Jake currently owns two N54 powered BMW’s – an E60 535i and E82 135i. Jake has 10 years of experience maintaining, repairing, and upgrading his BMW’s. The 135i features a single turbo Precision 6266 conversion capable of 700+whp; Jake completed the entire project on his own. With over 200 automotive articles published, Jake brings a balance of writing skill, hands-on BMW experience, and technical knowledge to the table.
Most engine and car performance upgrades begin (and often end) with an ECU tune or remap. This is considered a cost-effective method of gaining horsepower and torque. What’s more, the same procedure also helps to increase fuel economy. The good news is that this is perfectly legal and only takes about half an hour to…
Engine fault codes are also known as a diagnostic trouble code – or DTC for short. These codes help point you in the direction of any potential issues with the engine. If you own a car for the long-run then chances are you’ll run into at least a few fault codes along the way. BMW…
Since the introduction of the BMW X SAV they have been fast selling models. The X3 was actually BMW’s best-selling model in the United States in 2019. Given the X3 is a popular car it makes sense that the X4 is a common comparison. BMW X3 vs X4 models share many similarities, but also have…
E36’s relatively small and lightweight nature can make them fun street or daily drivers. However, with these cars pushing 25+ years old, a few upgrades will go a long way in improving the handling and performance of them. One of the best performance upgrades is replacing the worn stock suspension with a set of coilovers….
Discussing spark plugs for the BMW N54 engine can be a lengthy topic. While spark plugs are a pretty simple part they’re extremely important, and there’s a lot that goes into the right setup. How often should you change spark plugs? What are colder plugs and when are they needed? What are the best spark…
E90 and E92 328i models remain among the last BMW 3-series to use natural aspiration. This makes the 328i a highly desirable car to some. However, there are many other traits that make the BMW E90 328i a great car to own and drive. The E90 & E92 328i come in with a weight around…
The BMW 1-series made its initial debut in 2004 in the form of the E87 5-door hatch. It wasn’t until 2008 that BMW brought the 1-series to North America as the E82 coupe and E88 convertible. Models include the 128i, 135i, and legendary 1M. We’ll make reference to some foreign models, but this article is…
The M60 engine made its debut in 1992 as BMW’s first V8 in more than 25 years. It’s available in two variants – the M60B30 3.0L V8 and the M60B40 4.0L V8. Power comes in at 215hp and 282hp, respectively. These are pretty impressive numbers for smaller V8 engines, especially considering the era. BMW’s M60…
The two predecessors to the B58, the N54 and N55, were notorious for busting chargepipes left and right. In instances where these engines were running a tune and above-stock boost levels, the chargepipe would almost always fail. One of the main reasons these chargepipes failed is that they were made out of plastic. The chargepipe…
Upgraded intakes are our first mod recommendation for people just getting into modding their BMW’s, but also for people looking to push crazy horsepower. An upgraded intake is the building block to further modification as it provides the engine with the additional air capacity needed for high-horsepower applications. Additionally, it’s a great bang-for-the-buck mod if…
When it comes to exhaust systems on turbocharged vehicles, specifically BMW turbo vehicles, everyone talks about the downpipe instead of the traditional cat-back system that people are most familiar with upgrading. That’s because cat-back exhaust systems and expensive and don’t really provide any power benefit. They sound great, but we’re bargain performance guys here! The…
Yes, the B58 engine does have an intercooler. However, it is not the common intercooler setup you would see on most turbo vehicles. While most forced induction engines use “direct” air-to-air cooling, the B58 intercooler uses an “indirect” water-to-air cooling system. The B58 intercooler is integrated into the intake manifold. Compressed air flows through the…
