[Gerodmarshall]

Well I bought this car at 150,000 miles and instantly began modifying it. I am now about to hit the 175,000 mile mark. I do not think this car has ever had a walnut blasting. My plan is to Walnut blaster and coil pack change and tire change. I would like to know what all of you Think I should also do. Thanks! E92 335i 2008

[335NJ]

175k and no walnut blast!? Post pictures for science!

[kong24680]

I would suggest changing belts, pulleys, gaskets (oil pan, valve cover, main oil filter housing, oil cooler, main seal), flushing fluids (transmission, diff, coolant, power steering, brakes), coils, spark plugs, vacuum lines, and that walnut blast. Personally that's what I feel would be necessary

[Needbmwpartzz]

Originally Posted by kong24680

I would suggest changing belts, pulleys, gaskets (oil pan, valve cover, main oil filter housing, oil cooler, main seal), flushing fluids (transmission, diff, coolant, power steering, brakes), coils, spark plugs, vacuum lines, and that walnut blast. Personally that's what I feel would be necessary

Man......if it ain't broke why fix it?
Just give it a good once over and look for potential problems and fix as necessary lol

[Gerodmarshall]

Well I've already done oil, coolant and plugs recently. Everything else I'm kinda just hoping something tragic won't happen but everything seems to look and sound fine. Also the fuel pump and belts were replaced around 140,000. It's crazy that I wail on this car at the track and drack strip and it's all still holding up strong. Stock everything pretty much lol only main thing that bugs me is the wastegate rattle.

[mike@x-ph.com]

+1 for walnut blast pictures. I did my car at 90k and it looked awful, very interested in seeing it at 170k
No need to change anything if everything is functioning

[E93Manny335]

Originally Posted by Needbmwpartzz

Man......if it ain't broke why fix it?
Just give it a good once over and look for potential problems and fix as necessary lol

+1 for real! I see this all the time with a high mileage BMW, dudes throwing out the "I would suggest you change" and it's a 2 page list smh, might as well get a new engine while your at it LOL no need for all that if its functional

[fazman]

Originally Posted by Gerodmarshall

Well I bought this car at 150,000 miles and instantly began modifying it. I am now about to hit the 175,000 mile mark. I do not think this car has ever had a walnut blasting. My plan is to Walnut blaster and coil pack change and tire change. I would like to know what all of you Think I should also do. Thanks! E92 335i 2008

for most things, if its not broke... then leave it alone. a few exceptions are:
1) the tensioner/pully/belt tends to fail and grenade the motor at the same time. i would change that every 100k miles or so
2) spark plugs change when you start getting misfires OR every 45k miles stock (25k miles if tuned).
3) if spark plugs don't fix your misfire issue... then swap around coils to see if the misfire follows the coil (if one coil is bad... the other 5 are close behind to fail so just change all six in one go)
4) change brake fluid every two years
5) change cabin filter every year
6) oil change every 7500 miles (Mobil 1 0w-40 euro 7 qts @ walmart jugs for $25 each). use a Mann oil filter
7) carbon blast only if spark plugs/coils are good but you still get misfires (usually on cyl 5 or cyl 6 which are the most dirtiest in the n54)
8) VCG once u notice a leak, have the valve cover inspected for cracks and if so order the valve cover kit which includes the valve cover + VCG
9) flush coolant every 50k or latest by 100k miles
10) flush all drive line fluids (do the mechatronic sleeve if you are a 6AT) with a new transmission pan/filter/screws - every 50k or latest by 100k miles. If over 100k miles with unknown history... its a gamble to flush the transmission fluid on a 6AT cuz the gunk build up acts as a seal internally and if disturbed it can cause dry seals to leak and/or the gunk can get dislodged and block up oil passage ways causing it to fail).
11) suspension refresh every 100k miles, shocks tend to leak at about 100k

i have no info on when to do the following:
A) Hoses??
B) Vacuum lines???
C) waterpump+tstat?
D) Car battery? mine lasted exactly 7 years/95k miles before i got my first high discharge warning.
E) oil filter housing gasket? mine last 75k miles and was changed at 90k miles under cpo

[infidel335]

I'm just amazed a 335i went this far. There is hope for my car after 100k!!!

[fazman]

Originally Posted by infidel335

I'm just amazed a 335i went this far. There is hope for my car after 100k!!!

others are already part of the 300k mile club on the n54, i'm at 105k now.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by kong24680

I would suggest changing belts, pulleys, gaskets (oil pan, valve cover, main oil filter housing, oil cooler, main seal), flushing fluids (transmission, diff, coolant, power steering, brakes), coils, spark plugs, vacuum lines, and that walnut blast. Personally that's what I feel would be necessary

Fuck it, why not just a full rebuild, top and bottom ends.

[esberelias]

Originally Posted by kong24680

I would suggest changing belts, pulleys, gaskets (oil pan, valve cover, main oil filter housing, oil cooler, main seal), flushing fluids (transmission, diff, coolant, power steering, brakes), coils, spark plugs, vacuum lines, and that walnut blast. Personally that's what I feel would be necessary

if OP does a lot of traveling far away from home than yes definitely do preventive maintenance... better to spend 150 dollars now than 1000's for accommodations, towing and some random shop working on your car.

[feuer]

Originally Posted by fazman

others are already part of the 300k mile club on the n54, i'm at 105k now.

I assume this is a typo. 200k yes, but 300k...

[feuer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by kong24680 View Post
I would suggest changing belts, pulleys, gaskets (oil pan, valve cover, main oil filter housing, oil cooler, main seal), flushing fluids (transmission, diff, coolant, power steering, brakes), coils, spark plugs, vacuum lines, and that walnut blast. Personally that's what I feel would be necessary

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Fuck it, why not just a full rebuild, top and bottom ends.

Full rebuild is different than the issues listed above which all n54 suffer from.
Maybe you got lucky with yours but I'm yet to come a cross a n54 that doesn't need oil filter housing gasket, valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket, rear main seal, vacuum lines, coils, spark plugs, injectors, water pump, fuel pump, vanos and cam ledge (on older models) past 75k
I'm not saying its all of the above and all at once but is inevitable for n54

[HouseN54]

117K with a big single

[Underground6t9]

Preventative maintenance goes along way.

[Meeni]

Originally Posted by fazman

for most things, if its not broke... then leave it alone. a few exceptions are:
1) the tensioner/pully/belt tends to fail and grenade the motor at the same time. i would change that every 100k miles or so
2) spark plugs change when you start getting misfires OR every 45k miles stock (25k miles if tuned).
3) if spark plugs don't fix your misfire issue... then swap around coils to see if the misfire follows the coil (if one coil is bad... the other 5 are close behind to fail so just change all six in one go)
4) change brake fluid every two years
5) change cabin filter every year
6) oil change every 7500 miles (Mobil 1 0w-40 euro 7 qts @ walmart jugs for $25 each). use a Mann oil filter
7) carbon blast only if spark plugs/coils are good but you still get misfires (usually on cyl 5 or cyl 6 which are the most dirtiest in the n54)
8) VCG once u notice a leak, have the valve cover inspected for cracks and if so order the valve cover kit which includes the valve cover + VCG
9) flush coolant every 50k or latest by 100k miles
10) flush all drive line fluids (do the mechatronic sleeve if you are a 6AT) with a new transmission pan/filter/screws - every 50k or latest by 100k miles. If over 100k miles with unknown history... its a gamble to flush the transmission fluid on a 6AT cuz the gunk build up acts as a seal internally and if disturbed it can cause dry seals to leak and/or the gunk can get dislodged and block up oil passage ways causing it to fail).
11) suspension refresh every 100k miles, shocks tend to leak at about 100k

i have no info on when to do the following:
A) Hoses??
B) Vacuum lines???
C) waterpump+tstat?
D) Car battery? mine lasted exactly 7 years/95k miles before i got my first high discharge warning.
E) oil filter housing gasket? mine last 75k miles and was changed at 90k miles under cpo

Follow this schedule.

[kong24680]

My car only has around 95k, and I've already had to change most of the things that I listed. I guess it really depends how hard you drive the car, but I like to keep my car running in tip top shape all the time. Plus I hate being stranded on the middle of the road, which has happened multiple times already (snapped serpentine belt, water pump, CEL, etc.) The N54 is definitely not the most reliable engine in the world, which is why I believe preventative maintenance is essential to keeping it the road.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by feuer

Quote:
Originally Posted by kong24680 View Post
I would suggest changing belts, pulleys, gaskets (oil pan, valve cover, main oil filter housing, oil cooler, main seal), flushing fluids (transmission, diff, coolant, power steering, brakes), coils, spark plugs, vacuum lines, and that walnut blast. Personally that's what I feel would be necessary

Full rebuild is different than the issues listed above which all n54 suffer from.
Maybe you got lucky with yours but I'm yet to come a cross a n54 that doesn't need oil filter housing gasket, valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket, rear main seal, vacuum lines, coils, spark plugs, injectors, water pump, fuel pump, vanos and cam ledge (on older models) past 75k
I'm not saying its all of the above and all at once but is inevitable for n54

I think the idea was to replace when necessary not as preventative. For example, why pull a pan gasket before it starts to leak? And why not assess the severity of the leak before the decision to replace?

[OzCoE92]

WALNUT BLAST FIRST. Then Valve cover gasket, oil filter housing gasket(only if they are leaking, may have been done before your ownership) water pump, t-stat, serpentine belt and pulley plus new coolant. I would add coils to the list and maybe injectors but only if they are exhibiting problems or throwing an SES light. Since you said you did plugs, I would get the coils replaced so they are both fresh, especially since you are tuned. I'm at 87,500 on my car right now(no tune), I have had everything I mentioned replaced on my car already. Next up is water pump, serp belt, coolant, pulley, then my car goes under the knife for a major base stereo build.

[feuer]

Originally Posted by kong24680

My car only has around 95k, and I've already had to change most of the things that I listed. I guess it really depends how hard you drive the car, but I like to keep my car running in tip top shape all the time. Plus I hate being stranded on the middle of the road, which has happened multiple times already (snapped serpentine belt, water pump, CEL, etc.) The N54 is definitely not the most reliable engine in the world, which is why I believe preventative maintenance is essential to keeping it the road.

N54 definitively belongs into the group of most unreliable engines

[KnudsonM3]

Originally Posted by Needbmwpartzz

Man......if it ain't broke why fix it?
Just give it a good once over and look for potential problems and fix as necessary lol

Agreed for the gaskets.

Pulleys and belts should be changed however.