OK OK...i'll admit it... I cant read...
 

...The stupid dipstick... Please don't flame me, I searched the fourms and couldnt really come up with a definate answer on how to read it or what the marks mean. I have an 08. if someone could help that would be great,
I just wanted to check my oil i've gotten 15,440 miles and had the first change at 8000 almost a year ago. I feel like it should be low but I have not the slightest clue on how to determine by how much.

I did one check after driving home (30 min at highway speed) and got the first image below (CIMG8610)
and then after trying to find a thread on here to help I went back out when the engine was cold, ~1 hour 45 min sence shutting off and got the second one (CIMG0018)

after checking a second time I feel like it looks to be on the low side.
If someone could help that would be great.

Thanks

As long as the oil falls between the two knobs you are okay. It appears to be on the low side of okay but still okay. I like to fill mine to be 1/2 way between the two knobs. Do not fill above the top knob as that can cause other issues with oiling of critical parts. Bottom knob should be approximately 1 quart from 'full'. This info is for normal driving, high rev uses changes what you can do as far as 'over filling'.

Clint

Thank you Clint! you would think for owning the car for nearly two years I would know by now but I guess not. Honestly I do not think that any of that is stated in the manual.

so I should go get a quart and put about 3/4ths in, does that sound about right? either that or just get a oil change, now to find the oil I'll need. hahah,

Again, Thanks

I would add about 1/2 quart to get up nearer the top mark.

I will never understand why Mini made a dipstick that is so difficult to read. It's like they found a material (teflon?) to put on the stick that repels oil. Your oil is dirty so it is fairly easy to see you are almost a quart low. When the oil is new it is much more difficult to see. I filed a couple of grooves in my stick which makes it a little easier to see but not much.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co.../DipStick3.JPG

I agree. With only a 1,000 miles on my car, I can't read the dipstick. I have tried all different lighting to no avail. It's the only car that I ever had an issue with. I ordered the Cravenspeed Mini Dipper and it's much nicer, being very easy to read.

You want to be as close to the top mark/bulge as possible. You don't want the oil level to be over the top bulge.

If you have good lighting or a paper towel it isn't hard to figure out. Paying $75 for a Craven Dipstick is outrageous!

..at least we still get a dipstick, unlike MB or BMW!

When the dealer fills it the thing will be 1/2" over the top. That's been in a bunch of threads and it's not harmful they say. They used 5 qts in mine once and it was over the top but they said don't worry about it (so I didn't). I think 4.5 qts is what fills it. My dipstick does not look like that, no red plastic on it, but it's hard to read IMO.

someone explain what you read on those pics? all i see is.... err... nothing. how are you guys saying that those pics clearly show 'dirty oil' and 'oh you have less than half'?

Are you saying that you don't see all the pictures? If so you may have some browser settings that disable the pictures. Check out your settings or try another browser.

The oil is dark in the pictures which can mean dirty oil, clean or new oil is hard to see on the dipstick. This does not mean your oil is due for changing. Oil can get dark just after a couple of miles of driving in part due to left over old oil during the change. The oil is below the half mark. The two knobs represent approximately one quart. This means that you are more than a half quart below the 'full' mark. Still not an issue since you are above the low mark. If you were to add oil at this time you would need to add less than a quart of oil.

Clint

Look at the second pic in the first post. The dark oil line just to the right of the lefthand metal eye is obvious. That eye/plastic bump is the low oil level mark, so it's OK, just on the low side a bit. In the first pic the oil was hot, so there's only a very faint darker line to the right of the same metal eye. The oil should be checked cold, like the second pic.

I discovered that before I take Syd in for an oil change, I have to remove my Cravenspeed dipstick and replace it with the oem one so the tech can read it properly :lol:

and overfilling a little, say 1/4 to 1/2 quart, won't hurt this engine. my SA mentioned that MINI/PSA are currently looking into the possibility that the turbo Prince engine may be underspec'd with regard to oil capacity, that not having enough oil may be one contributing factor exacerbating the tensioner/timing chain/HLA cold start issue. He did say that some of the cars bought in for this problem were well short of oil, up to a quart or more.

Your opinion, cbs. Worth every penny IMO, and in the O of everyone else who bought one. All I want to do is decipher my oil capacity fast and easy, w/o special lighting, paper towels, or a Ph.D. in German Engineering Methodology. The oem d/s fails to do that.

apparently I wasnt subscribed to my own thread.
It was pretty much a quart low so I topped her off with a fresh one of castrol synth 5W-30.
I hate that dipstick with a passion... I understand now that its one quart from full between the bulges but still it can be difficult to read when the oil smears all over it when you pull it back out. its just not a great design. apparently the new ones are a threaded rod and I hear those are worse.

im just about 7500 miles sence my last oil change, Im thinking when its warm enough i'll just do it my self or in two months just take her in.

Great thread. Every time I take the dipstick out I am afraid I am gong to break it.