BMW B38A15M1 engine

The B38 lineup is considered a unique family of three-cylinder gasoline engines, as it includes all modern developments and achievements from the Bavarians. The middle of 2018 was marked by the beginning of production of these power units, which began to use technically thorough achievements and solutions that allowed to achieve improvements in various parameters and technical characteristics.

Good performance and great efficiency are the main distinguishing features of all the engines in this range. And the B38A15M1 is no exception to the rule, as they have opened a new era in the field of gasoline internal combustion engines. The engines of this lineup combine great power and torque, while the Bavarians managed to achieve minimal fuel consumption and compactness of the motors. Modern materials used for production, allowed to achieve the minimum weight of the design, which also affects its economy and performance.

Engine specifications B38A15M1

Technical specifications

The B38A15M1 is a gasoline powertrain that provides an in-line arrangement of three cylinders. Its working volume is 1.5 liters, and at the same time the maximum power reaches 140 horsepower. The engine was installed on later versions of the BMW X2. The engine used a turbocharger in the form of a turbine.

The cylinder diameter is 82 millimeters, with the piston stroke at 94.6 millimeters. This solution allows to achieve a compression ratio of 11 to 1. Thanks to this maximum power of 140 horses can be obtained at 6500 rpm. Peak torque is 220 Nm and is obtained at 4.2 thousand rpm.

For normal operation of the power unit it is necessary to use gasoline with octane number not less than 95. Fuel consumption is about 6.3 liters per hundred kilometers of traveled distance. Ecological indicators of the engine are also quite good – the emission of harmful substances into the environment is only 143 grams per kilometer.

Description

Mechanically, the B38A15M1 motors are somewhat similar to modifications of the B48 and B37 range. They also operate with twin camshafts and 4 valves on each cylinder. The supercharger operates on a Twin-scroll system with two exhaust gas passages. A direct injection system is used for fuel supply.

Gas timing is controlled by the Valvetronic system. A balancer shaft and damper are provided to dampen vibrations and ensure maximum silence during powertrain operation.

The B38A15M1 motors have been improved in terms of environmental performance. The amount of harmful substances emitted into the atmosphere has been reduced. As a result, compliance with Euro 6 environmental standards has been achieved.

No serious problems and typical faults have been observed in the motors so far. Judging by the feedback from owners on various forums, they are all happy with the purchase and the sores typical of Bavarian motors have not manifested themselves.

The only significant disadvantage is that fuel consumption during city driving is not much different from analogs with four cylinders. In the urban cycle, the motor consumes about 10 liters. But increased oil consumption, as well as other problems such as dips in revs, have not been noticed. But it is worth considering that such motors are very little age, so it is worth waiting for about 5 years, after that to judge about their reliability.

This engine is installed on the following models:

BMW X2 (F39)