2nd Gen R56 Cooper S Oil usage

Discussion in '2nd Generation: 2007+ R55 through R61' started by Alex Robison, Jun 20, 2013.

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  1. Alex Robison

    Alex Robison New Member

    Jun 20, 2013
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    I have 2008 Sport with 45000 miles seems to use about a quirt of oil every 1500 miles...I don't drive it very hard....why?
     
  2. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Welcome, thanks for joining Motoring Alliance, the FUN and Friendly MINI Community.

    That is quite a bit in that short amount of miles. Have you checked for leaks? By calling it a Sport model I am assuming it an S, therefore turbo charged. Check the oil line fittings on the turbo, they are prone to leakage.
     
  3. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Welcome to MA
     
  4. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    Welcome to M/A!

    Congrats on checking your oil & keeping track of it. I have heard that the R56 MINI do use oil. How many miles on the oil? How often do you change the oil. If you are going with the recommended change interval that could be part of the cause.

    Someone who knows more than I about R56 MINIs will be here soon to help. :)
     
  5. Apok

    Apok New Member

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    I've only had mine for just short of two weeks, and if this engine is anything like the 1.8T that Audi used in the 2001 TT Quattro, may it rest in peace, then it will consume about half a quart a month, give or take. But a whole quart in 1500 miles does seem quite excessive. That is unless you are having WAY too much fun. Like they said above, you might wanna check that out.
     
  6. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    All automobile manufacturers consider oil consumption of up to 1 quart per 1000 miles acceptable.

    It might seem like a lot, but it is an industry standard.

    Dave
     
  7. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    #7 Dave.0, Jun 20, 2013
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2013
    Ummmm your car has an issue. You should not use a qt of oil in 1500 miles.

    I would have your car checked.
     
  8. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    I have heard this many times. For me that would be too much, but for the company that covers the warranty it is just fine.
     
  9. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    :cornut: Welcome to MA. I hope that the problem/non problem gets solved.:Thumbsup:

    Jason
     
  10. Apok

    Apok New Member

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    That just seems like an awful high rate of consumption. But I guess if they say its cool, then its cool.
     
  11. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    They say it is cool because they (the maker) does not want to pay for the repair.
     
  12. Apok

    Apok New Member

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    Good point. I thought that the fact my old TT burned through a half quart a month was a lot, but people assured me it was ok. Hope his loss isn't an indicator of a major problem.
     
  13. Systemlord

    Systemlord New Member

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    My 2007 Mini Cooper S goes through about a quart every 2000 miles, it's do to the poorly designed PCV system. Installed my AEM air induction kit today and found a hideous amount of oil throughout my stock intake system! Strangely there was no oil residue inside my turbo inlet from air filter.
     
  14. Alex Robison

    Alex Robison New Member

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    Nathan I have looked for oil leaks....garage kept no oil on the floor....see a tiny of seepage of a tube with wire covering from the left side of top cover...pulled breather tube from right side...it has oil in it....maybe I should install an oil catch can... to hep keep oil out of the turbo charger?
    Thanks,
    Alex
     
  15. Twohitpass

    Twohitpass New Member

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    +1...the N14 just eats oil. That's way a walnut treatment is required every 35000 miles. The redesigned N18 should of solved that problem. I had an 2011 all4 for 22xxx, oil never got low. My 13 has 5xxx, no oil issues. I've had an R52, 50xxx, no oil issue. Had and 07 justa and own an 12 countryman justa... All those cars had no oil issues.. I stayed away from the N14 bc of that reason. Sell it for an N18 engine. Good luck
     
  16. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    #16 Jason Montague, Jul 14, 2013
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2013
    :cornut: My opinion( and a lot of R56 people have a different one) is yes and my Margi is an 08 R56 BRG MCS/JCWm with 76kmi but I installed the OCC at 25kmi. You're at 45kmi so you might already have a considerable carbon build up(may still have to have the walnut shell blast treatment to clean the intake valves but maybe not). My reason for saying yes is all of the oil that you say is going into the turbo intake via what you called the right hose from the valve cover. This is what causes the carbon build up, oil and blow by from the crank case flowing (nicely coating the inter cooler and the intake valves along the way) into the combustion chamber. As the fuel(normally cleans the valves) is directly injected into the combustion chamber it by passes the intake valves. The OCC must also include a Dual Boost Tap to catch all of the blow by(the N14 engine has a dual PCV system so blocking the line directly from the crank case does not shut down the entire PCV system. The additional vent is in the head and communicates with the crank case). An oil catch can alone won't do the whole job. The BSH OCC and BSH Dual Boost Tap are what I installed on Margi. I got these from Defenders of Speed for ~$240and they included the 50cc syringe to empty the OCC(click on the sponsor list above, other sponsors may have a similar or better deal). NM Engineering also has an excellent OCC kit that includes the crank case shut off valve(but no portal on top to remove the Dinosaur Snot with the syringe). Their price is ~$340. Take your pick. There is another preventative treatment that can be done. As long as you're already slinging wrenches under the bonnet, you might as well get and install the Seafoam intake fogger kit that fits into the air intake line post turbo and inter cooler allowing the Seafoam to treat the valves and by passing the turbo charger and inter cooler. Now starting at 45kmi the Seafoam may not allow you to avoid the walnut treatment but here's hoping. Done every 3kmi on clean valves, it works. Putting liquid Seafoam in an empty gas tank(again, every 3kmi) and then filling(always with) 93 octane gas will clean the injectors. 76kmi and I haven't had to walnut blast anything and no injector problems. Now let the naysayers come forth.:Thumbsup:

    Jason
     
  17. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    #17 Crashton, Jul 14, 2013
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2013
    I'm justa yokel, but here are my .02. :smilewinkgrin:

    Until someone shows before & after Sea Foaming pictures of those valves it is just an internet urban legend. The BSH can with boost tap is a great idea, if it works. Trouble is we do not know if it does. I've asked BSH for confirmation pictures, but there are none. Color me skeptical.

    The tech's at the dealership use walnut shells to blast the carbon away. If there was an easy chemical way I think the factory trained tech's would be using it.

    Catch cans are a good idea, but in this yokel's opinion it is only going to delay the inevitable walnut blasting. That's not a bad thing, but far from a fix.

    Back on topic.... Oil useage
     
  18. Little big car

    Little big car New Member

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    My 08 MCS also uses about 1qt every 1500 miles. Based on what I have heard from nearly everywhere this is pretty much normal for the N14 engine so I am not concerned about it. Many engines use about this much oil also.
     
  19. Austinsynthetics

    Austinsynthetics Active Member
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    My 07 MCS had similar symptoms, and burned a valve. I'm not sure if its related, but my valves were covered in carbon. I would definitely look at the valves, and perform walnut blasting if needed. If you're not aware you can build a blaster for under $75.00
     
  20. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    My 50K mile '09 Clubman S does not use any measurable amount of oil in between my yearly changes - which happen between 7500 and 10K a year.

    But my valves are carboned up considerably and need to be blasted, one of these days I'll get the blaster hooked up and git er done.
     

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