Hey guys. I'm a lifelong gearhead, and turn my own wrenches. I recently traded in a 2009 Sky Redline for my wife to buy a 2011 MINI Cooper S. Before we bought, I did all the digging and know the "issues" the MINI has historically had. With all that in mind, I'm already looking around for what I want to do WHEN the engine croaks in her new car. Sell it before warranty is out? Find a source for rebuilt MINI engines and do the swap myself? Etc. But.....I also had an interesting -thought-.....

Since so many MINIs find themselves with blown engines, and since the factory replacement is *SO EXPENSIVE*, why not look into swapping in a different engine? My Sky Redline had the exact same engine as the Cobalt SS (but my Sky was rear wheel drive, the Cobalt SS was Front Wheel Drive like the MINI). The engine in the Cobalt ss/Sky is a 2.0 litre twin scroll turbo with Direct Injection and variable valve timing. The engine has proven to be dead reliable and I can tell you from owning it, it is smooth as butter. The best part? As delivered, it has 260hp/and 260 ft/lbs torque. The GM factory "turbo upgrade kit" which is nothing but a tune and the replacment of a single sensor gave you 290hp and 340 ft/lbs torque! I had it installed the day I picked up my Sky (you kept full factory warranty, etc. The upgrade is a GM part number).

Now, I just checked Ebay, and you can buy used low mile Cobalt SS *engine and transmission together* as a single unit for under $4,000.

I understand what a can of worms you open when you try something like this, but I wanted to ask if anyone had already looked into it. Clearly, you would have to change over to a Cobalt SS ECM and wiring harness for the engine/transmission. I have no idea on clearance issues but at least you are still talking about a transverse mounted FWD drivetrain. Custom exhaust needed. No idea if MINI radiator has enough capacity. Mating accesories from BMW and GM would be a constant source of fun. As long as you include the "pollution control devices" from the Cobalt SS and the Cobalt SS was newer than the engine you pulled out of the MINI then the clean air freakes should give you a pass.

Anyway, I wanted to toss this on the table to see if anyone else had ever considered it. If it was up to me, I'd install a Chevy LSA (580hp) V8 in it and convert it to rear wheel drive, but you guys and my wife would run me out of town......

 

Interesting idea, but these are cars where the engine/drivetrain is tightly integrated with the chassis with very little extra space and lots of custom parts. I'm sure it could be done with enough effort and money, but it would be completely non-cost-effective for a one-off effort. And I doubt you'd find very many who regard the Cobalt engine highly-enough to want to do the same thing.

- Mark

 

Do people regard the Peugeot engine in the MINI so highly it is worth such a high cost to replace? I love my wifes MINI and pray the N18 has solved the earlier N14 problems like the horrible carbon build up, the timing chain failures, the vaccum pump failures that blow the engine, the insanely high oil consumption.....I think everyone here (myself included) would agree that the MINI is *AWESOME*. But, it is clear that in the R56 S, engine problems are far too common and are often not small problems either. I saw one thread where one guy had his timing chain replaced *5 TIMES*. Holy cow. People losing a quart of oil every 1,000 miles? $800 to have the carbon blasted off the valves so the car can run for another 30,000 miles? The rest of the car has its little issues here and there but no biggie, but the engine.....It just seems to me that if I owned a 2007 MINI and was looking to spend $8,000 to replace the engine with another of the same design, I would at least -consider- other options. plus 180hp vs 290? I am not talking about the base model Ecotech, I am talking about the LNF (just to be clear). 340 ft/lbs of torque. Fast revving, smooth as butter. It was installed in the Solstice GXP, Sky Redline, Cobalt SS (which holds the record as the fastest lap from a FWD car around the Nurburgring), and the HHR SS. Go check their forums, and you will see a clear history on those engines. The Peugeot Prince engine is not exactly a Ferrari "work of art" itself IMO.

I did not follow it very closely, but I remember a guy from the MG forum showing up on the Solstice forum looking for help in swapping a LNF into his MG. Here is a thread where they are talking about doing it, with pictures:

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/r...42#msg-1794542

 

I literally have no idea of this would be possible, I know the Mini ECU is really finicky and people have enough trouble just trying to swap the turbo, let alone the engine.

BUT, if it is possible, and you can find a way to do it, it would be insane. That engine can put down loads of power, pretty easily. That would make for a really fast Mini... And if it can be done under like 8 grand I'm sure people would follow suite. I know I would consider it.

 

I must be lucky. I've got an 08 with 60k miles on it and never had a problem.

 

It'll take some creativity and magic, but I say GO FOR IT!

 

I just typed "cobalt ss engine problems" in Google and got 1.3M+ hits. Clearly those engines are unreliable and will blow up. I read one post where someone's timing chain jumped and ruined their engine. Seems like you should pick something else to replace the MINI engine than a Cobalt SS engine.

 

If you got the time and money go for it. I only know 2 new MINIs(both R53s) that have done engine swaps. One was a Honda engine and the other was a VW engine.

 

On a r53/r50/r52 the engine computer is seperate from the bcm (body control module/computer), meaning the motor is seperate from the car a can be swapped without rewiring everything....
The level of computer intergration on the gen2 is much more sophisticated...so it wouldbe VERY challanging to get anything to work (think blinkers,lights, etc) compared to a gen1 even if you make it fit...
Either way good luck, and have fun!! Just remember, the grass may only look greener on the otherside of the fence cause it is growing over the septic tank!!

 

I just typed in "Toaster Oven Deaths" and got "About 9,110,000 results (0.31 seconds)". Clearly those toaster ovens are mass murderers. Really???

I should remind everyone that I just traded in a Sky Redline that had the engine we are talking about for a MINI Cooper S. CLEARLY, I liked and wanted the MINI Cooper S more than I wanted the Sky (or Cobalt SS) because I purchased the MINI. The MINI is the real deal, an INCREDIBLE car. Nothing else like it. The *ONLY* concern I have with the car is the engine. From what I read on all the MINI forums, the N14 engines have a lot of serious problems in a large percentage of the cars. I either have to trade in my MINI before the warranty is out, spend $3,000 on an extended warranty, spend $8,000 to put another engine of the same design back in, *OR* look into whether is it possible to swap in something else down the road. Since I know there are a LOT of R56 N14 owners here that will face this same decision much sooner than I will, I thought I would have this discussion here...

The Cobalt SS started off with a supercharged Ecotech, and the later years got a completely different turbocharged Ecotech engine. You read ONE post where someone's timing chain jumped and ruined their engine? Read THIS forum and you will see timing chain problems on the Prince engine is totally out of control. Fine, when it is time to replace your MINIs engine, (whenever that might be), then go ahead and pay $8,000 and put another identical engine back in. The LNF engine from GM came out in 2007 and has NONE of the issues the MINIs Prince engine does. Those who are interested can take time to visit the Solstice/Sky/HHR/Cobalt SS forums and look into how reliable those engines are. They are MUCH more reliable than the Peugeot Prince, I can't believe anyone could question that....

 

Hmmmm......Great information.....Thanks!

 

Forums tend to amplify the problems any car may have. People come to forums looking for solutions to problems with their cars. Not many go to car forums to post that their car has been trouble free.

My car has been trouble free!

Dave

 

Before i got the Mini i was shopping cobalt SSs, and heard 10 horror stories for every good story... And i know three people personally that have had bad experiences.
a swapp would be cool but i would stay far away from the cobalt SS

 

OK, thanks for the info guys. The Cobalt SS engine is poorly made so I will just trade her MINI in when it hits 49,000 miles.

 

Jeff, I have an R53 that just turned 90000 miles, all hassle free except for routine maintenance. When the day comes for engine and trans to be replaced, Think Mini has my current vote for conversions. Look at thinkmini.vpweb.co.uk

 

Anything can be done. We saw a guy take a 91' Audi V8 and put an Chevy LT1 in it, while keeping the quattro system fully functional. A VW guy put a front and rear engine in a Scirocco. You would need to pull the Cobalt motor, trans, and entire ECU and wiring. You would need to fab up how the motor would sit in the engine compartment as it relates to the crossmember. You would need to have custom axles made with Chevy inboard CV joints and Mini outboard joints. You would need to adapt the wiring harness and electricals to accept the mini speedometer feed and RPM feed, plus all vital engine lights.

Personally, if I bought a totaled Mini and wanted to make a track car, this is a great way to go. For an everyday driver, you are going to spend a lot of fab time getting the motor safely and correctly mated in the crossmember, and doing a crap-ton of electrical work adapting the Chevy wiring harness to match up with the dash gauges and lights. Far from impossible, but A LOT of work. In a track car, you'd run aftermarket gauges anyways and the rest of the lights are meaningless. Much easier.

Just curious, if we are talking strange motors in cars, why not cram a Honda B16 turbo'd into a Mini? (*Donning flame-suit and ducking for cover*)

 

I rather put a 2.5 Subaru boxer in, with AWD!!

 

e92 m3 v8 in the back, converted to RWD.

 

Or you could take that $4000 and improve the poor design of the N14 to make it Faster/Safer!

 

That would be nice, but you'd be much better off with a VAG 1.8 or 2.0

 

Fail

 

You were quick to change your opinion!

 

I agree the forums do make the N14/N18 engines look like horsecrap. I've happened to have fantastic luck with mine so I can't complain about it. I can't imagine the huge cost of and engine and ECU swap in a R56. The entire car would have to be rewired to play nice with the new ECU. Sounds like a commendable LONG term project to me. Hats off to you if you can pull it off. With all that time, labor, and cash invested I would be looking at a different vehicle platform for a play car.

 

Hey JeffInDFW,

I've looked into this exact swap. I think one of the problems with it is that the frame rail to frame rail distance on the Mini is pretty short. Shorter than the 2.0 Ecotec engine/tranny combo by my measurements.

I think you'd have to front half the car to do it. It will fit under the hood line, however.

As for the electronics - it probably can be spliced with converters, but it would be a huge amount of work. You can replace the tach with an aftermarket unit - probably wouldn't look all that out of place. The speedo, however, could be pretty tough to get working.

 

i have a 2007 mini s and i have not had any issues with my motor and transmission. just routine maintenance. i love my car!