Hi, I have an '07 MCS as my daily driver. I bought the car and sold my Subaru last April and have really enjoyed the car in the meantime. It is a high mileage (158k), but great condition vehicle.

I noticed that the car seemed to be getting low on oil (assuming I can read the stupid dipstick right) a couple weeks after buying and it was making a clackety noise. I topped it up and all was well for a while. Then it was low again. I put in some oil and chalked it up to a high mile turbo car. I put oil in again a few times, each interval shorter than the last.

Then I smelt BURNING OIL! The car is smoking underhood and I am nervous driving. I put the car up on a friend's lift today and degreased the engine. It appears to be coming from a spot behind the exhaust catalytic converter, but above the oil pan on the front side of the engine. I don't know what to call this.
Since it's gotten really bad, I've started topping up with conventional 5w-30 oil, as it disappears within a day or so anyway.

I really need to get this taken care of this week as the gf and I are supposed to drive a few hundred miles next weekend.

I am taking car in to the dealer (MINI of Manhattan) for auxiliary water pump replacement recall. I don't want to get hosed on this leak fix as an out-of-warranty repair and would like them to definitively diagnose and possibly fix the issue while it's in shop.

Does anyone
a) have experience with a severe bottom end oil leak
b) have experience with the electric water pump recall procedure (i.e. are they going to be putting the front end into service position and can I convince them to reduce labor rate because of the recall stuff)
c) have any advice on dealing with a dealer - I've honestly never had a good experience with one, last time I dealt with one was in college 10 years ago and I got hosed, since then have done everything myself, but this time I'm nervous 'cause this car is so hard to work on....

 

My best guess is a turbo oil line leak. If that is the diagnosis, I've received quotes of $500 - $1,200 to get it fixed at the dealer (I do not know why the cost varied so much between the two times I got quotes).

The water pump recall is a simple 1 - 2 hour job. I don't think they'll put it in service mide or anything.

 

The turbo lines appear to be clean. It looks as if the leak is coming from bottom end of the motor, behind exhaust.

 

Can you post pictures? Not saying I can diagnose anything (I'm an engineer, not a mechanic), but somebody else might be able to help...

 

Also, what motor oil are you using?

 

Could it be the cam cover oil seal? maybe its leaking near the turbo because of the heat and you have a lot of miles on the motor, it might be leaking there and running down the front of the engine.

 

I dropped the car at the dealer today for the recall service, and told them about the leak.... Although she said it would be $160/hr for any dedicated diagnostic work, I am hoping they'll spot it while under the car for the aux water pump and let me know where it may be coming from.

On a side note.... the dealer service advisor (MINI of Manhattan) was pretty brusque, didn't want to listen to any of my concerns, treated me like some sort of low-life for having done my own brakes and oil and then having the temerity to ask for the service light to be turned off. She also refused to show me the maintenance records after I noticed that the car had previously had a cracked cylinder head in 2009, saying it was a "privacy thing". I am reminded of how much I dislike dealers and their attitude. I don't think I'd buy a new car from one if I had a gun to my head.

 

If you can take it to another dealer like Morristown Mini.

 

MINI Manhattan finished the recall work. Says they didn't see any leaks. I've invested in some UV Oil dye and a blacklight. We'll see what happens next.

 

Well u cant see the turbo oil line that is behind the cat. Ive changed mine and its pretty easy. Took about 3 hrs to do on a lift.

 

chshues:

what was that oil line leak dripping on to? what was your procedure to access it behind the exhaust?

 

Actually the top of mine was leaking. So leaking om the fitting on the tutbo. And remove heat shields o2 sensors n down pipe..think thats it. If you do the proceedure i reccomend an exhaust clamp for the down pipe where it meets the rest of the exhaust since my bend and broke pretty easily