1.5L DOHC Turbocharged Engine Assembly for 2016-2019 MINI Cooper, Clubman, Countryman

A quick look at your own vehicle makes sure the right engine shows up:

• Check your VIN's 4th through 8th digits: Ensure positions 4 through 8 match the codes for a 1.5L 3-cylinder Mini Cooper (common codes include XM5C, XU1C, or LN5C).
• Verify your Engine Code: Locate the engine code stamped on the flat machined surface on the left side of your original engine block (exhaust manifold side, near the transmission bell housing). It must read B38A15A, B38A15M0, or B36A15M0.
• Confirm Drivetrain Configuration: Verify if your Mini is Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) or All-Wheel Drive (ALL4). If your vehicle is an ALL4 model, you will need to transfer your original transfer case mounting brackets and potentially the oil pan.
• Verify Your Transmission Type: This engine came from a vehicle with a manual transmission. Confirm your vehicle's transmission type to ensure proper flywheel or flexplate transfer.
• Check for Fuel Pump Recall: Use your VIN on the NHTSA website to check if the recall for the missing fuel pump crash protection plate (Recall 18V557) is open for your vehicle.

What the install really takes — plan and budget with confidence:

Special tools this job needs:

• Engine Timing Tool Kit (e.g., Schwaben or BMW OEM equivalent)
• E-Torx (External Torx) and Torx Socket Sets
• Engine Hoist and Support Bar
• BMW-compatible Diagnostic Scan Tool
• Flywheel/flexplate locking tool
• Torque-angle wrench

Budget for these consumables at install:

• Engine Oil (4.4 quarts of OE-spec synthetic oil meeting BMW Longlife-01 FE, LL-14FE+, or LL-17 FE+, SAE 0W-20 or 5W-30)
• Oil Filter (New OEM-spec)
• Engine Coolant (Fresh BMW-approved HTCC blue-green or pink coolant, 50/50 pre-mixed with distilled water)
• Spark Plugs (Brand new, gapped to factory specifications)
• Gaskets & Seals (New intake and exhaust manifold gaskets, valve cover gasket, oil pan gasket, and front crankshaft seal)
• Torque-to-Yield (TTY) Bolts (Crankshaft pulley/harmonic balancer bolts, flywheel/flexplate bolts, and engine mount bolts)

What your vehicle’s computers will need after the swap:

What’s involved: Fuel Injector Flow Rate Coding, VANOS/Valvetronic Limit Relearn, and DME-CAS Alignment

If using the fuel injectors that come with this replacement engine, you must program their unique 3-digit calibration codes into your vehicle's DME using a BMW-compatible diagnostic scan tool. If you transfer your original fuel injectors to this engine and keep them in their exact original cylinder positions, injector coding is not required. Additionally, a VANOS limit relearn and throttle body adaptation reset should be performed. If the original DME is faulty, a replacement DME must be programmed to match the car's immobilizer (CAS module) and VIN.

Pro tips for a smooth first start-up — hand them to whoever does the install:

• The 'Service Position': Replacing the engine in a 3rd-generation Mini Cooper requires putting the front end of the car into the 'Service Position' by removing the front bumper, grille, headlights, and core support.
• Torque-to-Yield (TTY) Bolts: The crankshaft pulley bolt, flywheel/flexplate bolts, and engine mount bolts are one-time-use stretch bolts. You must replace them with new OEM fasteners and follow the exact torque-plus-angle specifications.
• A/C Compressor Bypass: You can unbolt the A/C compressor and secure it to the chassis without disconnecting the refrigerant lines to save on evacuation and recharge costs.
• Rear Timing Chain Access: Because the timing chain is located at the back of the engine (transmission side), any preventative maintenance on the chain, guides, or tensioner must be done on the engine stand before installation.
• Fragile Plastic Components: The cooling system is notorious for having brittle plastic pipes and fittings. Be extremely careful during removal and installation.
• DME/Immobilizer: The original DME must be used with the new engine, or the replacement must be properly cloned/programmed to the car's security module to prevent a no-start condition.

Easy to get right once you know them:

• Not Transferring the Turbocharger Correctly: Reusing the old turbo oil feed line. These lines accumulate carbon deposits internally and will starve your turbo of oil, leading to immediate turbocharger failure. Always install a brand-new turbo oil feed line and prime the turbo with fresh oil.
• Ignoring the Upper Engine Mount: Installing a replacement engine only to experience severe vibrations and dashboard rattles immediately afterward due to a torn passenger-side hydraulic engine mount.
• Failing to Code the Injectors: If you use the fuel injectors that ship with this replacement engine without programming their calibration codes into your DME, the engine will suffer from poor fuel atomization, rough idling, and misfires.
• Mismatched Transmission Flexplate/Flywheel: This engine was pulled from a vehicle with a manual transmission. If your Mini has an automatic transmission, you must transfer your original automatic flexplate and spacer ring to this engine.
• Ignoring Cooling System Weaknesses: Trying to save money by not replacing aging plastic cooling pipes during a swap, which can lead to overheating and immediate engine destruction.

Not issues with the units on this page — the manufacturer documented these for every engine of this family, wherever you buy one. Handy for your installer: