BMW S55 Tuning

"All you need to know about performance parts and tuning the BMW S55 engine!"

The S55 found its home in the F80 M3 sedan, F82 M4 coupe, and F83 M4 convertible. These models are more than just cars; they're precision-engineered driving machines that showcase BMW's commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive performance.

Now, as we set our sights on modifying and upgrading the S55, we step into a realm where cutting-edge technology meets enthusiast passion. From upgraded intercoolers and exhaust systems to advanced tuning solutions, the S55 invites enthusiasts to elevate its capabilities and unlock even more exhilarating performance.

This article seeks to guide fellow enthusiasts through the intricate process of modifying the S55 engine. Together, let's unravel the possibilities and ensure that each upgrade pays homage to the technological marvel that makes the S55 a standout in the world of high-performance engines.

In this article we review and look at S55 tuning and show the premier upgrades. BMW S55 are awesome to work on and with the right performance mods like remapping, turbo upgrades and camshafts you will noticeably maximise your driving fun.

The high redline and twin turbos make this straight six feel like a much larger engine with a near instant power delivery at all points of the rev band.

By dropping the V8 and going to a straight 6 BMW were in line for much criticism, but the jaw dropping performance of the S55 silenced those critics, and the improved fuel economy shut up green campaigners.

We outline options for your S55 tuning and highlight the greatest upgrades and we'll set the stage for an exciting exploration into the world of modifying and upgrading this cutting-edge engine..

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History, Power & Specs of the Engine

It replaced the NASP S65 and is based on the N55, but gets a pretty high state of tune, stronger pistons, a twin turbo setup and needed a couple of fuel pumps to deliver the required fuel.

Born in the 2014 BMW M3 and M4, the S55 engine represents a leap forward in BMW's pursuit of high-performance excellence. It succeeds the S65 V8 engine, bringing with it a twin-turbocharged inline-six configuration that blends power with efficiency in a remarkable way.

The S55 commands attention with its impressive power output. In the F80 M3 and F82/F83 M4, it delivers around 425 horsepower in its standard form.

Opt for the Competition Package, and you'll find yourself with a robust 444 horsepower. This engine isn't just about raw numbers; it's about a responsive and exhilarating driving experience.

At the heart of the S55's performance prowess is the TwinPower Turbo system, employing two turbochargers to boost power delivery.

Additionally, the engine features a sophisticated cooling system to maintain optimal temperatures under demanding conditions.

The high-precision direct fuel injection and VALVETRONIC variable valve control contribute to the engine's efficiency and responsiveness.

205 kW (275 bhp) - 268 kW (359 bhp)

• 2020-present F87 M2 CS Racing

302 kW (405 bhp)

• 2018-present F87 M2 Competition

317 kW (425 bhp) 550 Nm (406 lbft) at 1,850-5,500 rpm

• 2014-2018 F80 M3
• 2014-present F82/F83 M4

331 kW (444 bhp)

• 2016-2018 F80 M3 with Competition package(
• 2016-present F82/F83 M4 with Competition package
• 2020 F87 M2 CS

338 kW (453 bhp)

• 2018 F80 M3 CS
• 2017-present F82 M4 CS

368 kW (493 bhp)   600 Nm (443 lbft

Water injection system allowed the boost pressure to be increased to 21.6 psi (1.49 bar).

• 2015-2016 F82 M4 GTS
• 2017 F82 M4 DTM Champion Edition

Tuning the BMW S55 and best S55 performance parts.

Best S55 tuning mods

The greatest S55 parts on an engine are typically the ones that give the biggest return for your cash.

We won't be swayed by popular S55 parts, they need to be cost effective. The S55 is build to rev, so any mod or upgrade that extracts top end power is well suited, so we'll talk about camshafts and turbo upgrades primarily as great options.

Significant gains on the S55 can be made from cam upgrades. Altering the cam profile alters the intake and exhaust durations on the engine and can dramatically change the power band and power output.

Shcrick offer a 238.272 degree profile and this noticably lifts power at the mid to top end of your RPM range and seems a perfect compliment to the turbo setup on the S55.

Fast road camshafts tend to raise the bhp and torque across the rpm band, you may sacrifice a little bottom end torque but top end will be lifted.

Race camshafts, raise the top end band but as a result the car will not idle smoothly and low end power nearly always suffers.

A Motorsport and race cam makes it harder when on the daily commute, because the lumpy idle will make the car prone to stall and smooth driving at low rpm becomes impossible. If you are developing a track car this doesn't matter as you are in the high end of your RPM range anyway and that is where you want the power to be.

You should ideally optimize your torque band to your driving style so for a typical daily driver stick with a fast road S55 cam

Each engine responds better to extreme camshaft durations than others.

The ecu map and injectors and fuel pump also will say much on the torque gains you'll hit.

Extending exhaust or intake durations can alter the torque band and on most engines the exhaust and intake durations do not need to match, although most cams and tuners use matched pairs there are some advantages to extending the intake or exhaust durations.

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Best mods for your S55

1. Flowing and porting the Head - Head work will get air flowing into the engine while removing turbulence or restrictions.
2. Engine Tunes - A Remapped S55 ECU provides the biggest gains for the money, aftermarket ECU upgrades, and piggyback ECUs are all alternatives.
3. Forced induction upgrades - forced induction is the most dramatic method to improve intake air supply, allowing you to combust more fuel and make more power. Although one of the most expensive modifications but provides the best gains.
4. Fast road cams are generally the biggest mechanical mod upgrade, but they must be installed by someone who knows what they are doing and tracking one down may be hard but there might be a local firm to regrind a stock camshaft .
5. Intake and Sports Exhausts - NB: on their own these mods will NOT ADD POWER in most cases, but they can help lift power after other mods by removing the restriction.
6. Flywheel lightening - a reduced weight flywheel will improve the engines ability to rev freely. But not always suitable for all S55 engines.

S55 Tuning Stages

Typical stage 1 mods often include: Fast road camshaft, Panel air filters, Sports exhaust header/manifold, drilled & smoothed airbox, Remaps/piggy back ECU, Intake manifolds.

Typical stage 2 mods often include: high flow fuel injectors, Sports catalyst & performance exhaust, induction kit, fuel pump upgrades, Ported and polished head, Fast road cam.

Typical stage 3 mods often include: Competition cam, Adding or Upgrading forced induction (turbo/supercharger), Crank and Piston upgrades to alter compression, Internal engine upgrades (head flowing porting/bigger valves), Engine balancing & blueprinting, Twin charging conversions.

ECU mapping will help release the full potential of all the tuning parts you've fitted to your S55.

(In some cases, as the factory ECU is locked flashing is not an option, so an aftermarket ECU is the route to take, and many of these will outperform factory ECU's but make sure it has knock protection and that you get it setup properly.)

As a rule, you may anticipate 30 percent higher power from turbocharged automobiles and around 15 percent from non-turbo engines, although this varies greatly depending on the items you've installed and how well your engine is running.

Tuning an S55 engine is all about increasing the amount of air it can take in.

In the suck phase of the engine, headers enable air to travel from the filter into the cylinder, where it is mixed with gasoline for the squish phase.

The S55's fuel atomization may be greatly enhanced by modifying the Air Intake Manifold's form and flow characteristics.

Although some OEMs supply well-optimized intake manifolds, it is not unusual for intake manifolds to be ripe for performance improvement.

If you're going to make any further adjustments to your S55, you'll be able to achieve a greater boost in horsepower and torque by increasing the S55 valve size, porting, and head flow.

 S55 Turbo upgrades

In order to get the most out of a turbocharger, you need to increase the amount of air entering the engine.

You'll notice that turbo-charged engines already have more durable and stronger components, therefore turbo-charged engines result in greater power improvements from modifications.

However, even if the S55's capabilities are twice what most engines can manage, you will still discover that an engine has limits.

If they owned the N55, the tuner would presumably start with the stronger crank and lighter crankshaft, and then BMW installed an extra fuel pump and an active exhaust system to the vehicle.

On the S55, we see a lot of people forking out a lot of money on turbo improvements that end up causing the engine to catastrophically fail. Water injection has been employed to keep intake temperatures low and prevent detonation, thus this is something to keep in mind with bigger turbos or higher tunes.

There is a trade-off between high-capacity turbos and low-capacity turbos in terms of low-end latency and top-end horsepower improvements. Sometimes, a twin-turbo configuration may be changed with only one massive turbo, and this can assist boost the car's peak speed.

Turbos have evolved in recent years, and now we have variable vane turbos, which allow the vane angle to be adjusted in relation to speed in order to reduce lag and boost top-end bhp and torque. However, we are excited to see what the turbo gurus can come up with in the next years to improve on what BMW has employed on this engine in terms of cutting-edge turbo technology.

The exhaust flow from dual scroll turbos is split into two channels and pushed into the turbocharger by different-profiled vanes. In addition, they improve the engine's scavenging efficiency.

It is common that there is a limitation in the air flow sensor MAF/MAP on these engines when loads more air is being fed into the engine.

We see 4 bar air sensors coping with quite large power gains, whereas the OEM air sensor sapped torque at a much lower level.

Adding a supercharger or additional turbo will make large bhp and torque gains, although more challenging to configure. We have this article on twincharging if you want to read more.

Water injection was used to reach the 493hp by lowering the intake temps and allowing higher boost pressure.

 S55 Fuelling

Don't dismiss the need look at the fuel delivery when you are increasing the torque - it makes the car more thirsty. We would recommend you to over specify your flow rate on the injectors.

The accepted safe increase is to add 20% to the flow rate when specifying an injector, which takes into account injector deterioration and allows a little spare capacity should the engine need more fuel.

We think this one is common sense, but you'll need to match your fuel injector to the type of fuel your car uses as well.

BMW took fuelling to new levels in the S55 with a twin fuel pump setup to help the twin turbos guzzle as much fuel as your right foot demands. It is unlikely that most of our members will hit fuelling issues unless they were planning a competition build from their S55.

 S55 Performance Exhaust Upgrades

You may need to upgrade your exhaust if the current exhaust is creating a restriction.

One of the big gripes people have with the S55 is that it doesn't sound all that exciting when driven hard.

Adding a better exhaust resonator will change the exhaust note and improve this but louder and better sounding does not mean more power and we're here to talk power.

On most factory exhausts you'll find your flow rate is fine even on modest power gains, but when you start pushing up the power levels you will need to get a better flowing exhaust.

Don't go with the widest exhaust you can source you'll slow the exhaust rate - the best exhausts for power gains are usually between 1.5 to 2.5 inches. It is the shape and material more than the bore size.

Typically exhaust restrictions can be traced to the catalysts installed, so adding a faster flowing race alternative such as a sports catalyst pretty much removes this restriction, thanks to it's larger size and surface area, and will effectively raise the performance to levels you would expect without having a catalyst installed, but keeps the car road legal.

Weak spots Issues & problem areas on the S55

The engines are generally reliable and solid units, as long as you follow the manufacturers service schedules, and use a good quality oil to ensure longevity. Few problems should happen as long as they are regularly serviced and maintained.

Carbon build up in the head, particularly around the valves which will sap power or create flat spots, this is a larger issue on direct injection engines but should be looked out for on all engines. We have tips on removing carbon build up.

Some of our members have had issues with flat spots or glitches after applying mods and upgrades or tuning, this is not usually related to this engines design, so instead see our article on diagnosing flat spots and problems after tuning which should help you get the bottom of this issue.

Regular oil changes are vital on the S55 , especially when tuned and will help extend the life and reliability of the engine.

A limited number of S55 owners have had an issue with the bolt on the crank failing. This is usually the friction washer causing it to slip.

If you would like to know more, or just get some friendly advice on Tuning your engine please join us in our friendly forum where you can discuss tuning options in more detail with our S55 owners. It would also be worth reading our unbiased tuning articles to get a full grasp of the benefits and drawbacks of each modification.

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