12 replies to this topic

[ryomini]

OOOfff

 

hello,

 

again,

 

I really don't post too much here, mainly I'm busy I guess and things have been going pretty well.

I'm driving a 2000 1.3i Mayfair bog standard with a cooler, comes in handy in the summer

 

just about to bolt on a new old twin box silencer as the standard one has finally blown 4 large holes

 

looking forward to trying to unbolt (cough cough) - I have allready been lubing it up for a week now - I hope I don't have to cut the bolts off

 

I'm using 10w30 which is a light oil but dirt cheap.  I use 5 litres a year and don't do oil changes.  I only do 3000kms a year - wish I did more....

 

it drinks a good coffee mug of oil for a bout 100kms.  It doesnt smoke after sitting 3 days and revving hard on start up

it doesnt smoke going up hill on hard acceleration

it doesnt smoke on closed throttle

 

I talked to my mini specialist mechanic (who does everything I can't get done myself) and we went through all the reasons it would burn so much oil

 

my final conclusion is neatly worn rings and light oil - just keep putting oil in is cheap but I would prefer not to have to do it this way

 

I thought the best bet would be to pick up an engine and just do my own rebuild for a swap out

getting the rings done doesn't seem worth it (advise me please if you disagree)

 

I am about to embark on the dvd's and the 'yellow bible'

what would you guys suggest

everything is fantastic as long as you don't *forget* to put oil in

cheers

Attached Files

•  DSCF0001.JPG   101.32K   10 downloads

[Stiggytoo]

Use the correct oil next time.

[ryomini]

Stiggy

 

I hear you

 

and don't think  didn't used to

 

I used to but it still burned a lot of oil - expensive stuff now

 

before embarking on any changes I am going to try a single weight heavy oil

if I can find one handy

but when they are double if not tripple the price I may as well just

keep running it like an old 2 stroke (and I've had loads of those too)

 

it passes the draconian mot that we have here every 2 years so other than the hassle

of topping up 

 

so is it common for thinner oil to burn up so fast on these classic minis

I have never in my 50 years on this planet run a vehicule outside of a kwaker 2 stroke

that used so much oil and still ran so cleanly and smoothly

 

like I said even my garagist who I see about once every 2 years is baffled

he even started up a valve smoker he had in the shop to show me

what it was like on start up

 

and last time I saw him he said the same thing as you, but where I am a 4l can of 20w50

is like 35quid and a 5l can of 10w30 is like 7quid

[Carlos W]

20W50 will be thicker when warm, so shouldn't burn as much.

 

Are there any oil leaks?

 

2 strokes are designed to burn oil after it's lubricated the engine so it's a bit different.

[cal844]

Use 20/50, the 10/40 is too thin for use on mini engines

[spiguy]

As said above, use 20/50 oil and before you decide that you have a problem, get an accurate measure of how much it is using. Unless you are using a coffee mug to fill it each time, then it's not the best measure of use, and is probably more your impression of how much you slosh in each time you top up rather than a measure of how much it uses. Fill it to the Max line (I personally do this on a warm engine to allow for oil expansion - yes it does expand) note the odometer reading, then keep checking it. Measure properly how much you need to top it up after it drops a reasonable amount on the dipstick, say around half way between min and max. Work out your usage against distance travelled. Remember when you are topping up, that it takes time for the oil to work it's way down. As a guid, if the dipstick has dropped to half way, then that should be around 250mls. So measure out 250mls and add it. Leave it a while then check the dipstick again. It is easy to make a guess of what is required and end up putting too much in, resulting in it being overfilled, which is not ideal and can lead to other issues.

 

Minis seem to vary alot in their oil usage, some cars seem to use almost none, some use quite alot. I have 2 90's Spi coopers, one has always used about 500mls in 300-400 miles, and the current one seems to get through about 500 mls in 700 miles, although it seems to depend a little on how I drive it. Steady cruising miles uses less, and back road blasting uses more.

 

I have read in a few places now that oil consumption would not be considered excessive unless it exceeded around 500mls to 250 miles. Minis eh?

Edited by carlukemini, 27 May 2015 - 03:35 PM.

[Cooperman]

A Mini needs a top quality 20w50 oil, as much for the gearbox as for the engine. it is 60-year-old engine design and modern thin oils just won't be right.

As above, measure the actual consumption accurately.

[ryomini]

Guys

thanks for the input

 

I am not a slacker when it comes to maintainance

but I'm not throwing my dosh down the drain either

when I first had my mini it burned oil - like everyone says (so I'm guessing rather slack tolerances would be the main issue)

it's always topped up but never over

I never let it go below the min on the dip stick

I check it all the time obviously and I am very happy in my mini and do the best I can for it

 

the car uses  a coffee mug / small beer can of oil for every 100kms but I will need to log this exactly to be 101% sure

 

so it was just a lot cheaper to use thinner oil and burn that than high grade oil plus I don't need to do oiil changes

which saves me more dosh - I have been running my mini like this for 4 years and it runs great but is thirsty on the oil

20w50 is sooooo expensive and if it's just being burned off

I guess I'll stick with what I have got

if I can find some decently priced 20w50 then I'll switch over

 

and I suppose I may still keep an eye out for a replacement engine - what sort of miles can reasonably be had

in one of these before serious maintainance is needed - I had a fiesta that did 150 000 and still had the original plugs, a friend of mine has  a Renault Nevada

and he has now clocked 650 000 still on the original motor (diesel mind you)

by the way there are no leaks anywhere

and the plugs are clean not fouled

 

here's my new old pipe an HKS Jasma stainless (I don't skimp where it's not worth it....)

 

Attached Files

•  stainless pipe.jpg   273.21K   7 downloads

[ryomini]

by the way yes I aways use the same container when filling so it's always exactly the same amount

 

I may have the problem - I've just let it sit since writing the first post and this time on first start up got a neat puff of thickish black smoke (the car at my garagists with known leaking valves hat lots, like clouds of white smoke) under hard acceleration

 

so I will let it sit 3 days and repeat (with hard acceleration)

anyone got any info on what the colour of the smoke tells us - ie blue, black, grey, white,

mine was definitely black but not that much and once the bigish puff had gone the car idled normally with no smoking or smell

 

anyhoo got the pipe off, had to pop it up on my wooden ramp to get enough leverage with an extension bar on my socket spanner

- now just to bolt the new old one on....  CIMG2453.JPG   298.95K   4 downloads  CIMG2454.JPG   244.91K   5 downloads  CIMG2455.JPG   273.84K   7 downloads

Edited by ryomini, 28 May 2015 - 03:43 AM.

[peter-b]

If it's using a cup full every 100klms thats about 2.5 ltr/ 1000klm, it would have to be either leaking it, burning it or someones sneaking in over night and stealing it. It would, if not leaking, be burning it at a rate that would have to be visable. What are the plugs like, thats an indication. And I also agree with the others, puting the wrong oil in it won't help and possibly could be harming the engines flat mate, the gearbox. I don't know about over there but here you can buy cheap oil in all grades. Starting at $15/5ltr Gulf Western - $50/5ltr Castrol the best stuff, all the right grade 

[ryomini]

Actually the oil consumption is easy to calculate

I do 3 000 kms a year and it burns 5l in that time

 

I shall follow your recomendations but still feel that the car is burning too much oil

of whatever grade and need to narrow down the problem

I wonder how many have done the head on magnet trick valve seal change -

that is a very cheap fix if that is the problem

[Carlos W]

Actually the oil consumption is easy to calculate

I do 3 000 kms a year and it burns 5l in that time

 

I shall follow your recomendations but still feel that the car is burning too much oil

of whatever grade and need to narrow down the problem

I wonder how many have done the head on magnet trick valve seal change -

that is a very cheap fix if that is the problem

 

I've heard of people stuffing rope down the bore, lifting the piston and using this to hold the valve in place. Never tried it myself though.

[ryomini]

Yes Carlos

there are lots of vids on youtube

rope in the cylinder and

strong magnets to catch the valve retainers as they 'pop' out

fancy giving it a go, but don't fancy diving for a retainer if it decides to

jump down an oil well ;)

 

Again people THANKS very much for your suggestions - I will take action

I am going to see a couple more garagists in my area to get a professional ear and eye

on it

this topic was about burning oil but I happened to be swapping my exhaust out at the time

got the new old pipe bolted on and am very happy so far

 

here's  http://www.automobil...ooper_1_3i.html

 

a link to general specs that I found interesting from automobile-catolog dot com

 

here are a couple of snaps of the 1275 mpi if that helps any

I'm now on what I believe to be coming up to 80 000 genuine kms

 CIMG2456.JPG   267.39K   1 downloads  CIMG2457.JPG   263.54K   1 downloads  CIMG2458.JPG   246.86K   1 downloads

Edited by ryomini, 30 May 2015 - 03:38 AM.