getting a 320 or 330. Would it make sense to pay the extra money just to get a B48 to avoid the issues of the N20?
Chhem - Personally we prefer the B48 over the N20. Toyota uses the B48, with some slight changes, but that says a lot about the engine. However, make sure to abide by your financial situation.
want to buy a n20b20 220i 2014 with stage 2 tune 278 hp 90 000km is it worth it or are the engine realy bad. Gonna use all my money dont got alot left for engine fix but can of course do normal maintance.
Erling - We aren't going to give advice on if you should buy it or not, especially given the budget constraints. But what we will say is if the maintenance has been kept up with, it may not be a bad buy.
Hi i bought a 2012 bmw 528i x drive for 11k lease it has warranty for enegine and transmission for 24 months the car has 106k miles the timing chain already been change should i worry ?
M - If you have a warranty, then no. But we would highly advise staying on top of maintenance.
anyone has any idea why my f30 320 n20 car will go rough/growl during heavy rain or going through small water puddle? It's like the car cannot go fast and if i press gas, strange vibration, i had to drive 60kmh for quite some time until it went normal again. Strange no error. how do u fix it ? If it's dry or light rain no problem.
I'd say you have water in the ignition coils. Probably have a cracked cover on the coil that's shorting out till it dries out.
@@beaugator well, im using engine cover and foam. Also, the coil was just replaced 3 months ago. or water coming tru the intake?
@@beaugator i see, i also noticed my coil plug had this rust, if this normal? Just changed all 4 coil plugs and 4 spark plug early this year. How water could enter the coil while i had cover on top of my engine, how do i prevent that?
Also, bad news my 320i stage 2 , just went kaput on cylinder 4, 20psi , low compression. *Sad*
@@shahosj5023 Any rust should be treated and protect the connection against further corrosion with dielectric silicon. It will protect against water intrusion as well. The low cylinder pressure could possibly be from a too tight valve adjustment. you need to do a leakdown test to see if it's the rings or the valves leaking.
Well done
Sun - Thanks for the feedback!
Thinking of buying a 2014 BMW 328i with 84k miles would you recommend?
W - Depends on what your goal is with it and how it's been maintained.
Want to keep it as a daily car nothing crazy and any specific things to look out when checking under the hood before buying the car?
W - Get maintenance records. This post may be helpful: bmwtuning.co/bmw-n20-faq/
I bought a 2015 428i xdrive 70k miles ive owned for 1 year 106k nothing but problem's
At 87k ive put a rebuilt head and gasket timing kit new aluminum valve cover complete tune up spark plugs ignition coils and oem thermostat
Now at 106k its broke down thinking its water pump biggest money pit since owning
And i went from a 2014 e550 4matic v8 biturbo to save $ on a daily
The 428i coupe is a beautiful car always getting compliments
K - So sorry to hear this... However, we appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
I have 2015 X1 with 34000 miles on it, should I worry about the timing chain yet ?
Y - Nope! You should be good for many more miles before thinking about the timing chain. However, make sure you stay on top of maintenance. Lack of maintenance intensifies other potential problems.
I'm looking for a 328i f31 (245cv) post 2015. Is it more reliable or still have same problems?
Two - Typically, the newer the variant, the more reliable it is. So short answer, yes.
Mr Negative - my N20 328i runs solid - you use the word common to liberally
Kiwi - We are simply stating unbiased information. Sorry if it came across as negative to you.
Folks, should be common sense. If are unable to afford repairs on thesw cars stay away from high end cars. Unless of xourse you are a experinced mechanic. You can buy used at a decent price but the maintence/repair cost require deep pockets. 😮😂
E - Well said. Thanks for sharing.
It it running for more than 200000 with original parts,
M - Nice! Sounds like you take great care of it. Thanks for sharing your experience!
the biggest problem with the n20 is it's 2 missing cylinders...
X - Well?
@@8020Media well?
And the problem with your little engine is that there are two missing cylinders as well. Either get a 4 for economy or an 8 for power anything in-between is a joke.
M - We would have to disagree. B58?
@@Myneighborsucksl3726 Nah, as a certified Triumph nut and somewhat Bimmer fan, I can tell you that cylinders should come in multiples of 3.
Don’t buy one with an N20 engine. Absolute junk! Mine is March 2015 and still had the timing chain issue. Absolutely loose. And only 48k miles on it!
M - Sorry to hear about this. However, thanks for sharing your experience!
@@8020Media just adding that this is my first 4 cylinder BMW engine and I drive bimmers for the last 30 years. 6 cylinder are much better BMW engines. Not perfect but better.
Same with my car..
N 20 is the worst engine bmw has eve made, that thing can jst fail while driving no warning light no nothing, I have about 8 engine um rebuilding nw , it's very hard to rebuild, it needs original Crankshaft bearings ,. If you use these after market Cranks you will never win
B - Oddly enough we don't think the N20 is the worst engine BMW has ever made. But thanks for sharing your experience!
Should be n54
Should be M62
Highly disagree , I’m over 100k and I smoke em like a chu chu train
B58 OR B48 best @@yongqihu9580