MINI2

tiger333888 · Mar 19th, 2007, 12:30 PM

Checked my oil level for the first time over the weekend (car has covered 1300 miles) using the dip stick.

I've not come across a dip stick of this design before. For those who have not yet inspected theirs, it looks like a tightly compressed coil from top to bottom, with too belts marking the min and max limits. With relatively clean, new oil, i found it hard to read the oil level against the coil pattern though. Anyone agree?

Just of note, the oil reading level of the dip stick looks different in the owner's manual. Anyone else noticed this?

ru81 · Mar 19th, 2007, 12:43 PM

Yeah the dipstick is weird - rather like a tightly coiled spring. I can't see the oil level at all on mine. Need the oil to get a bit dirtier first.

Alibev · Mar 19th, 2007, 12:54 PM

I would agree completely. Spent ages trying to work out where my oil level was including by touch!!! The fact is I still can't tell you if the engine contains any oil, though I suspect it does of course!

tiger333888 · Mar 19th, 2007, 01:36 PM

that's a good idea - by touch...get some clean, lint free kitchen paper and run it along the coil. When it hits the oil, the paper will give us an indication of the level as it starts to soak it up...

wish the dip stick was plain type though, so the oil level is easier to view. Has anyone felt the weight of the coil dip stick? It's one weighty component - a plain wire dip stick would be so much lighter and shave another 0.1 sec off the 0-60mph time!!

thrud · Mar 19th, 2007, 02:26 PM

Reading the oil level is a nightmare. Even with my relatively black oil (> 4000 miles) I can hardly see it when warm (which is when the manual says you should check it). I now check it when cold and can then get a reasonable idea of the level.

Paul

tiger333888 · Mar 19th, 2007, 02:39 PM

Paul, at least we get the back up of an electronic reading of oil and a warning via the warning light, should it fall below the recommended level. Of interest, now your car has covered over 4k, do you plan to change the oil at around 20k (as likely indicated by the OBC) or sooner than that (esp. if the oil is the colour as described - black)?

I'm definitely going to approach my dealer about an oil change near the 5k mark (probably about 1 yr into the car's life as I'm a low mileage driver).

Ken Cooper · Mar 24th, 2007, 09:28 PM

Have had similar experience. Found that laying the end of the dipstick on a blue paper towell leaves an imprint of where the oil came up to (wipe the dip stick before doing this (gets rid of residual).

tiger333888 · Mar 24th, 2007, 09:31 PM

great minds.....

tiger333888 · Mar 24th, 2007, 10:49 PM

hi fashola, who is this directed at? i suspect you are looking for someone who is advertising a car in the classified section. please repost in correct section if you want a response.

geoffers56 · Jul 19th, 2007, 08:01 PM

Couldn't agree more about the dipstick. It is a complete waste of time!!!!

KenL · Jul 19th, 2007, 08:06 PM

I agree, but I don't think it is the dipstick design. It is due to the really light coloured oil these days.

I find it best to hold it up horizontally and look at the profile for the oil.

DerekH · Jul 19th, 2007, 08:15 PM

Pulled the dipstick yesterday and complete waste of time could hardly get it out and same problem getting it back again and could hardly tell what was what.

robturkey · Jul 24th, 2007, 11:58 AM

was just going to post a message on this and saw the thread. Agree dipstick design is a nightmare but guess its for the electic reading. Best solution is the kitchen paper method and just hold the stick against it and you will see the level.

Onurleft · Jul 30th, 2007, 08:56 PM

Could not agree more. Had to use my daughter's black light to check the oil level.
Old Geologist's trick to see oil in drilling core samples. Castol 5W-30 shows up as dull yellow.

A flat surface is so much better to use, as you can reflect the light of of it and see the difference between the oil wet and dry metal.

* Canadian regionalism (a silly person or idiot)

Mar 19th, 2007, 12:30 PM	#1
tiger333888 MINI2 Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Middlesex Local Time: 11:54 AM Posts: 280 Offline	Dip stick design Checked my oil level for the first time over the weekend (car has covered 1300 miles) using the dip stick. I've not come across a dip stick of this design before. For those who have not yet inspected theirs, it looks like a tightly compressed coil from top to bottom, with too belts marking the min and max limits. With relatively clean, new oil, i found it hard to read the oil level against the coil pattern though. Anyone agree? Just of note, the oil reading level of the dip stick looks different in the owner's manual. Anyone else noticed this?

Jul 19th, 2007, 08:06 PM	#11 (permalink)
KenL MINI2 Master Join Date: May 2002 Location: Edinburgh Local Time: 11:54 AM Posts: 5,216 Offline	I agree, but I don't think it is the dipstick design. It is due to the really light coloured oil these days. I find it best to hold it up horizontally and look at the profile for the oil. Red/Black R56 Cooper

Jul 30th, 2007, 08:56 PM	#14 (permalink)
Onurleft MINI2 Newbie Join Date: May 2007 Location: Calgary Local Time: 03:54 AM Posts: 14 Offline	dip stick designed by a Dip Stick* Could not agree more. Had to use my daughter's black light to check the oil level. Old Geologist's trick to see oil in drilling core samples. Castol 5W-30 shows up as dull yellow. A flat surface is so much better to use, as you can reflect the light of of it and see the difference between the oil wet and dry metal. * Canadian regionalism (a silly person or idiot)

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Mar 19th, 2007, 12:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
ru81 MINI2 Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Oxfordshire Local Time: 10:54 AM Posts: 271 Offline	Yeah the dipstick is weird - rather like a tightly coiled spring. I can't see the oil level at all on mine. Need the oil to get a bit dirtier first.

Mar 19th, 2007, 12:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
Alibev MINI2 Regular Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: London Local Time: 11:54 AM Posts: 49 Offline	I would agree completely. Spent ages trying to work out where my oil level was including by touch!!! The fact is I still can't tell you if the engine contains any oil, though I suspect it does of course!

Mar 19th, 2007, 01:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
tiger333888 MINI2 Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Middlesex Local Time: 11:54 AM Posts: 280 Offline	that's a good idea - by touch...get some clean, lint free kitchen paper and run it along the coil. When it hits the oil, the paper will give us an indication of the level as it starts to soak it up... wish the dip stick was plain type though, so the oil level is easier to view. Has anyone felt the weight of the coil dip stick? It's one weighty component - a plain wire dip stick would be so much lighter and shave another 0.1 sec off the 0-60mph time!!

Mar 19th, 2007, 02:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
thrud MINI2 Regular Join Date: Sep 2002 Local Time: 11:54 AM Posts: 125 Offline	Reading the oil level is a nightmare. Even with my relatively black oil (> 4000 miles) I can hardly see it when warm (which is when the manual says you should check it). I now check it when cold and can then get a reasonable idea of the level. Paul

Mar 19th, 2007, 02:39 PM	#6 (permalink)
tiger333888 MINI2 Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Middlesex Local Time: 11:54 AM Posts: 280 Offline	Paul, at least we get the back up of an electronic reading of oil and a warning via the warning light, should it fall below the recommended level. Of interest, now your car has covered over 4k, do you plan to change the oil at around 20k (as likely indicated by the OBC) or sooner than that (esp. if the oil is the colour as described - black)? I'm definitely going to approach my dealer about an oil change near the 5k mark (probably about 1 yr into the car's life as I'm a low mileage driver).

Mar 24th, 2007, 09:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ken Cooper MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Local Time: 04:54 AM Posts: 42 Offline	Have had similar experience. Found that laying the end of the dipstick on a blue paper towell leaves an imprint of where the oil came up to (wipe the dip stick before doing this (gets rid of residual).

Mar 24th, 2007, 09:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
tiger333888 MINI2 Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Middlesex Local Time: 11:54 AM Posts: 280 Offline	great minds.....

Mar 24th, 2007, 10:49 PM	#9 (permalink)
tiger333888 MINI2 Regular Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Middlesex Local Time: 11:54 AM Posts: 280 Offline	hi fashola, who is this directed at? i suspect you are looking for someone who is advertising a car in the classified section. please repost in correct section if you want a response.

Jul 19th, 2007, 08:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
geoffers56 MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Local Time: 10:54 AM Posts: 6 Offline	Couldn't agree more about the dipstick. It is a complete waste of time!!!!

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Jul 19th, 2007, 08:15 PM	#12 (permalink)
DerekH MINI2 Master Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Fraserburgh Local Time: 11:54 AM Posts: 827 Offline	Pulled the dipstick yesterday and complete waste of time could hardly get it out and same problem getting it back again and could hardly tell what was what.

Jul 24th, 2007, 11:58 AM	#13 (permalink)
robturkey MINI2 Newbie Join Date: Jun 2007 Local Time: 12:54 PM Posts: 33 Offline	was just going to post a message on this and saw the thread. Agree dipstick design is a nightmare but guess its for the electic reading. Best solution is the kitchen paper method and just hold the stick against it and you will see the level.