BMW N20/N26 Common Torque Specifications
Engine maintenance and DIY reference for BMW’s turbo four-cylinders: oil change, plugs, valve cover, oil-filter housing and timing chain.
BMW’s N20 and N26 turbo four-cylinders are now firmly in DIY territory. Oil changes and spark plugs are routine; valve-cover and oil-filter-housing leaks are common age-related jobs; and the timing system deserves special attention because BMW issued service information and a limited warranty extension covering the timing chain and oil-pump drive chain on specified N20/N26 vehicles.
This reference collects the torque values most useful for those repairs without flattening important application differences.
Quick-reference BMW N20/N26 torque specs
| Component | Torque | Application / note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil drain plug, selected RWD N20/N26Check drivetrain | 8Nm 70.8 in-lb | E89 N20; F10 RWD N20; F22 N20; listed F2x/F3x RWD N20/N26 applications in BMW's oil chart. | BMW factoryBMW SI B11 01 15 |
| Oil drain plug, selected AWD N20/N26Check drivetrain | 25Nm 18.4 ft-lb | F10 AWD N20; F25/F26 N20; listed F2x/F3x AWD N20/N26 applications. | BMW factoryBMW SI B11 01 15 |
| Oil-filter cap | 25Nm 18.4 ft-lb | Lightly oil the O-ring. | BMW factoryBMW SI B11 01 15 |
| Spark plugs | 23Nm 17.0 ft-lb | N20 service procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Valve-cover bolts | 9Nm 79.7 in-lb | N20/N26 valve-cover procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, valve cover |
| Oil-filter housing bolts | 22Nm 16.2 ft-lb | N20/N26 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, filter housing |
| Oil-cooler bolts | 18Nm 13.3 ft-lb + 20° | Where equipped; do not omit the angle stage. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, filter housing |
| Timing-chain guide bolts | 10Nm 7.4 ft-lb | N20 timing-chain procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Camshaft adjusters | 55Nm 40.6 ft-lb + 55° | Torque-plus-angle. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Crankshaft bolt | 100Nm 73.8 ft-lb + 270° | Torque-plus-angle. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Timing-chain tensioner | 80Nm 59.0 ft-lb | N20 timing-chain procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Oil-pump sprocket bolt | 95Nm 70.1 ft-lb | N20 timing-chain procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
Scope: N20, N26 and the cars they came in
The N20/N26 family appeared in U.S.-market versions of the 228i, 320i, 328i, 428i, 528i, X1, X3, X4 and Z4 sDrive28i, among others. This page stays at the engine-service level rather than mixing in chassis-specific brakes, suspension or driveline hardware. For the timing-chain issue, BMW’s N20/N26 timing-chain bulletin gives exact model and production-date ranges. Use those ranges rather than model-year shorthand.
N20/N26 oil-change torque specs: RWD and AWD differ
BMW’s Engine Oil Quick Reference Chart and Drain Plug Torque bulletin is the controlling source here. It separates N20/N26 applications by chassis and drivetrain.
| BMW application | Capacity with filter | Drain plug | Filter cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| E89 N20 | 5.3 qt / 5.0 L | 8 Nm70.8 in-lb | 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb |
| F10 N20, RWD | 5.3 qt / 5.0 L | 8 Nm70.8 in-lb | 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb |
| F10 N20, AWD | 5.0 qt / 4.75 L | 25 Nm18.4 ft-lb | 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb |
| F22 N20 | 5.3 qt / 5.0 L | 8 Nm70.8 in-lb | 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb |
| F25/F26 N20 | 5.1 qt / 4.8 L | 25 Nm18.4 ft-lb | 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb |
| F3x N20, RWD | 5.3 qt / 5.0 L | 8 Nm70.8 in-lb | 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb |
| F3x N20, AWD | 5.1 qt / 4.8 L | 25 Nm18.4 ft-lb | 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb |
| Listed F2x/F3x N26, RWD | 5.3 qt / 5.0 L | 8 Nm70.8 in-lb | 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb |
| Listed F2x/F3x N26, AWD | 5.1 qt / 4.8 L | 25 Nm18.4 ft-lb | 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb |
FCP Euro’s F30 oil-change procedure independently warns that the low-torque plastic plug is easy to damage and specifies 8 Nm / 70.8 in-lb. Do not transfer the 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb AWD value to a plastic-plug application.
N20/N26 spark-plug and valve-cover torque specs
FCP Euro’s N20 timing-chain reassembly guide specifies 23 Nm / 17.0 ft-lb for the spark plugs. Its N20/N26 valve-cover procedure specifies 9 Nm / 79.7 in-lb for the valve-cover bolts.
| Component | Torque | Application / note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spark plugs | 23Nm 17.0 ft-lb | Start by hand to protect the aluminum threads. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Valve-cover bolts | 9Nm 79.7 in-lb | Follow the tightening pattern. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, valve cover |
| Camshaft adjustment solenoids | 5.5Nm 48.7 in-lb | Low-torque E7 fasteners. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Vacuum-pump bolts | 10Nm 88.5 in-lb | N20 reassembly procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| HPFP bolts | 12Nm 8.9 ft-lb | N20 reassembly procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| High-pressure fuel-line connections | 30Nm 22.1 ft-lb | Use full fuel-system procedure and cleanliness precautions. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Fuel-injector connections | 23Nm 17.0 ft-lb | N20 reassembly procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Fuel-rail clamp fasteners | 8Nm 70.8 in-lb | N20 reassembly procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
N20/N26 oil-filter-housing torque specs
FCP Euro’s N20/N26 oil-filter-housing procedure specifies 22 Nm / 16.2 ft-lb for the housing bolts. The oil-cooler bolts, where equipped, use 18 Nm / 13.3 ft-lb + 20°.
| Component | Torque | Application / note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil-filter housing bolts | 22Nm 16.2 ft-lb | Walk the housing down evenly. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, filter housing |
| Oil-cooler bolts | 18Nm 13.3 ft-lb + 20° | Where equipped; two-stage torque-plus-angle procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, filter housing |
| Oil-filter cap | 25Nm 18.4 ft-lb | Lightly oil the O-ring. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, filter housing |
| DME bolts | 12Nm 8.9 ft-lb | Applicable to the cited F30 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, filter housing |
N20 timing-chain torque specs
BMW’s N20/N26 chain service information directs technicians to the applicable repair instructions for timing-chain and oil-pump-chain replacement. The detailed torque values below come from FCP Euro’s N20-specific reassembly procedure, so this table is intentionally labeled N20 rather than silently extending every value to N26.
| Component | Torque | Application / note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil-pump drive mounting bolts | 10Nm 7.4 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Oil-pump sprocket bolt | 95Nm 70.1 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Timing-chain guide bolts | 10Nm 7.4 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Upper guide pin | 14Nm 10.3 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Lower guide pin | 24Nm 17.7 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Camshaft adjusters | 55Nm 40.6 ft-lb + 55° | Torque-plus-angle. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Crankshaft bolt | 100Nm 73.8 ft-lb + 270° | Torque-plus-angle. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Upper guide-pin plug | 25Nm 18.4 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Lower guide-pin plugs | 50Nm 36.9 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Vibration-damper bolts | 35Nm 25.8 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Camshaft-position-sensor bolts | 6Nm 53.1 in-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Oil-pickup bolt | 10Nm 7.4 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Timing-chain tensioner | 80Nm 59.0 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Oil-pan bolts | 12Nm 8.9 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
| Dust-shield bolts | 10Nm 7.4 ft-lb | N20 procedure. | Shop procedureFCP Euro, chain pt. 2 |
Read the complete N20 timing-chain removal procedure before treating any table as actionable instructions. This repair requires substantial disassembly, correct engine positioning and timing tools.
Which cars were in BMW’s N20/N26 timing-chain warranty extension?
BMW’s July 2021 revision of SIB 11 03 17 provides exact models and production ranges. Examples include specified E84 X1, E89 Z4 sDrive28i and F10 528i vehicles, plus additional F-series applications. Production date matters; do not infer historical inclusion from model year alone. Historical inclusion also does not by itself establish current warranty coverage.
Torque-angle bolts and replacement hardware
The N20 camshaft adjusters use 55 Nm / 40.6 ft-lb + 55°, while the crankshaft bolt uses 100 Nm / 73.8 ft-lb + 270°. The angle stage cannot be converted into a guessed single torque value. BMW’s chain service information also directs technicians to the parts catalog and repair instructions for one-time-use fasteners, gaskets and seals, so verify replacement requirements for the exact repair.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the BMW N20 spark-plug torque?
- 23 Nm / 17.0 ft-lb in the cited N20 service procedure.
- What is the N20/N26 valve-cover torque?
- 9 Nm / 79.7 in-lb in the cited N20/N26 valve-cover procedure.
- What is the N20 oil drain-plug torque?
- It depends on the application. BMW lists 8 Nm / 70.8 in-lb for several RWD N20 applications and 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb for several AWD applications. Use the BMW table above.
- What is the N26 oil drain-plug torque?
- BMW likewise lists 8 Nm / 70.8 in-lb for covered RWD F2x/F3x N26 applications and 25 Nm / 18.4 ft-lb for covered AWD applications.
- What is the N20/N26 oil-filter-housing torque?
- The housing bolts are 22 Nm / 16.2 ft-lb. Oil-cooler bolts, where equipped, are 18 Nm / 13.3 ft-lb + 20° in the cited procedure.
- What is the N20 crankshaft-bolt torque?
- 100 Nm / 73.8 ft-lb + 270° in the cited N20 timing-chain procedure.
- Did BMW acknowledge N20/N26 timing-chain problems?
- BMW issued service information and a limited warranty extension addressing the timing chain and oil-pump drive chain on specified N20/N26 models and production ranges. The factory bulletins are linked above.
Sources and further reading
- BMW SI B11 01 15: Engine Oil Quick Reference Chart and Drain Plug TorqueBMW factory document
- BMW SIB 11 03 17: N20/N26 Timing Chain and Oil Pump Drive Chain Limited Warranty ExtensionBMW factory document
- BMW N20/N26 Timing/Oil Pump Chain Service InformationBMW factory document
- FCP Euro: N20 Timing Chain Replacement, Part 1Published shop procedure
- FCP Euro: N20 Timing Chain Replacement, Part 2Published shop procedure
- FCP Euro: N20/N26 Valve Cover Gasket ReplacementPublished shop procedure
- FCP Euro: N20/N26 Oil Filter Housing Gasket ReplacementPublished shop procedure
- FCP Euro: F30 Oil ChangePublished shop procedure
Affiliate disclosure: Some links are affiliate links. Department69 may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Products are included only where directly relevant; confirm vehicle fitment before ordering.
More BMW torque references