What about the oil being at about 1/2...?!?this indicates an oil leak. If there is no smoke, then it is a gasket. Where did the other half go? Check the driveway? Although, it's been my experience that with a bad head gasket that the leaking goes both ways, oil in the coolant and coolant in the oil.

Either way, CHANGE THE OIL! start out with a fresh batch and monitor it. At least if it is a bad head gasket, it would be covered under warranty.

 

The only time I've seen oil that looks like that was from a DMAX with a failed head gasket. Dumped coolant into the engine oil and ate the bearings very shortly thereafter. Coolant tested positive for combustion gasses and oil tested posivitive for moisture and all the properties associated with coolant. If you're going to do any driving with it, I'd drain it and collect a sample to be sent off to a lab ($20.00), then refill and monitor. I've never seen that even from vehicles that were used for short trips on once a month basis.

 

I have no idea how long the oil has been like this, since I was getting the oil professionally changed every 3-5k miles. I'm gonna to call MINI Roadside in the morning and have it taken in . It's an 08/02 build w/ 19K miles. Should be under warranty? Not sure.

Thanks again for all the suggestion, and I'll post what occurs.

 

5yr or 50k miles

 

Just went to look at the book on my 04 MCS...It is for 48 mos or 50k miles...was it different in 02? A head gasket with that few miles would be rotten!:impatient

 

Just saw this. There are a few potential causes and if you search milky oil you'll probably find a few other threads on this, it can be a very bad sign IF the car isn't gettting driven for over 20min. regularly, but since TwoMINIs has already stated it's only getting 15 min trips and its sitting more, I'm not suprised and agree with Rick. Also think Ken has a good point, wouldn't hurt to drian it, run some oil through (make sure to get anything left behind), plug it back up, fill it up (wouldn't hurt to swap the filter ethier) and do go for a long trip, stop check it, and then just make sure you take it out for 30min to an hour regularly (wouldn't have it go more than a week) if you see anything come back and its getting driven and warm for long amounts of time, shut down and have a mechanic take a look at it. Also watch coolant levels and quality.

THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE and I believe it even had a TSB at one point.

 

Just saw page two, you won't be under warranty time wise but you may be able to get the dealer to give you a little grace.

 

I concur with kenchan drain and fill again. Good luck

 

this is getting blown way out of proportion.

my car does this every winter, and after a few hours of driving it goes away.

 

that dont matter. It still looks like to me

 

quit it chows.

 

Those could have been pictures of my car about this time last year. As posted numerous times, it is condensation that is not getting boiled off because you aren't getting the oil pan temp over 100C (aka the boiling point of water). While condensation is just a fact of life in engines, running your engine with that much in the oil isn't good for it.

Drain the oil, change the filter, wipe off all you can from the dipstick, oil fill cap and the oil fill opening in the valve cover.

Here's the step that hasn't been mentioned yet: put some cardboard in front of the radiator. I'd suggest covering up at least half of the radiator. If you cut a piece the full width of the radiator and roughly half to 2/3rds as high you can just drop it in the opening in front of the radiator.

This will help get your coolant temp fully up a little faster and help get the oil pan temp up high enough to boil that water off. Been there, done that, watched the oil temp in my own MCS. The first time I drove the car after changing the oil, there was a distinct whoosh of escaping steam when I cracked open the oil fill cap at the end of the drive. I didn't have any more milky oil after that, and left the cardboard in front of the radiator until daytime temps were back up into the 60s.

Your cooling system will work just fine, even in stop-and-go traffic or idleing in drive-thru's, with airflow through just half of the radiator during the winter months.

This is just one of the reasons I put an oil temperature gauge in my car. FYI, if you haven't spent some time driving a car with an oil temp gauge, I'll warn you that it takes much, much longer to get the oil up to operating temperatures than it does the coolant. Plus, in the MINI the coolant temperature gauge is misleading anyway, to avoid freaking out the mechanically uneducated. Even in the summer, it takes my car about 6 miles of normal city driving to get the oil up to 100C. In the winter, it takes a lot longer or never even gets there. Close doesn't count with boiling points.

Here's a free "excuse" from an automotive engineer; when it's cold out, once you've had the coolant temperature up for a couple of miles, start leaning on the gas pedal a little harder. The added load of some aggressive accelerating will help put some more heat in the sytem and help get the oil temp up to 100C. Just make sure that you do this after you've changed that oil and after several miles of driving (like half a dozen or more) to get the oil mostly warmed up and thinned out. Go enjoy your car a little more.

Scott
90SM

 

hummm...sounds like an excuse for someone just to get the 4 light bar.

 

Not a bad idea! Just make sure you take it off before that summer trip through Death Valley.

Scott
90SM

 

oh oh! get one of these! LOL

 

When I was in northern part of china, - 28C, most of the vehicles and trucks have the front radiator blocked/covered by cardboards to maintain operating temperature for their engines

 

I agree with the cardboard. Insight owners have been doing it for years to keep the gas mileage up in the colder months.

 

Another common cause of this problem is a malfunctioning PCV system. If there is no coolant loss (overflow bottle full and radiator full), this is usually the next cause. The normal moisture content in blow-by gasses needs to be cleared from the crankcase or the mustard foam occurs. Also, this will become an issue if one has installed an oil catch can and blocked off the PCV line (the gray plastic hose). Reconnect and re-route the PCV vacuum line through the oil catch can to prevent this.

The reformulated gasolines with ethanol seem to have more water content.

Take the car for a nice long run to heat everything up, change the oil and filter and continue to keep tabs on the crankcase. This oily muck can eventually become a non-moving sludge that can cause damage.

 

So, I took it to the dealer and had them take a look. They said it was water vapor that had condensed and mixed with the oil. Apparently, my driving habits set me up for this scenario. I have a very very short commute to and from work, less than 5 min usually and I live in a region with cold temperatures. In the winter I tend to drive even less, as my summer tires are slicks and I dont have a set of snows. I had MINI change the oil and filter and I was encouraged to "motor more". They said that they pressure tested "things" and I don't have a mixture of coolant and oil.

Additionally, they told me they have seen this before and often with MINIs and other other vehicles that are driven short distances in the cold weather and getting the oil up to temp will prevent it from reoccuring.

Thank you all for the suggestions everyone, and comments about my "mustard emesis"...LOL ..... I will likely get some cardboard and partially cover the radiator to get the oil temps up and schedule some more motoring, weather permitting.

GREATBEAR. I have an alta OCC and it was installed by Randy Webb. Can you tell me how I should route the tubing such to avoid what you refer to or refer me to a link w/ pictures? Keep in mind that I am somewhat mechanically challenged.

Tuls. I like pic of the FMIC

Thanks again everyone.

 

Glad it turned out well, wish I could get the "Motor More" prescription too.

Motor on

 

Good to hear

 

I also have the Alta OCC hooked up as per the original instructions (capping off grey vacuum line). Instead of messing around with the Alta I just removed the PVC line from the Alta and added an Ebay OCC to the grey line and intalled it up by the brake lines. Both are working just fine now.

Glad to see it wasn't as serious as some felt it would be.

 

Yeah, from what I've read, you need a metal OCC for the PCV system. The silicone can't handle the pressures.

 

....or rather the vacuum.......lol

 

so just drive in 1 gear all the way to work?