How much do you all trust the oil level measurement system in the Mini's? Our 2017 we picked up in August is our first Mini. Great vehicle.
We're going on a small weekend trip and I will run the oil level check later today, but does it give you the 'warm fuzzy' feeling that an old fashioned oil dipstick did ?
I always like looking at the oil, actually looking close at it and touching it. Sure its not a oil analysis from Blackstone Labs, but I like getting a sense of whats going on as miles progress.
Since its a BMW engine, has those cars lost the dipstick as well ?
yeah I had a hard time giving up the transmission dipsticks but I did.

How many quarts/liters engine does our 2.0 engines take ? The owners manual does not say. It did say use BMW long life oil.
It didn't say how much coolant to use nor what type.
I guess they want you to purchase a shop manual. I guess I should lurk over at the BMW forums.
best,

 

I feel the same way. I'm used to doing regular maintenance myself. I used to drive Defenders (90 and 110) where everything is old-school with dipsticks. Transitioned to a JKU, now to this MINI. What a difference! I'm not used to no dipstick, and not seeing the oil. Subscribing.

 

That was the biggest shock to me when I opened the hood after buying mine. I ALWAYS pull the stick and check oil level and color.

Before I retired, they had equipment that the level was sensor checked. It wasn't much of an issue since they had a bullseye sightglass at the low level mark. And standard policy was checking the accuracy of the sensors each time it was down for any reason. But nothing here. I plan a trip early next year I want to take the Mini on. And I can only pray and bring extra quarts of oil where I presently don't on my other vehicles.

They need to re-educate their engineers to 'not accept electronics are never infallible'. They are man made and can be. The dipstick idea wasn't broken, why did they change it ?

 

Not sure why all of you are so worried about oil level with these engines. They burn next to no oil, unlike previous Mini engines. I understand the whole argument about dipstick/no dipstick but the sky isn't falling here.

You are perfectly fine to take long and short trips in the Mini with no worries about oil consumption. If you are THAT worried then just run the oil check before you go.

Also knowing where the oil's life is at by the color of it stopped being useful a long time ago. You cannot determine oil life or wear any longer with these full synthetic oils.

 

Color isn't an indication for oil life, but helps determine what happening in the engine.
I also have found sensors are, like I said, man made and can fail and you never know it.
A visual is always accurate.
And for me, a 50+ year habit is very very hard to break.

And Mini now might be well better built than prior years, but for me this is my first one and they need to prove their trust ...

 

bmw oil level sensors do fail and have for years, also makes it impossible to use an oil extractor :(

 

Yep - well it's the direction the automotive industry is going in. Less and less do they want you doing anything with the car. My S4 also had no dip stick and a digital readout in the car but you are able to buy and add a dip stick. So I've got one now and check it once in a while. Is there no plug on the Mini that can be removed and a dip stick added? I haven't looked around the engine bay much on our new one yet.

 

>Correct, that is why I said it wasn't as accurate as Blackstone Labs, but thanks for confirming my previous statement, <

I agree with 'anoldbiker' . Checking the oil is just a thing i'm use to. Like checking air pressure in tires, looking at the coolant level, looking under the hood for the out of place wire or occasional cat or chipmunk sleeping in there. Visually checking the tires occasionally for 'knots' in the sidewall or a nail in the tread. Just trying to minimize 'surprises'

I'll get use to no dipstick, eventually, maybe,,,, ,,,, LOL,,, No.

have a good one,

 

That is exactly what we need ! Like what you did for your S4 !
I think I need to call the dealer parts department

Thank you Mr. Funk !

 

Can't find the dipstick, at least give me some oats. What are you guys going to do when the internal combustion engine ceases to exist?

 

LOL Oats sound pretty good right about now

 

I see slightly differing numbers on this, all in the 5.x-liter range.

I'm curious to hear from those who've measured the amount of oil drained during an oil change. I carefully measured the amount recovered from my '17 F54 S when I changed the oil for the first time. I did the change quite early by most standards, which is simply my preference on a new vehicle. I recovered 5.75 liters, as filled at the factory – a somewhat higher figure than I typically see listed for a routine oil and filter change.

 

That is good info. I like to change that first one early also. I have 1140 miles on the Countryman, right now, I was thinking about 2k or 2500 there abouts.
May I ask what oil you used 1200K ? Does your F54 S have the same 2.0 L engine? Which oil spec did you specifically look for ? 14FE+ or the 01FE ?
Sorry for so many questions, but thanks for posting your oil capacity.
Best

 

If there is a plug then I'm sure ECS Tuning will eventually make a dip stick. If you look in the engine bay you will see if there's a plug or not. I'll have a look later.

 

11438512502 you can steal it off a diesel MINI.

 

Same engine. Based on the under-hood info (calling for 0W-20) and the information set out in the manual provided with the car (calling for LL-01FE or LL14-FE+), I stuck with LL14FE+ for now.

 

My dealer (MINI of Las Vegas) offers a free "fluid level check" so I just bring it in to make sure everything is OK. They will refill levels if they are low. I have only tried the electronic measurement once - the problem is that it takes a while for the measurement to complete and the engine needs to be completely warmed up.

When BMW took away the dipstick many years ago, they had some problems - I heard one case of having to completely drain and refill the oil to make sure the level was correct! I expect the sensors are more reliable now. I test drove a BMW 3 back then and was really turned off by the lack of a temperature gauge and no dipstick. Now they are gone from most everything.

David

 

Thanks 1200K. I looked at the Mobil one fare at Costco over the weekend.
The 0W-20 is not LL14-FE or FE+. Their website confirmed it. Looks like only a few oils meet that specification.
Boutique
Have a good one !

 

Any idea why the engine has to be running to do an oil level measurement? I noticed the RPMs increase to about 1000 during the measurement and that it takes over a minute to complete...

 

Simple answer: because THAT is how it is designed and calibrated.

More detailed answer, which may not be complete: If an oil had a particularly strong film strength characteristic, it could perhaps give a false-high level reading as it clings higher on the surface of the measurement device than a lessor-clinging fluid. I work with level sensors in medical equipment, and this can be a problem depending upon the design of the sensor. Running the engine at a known rpm and in the "operating temperature" range gives the sensor designer more precise control of variables which can make it more accurate. This also contributes to the selection of the type of sensor to employ.

 

Found this long explanation, thank you Google!
https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1533444