It seems like my MINI is eating up a significant amount of oil... Every time I get it in my head to check the oil level (maybe every 2k?) it's down to or past the low mark - What gives? Seems abnormal for a new car to loose that much oil, but all I can really compare it to is my 37-year-old Datsun and a leaky Porsche 944. There doesn't seem to be any visible leaks or signs of burnage, so maybe it's all in my head...? Does anybody else experience similar losses?

 

and sent out the pipes... But what path it's taking I have no clue. Rings, valve guides? Carried on in vapors that get sucked into the intake?

Boosted cars tend to have more blow by than N/A cars, FWIW....

Matt

 

You may have a leak and just have not noticed it. I had to have my oil pan gasket replaced at around 18k. Other places that have been know to leak through are the main shaft seal and the valve cover gasket.

I think it has been about 3k since my last oil change and I dont think my car has eaten any oil, at the very least it isnt in the low range.

 

Oil consumption varies widely between cars, even different samples of the same car. Off-hand, your consumption is probably higher than average, but within the "normal" range and assuming everything else is Okay, this rate is not a cause for alarm. I believe Mini considers anything up to a liter per 600km as within the "acceptable" range.

BTW, you probably know this, but if it's burning oil at this rate, then you need to start monitoring it a lot more often. For a car averaging a qt every 2K, you want to be checking it at least every 1K in case it spikes up for some reason.

- Mark

 

I'm having great difficulty swallowing that one.

 

Me too until I thought I had an oil consumption issue on a 1999 Dodge Ram. Factory said that a quart every 900 miles was acceptable Used to fly turboprops and jets and the recommended oil consumption was high on them also. Did discover that some engines seek their own oil level and then stop consuming oil after that level is reached. One had to constantly monitor the levels though.

 

on BMWs 1 quart every 1500 miles is normal and on M/// vehicles 1 quart every 750 miles is considered ok as well. put that into your oil burning pipe and smoke it!

 

Would be nice if the result looked something more like that out the tailpipe... Bye-bye tailgaters!

 

I think thats too much oil (1 qt/ 2K miles) what does your fuel consumption look like? What is the engine vacuum at idle?.....thats too much oil...I have never had to top up my oil during oil change intervals (15K miles)

 

I've had to add about 1qt/10,000 miles pretty consistently.

 

Me too. My 2005 R53 S consumes around 1qt every 7,500-8,000 miles.

BTW, no leaks.

 

 

Fuel consumption has been right around 25mpg / 320 miles. Haven't checked the engine vacuum, though my boost gauge generally reads something like -25psi at idle.

 

is on the high side, but the question is what to do about it. Mine drinks more than I'd like as well, but I'm not about to tear a motor down just to tighten up what's causing the high oil consumption.

Seems we both have engines that are too loose... Think drunk girl at a frat party! Anyway, while you consumption is high, it's not so high the dealer will do anything. If you do a compression test and a leak down test, I think you'll find that the numbers aren't the best but not that bad. So what next?

I'd guess that it's just in your future to keep an eye on oil levels and leave it at that till something serious happens that makes you have to really dig into the engine.

Matt

 

blast the bag out of it about 10 times, right to 6500 . just beat the snot out of it 10 times . if it doesnt seat the rings after that at least it was fun . lmao .

 

Don't you need new rings for that? If this procedure can vitalize old rings, then mine will last forever. heh heh.

 

+1 give or take a little... however my valve cover is a little oily around the seems and could use replacing. Not excessive yet though.

 

Yeah... mine would, too... but that technique hasn't worked for me... cause I drive like that all the time and have to add about a pint every thousand or two.... of course, driving under boost as much as I do is what's eating my oil, I'm confident....

 

1 Quart every 750 miles ? LOL The funny thing is, I know so many people they don't change their oil until the dealer does, which is around every 10k ? I am wondering how the motor lasts for that long if it burns 1 quart every 750 miles ?

This might be stupid, but have you done an oil change recently ? If so, check to see if the drain bolt is tight. It does drip very slightly when you open it up just a little bit, so it might be possible. It won't hurt to check.

 

Well, I'm going to be at the dealer this week to have my phantom steering slop examined, would y'all reckon this consumption is worth bringing to their attention also?

 

Just for grins have you looked into the radiator to see if there is milkshake?

 

I never said 1 quart every 750 on MY MINI! i said on BMW M/// vehicles. this oil consumption specification is stated in BMW TIS SIB # 11 05 84 and is the standard at all BMW dealerships. Regular non M vehicles are 1 quart every 1000 miles. Oil change and maintenance interval information can be found on SIB 11 08 98 so dont get fresh with me, im just relaying information.

Obviously if you never add oil and ignore that "low oil light" your going to do some damage. If you dont have a vehicle that consumes too much oil then no worries. The production tolerances and quality control of these vehicles are crap. there i said it. i still love my car though

 

Well my bonnet was stuck shut for a fakin year,cable prob as u know BMWMini lifetime oil,2 gills,i wonder when the Oil light comes on.

 

some is break-in technique, some is maintenance, and some is driving style. But by putting in very loose specification for "acceptable", the manufacturer doesn't have to rebuild engines just for higher than average oil consumption.

Say you go through 6 quarts a year... Even with Red-Line oil that's under $50... What's an engine rebuild cost? Several thousands... It's just not cost effective to do if the only problem is burning some oil.

matt

 

just sayin' his rings may not be seated . dont know his mileage or how it was driven or if the factory "runs them in" . plus it'll take his frustrations out .