BMW B38A15M0 Engine

One version of the unique three-cylinder engine, it is considered one of the most modern engines from BMW. The B38A15M0 has ushered in a new era of internal combustion engines. It is characterized by great economy, good power figures, high torque and small size. The exact displacement of the engine is 1499 cubic centimeters with an output of 136 horsepower. The torque is 220 Nm. The average consumption of gasoline per 100 kilometers is 5 liters. Characterized by an in-line structure, direct fuel injection is used. Carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere is about 130 grams per kilometer. It is recommended to fill up with 95 gasoline. The engine has 3 cylinders with a diameter of each 82 millimeters. A turbine is used as a supercharger. It has 12 valves. It is characterized by a start-stop system. The compression ratio is 11 to 1. The piston has a stroke of 94.6 millimeters.

Engine specifications B38A15M0

Advantages

Mechanically, the B38A15M0 resembles the motors of the B48 or B37 versions. It is also characterized by 4 valves per cylinder, with Twinscroll as supercharger. The engine has a Valvtronic system, which is responsible for controlling the timing. A damper is used to level vibrations. The creators managed to achieve a high degree of environmental friendliness by reducing the substances emitted into the environment.

Reliability and challenges

The engine has a long service life, about 400 thousand kilometers. The B38A15M0 boasts a number of technological solutions that made it possible to achieve such power.

1. Front mounting of antifreeze, the crankcase has been adapted for this purpose.
2. The oil pump has a reduced weight.
3. The diameter of the connecting rod bearings was increased.
4. The new motor utilizes a wider drive belt that has 8 ribs.
5. The cylinder head is now tighter.
6. The shaft diameter has been increased to 6 millimeters, thus eliminating the possibility of vibration from the blower.
7. The tensioners have been changed, the engine is started by the alternator, the standard starter is not used.
8. The drive shaft bearings have been reinforced.
9. The stability stabilizer is localized in the front crankcase area.
10. The blower is cooled through the bearing seat.

According to reviews about this engine in the global network, the engine has no noticeable shortcomings. The only thing that the owners of B38A15M0 emphasize is fuel consumption, which is similar to four-cylinder motors. The motor is not long, as the operation progresses, the negative aspects will be more obvious.

Modifications

There are several varieties of motors with 3 cylinders. They range from 75 to 230 horsepower. Initially, small indicators from 3-cylinder motors were expected, but 230 horsepower for 320 torque is more than enough to move around the city. The following modifications are distinguished.

1. B38A15M0 is the most popular type. It has 220 torque, characterized by a crankshaft with a stroke of 94.6 millimeters and cylinders of 82 millimeters in diameter.
2. B38A12U0 – Mounted on MINI vehicles. Power is either 75 or 102 horsepower. Depends on the compression ratio. Volume is about 1.2 liters.
3. The B38B15A is characterized by a maximum output of 109 horsepower.
4. The B38K15E0 is a sporty variant of the motor that incorporates the best of the previous models. It is mounted on the BMW i.
5. B38K15T0 has the highest power and torque, 231 horsepower and 320 Nm respectively. The average engine consumption breaks all records – 2.1 liters per 100 kilometers of travel.

The B38A15M0 is a modern engine that utilizes the latest technology. The small displacement produces good power and the motor is characterized by high torque.

This engine is installed on the following models:

BMW 2-Series Active Tourer (F45)

BMW X1 (F48)