Hey everybody, new member here, just purchased a 2004 Cooper S about a month ago. I decided to tackle an oil change today.
I've never seen any oil drops on the floor of my garage but as I was underneath the car today there looked to be a leak somewhere as oil had slightly accumulated. I also saw what looked like a screw in my oil pan but no leaking from that area. I've never seen something like that in an oil pan, so any clues as to what might have happened? Could it have been a puncture that was plugged with this screw? Thanks for the help.

 

Looks like the screw looking piece is supposed to be there, just weird to me. Sorry for the newb question.

 

I have a 06/R53. I was just under my car the other day, didn't notice a screw there. Based on your picture, there seems to be cracks that originate from the very center of where that screw is.... I don't think that's normal

 

There is only one drain plug on the pan, that is not factory. There is a casting mark there, but should not be any drain plugs.

 

Seen that before it is part of the pan casting. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Interesting. I didn't think it was normal for it to be there but I did an ebay search for oil pans and found some with that exact piece on there, cracks included.

 

Actually I think those "cracks" are casting marks. My '03 has them, too. No worries.

 

Thanks guys, now to just getting this gorilla-tight drain plug bolt off.

 

And when you get it off, replace it with a Fumoto valve, p/n F-106, and never have to remove it again.

 

You are correct they are just casting marks, we see them on all the R50 R53 oil pans