Have a 09 JCW that started to smoke (burn oil) at idle only. And it is very pronounced as I smoked everyone out at a drive thru.

Checked oil level - Ok and actually changed and added 4.4 qts only just in case - no difference

Took intake tube off it check if there was any play in turbo - No play

I seen post where it could be valve cover, though I have the passenger side port blocked and running a catch can.

No oil in coolant nor no coolant in oil.

I guess its time for a compression/leak down check to narrow it down.

So what did other's have to do to fix the problem? I seen a lot of posts but no solutions as to what there fix was.

I assume it could be the valve guides/seals?

Any help would be appreciated as I am 2 hours away from my nearest Mini dealer.

 

Remove the catch can and reattach your PCV line. I bet your oil consumption will disappear.

I just read a very similar thread last night regarding oil consumption at idle and catch can/blocked ports.

 

Please link the mentioned thread, that's the first time I've heard anything about a catch can causing oil consumption

 

Been trying to find it - haven't had any luck. It was on one of these MINI forums somewhere.

But basically, it was a similar situation. Catch can with no return line and a blocked port causing excess oil consumption at idle. He removed the can and re-attached the line and all was fine and dandy again.

 

Bingo: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...resulting.html

 

Yup. Plumb the OCC into the link between the port on the passenger side back of the valve cover and the intake manifold. Lots of threads about the problems created by blocking off the passenger side PCV port on the N14.

 

So if blocking the passenger port causes this problem, why has it just started to happen? I been using the catch can for 5 plus years.

Note that I do have a downpipe (cat removed), which could be why I see so much smoke.

But this all started a couple weeks ago.

 

read it , thanks but it seems a little inconclusive, I will be getting the car serviced this week and will report back any findings.

 

JPMM,

I have an appointment Friday at my nearest dealership. I'll post what they find out. Hopefully you will post what you find also.

Also interesting that we both have 09 JCW MINIs in neighboring states.

 

Funny about the occ,since I also have a 09 mcs none jcw.with no occ. My tech said occ should get it gone..lol
Only smoking at idle,no leaks and the radiator chemical test showed very tight and no change of chemical color but every time at traffic light or drive thru I kill a few behind me, all the posts I have red ends up with no conclusion also, some say fix valve seals some say valve cover turbo inlet head job. Man you can go from $300 to 3000 in a second flat. I only have 58000 miles on mine. Love the car but what a money pit.
Ben

 

the catch can is catching stuff again and the oil consumption is down, I'm about 70% sure that the problem has been fixed with a new valve cover, and a walnut blast.

 

thank you,i'll go that route.
ben

 

remember these are complicated cars and there is no guarantee that it will work for you

 

IT IS A START ON THE LOWE $$$$$$IDE

 

Well we installed a new valve cover added occur and drove it for few days, I still see the smoke at stop light,the other day I was backing up in my drive way and my wife was getting in her car she said why your car smell so bad from your exhust
Now back to the shop for valve seals or maybe valve guide. $675 for the occasion and valve cover now 700+ for seals 2000+ for valve guide..Lol what else new motor on a 2009 mcs with 58000 miles?
SHAME on you BMW.
Gladly getting a 2013 porsche 911 s next month.

 

And you thought it was expensive to fix a MINI.

 

Here is a quick and cheap test.

Go on amazon and order a cheap USB borescope camera that you can use with a laptop or tablet, whichever you have.

Pull the top O2 sensor and insert the scope. If you can see a lot of coking on the exhaust and the cat converter honeycomb looks plugged up then you are pushing oil.
If that is the case, the turbo seals may be worn just enough to leak into the exhaust side.

Or top of the oil, sell the car and save the money for the expenses on the Porsche.

 

Compression and leakdown test. Is it worst starting the car after sitting awhile? Valve guides do go bad. Also check your intercooler for oil in it. I would start with disconnecting the catch can if its an easy thing to do.

 

I am not convinced that the work done eliminated the small oil consumption issue I have. I do not have noticeable exhaust oil smoke. I believe its the low tension, low friction piston rings installed on modern high 20lbs+boosted turbo cars that can become fouled, then stick to allow blowby. I am going to try use a SeaFoam burn through the intake next year to see if I can free them up. Also maybe I'll switch oil, I am using Mini oil now, maybe something with a different weight.

 

Nah I am Keeping this baby, bought it for 10k already have over 17k in it, but if you stand behind the car the smell is horible.money was not an isue,just constant repairs and inconvenience should not have sold my 2010 911 that was a best DD .but the porsche appreciate and mini depreciates, when I lived in England drove none but mini coopers and had a great experience with them but it has all changed since BMW took over. Also trading my 2015 m5 that I know I'll be 10k in the tub
I am enjoying this car, but it just bugs me when I gas a bunch of people behind me at the light.
I did the seafoam about 2 weeks a go and I can tell the huge difference in the performance, I always had to drive in the sport mode to get the performance out of it now the car runs as if it is in sport mode.
Mods are mild suspension, rear sway,rear controll arms, typhoon CAI,M7 tower, chassis brace, be honest this baby runs very strong, it is about 20° in texas and for my neck of the wood it's cold, but no cold start perfect idle every time.
My tech used liqui moly always in my car but this time I went with Mobil one 15k full synthetic, been keeping an eye on the consumption so far so good..
Next time I will have him check with the camera for build-up to see if we need to go for a new turbo and if we do will drop in a larger one and stage 2 tune,since his mini with his mods is now 350hp mini.

 

Will also check that,but no matter of out come mini stays and will get fixed it is giving me too much-needed pleasure to sell. The porsche will not be my DD.
The reason I called out mini usa is there is way too many people are posting about this smoke problem with realy no one posting the cure.

 

I have read what everyone has said. I changed the oil housing gaskets yes was leaking I changed the oil cooler gaskets as well. I decoked the valves I have the stage one tune with a tweak Accessport Cobb with all three tunes FMIC. I have no cats new oil change new coolant I still blow smoke!! PITA!!
...No OCC but that is the next step

 

I also have an 09' JCW just an R55 instead. Around 60k miles I started having oil consumption issues and mine is pretty bad (in my opinion, then again never had a car that used oil this bad...). I sometimes lose about a quart between re-fueling the tank and then sometimes I can go longer before (possible two tanks of fuel or more)I have to top it back off. So there seems to be no consistency in the amount/time frame that it goes through oil.

Things Ive had checked:
Pressure test on valve cover
Updated valve cover installed around 30K miles
Walnut blasting
Zero oil leaks (at one point the oil feed line and gasket for the HPFP was leaking)
No coolant/oil mixing

Odd thing is that I never see any type of smoke except at higher rpms my car will puff out a cloud of black smoke with spirited driving. Never at idle.

Im kind of stumped on the issue. A MINI tech friend and my regular mechanic has suggested a turbo replacement and adding an Oil catch can. If that doesn't work then head job. I wish I didn't enjoy this car so much, otherwise Id dump the thing even thought it has been pretty reliable other than this issue.

 

well I got tired of spending 500 here in there all the time and still smokin so my car is in the shop getting valve seals and valve guides replaced my technician also found 2 of driver and passenger Side oil was leaking due to crack in the hose on the subframe that was the cause of my oil loss none had been detected since subframe was holding the oil it was soaked $2700 work.
Also my manifold was wet with oil

 

please explain