1st Gen R52 Cooper Convertible Most liked posts in thread: Oil leak help...not Cabrio specific

It could be residual oil from the original leak finding its way to the ground (lighter color though makes this somewhat skeptical). I suggest that you powerwash the undercarriage and then see if the drippings continue. Keep close observation on your fluid levels. Oil has a way of finding strange places to accumulate especially when being moved rearward in a chassis with normal driving airflow.

 

Are you sure it's oil? I thought the same thing this past summer, but it turned out to be the thermostst gasket leaking. I replaced it, cleaned any residual and it's been gone since.

Cheers
Mr. Jim

 

Either that or use the wand, get down on your knees and spray the heck out of it. Not necessarily an easy task.

 

Possibility of a leaky dipstick tube seal or maybe a crank sensor seal?
First thought was intercooler oil collection but ya gotta have an intercooler first. Thermostat gasket leak would leave blue Smurf juice so it can't be that.

 

Typical oil leak locations: oil pan gasket, crank sensor o-ring, main output shaft, and crank pulley seal. If you can look up under the car, try to trace the trail of oil and grime.

 

Had my oil pan gasket replaced 3 times withing 2 years, at 2 different dealers. I was told the crank sensor seal is also a common leak.

 

I've noticed a bit of oil on my garage floor. (It's an '07 justa cabrio) Had it checked out this morning, and yep - oil pan gasket. I'm tempted to just get some kitty litter...

 

Commander Dan, replace the crank sensor seal first - I think you'll find that will cure your leak. I've seen a bunch of so-called pan gasket leaks and in every case I'm convinced it was the crank sensor leaking oil down that runs around the pan and makes it look like the pan is leaking. I think that's why so many pan gaskets get replaced, they don't check for the real cause of the leak!

The pan gasket itself is a thick neoprene gasket with crush sleeves moulded in, I really doubt that's where it's leaking.

Our club just pulled the oil pan off a 170K mile car that looked like it was leaking from the pan - turned out to be the crank sensor - but because the oil goes everywhere, and follows the edge of the pan itself, it looks like it's coming from there.

Do the easy and cheap repair first, then wash it down and see if that isn't it.

 

Thanks for the tip, Minidave! I'll keep you guys posted...

 

And the crank sensor is cheap ($2 part) and easy (maybe an hour, at the most). I did a write-up on how to do this work yourself with some simple hand tools (metric ratchet set), jack stands or ramps and a cheapie tie-down ratchet strap (like you might use to secure a load in a pick-up bed... $10 at Home Depot). It's in the Library section of MA.com

http://www.motoringalliance.com/library/1st-generation-mini-cooper-how-to-3/crank-sensor-seal-replacement-103/#axzz1oSrkmG3X