The brilliant M57 engine from BMW - what makes the BMW M57 3.0d engine so beloved by drivers and tuners?

It is very interesting that BMW, considered a truly sporty and luxurious brand, is launching a diesel engine on the market. And one that has no equal. Suffice it to say that the M4 engine won the title of "Engine of the Year" 57 times in a row! His legend exists to this day, and there is a lot of truth in it.

M57 engine - basic technical data

The basic version of the M57 engine has a 3-liter and 6-cylinder in-line block, covered with a 24-valve head. It originally had 184 hp, which gave very good performance in the BMW 3 series. This unit was slightly worse in the larger 5 series and in the X3 models.

Over time, the engine equipment was changed, and the latest varieties even had 2 turbochargers and a power of 306 hp. Fuel injection was via a common rail system that shows no signs of weakness when filled with good fuel. A turbocharger with variable blade geometry and a dual-mass flywheel were the main diesel equipment of those years.

BMW M57 3.0 - what makes it unique?

This is, first of all, extraordinary durability and maintenance-free timing. Despite the fact that the torque in the weakest versions was at the level of 390-410 Nm, the car handled it very well. The entire crank-piston system, gearbox and other transmission elements have been perfectly matched to the power generated by this unit. It doesn't matter if the 3rd series (for example, E46, E90) or the 5th series (for example, E39 and E60) - in each of these machines, this design provided very good performance. In the early years of production, no DPF filter was installed in the exhaust system, which over time could lead to some malfunctions.

The M57 engine in the BMW 3.0d and its tuning potential

Power buffs point out that the 330d and 530d versions are ideal tuning cars. The reason is the very high durability of the drive transmission system and the high sensitivity to changes in the motor controller. You can easily extract over 215 horsepower from the weakest version with just one program. The Common Rail system and twin turbochargers are the ideal basis for even more performance. 400 hp, measured on a dyno without much intervention in the connecting rods and pistons, is basically the routine of tuners. This has earned the M57 series a reputation for being armored and extremely popular in motorsport.

BMW M57 engine breaks down?

It must be admitted that the 3.0d M57 has a certain drawback - these are swirl flaps that are installed only on three-liter versions. The 2.5 variants didn't have them in the intake manifold, so there's no problem with those designs. Early in production, the M57 version of the engine had smaller flaps that tended to break. It is not difficult to guess that a piece of the element that fell into the combustion chamber could cause great damage to valves, pistons and cylinder liners. In newer versions (since 2007), these doors were replaced with larger ones that did not break, but did not always keep their tightness. So the best way is to eliminate them.

Other glitches of the armored diesel 3.0d

It is hard to expect that the M57 engine, which has been available on the secondary market for so many years, will not break down. Under the influence of many years of operation, an injector or several sometimes failed. Their regeneration is not too expensive, which translates into trouble-free and fast maintenance. Some users indicate that thermostats can be a problem over time. Their uptime is usually 5 years, after which time they should be replaced. Importantly, even the DPF filter is not as problematic as in other cars. Of course, it is worth remembering the basic rules for burning it.

The cost of servicing a car with an M57 engine

Are you planning to buy a 184 hp version, 193 hp or 204 hp – operating costs should not scare you. On the road, the 3-litre unit consumes approximately 6,5 l/100 km. In the city with a dynamic driving style, this value can double. Of course, the more powerful the unit and the heavier the car, the higher the fuel consumption. However, the ratio of fuel consumption to dynamics and driving pleasure is very positive. Keep in mind the regular oil change every 15 km and the basic rules for driving a diesel, and it will serve you for many years. Consumable parts are on the standard price shelf - we are, of course, talking about the level of BMW.

Is it worth buying a BMW with an M57 engine?

If you have the opportunity to buy a well-maintained copy with a proven history, don't hesitate too long. A BMW with this engine is a very good choice, even if it has 400 km.

A photo. main: Car spy via Flickr, CC BY 2.0