Engine Drivetrain 2nd Gen S Checking your oil level...

Discussion in 'Tuning and Performance' started by Metalman, Feb 23, 2014.

  1. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    Bentley video....

    Did MINI improve the design of their dipstick? Mine is the skinny wire type with the plastic doodad...

    View attachment R56 Dipstick.pdf

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFDP7cwZLeo&feature=share&list=PL9860FE20A8501128&index=4]MINI Cooper (R56, R55, R57) 2007-2011 - How to check engine oil level - YouTube[/ame]
     
  2. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    The one in Babs clubster is like the one above. I figured out how to check the oil long ago, but the video is nice for those who haven't. Where's the how to open the bonnet video?
     
  3. Friskie

    Friskie Well-Known Member

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    Somebody raised the ugly dipstick issue recently over on the sewingsite. My response was something like never having any trouble discerning the difference between oil and not oil. At least they are attempting to check which is a lot more than can be said for some folk. I guess for some, problem solving is not a reliable tool.
     
  4. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    I'm glad to see MINI responding to genuine concerns (only took them what, 5 years?) but I also never had any problem reading my dipstick, and I find it interesting that so many do.

    On my car it's easy tho, it doesn't seem to use any oil between changes.
     
  5. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    Does the dipstick in the video look like MINI went with the "spring like" design Craven came out with? It's totally different than the MINI oem unit I have???

    Mine looks like this.....

    I always feel like the plastic end on mine might snap off...

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    The one in the video does look like it's a spring dipstick rather than the solid plastic ones in our cars now, but it seems unlikely MINI would do that, the metal one probably weighs several ounces more than a plastic one! :D
     
  7. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    That's what mine looks like, I have no problem reading the oil level on it.

    Dave
     
  8. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    I can read the oil level as well... I just keep thinking the plastic piece is going to break off when it passes the first bend in the dipstick tube.... The flexible springie design has me intrigued.... :idea:
     
  9. jiminni

    jiminni Well-Known Member

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    Guy came into the shop last week......I kid you not.....13 quarts of oil in it!!! Need less to say not running. Steve said it blew the seals, not sure what ones :crazy:
     
  10. rkw

    rkw Well-Known Member

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    Problem SOLVED by eliminating the dipstick! Already on BMW and now coming to the F56. :skep:
     
  11. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    MINI just replaced the dipstick with lifetime oil. No checking or changing required. :rolleyes:
     
  12. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    :crazy: Ruh Roh! This doesn't sound good. Sounds like when the new French/Peugeot/Prince panty waist hair dressed engine was going to be so much better than the Brazilian/Chrysler/Pentagon/Tritec engine. Of course, they forgot to mention there being NO adequate supervision/quality assurance of the subcontract OEM parts manufacturers ala: timing chain tensioner oiler, turbo charger oil cooling, reverse Polish logic computer programming................................................................:lol::lol::lol:

    Jason
     
  13. Crashton

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    All one needs to do is wait until the change oil light comes on. Then call the dealer & get it in there for a change in a week or so. Easy. :D
     
  14. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    I had a 1937 Fordson tractor with no dipstick. It had a little spigot, on the engine block at the proper oil level. Before starting it you checked the oil level by opening the spigot, if oil came out, you were good to go, if nothing came out, you added oil until it did.

    Maybe people who have trouble with reading a dipstick should put a little spigot at the full line on their engine.

    Dave
     
  15. rkw

    rkw Well-Known Member

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    @ 1:48 ... "We've seen bad oil level sensors and customers added 3, 4, 5 even 6 more quarts of oil into an engine ... only way to truly check the level is to drain the oil and measure it ..."

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb9-j3lZCq8]BMW Checking Your Oil Level Using The "I Drive" and some troubleshooting tips - YouTube[/ame]
     
  16. jiminni

    jiminni Well-Known Member

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    Really? BMW's don't have dip sticks? How do you check the oil, strictly by the computer?
     
  17. jiminni

    jiminni Well-Known Member

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    Oh for the days when you could actually work on every part of your car :cool: Oh well.....times a changin.....:crazy:

    I mean....we even have electric shift on our road bicycles now, you can hook them up to a computer and adj. how you want them to shift :arf:


    SHIMANO brings electronic shifting to the new Ultegra platform
     
  18. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    Yup or when you hear metal on metal followed with a little bit of limp mode you many need oil. All you have to do is drive a few hundred miles to your local dealership. :arf::lol::lol::lol:
     
  19. M1N1

    M1N1 Well-Known Member

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    When I was checking out the soon-to-be "my" M1N1, I had to show the salesman where the bonnet release was. He was looking on the drivers side. In his defence, it was not a BMW/MINI dealership.
     
  20. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    I get confused the one in my MINI is on the right & the one in Babs clubster is on the left. crazy ain't it. :eek:ut:
     

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