BMW platforms are ideal for modding. If you are chasing more horsepower on an S55 engine, however, there’s one detail you need to keep in mind: The BMW S55 crank hub might not be reliable enough to handle horsepower beyond the car’s stock capabilities. If you are pushing increased power and higher RPMs, it can slip. Best-case scenario, it only results in timing issues. But at worst, it does catastrophic damage to your engine. To avoid major problems, here’s everything you need to know.
Stock Hubs Can Slip for a Variety of Reasons
The S55 crank hub can slip for a few reasons. First, it simply can’t handle higher horsepower than stock. Combine that with higher RPMs, and it becomes a liability. Conventional crank hubs use pins, which attempt to counteract potential slipping. But under higher power output, combined with fast shifting, these pins can fail. If you are going to mod your S55 engine, it’s a good idea to replace your BMW crank hub.
When Should You Replace It?
Upgrading your S55 engine and not taking the crank hub into account creates a reliability and safety problem. You’ll want an enhanced S55 crank hub solution if you drive your BMW the way it’s meant to be driven or you’re planning to increase the horsepower. That means hard-driven street and track cars alike can benefit from it. Preventing the crank hub from slipping is essential. Damage could range from mistiming to catastrophic damage to your engine, so if you can reliably avoid it, don’t hesitate to make the upgrade.
Should You Choose a Spline Lock or Pins?
The stock crank hub is made with pins. These small parts can fail when you enhance your car’s power and performance. Find an S55 crank hub upgrade made with spline lock technology, and you get a crank hub that positively locks the hub in place without pinning or welding. It creates grooves into the crank snout, forming a 360-degree mechanical bond. This effectively eliminates the risk of the crank hub slipping. Plus, it’s easy to install, as well, and fully reversible without permanent modifications.
About Vargas Turbocharger Technologies
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This article was originally published on vargasturbo.com’s blog here.
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