2 replies to this topic

[joecefnhedog]

So i came to my mini today and it wouldn't start. Checked a few things, noticed the oil was low (below min) this was just a couple of days after i topped it up having just bought it. After topping up it started instantly.

 

Thinking back to the other week i came back to the mini and noticed some oil on the floor, i hoped it wasn't mine  

 

So where is it likely to be leaking oil from? I have no idea where to check. Any help would be appreciated, pictures would be awesome :)

Thanks, Joe

[gizmo1994]

It is unlikely that the low oil was the reason it didn't start but Minis love to leak oil given the chance.

It could be coming from a few areas or it could be being burned while you drive it.

Get a friend to do a blue smoke check while you rev it while it is warm, that may give a rough indicator if it is burning a bit. There are other, more scientific methods too.

A common leak is the inner driveshaft joints as they enter the diff assembly. If you can get underneath then you should see the drips hanging off the rear of the gearbox where the driveshafts exit. Otherwise, it may the the oil drain cap itself, maybe just a knackered copper washer on there, the drain plug will have drips coming off it. Or anywhere else. Any chance you can get under it and be more specific on drip locations?

Another point, early SPis had a really poor oil pipe on the front of the block, running from the block to the top of the oil filter housing. Is there any oil from the junctions at either end of this pipe? It is an easy fix if so. If this is knackered then it may quite happily spray oil everywhere while you drive it. Lovely.

[cooperhawk]

Clean as much as possible underneath so you can see more clearly after it has stood for a while. Other place to look is gear selector entering the gear box and the timing case and its seal.