i have a 2003 R53. i have what i think is anti-freeze in my oil. im losing very little from expansion tank over 3 months time. my stock expansion tank blew at the seem just before i noticed the moisture in oil. since ive upgraded to the performance aluminium expansion tank. still losing small amounts of antifreeze and still notice moisture in oil. any thoughts???

 

If you take short drives, there will be moisture in the oil. The engine needs to get hot for it to evaportate. I have a short commute and take the long way home at least every couple days just for that reason.

 

i have a 12 mile ride to work. i thought that was long enough not to cause that problem. any thoughts?

 

See if the dealership or a local shop will test you oil. They make test strips for this. Some NAPA's even have them. OR you could do what I do. (With the car COOL) Pull the dipstick touch the oil to get a spot of it on your finger and touch it to your toung. It will have a warming feeling and be sticky sweet to taste (if it has anti-freez in it) DO NOT SWALLOW IT!!!

Some people will tell you not to do it but I learned what all the fluids on a car tast like by the time i was 14. Hasn't killed me yet

 

Old fashioned, I do it by taste, too.
I'm no Mini expert, but coolant in the oil can only mean one thing- and it's not good.

 

im just hoping its head gasket and not the head. my wallet can handle a head gasket. ill need to call the bank for a new head!

 

I'd suspect the thermostat housing first as they are pretty notorious for leaking. Blackstone Labs will ship you sample containers so you can send them back for oil analysis. If you're not seeing milky oil on the dipstick, having a sample analyzed might be of limited benefit. Look around the thermostat housing first though.

 

I don't think a leak in the termostat-housing will cause coolant in the oil.

 

You're correct there. The OP doesn't know where the coolant is going and suspects it is going into the oil but has no indicators posted. Coolant in oil is pretty easy to tell visually if enough. A loss of coolant in the expansion tank does not indicate coolant in oil, nor does small amounts of moisture in oil with 12 mile trips.