I'm pretty diligent about checking oil level every weekend and draining my OCC. I've been doing this for about 15k miles now. It is pretty consistent that I would need 1/4 of a quart of oil every two weeks in the summer, and about 1/4 quart every week when the weather gets cold.
I've had the dealer change the oil, and changed it myself. First change was using MINI oil, then the last change (about 4k miles ago) was with Amsoil. I did not see any difference in oil consumption with the different oil brands.
My car only had the reccomended service done (3 oil changes over 49k miles), and had the timing chain and turbo replaced just before I bought it. I've noticed that the inside of the motor (looking through the oil fill hole) is pretty varnished up. I figured that going to a 5k oil change would help clean this up. At 68k miles now, it has not cleaned much, and the oil looks dark after about 2k miles.
Three weeks ago I decided to put 1/2 pint of seafoam to top off the oil level instead of oil. I did this since I have an oil change coming up soon.
The last two weeks the oil level has not dropped, and the temperatures have been below freezing. Its the first time that I have not had to add oil for a 2 week period. I drive about 300 miles of mixed city driving (some 30 mph, some 60 mph, no highway).

Seems interesting, has anyone else noticed anything like this?

Mike

 

Just a few thoughts for you to ponder..
Sounds like you oil is not warming up enough to burn off the moisture...SEAFOAM is a MIX of alcohol and very light petroleum distillate...about a N#1 Diseal oil (regular diseal fuel/oil is usually #2)...so within a few minutes, half of what you put in SHOULD have evoprated.....burnt off of captured in the OCC.
LOWER temps DO mean less oil burn-off, BUT can mean OIL DILUTION. meaning if the OIL temp does not go up enough (think longer trips), moisture, and unburnt fuel builds up in it...and reduces its effectiveness.

 

Zippy,
Thats an interesting way to look at it, except I drive about 20 miles each way to work (35 minutes). My OCC has 6-8 oz of water in it, plus an ounce or so of oily foam, every week.
I kinda figured that the seafoam would just evaporate away after a few days, then I would just go back to adding oil. I realize that 2 weeks is not long enough to draw a conclusion, but it is 'interesting' to think about. I'll update in another couple of weeks to see if there is some kinda fluke going on.

Thanks for the ideas,
Mike

 

Good stuff.

How'd use/apply/add the sea foam?

I'll be watching your results...

 

I put the seafoam directly into the crankcase, topping off the oil with seafoam rather than motor oil.

Mike

 

Your oil consumption is not terribly different than ours, loves to drink the oil, and we have similar weekly commute and driving0. I have used mobil 1 0-40 since we came off the factory service that I do every 6mo regardless of miles. Last service I had a water pump replaced and had them do the oil (Mini specialist shop) they used the "good" valvoline 5-30 syntec (the euro spec one) and I've noticed less consumption. We live in socal, never too cold here.

BTW, what I've found is that we get pretty high consumption between "full" and "2/3" full and then it basically stops drinking oil, or the rate goes WAY down.

 

when my 2012 cms all4 was new, it was consuming a lot of oil, 1/2 quart every 300 miles

if i topped it up, it was be back down to 1/2 in another 300 miles

i did not top it up the 3rd time, just watched the level and it consumed no more oil until i changed it at about 1800 miles

at that time, i filled it full and in 300 miles the level dropped to 1/2 quart low and i did not top off

the level stayed at 1/2 until my second oil change at about 4,500 miles

at the second oil change i only filled to 1/2 on the dipstick (conviently that was 4 quarts) and the level stayed there until the next oil change at about 8,100 miles (my first dealer change, OBC had counted down to zero), no oil used at all

i asked the dealer to only put 4 quarts in / fill to 1/2 on the dipstick and in the last 2,000 miles, still no oil consumption

my car likes the oil to be at the 1/2 mark

since the car is not using oil unless it is over the 1/2 mark, i conclude that the oil loss is from the oil going thru the PCV system which then dumps it onto the intake valves leading to the buildup in the intake

hopefully this is the case and i will not suffer from the buildup

i spoke with the SA and mechanic at the dealer and according to the mechanic this is "the word"

"mini does not recommend adding oil until the level drops to the add mark on the dipstick, topping off before that should not be done and is not recommended"

scott

 

We have two entirely different engines from two entirely different eras, mine burns no oil whatsoever (knock on wood) except: Driving in the hills and mountains on long 6 or 7+% downhill grades in third gear at high rpm. It eventually blows out half to a full quart after a day of that kind of behavior. I've started carrying a spare quart for just such an event. My thought on your issue is that maybe your seafoam treatment cleared a piston ring or valve guide occlusion caused by 'gunk'.