Hello,

// i searched.

My mini has been trouble free, despite some cold start noise issues.

When i open the dipstick when the car is at idel, the engine almost stall out...i put the dipstick back in....runs fine. Does this 100% of the time. I hear suction noises also from the dipstick hole, in the 20,000 miles i have on the car i never bother to check the oil at idel except this week...

First thing i was thinking was that it was blowby and i was getting a pressurized crank case...some how, but i am not sure with this car...so many crazy things...like a corrugated dipstick..

Is this normal? Does your mini do this when you check the oil with the car is at idle?

Cheers.
Victor

 

I'm kinda a noob when it comes to these kinds of things, but I believe that checking the oil while the car is running is a pretty bad idea. My understanding is that the oil is under pressure, and when you open the seal on the dipstick, you're effectively running the car with a lot less oil pressure. This will most likely result in the effects you are mentioning.

Again, I'm not too knowledgeable so you might want to wait for a response from someone more confident in their answer =P.

OPish

 

yeah possible, never known a car to do have oil under pressure...but then again it could be since i have do not know all cars.

 

I'm pretty sure MINI's are the same as any other car regarding the need for the engine to be off and the car on a level surface to get an accurate measurement on the dip stick. All cars as far back as the 60's that I can remember have "positive crankcase ventilation" or PCV. This system is to prevent the venting of the gases from the crankcase from going directly into the atmosphere. Most of the systems I am familiar with use a PCV valve into a valve cover or similar area and the hose routes to the intake manifold so any ventilation gases will be burned by the engine. When you remove the dip stick with the engine running you are creating a vacuum leak which would reasonably stall the engine. Turn the engine off prior to checking the oil level and you will be fine.

 

Follow the instructions in the owner's manual: check the oil only with the engine warm, turned off, and level. Never remove the dipstick with the engine running.

 

my mother said the car would blow up if i checked the oil with the car running;

hence, i never tried it!

..gotta love our mothers and their ways of scaring their kids though


(oh and by the way, just curious; do you not get the same result when checking the oil on your other 3 hondas with engine on?)