MT Auto Parts Blog | Expert Tips for BMW enthusiasts on BMW Parts, Accessories, Engines and More

Image: BMW B48A20E Complete Engine with just 60K miles, for £3,299.00, mtautoparts.com   Look at BMW's model range and something quickly becomes apparent. The 318i, 320i, and 330i all share the same B48 engine code, the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder, the same displacement, the same basic architecture. Yet the 318i produces around 156hp, the 320i around 184hp, and the 330i around 258hp. How does the same engine produce three entirely different power figures? The answer matters practically, especially when buying a used BMW engine as a replacement. It Starts With the Turbocharger The biggest variable in BMW's turbocharged engine family is boost pressure: how hard the turbocharger forces air into the engine. More air means more fuel can be burned per cycle, which means more power. On the B48 family, higher-output variants run higher boost pressures, achieved partly through different turbocharger specifications and partly through different mapping in the engine management software....

Image: BMW B47C20B Complete Engine with just 50K miles for sale at MT Auto Parts for £3,199.99 It's one of the most common questions when sourcing a used BMW engine : does the donor vehicle's model have to match yours exactly, or can you use an engine from a different car in the same family? The answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no, and getting it right makes the difference between a straightforward replacement and a job that turns into a very expensive complication. The Engine Code Is What Matters, Not the Model Badge BMW has used the same engine across multiple models throughout its history, and this is where the opportunity lies when buying a second-hand BMW engine. The B47 2.0-litre diesel, for example, is found in the F30 3 Series, the F25 X3, the F15 X5 20d, the G30 5 Series, and a number of other platforms. If you are replacing a failed B47 in an F30, you can source a B47 from a written-off X3 or 5 Series and use the same engine, because the engine itself is t...

  Photo by El Malandro on Unsplash If you're shopping for a used F30 3 Series, you'll see "LCI" and "pre-LCI" thrown around constantly, and it's one of the more important distinctions to understand before you buy. LCI stands for Life Cycle Impulse, which is BMW's term for a mid-generation facelift. For the F30, that facelift landed in mid-2015, splitting the model's run into two distinct halves: pre-LCI cars built from 2012 to mid-2015, and LCI cars built from mid-2015 to 2019. The changes go well beyond a cosmetic refresh. Here's what actually moved between the two versions. Exterior Styling The LCI brought a subtly sportier front end. Side air intakes were widened for a more aggressive look, and the central intake was reshaped to better house the adaptive cruise control radar sensor on cars fitted with it. At the rear, full LED tail lights became standard across the range, with a redesigned light bar giving BMW's signature "L"...

  Photo by Deniz Demirci on Unsplash Engine cranking longer than usual before it fires. Hesitation under hard acceleration. The occasional misfire at motorway speeds that was not there last month. These are the symptoms that bring BMW owners to search for fuel pump problems, and they are also the symptoms that can mean half a dozen other things, which is why getting the diagnosis right matters before anything else. Modern BMWs actually have two fuel pumps, not one. Understanding which one is causing the problem saves a significant amount of money, because they cost very different amounts to fix. Two Pumps, Not One – Why This Matters Every turbocharged BMW with direct injection, which covers virtually all F- and G-generation petrol models from the N55, B48, and B58 onwards, uses a two-stage fuel system. There is a low-pressure pump inside the fuel tank, and a high-pressure pump mounted on the engine itself. –The low-pressure pump, or LPFP, sits inside the fuel tank under the rear se...