E91 - Requires a new engine

[WGK90]

Hi all,

So I have a 2011 E91 318i.

I have had a number of issues with the car over the past 6 months which has resulted in, last week, the engine blowing up (roughly 2 hours after I picked the car up from the garage from the last round of repairs.

I now have the job of finding a new engine for the car, so I can get it back on the road, ready to give back to the finance company (this happened a year in to a 4 year finance agreement on the car and so whilst I may keep the car for a short period once I've secured a new engine - likely I will cut my massive loss on this car, and give it back seeing as though Im close to the 50% point on my agreement.

The Engine is an N34B20AY and I wondering whether anyone could point me in the direction of an engine as I am having an issue locating one in the current climate.

Thanks in advance everyone and any help would be massively appreciated,

[mmm-five]

If you've been searching for that exact engine code, then that will be your problem - it's an N43B20 not an N34B20.

You could try Quarry Motors or ASM Recycling...or there's pages of them on ebay.

Edited by mmm-five on Wednesday 24th June 12:01

[BFleming]

mmm-five said:

If you've been searching for that exact engine code, then that will be your problem - it's an N43B30 not an N34B20.

I know it's just a typo, but it's actually a N43B20.

[mmm-five]

BFleming said:

I know it's just a typo, but it's actually a N43B20.

Damn, hoisted by my own leotard

Although an N43B30 would probably fit too - if BMW made one

Edited by mmm-five on Wednesday 24th June 12:02

[xjay1337]

I really don't understand some people.

I went onto Ebay and typed in "E90 318i engine" and got this :


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-1-3-Series-e81-e87-...


That's literally 15 seconds of searching.

[BFleming]

How much is a 2011 318i worth? Surely this is write off territory.

[Boobonman]

On Facebook there is an E90/E92/E93 selling page, loads of cars getting broken for bits on there.

Why not put a better engine in it and keep it? /devilsadvocate

[matrignano]

You took out a 4 year finance deal to buy an 8 year old car?

[goldieandblackie]

Do you have the cash to replace the engine?

[Touring442]

N43's are troublesome junk and they are one of those cars that are never really 'repaired' as there is always a problem. You could sink £2000 into supplying/fitting another engine and that one will sh*t itself a week later.

Quarry Motors in Sheffield are by far the best bet to supply/fit an N43. Then get rid of it! It may be more cost effective to hand it back as a non runner.

[gizlaroc]

I gave my daughter my E91 N43 320i touring on Tuesday as I picked up an F31 and her Fiat has given up the ghost.

She went out for the first time it on Tuesday evening.

Now this is a car with 160k miles on it, I just replaced every front suspension part on the front axle, new battery and service including all filters and it runs sweet as a nut, it averages 39mpg and and will do close to 50mpg on a run no problem, 50+ if you go at 70.


I said the only thing she must do is use Tesco 99 or Shell 99, keeps the injectors clean and gets around 4mpg better using 98/99.


Went out at 8pm, at 11.45pm I get a call saying the car is knackered. Great!

Had to go 10 miles across the city to see what was going on. Running like a pig, bellowing smoker out of the exhaust.
Drove it 10 miles home and used £45 worth of fuel.

Unplugged the coil packs, unplugging number 1 made no difference. Bought a new coil. No difference.

INPA was showing Injector 2, 3 and 4 were pushes fuel like mad, injector 1 nothing.
Injectors were index 11 but injector 1 was index 7 still. Went down to ECP and got another index 11 and whacked it in, coded it and bingo. Back up and running.

Easy enough to do, but you do need to be prepared to learn about about scanning these cars, reading the basic data and be prepared to undo a few bits and pieces.

Total cost for me was £280 and I have a spare decent coil pack in reserve. Not sure what BMW or even an Indi would charge? But these are OK if you know their weaknesses.

[Touring442]

And then the following week, the NoX sensor goes on the fritz, it drops a valve or the timing chain leaves the building. When they run they're not bad but Christ, the cost of repairs!

I don't touch them now. Fix one thing and before you know, it's back running like a cement mixer.

[gizlaroc]

Yeah, must admit, this has had 4 injectors and 4 coils now and only done 161,000 miles, that is nearly £1000 in upkeep.

[Touring442]

Give it time!

You've been blessed with that one. They rarely get much past 100k without an expensive disaster.

[gizlaroc]

To be fair, I popped in to see someone today as I had bought an Alfa 147 and it was at his garage, while there he had a 318i on 42k miles, 2012, that he had just put a new engine in.

[helix402]

Forgive the sound of a broken record, but the answer is:

M57.

[gizlaroc]

helix402 said:

Forgive the sound of a broken record, but the answer is:

M57.

I think you will find the answer is N52.

[Touring442]

They're all getting towards the banger phase now where one big bill writes the car off. Enjoy it whilst you can.

[goldieandblackie]

Build quality is crap these days i had an old BMW 323ci (W reg) ran it for just over 10 years and 191,000 miles, the only things in all that time that I had replace was the battery, fuel pump and steering rack.

[helix402]

gizlaroc said:

I think you will find the answer is N52.

Depends if you’re a fan of oil leaks or not. The N52 will keep going, but will leak oil from every possible seal/gasket.