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N63

BMW N63 vs N63TU

vs N63TU2 vs
N63TU3

Meet Zach

Zach is a BMW enthusiast with a

passion for performance. With over 10
years of experience modifying and
performing DIY work on BMWs, he’s
developed a deep understanding of
virtually every BMW engine. He’s also
the proud owner of a 600whp N54 with
upgraded twin turbos and an E30 325i
drift car and has a particular affinity for
the S58 engine. Zach is highly
knowledgeable about all things BMW,
but his expertise in tuning and
performance mods sets him apart. His
experience as an enthusiast, combined
with his technical knowledge, makes him
an essential resource for anyone looking
to improve the performance of their
BMW.

By Zach Mayock Published on February 23, 2020

Updated on August 24, 2023

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BMW is showing their commitment to the

N63. The N63 was released in 2008 and
remains in production as of 2020. However,
the N63 is almost a completely different
engine compared to 12 years ago. Really, the
only thing that hasn’t changed is the 4.4L
twin turbo V8 design. Let’s dive in and
examine the differences between the
various N63 engines.

For more information about the BMW N63

engine in totality including engine specs,
common problems, and popular
modifications, take a look at our dedicated
BMW N63 Engine Page.

BMW N63 Engine Codes

To avoid any confusion, the breakdown of

N63 engines is as follows:

N63B44O0 – (N63)
N63B44O1 – (N63TU)
N63B44O2 – (N63TU2)
N63B44M3 – (N63TU3)
N63B44T3 – (N63TU3)

Let’s just focus on the last two characters

rather than doing a full examination of BMW
engine codes. The second to last characters
represent output as follows:

S – Super
T – Top
O – Upper (Obere)
M – Medium (Mittel)
U – Lower (Unterste)
K – Reduced (Kleiner)

In this case, the N63 only features medium,

upper, and top “power levels”. Finally, the
last digit represents technical updates (TU):

0 = original design
1 = technical update 1 (TU)
2 = technical update 2 (TU2)
So on

You get the picture. The number simply

represents the number of technical updates
since the original design. Sorry to go off
track for a moment, but hopefully this helps
some differentiate the various N63’s. Now,
back on track.

BMW N63B44O0 –
Original N63 Design
N63B44O0 Horsepower: 402 hp (300kW)

N63B44O0 Torque: 443 lb-ft (600 N-m)

Years: 2009-2013

Many are probably familiar with the original

N63. It’s almost a horror story. Actually, it is a
horror story. The original N63 may be one of,
if not, the least reliable BMW engines in
history. BMW went as far to offer a
“customer care package” for N63 owners.
The N63 customer care package had
dealerships look into the following issues on
ALL N63B44O0 engines:

Timing chain
Fuel injectors
Mass air flow sensors
Crankcase vent lines
Battery
Vacuum pump
Low pressure fuel sensor

The above issues were essentially recalls

even though BMW gave it another name. As
such, these issues were fixed on BMW’s
dime, regardless of warranty. BMW also
shortened the service/check-up interval to
every 1 year or 10,000 miles. BMW
dealerships even offered extra incentives
such as trade-in cash bonuses. Long story
short – these N63’s had some serious
common problems. Fortunately, BMW did
their best to mitigate and resolve issues and
keep N63 owners as happy as possible. Still,
we can’t imagine this was fun for original
N63’s.

There isn’t much else to say here. Many of

the original N63’s on the road should be
‘cured’ by now. Nonetheless, be cautious if
you’re looking to buy an N63B44O0.

BMW N63B44O1 –
N63TU Technical
Update
N63B44O1 Horsepower: 444 hp (331kW)

N63B44O1 Torque: 479 lb-ft (650 N-m)

Years: 2013-2019

Following the disastrous start, BMW began

producing the N63TU in 2012. Though still an
N63, the N63TU is almost an entirely
different engine. It remains a 4.4L twin turbo
V8 but sees a 42 horsepower increase.
However, the power gain seems to be
mostly on paper. Dyno testing has shown
the N63 and N63TU put down similar
numbers to the wheels. The N63TU engine
does show a nice boost in torque, though.
Aside from the power differences, other
notable changes include:

Updated VANOS, adopted from N55

New valve cover with updated
crankcase ventilation
Pistons updated
Forged rods and crank
Timing chain updated
Oil spray nozzles for piston crown
cooling
Intake manifold updated
MAP and charge air temperature
sensors updated, adopted from N20
Low pressure fuel sensor deleted
New fuel injectors and HPFP
Second coolant pump added
Vacuum pump updated
New turbochargers
Addition of Valvetronic

This is far from an exhaustive list of the

changes on the N63TU. Nonetheless, as we
stated, this is almost a completely different
engine. The list is already insane as is. Nearly
every part on the N63TU was re-designed
compared to the N63. As you can see, all of
the problematic areas on the original N63
were updated with new components and/or
designs. Additionally, the N63TU receives
stronger, forged rods and crank.

Despite the similar power numbers from the

factory, the N63TU should be better suited
to mods and increased boost. Additionally,
this was a massive reliability improvement
over the N63. The N63TU is not an unreliable
engine with tons of common problems. Still
expect the standard BMW problems such as
gasket oil leaks, cooling system, etc,
especially as the N63TU ages. However, the
N63TU is a pretty reliable engine overall.

BMW N63B44O2 –
N63TU2 Technical
Update 2
N63B44O2 Horsepower: 444 hp (331kW)

N63B44O2 Torque: 479 lb-ft (650 N-m)

Years: 2016-2019

Given the N63TU was a drastic

improvement, the N63TU2 did not have too
much to improve upon. Peak power and
torque remain the same, however the
N63TU2 benefits from a wider power band.
This is primarily due to the switch to
efficient twin-scroll turbochargers. A few of
the updates include:

Twin-scroll turbochargers
Exhaust optimized for minimal back-
pressure
Oil/Coolant heat exchanged moved to
“V” of the engine
Partial integration of intake and cylinder
head (weight savings)
VANOS taken over from modular B
series engines

Again, this is not an exhaustive list. There are

some other minor updates, mostly to
accommodate the above changes. Expect
N63TU2 reliability to be more or less the
same as the N63TU.

The N63TU2 takes another step in the right

direction when it comes to modding, tuning,
and increasing boost. When modded, the
efficient twin-scroll turbos should add a bit
of peak power with a more impressive
power band. Overall, the N63TU2 is an
excellent engine.

BMW N63B44M3 –
N63TU3 Technical
Update 3

N63B44M3 Horsepower: 456 hp (340kW)

N63B44M3 Torque: 479 lb-ft (650 N-m)

Years: 2018-present

Looking at the middle output version of the

third technical update, the N63TU3 receives
a few performance and emission related
updates. The middle output version features
the same twin-scroll turbos from the
N63TU2. However, it receives an “over-
boost” function. This is basically BMW’s way
of saying the ECU is “tuned” for an increase
in boost pressure. As such, the N63TU3 sees
a minor bump in power. Other notable
updates include:

New higher-pressure fuel system

Improved thermal shielding
Valve stem seals updated
Forged rods carried over from S63TU2

A few other updates accommodate the

above changes. The higher-pressure fuel
system is intended to support just over
5,000psi (350 bar), compared to the
previous 2,900 psi (200 bar). Thermal
shielding is intended to provide better
cooling. Additionally, valve stem seals are
updated with new materials to help prevent
hardening.

Although power sees a bump, expect mods

to have similar effects as with the N63TU2.
The higher-pressure fuel system may
support a bit of additional power. However,
the new fuel system is mostly geared
towards emissions benefits.

BMW N63B44T3 –
N63TU3 Technical
Update 3
N63B44T3 Horsepower: 523 hp (390kW)

N63B44T3 Torque: 553 lb-ft (750 N-m)

Years: 2018-present

The top tier version of the N63TU3 is quite

impressive. It produces a staggering 523
horsepower and 553 torque. Notice, this is
the same torque output as the impressive
S63 M engines. Updates are similar to the
middle output version. Although, the upper
output version gets some stronger, beefier
components to support the power. Updates
include:

**Also includes above TU3 updates, but we

do not mention them here to avoid
duplicates

Electric arc wire sprayed cylinder walls

Piston skirt coating
Crankshaft re-balanced with new main