n55

It's been a long time coming since we last left off with the development of this intercooler. While it might have been trying on your patience, and a little on ours, it's not necessarily a bad thing that it took some time. Simply put, how are we going to make sure that what ends up at your door step is perfect if the first doesn't possess the same qualities? And sometimes doing things a little differently takes some time.

If you look back to our last post outlining the design plans, you'll see exactly what I'm on about when it comes to doing things differently. We did end up giving a good amount away then, but since it's been a while, I'll refresh your memory.

Yes, the stepped core is nothing new nowadays. With the F2X and F3X Bimmers, the design of the stock system almost requires a stepped core in order to squeeze more performance out of the N55 and N20 engines. During our development process, we investigated the idea of a few other core configurations, but neither quite stacked up to

When I last left off our engineer, Steve, was busy scanning and creating a 3D model of the F30 stock unit as a reference for our new design. There is an impressive amount of engineering that has gone into this intercooler project already, with more to come. One of the reasons for this attention to detail is because of the wide range of models that this new cooler is going to fit, as seen by our photo gallery. Another reason is because BMW has a pesky habit of living up to their moniker, "The Ultimate Driving Machine," they leave little room for error.

Steve working the Faro Design ScanArm to create a 3D model of the stock intercooler unit.

I've always been a huge fan of BMW, especially when it comes to the meticulous engineering that goes into each of their vehicles. Every model they put out is designed to last. Whether it be a 28-year old 3-series speeding around the flat back roads of New Jersey, or the much bigger and heavier X3 taking on the winding mountain roads of the Colorado

Mishimoto prides itself on the ability to improve the cooling systems on just about any vehicle that rolls through the garage door. Intercoolers have become our bread and butter at this point. That being said, BMW's are notoriously over-engineered, so improving on the meticulous German design isn't going to be an easy task.

It seems that the engineers at BMW wanted to make sure they provided the best equipment on their "Ultimate Driving Machine," which means tight spacing. Peeling the front bumper cover from our loaner 2014 335i M Sport reveals a space no bigger than a toaster oven. A tricky intercooler project lies ahead, but that's OK, because we're up to the challenge.

The front fascia is secured on tight, but our engineer Steve, left, and project manager, Rob, make short work of it.

The F30 335i with the front fascia removed. The M-Sport aero package includes its own full set of shrouding and duct work.

BMW already has an adequate design on their stock intercooler. It's a stout tube

The pre-sale for this kit is now live! Click here to buy the Mishimoto N55 Catch Can Kit!

Nothing ruins a weekend drive through your favorite back roads more than an unexpected check engine light (CEL). That is, nothing except a flashing check engine light.  Having driven my fair share of Volkswagens, Audis, and more recently Subaru's, I've become quite accustomed to the warm, orange glow of a lit check engine light.  A solid CEL is something that no longer worries me; it's something that I, and most people who modify cars, have come to expect every now and then.  What does still haunt my dreams, however, is the flashing CEL. What's the difference? A solid CEL is usually a fault that's not life-threatening to the engine.  Small issues like loose fuel caps, small vacuum leaks, and dirty throttle bodies all cause a solid CEL. But what causes a flashing CEL is something much more dangerous: a major misfire.

The Orange Omen

The dreaded flashing check-engine light is a sign that something

You spend hours washing, waxing, and polishing. Not a single drop of water or speck of dirt is left on the paint's surface when you're done. The interior is the same story; the carpet, seats, and dash look better than on the day you picked up your new BMW from the dealer. You spend precious time and effort protecting your investment from the outside, but what about the places you can't see? I don't mean that spot under the seat where you have to break every bone in your hand to retrieve your phone. I mean the heart of the car: the engine. Using high-quality fuel is a start to keeping your engine healthy, but there are more threats that you may never see coming until they've already gotten the best of your engine.

Looking Back

In the last post, we looked at the N55's stock PCV system; we examined its advantages and disadvantages, and how blow-by can harm your engine. We also took a quick look at how we started developing our catch can. This time, we'll be taking a look at the prototype

This is it. The leather seat grips your back as hard as your hands grip the wheel and the tires grip the road. The pavement is your playground and nothing can break the connection you have to its twists and turns.  Your mind is calm, but calculating, guiding the wheels through every turn with finesse as the headlights cut through the darkness.  Smooth is fast, and this car is certainly smooth.  When you finally coax yourself to go home, stepping out into the cool night air, you think to yourself, "This is it."

The Dark Horse of Combustion: Blow-by

But what aren't you thinking about? Sure, BMW's N55 TwinPower Turbo inline-six engine is smooth and powerful, but what happens inside that engine is much more violent. Internal combustion engines are essentially controlled bombs; air and fuel combust to drive pistons and crankshafts.  One byproduct of this violence is power, but there are darker horses to contend with, too.  As the N55 churns away, high pressure on the top side of the

Interested in picking up our N54 oil catch can system? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

BMW N54 Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit

After selecting a catch can location and fabricating a mounting bracket, we needed to fully install the can/bracket combo and begin putting together a set of CCV lines to complete our kit.

Catch Can Lid

Before doing so, the functional prototype of our catch can lid arrived for evaluation by our team. Check it out!

Mishimoto CNC-machined catch can lid

Mishimoto CNC-machined catch can lid

We added our internal baffle system as well as our 50-micron bronze filter. Here's a shot of the fully assembled can, ready for mock-up!

Mishimoto catch can assembled

Mishimoto catch can assembled

Now that we had both a prototype lid and a fabricated mounting bracket, we could install these components together and set up our lines properly.

Mishimoto catch can mock-up

Mishimoto catch can mock-up

Mishimoto catch can mock-up

Hose Routing and Mock-Up

We are now at

Interested in picking up our N54 oil catch can system? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

BMW N54 Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit

E90 Test vehicle engine bay

After evaluating the design of our first prototype and performing some additional research regarding customer needs, we were prepared to fabricate a second prototype. As noted toward the end of our last post, we would be relocating our catch can for easier servicing, and we would also be designing a new catch can lid to accommodate the larger ports for the N54 CCV system.

Catch Can Lid Prototyping

A teaser in our last post revealed the plans we had for our large-port catch can lid. Check out a few more shots of this 3D-printed unit below.

3D-printed prototype catch can lid

3D-printed prototype catch can lid

This lid uses exactly the same mounting bracket and system as our standard baffled catch can, which allows the can to swivel nearly 360 degrees and which provides some adjustment to its mounting. The ports are much

Interested in picking up our N54 oil catch can system? Check out more details on our product page linked below!

BMW N54 Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit

BMW 335i test vehicle

The BMW N54 is a fantastic engine that produces great power in stock form and responds very well to basic modifications such as exhaust and ECU tuning. However, if you do not stay on top of servicing your BMW, maintenance and repair bills can certainly cast a shadow on 135i or 335i ownership. One of the primary challenges is dealing with valve buildups caused by oil entering the intake tract. Because the N54 is a direct injection engine, it does not benefit from the valve cleaning properties that a port injection engine can offer. Massive buildup can result in a loss of power and can have a negative impact on vehicle driveability.

Installing an oil catch can will slow down the speed at which this buildup occurs. An oil catch can separates oil contaminants from the CCV system, thus preventing these contaminants from ending