I seem to have sprung an oil leak within the last few days. I haven't put the car up on stands yet to really see if i can figure out where its coming from, but thought I would throw a picture up and see if anyone can easily identify the source.

 

I believe that oil is coming from the engine...

The drip is on the lower motor mount, on the back of the engine, so it's probably not the CPS. Could be seepage from the oil canister, but that's not likely. Could be valve cover or oil pan. Leaks tend to migrate quite a bit, so really, it could be anywhere.

 

I have an 05, and have a similar problem.
It's probably your seals (if it is the same problem as mine)
-Oil Pan Gasket $455
-Crank seal $159
-Valve cover gasket $160

That's what mini quoted me when I took it in in September. They said the car was still driveable, so I drove it. Been driving it since with no real issues. I don't have oil stains on my driveway so I'll wait till it gets to that point or starts affecting performance, or at each oil change I'll do one. I did the valve cover at the last oil change cus it was seeping into the plugs, and it was making a mess of my valve cover.

Nice to see another GTA Mini on here. All the Mini's you see driving around here are never modded, and it's always an Asian woman in a second gen with her seat right up against the steering wheel.

 

Is there anyway you can get underneath the car and snap some more pics?

-Jorge

 

I wouldn't rule out the crank position sensor yet... The o-ring on my CPS was leaking enough down the front of my block that it coated the oil pan. During driving air flow blows the oil towards the back of the engine.

You can't defy gravity and you can't defy physics so trace the oil as far forward and as far up on the engine as you can go and you've likely found your source.

The Crankshaft position sensor sits on the front of the engine facing the radiator, just above where the oil pan meets the block, in the center of the block. Based on your avatar I would suspect you have an R50 (duh) so this should be very easy for you to see and replace if necessary. If it is totally dry there, then check the oil pan gasket where it meets the block or the crank seal which would be behind the harmonic damper.

Obviously check your oil filter canister and your valve cover as well. Sloppy oil changes will always cause oil to drain out from the oil canister during removal which will drain the oil down the block and to the bottom/back of the motor.

Perhaps best option is to get some brake-cleen and totally clean off the engine in all oil areas. At your next service or after a couple hundred miles get the jack out and flashlight and track down if and where the oil has returned..

 

I'm going to make an assumption (based on the fact that you just joined the forum) that you just bought this car used, so did I.

I was told that the car had oil in it that was probably cheaper and definitely not Castrol. "BMW runs on Castrol fully synthetic" which can speed up leaks. It doesn't really make sense... oil is oil. But hey, start with an oil change if you haven't yet and you don't know what's in there from the previous owner(s).

 

Short term: Is there a puddle in your driveway? If so, get it checked out ASAP and keep an eye on your oil level. If not, most likely an oil pan gasket seep (not leak) and it only drips when your driving, so you never see it. This is less immediate, and as long as you check your oil level every fill up or 2.. you're in good shape.

My oil pan gasket has been seeping for 2 years, and I just carry a bottle of Mobile One with me. Seems to be down about 1/2 quart every oil change, so I try and add a little splash here and there. This would be less annoying if the dipstick wasn't so hard to read. Mechanic said to just monitor it, and when I see spots on the driveway, that might be a good time to schedule an appointment. I was quoted $900 btw.. (The Euro Shop north of Chicago - specializes in MINI).

 

Holy information. Was going to put it up on stands and have a look when I had some time off work. Either way I'm probably going to take it into a family shop and have it fixed. there is a decent amount of oil on the drive way, not enough to drop the oil level too much, I've been checking it regularly, but noticeable stains. Yes its an R50 and yes used, about 2 months old. I noticed it after a trip out to Oshawa and back to Etobicoke, about 120km. I know things won't be perfect and i'll need to fix somethings. Im just worried something broke and it would be dangerous to drive, and cause more damage.

Thank you so much for everyones quick, and expert advice.

 

turns out it was just the seal on the oil filter. easy fix. thanks for all your help!

 

I had my car at the stealership to have the airbag light checked. They told me my crank seal was leaking so I took it to Woodinville Sports Cars, a great shop in my area. They said that the crank seal was fine and that maybe there was a little seepage from the pan and the mostly the worn out drain plug. They also told me this was not the first time they had heard of the dealership recommending unnecessary work.

 

I never take anything to the dealer unless its under warranty. Just went straight to RMP and got it sorted for a good price.

 

Just thread jacking here...

I Have a leak issue as well and am working through and narrowing down the source.
I replaced the crank position sensor o-ring and noticed the ring is circular whereas the ring I removed from the car has almost squared edges. I also remember seeing a post here somewhere that mentioned the o-ring is not circular also.
Is this going to be a problem?
I still need to double check part numbers.

 

My o-ring was definitely round, as is the hole and the sensor.