Anyone thought about swapping our engine with Mini Cooper S engine?

Size wise, I don't see a problem...

 

My sister should be taking delivery of her Cooper S sometime late this month or early in Oct. I thought about the idea for awhile, but there's something that bothers me about switching out equipment from one manufacturer to another (like how some Datsun 510 owners put in a Rotary engine from a Mazdas). I'd just like to keep it within the same manufacturing company. One thing I'd really like to see is to somehow slap a corolla engine in even though people have listed a huge amount of difficulty in doing something such as that.

 

Swapping between manufacturers is often difficult because they maintain different standards for how their engines mount to the transmissions. If someone makes the proper adapter it can be easy, but if not you're better off sticking with the same brand.

Even within the same brand, remember that _you're_ the engineer of your installation. Until you really get into the details you don't realize how many little things there are to do. It can drive you crazy!

There are a few successful swaps between brands, such a mazdas into Datsuns and VWs, Subaru and Corvair into VW buses, and small block chevys into Jaguar and Mercedes, but almost all of these involve either small engines (Mazda) or vehicles with lots of space for engines. They can be done, but you had better consider the swap as your hobby, as you won't save much time or money on it.

George

 

I think with the money you would spend on the swap you could make the motor you have faster.

 

i think if you wanted a fast car, the scion was the wrong car to start with. if you want a fun to drive, unique styling, and affordable car, the scion is one the best car to get.

 

the brazilian made pot in both the cooper and cooper s aren't exactly cutting edge in terms of engineering trickery, not even variable valve timing. and even the base cooper requires premium fuel for 115 hp. my sister is on her third MINI (after one regular cooper and one S). MINI bought two of them back because of consistent 'engine management software inconsistencies'. there should be better options out there. Lotus likes the celica pot for its federalized elise.
i've heard BMW got stuck with these engines under a previous agreement with Chrysler, and will be replacing them for the 05 model year.

 

I have heard that the MINIs aren't exactly the epitome of reliability.

 

Yeah I heard that too... my friend has one, but most off I can't stand their transmissions... a fixed-length steel drive belt to connect two double cone-shaped belt pulleys which transmit the drive output from the engine, essentially offering infinitely variable transmission ratios. Bleh....

 

you could build up the 1NZ-FE and have 200whp normally aspirated for less than $7000. you will NEVER do a mini cooper S swap for less than that. reliability will be poor, too since it's a german engine.

hey, i speak the truth. sorry.

 

imo - i rather put the 1zz or 2zz in the xb, better fit, new tech and pretty powerfur. if you want even more upgradeability, put a 3sgte or 4ag

 

If I were to swap anything, I would swap in a VOLVO Turbo B21FT or B230 engine. Purely for reliabiltiy, and secondly for power. But I would only do it with a new one, which would be impossible to find, and I am not even sure it would be possible to do the swap.


I have had two B230 engines that took way over 150,000 miles. And one of them had 365,000 miles on it when I sold it...Never rebuilt...only thing I ever replaced was the oil, and it purred like a kitten.


Too bad VOLVO never put that engine in a car that had a decent AC...or decent handling, or decent looks.....whatever.

 

it will be a lot easier and cheaper to swap in a toyota engine and be more reliable.

 

That's an awfully broad statement and it's untrue. I know plenty of satisfied BMW, Mercedes, and VW owners who would whole-heartedly disagree. Also, the MINI engine is not German – it's a Brazilian-made Chrysler mill.

 

i know. i just like to be controversial.

and sorry about getting the mini engine confused. a brazillian crysler engine. what could be better? that thing will never break down!!

german engines are good, and some of the best designs around. but we all know their reliability problems under strenuous use. sure, there are exceptions, but i've owned several german cars, as well as japanese and american cars, and i would put the german engines on the same level as the american in terms of quality. japanese engines last forever. how can you argue that. i'm not trying to be a jerk but i can pretty much predict that it will not be an easy, cheap, or reliable project. another problem with german stuff is that it is over engineered and very complicated, which is another thing that will make some people mad at me. sorry you guys! i'm just speaking from experience. and no, i'm not talking about the old air cooled VW engines. those are awesome.

we all know the nightmare a lot of late model BMW M3 owners have had with their engines destroying themselves because of a manufacturing defect. how unacceptable is that? come on.

 

Well, a 200HP 1NZFE will not be the epitome of reliability either if you use that power with any regularity.

There's no replacement for displacement!

That said, the 105 horses in our xB are some of the more robust and eager horses I've come across.

George

 

i guess this is a sticky subject. the main point is, anything can be done, but at a price.

 

if they can put a v8 in a focus and a himi in a pt cruiser i think there is some kind of big motor that u can put in the scion

 

Rather than cross-branding, why not a Celica GT-S motor/tranny swap?

And if you're begging for power, supercharge the thing!

Andrew

 

the fella that sold me my xb at longo said he was gonna put a celica gt-s drivetrain in his, don't know if he did though

 

Eric – I will agree with you that some German stuff is over engineered and I would never own a new VW. In fact, I doubt I'd ever own a German car (Don't let my fiancé hear that – her parents are from German!). I would also choose a Japanese engine over a German engine 9 times out of 10. My fiancé had a 1994 Jetta and it was filled with gremlins.

Yes, anything could be done with the right amount of money. However, I think if a swap gets done in an xB that the the two engines that'd make the most sense would be the Celica engine or the Corolla engine. I have a feeling that an extra 25 hp would do wonders for the xB performance wise.