The BMW N63 series V8 is a high-performance engine, with different versions all putting out over 400 horsepower. It’s definitely an innovative engine, as it includes important firsts for BMW and the automotive industry in general. But in a set-and-forget world, it would not be a good engine; the N63 requires too much attention and maintenance care to fit that moniker. Those important innovations included a design architecture that created life-long issues for users. With an open mind regarding engine care, though, you might decide that it is a good engine after all.
The N63 engine has been in production since 2008, and finds a home in BMW’s higher end offerings to this day. The engine has seen three updates (N63TU1, 2, and 3), multiple technical service bulletins, two important lawsuits, a Customer Care Package, and a Battery Check program. BMW still finds utility in the engine architecture, though. Given the specifics of the N63’s design, it would be very easy to spot if the company stopped using the ideas behind it or moved into a new iteration.
The world’s first hot-valley turbo V8
The N63 engine is the first in BMW history to have the exhaust valves opening to the “hot valley” between the V8’s cylinder banks. Twin turbos lie in this valley, a world first which makes for a very short air path and higher air temperatures, and thus higher performance. At the same time, it creates a hotter-than-usual engine environment. There is no way around this — if you are using the N63 engine, it is a fact of life for that powerplant.
What are the ramifications of the hotter engine? First, oil consumption increases with hotter engine temperatures. Also, some early-model parts were not designed with this greater heat in mind, and they failed sooner.
One other first for BMW is that the N63 series uses direct injection. Fuel goes directly into the compression chamber and not into the intake manifold. The injection is more precise, but gasoline flowing through intake ports helps keep gunk from accumulating. Direct injection systems lack this advantage. Removing the gunk often requires walnut blasting the ports, which involves removing the heads, and pieces of walnut — hard enough to remove the gunk, but soft enough to not score the metal — are air-blasted through them.
N63 engine customer care package
In April 2015, BMW initiated a Customer Care Package program. The company had updated components that resolved customer pain points, sometimes in the assembly line, and only an inspection could determine if some items needed to be replaced. This includes the fuel injectors in particular. Others, such as the engine vacuum pump, had no markings to identify upgrades, and were replaced out of hand. These include: mass air flow sensors, fuel injectors, engine vacuum pump, fuel system low pressure sensor and feed line, fresh air intake turbo seals, and the crankcase ventilation hoses.
Some vehicles using the N63 under certain conditions also qualified for a new battery. The batteries themselves were fine — the problem is related to the tremendous heat generated by the N63. The heat generated by the engine after being turned off often activated the fan, which would drain the battery. When the car was started again, the battery was in a low state while subjected to cranking loads, which led to issues.
Getting BMW into gear with class-action lawsuits
Despite the care package, BMW owners who faced the N63’s problems felt that the company failed to take the problem seriously. Parts changes aside, N63 engines were consuming oil at an alarming rate. The engine could burn up a quart of motor oil in 1,000 miles. Two class-action lawsuits resulted from the discontent:
The first — Bang v. BMW of N. Am. LLC in 2014 — dealt with the original N63 engine, and focused on a variety of issues including oil changes and batteries. The second — Isley v. BMW of N. Am. LLC in 2018 — tried to extend the verdict in Bang to cover the N63TU1, which was the upgrade model of the N63 built between 2014 and 2016. In both cases, the plaintiffs won, and BMW was ordered to check engines, replace parts, and if oil consumption was too high under certain circumstances, replace engines.
Beginning with the N63TU2, the characteristics of the engine are understood, and the N63TU3 is still in cars in 2024, even as the EU tightens emissions standards. With some understanding of the heat issues, you can decide for yourself if the N63 engine, even an early one, is a good drivetrain to rely on.
