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2.0L 16v - N20B20
Manufacturers
2.0L 16v - N20B20
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Reinforced Athena head gasket, in O-Ring. Sold individually, one gasket per engine.
The BMW N20B20 petrol engine is fitted to the BMW models listed below, from the 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Series to the Z4, X1, X3, X4, X5 and X6.
This original gasket carries the part number 11 12 8 676 519. Its bore is 85.1 mm and its thickness 0.70 mm; BMW does not state its construction. It is designed for standard combustion pressure: when that pressure rises, the clamping load weakens, the cylinder head lifts and coolant seeps into a cylinder.
The head gasket does not create the seal by itself: it holds it because the fasteners clamp the cylinder head against the block. The O-Ring separates the functions: its stainless ring alone seals the combustion, the body handles the water and oil circuits, and nothing has to be machined in the block.
This page presents the part number from Athena, an Italian maker of racing gaskets, for a single construction: the O-Ring, a steel sheet faced with aramid fibre and fitted with a stainless ring. The gasket has an 85 mm bore, against 85.1 mm for the original gasket, and a thickness of 1.20 mm, which is 0.50 mm more than the original. As a rule, the gasket bore chosen is at least 0.5 mm larger than the actual cylinder bore. Each part number is sold individually, one gasket per engine.
| Gasket bore OEM 85.1 mm | Thickness OEM 0.70 mm | Gasket volume OEM 3.98 cm³ | Gasket type OEM not specified | Brand | Part number OEM 11 12 8 676 519 |
| 85 mm | 1.20 mm | 6.81 | O-Ring | Athena | 330070R |
Gasket volume is the free space the gasket leaves above each cylinder. That space adds to the combustion chamber: the larger it is, the lower the compression ratio. Compare values only between gaskets of the same bore.
| Fasteners | Engines | Tightening torque |
| Original cylinder head bolts 11 12 2 212 157 | N20B20 | As per the manufacturer's documentation |
Before fitting, check with a straight edge that the cylinder head and block are flat, and have them machined if needed. This gasket is fitted without sealing paste: Athena supplies it already coated.
 | Athena O-Ring A steel sheet faced with asbestos-free aramid fibre, surrounded at each cylinder by a stainless steel compression ring. The ring brings the clamping force back onto a narrow diameter, exactly where the seal is decided, while a silicone bead isolates the water and oil passages. It is the construction that withstands the highest pressures in the range. |
Gasket bore. The Athena O-Ring is offered in 85 mm (330070R), in that bore only.
Thickness. The original gasket measures 0.70 mm, while the one on this page is 1.20 mm. A thicker gasket enlarges the combustion chamber and lowers the compression ratio; a thinner one reduces it and raises the ratio.
| Your goal | Thickness to choose |
| Keep the original compression ratio | None: the only thickness offered, 1.20 mm, is above the original 0.70 mm |
| Skimmed cylinder head, make up the lost height | 1.20 mm, the only one offered, which is 0.50 mm more than the original |
| Forced induction build, lower the ratio | 1.20 mm, the only thickness offered, above the original 0.70 mm |
| Naturally aspirated build, raise the ratio | None: 1.20 mm, the only thickness offered, is above the original 0.70 mm |
Since this gasket is thicker than the original, it does not bring the piston closer to the head. If the cylinder head has been machined, still measure with a dial gauge how far the pistons stand above the block: that value gives the clearance left between piston and head.
 | Athena S.p.A., an Italian maker of gaskets and engine components, has its head office and main plant in Alonte, in Veneto, and also produces in Spain, the United States, Brazil and India. Its multi-layer gaskets are fitted as original equipment by car manufacturers, and its competition range is designed and made entirely in Italy. |
| Criterion | Original gasket 11 12 8 676 519 | Reinforced gaskets |
| Construction | Construction not stated by the manufacturer | Steel and aramid fibre with a stainless ring (O-Ring) |
| Gasket bore | 85.1 mm | 85 mm |
| Thicknesses available | 0.70 mm | 1.20 mm |
| Compression ratio adjustment | None | Through the gasket thickness (1.20 mm) |
| Resistance to overpressure | Limited to standard output | Designed for forced induction |
| Model | Engine code | Power | Years |
| 120i, 125i (F20, F21) | N20B20 | 184, 218 and 238 hp | 2011-2019 |
| 220i, 228i (F22, F23) | N20B20 | 184, 243 and 245 hp | 2013-2021 |
| 320i, 328i (F30) | N20B20 | 182, 184, 218, 243 and 245 hp | 2011-2018 |
| 320i, 328i (F31, F34) | N20B20 | 163, 184 and 245 hp | 2012-2016 |
| 420i, 428i (F32, F33, F36) | N20B20 | 163, 184 and 245 hp | 2013-2017 |
| 520i, 528i (F07, F10, F11) | N20B20 | 163, 184, 218 and 245 hp | 2010-2017 |
| Z4 sDrive18i, sDrive20i, sDrive28i (E89) | N20B20 | 156, 163, 184 and 245 hp | 2011-2016 |
| X1 sDrive20i, sDrive28i, xDrive20i, xDrive28i (E84) | N20B20 | 184 and 245 hp | 2011-2015 |
| X3 sDrive20i, sDrive28i, xDrive20i, xDrive28i (F25) | N20B20 | 184 and 245 hp | 2011-2017 |
| X4 xDrive20i, xDrive28i (F26) | N20B20 | 184, 243 and 245 hp | 2014-2018 |
| X5 xDrive28i, xDrive40e (F15) | N20B20 | 245, 279 and 313 hp | 2015-2018 |
| X6 xDrive28i (F16) | N20B20 | 245 hp | 2015-2019 |
OEM part number: 11 12 8 676 519.
Important: the part number on this page fits only the N20B20 engine: check your vehicle's engine code before placing an order.
Once the original gasket has reached its limit, the reinforced one steps in: when combustion pressure climbs, it holds its shape rather than being flattened.
As power rises, through a turbo, a supercharger or a higher compression ratio, the head gasket becomes the weak point of the top end. Choosing a reinforced gasket means putting safety first: it avoids the failure and the cylinder head removal that goes with it.
