[red03miniS]

Hello there

I have a 2003 MCS, nov 2002 build, that I took delivery on January 29, 2003.

The car is my weekend driver and currently has 2416 miles on it.

The oil in the car has never been changed. Today I started the car, let it warm up for about 10 minutes, washed it, shut it down. I checked the oil level and it has me quite concerned.

The oil level seems to be touching the bottom part of the stick only, thats the only part that seems to be wet. I will try to draw a pic to illustrate my point.



O <-----the little handle for the oil stick (yellow)
I
I
I
I
I
I
xx <----the thick part (on the bottom of the stick) where the oil level should be (I ASSUME)
I
I <---this is the little mesh yellow area
I
I <-----this is where its wet with oil, after car reached operation temperature
xx <-----end of stick



My question is

1) is the car low in oil?

2)should I change the oil, or just add some castrol synthetic?

3)if i should just add, how much do you think I would need?

Your help is sincerely appreciated!



-Ryan

[obehave]

Quote: Originally Posted by red03miniS

Hello there

I have a 2003 MCS, nov 2002 build, that I took delivery on January 29, 2003.

The car is my weekend driver and currently has 2416 miles on it.

The oil in the car has never been changed. Today I started the car, let it warm up for about 10 minutes, washed it, shut it down. I checked the oil level and it has me quite concerned.

The oil level seems to be touching the bottom part of the stick only, thats the only part that seems to be wet. I will try to draw a pic to illustrate my point.



O <-----the little handle for the oil stick (yellow)
I
I
I
I
I
I
xx <----the thick part (on the bottom of the stick) where the oil level should be (I ASSUME)
I
I <---this is the little mesh yellow area
I
I <-----this is where its wet with oil, after car reached operation temperature
xx <-----end of stick



My question is

1) is the car low in oil?

2)should I change the oil, or just add some castrol synthetic?

3)if i should just add, how much do you think I would need?

Your help is sincerely appreciated!



-Ryan

First, you should have checked it before you started the car or waited at least 10 minutes before checking.

Second, were you on a level spot

Last, if it's at the bottom of the cross hatched area it should be about 3/4 of a quart low.

Mine lost about that much. After 5K miles it really hasn't lost much.
When was the last time you checked it and how quickly did it go away?

[red03miniS]

ok so i can check the oil in the morning again, when it is cold.

secondly, yes level spot, in my garage

so it is low. so i will go buy some oil tomorrow and fill it up.

is that bad, i mean do you think there is something wrong wtih my engine.

i checked it at 1000 miles, and it was fine then. i havent checked since, because i am too used to my other honda and lexus cars wehre the oil level never changes.

[HarryHBMCC]

During break-in, the car will use a little. Don't worry. Mine took 3/4 of a litre during break-in and then was fine until first oil change. Now before second oil change it is again down another 3/4. The change frequencies are so long that this is no biggie. Unless it drops to the MIN level, you don't need to add yet. Too much is worse than too little.

Harry

[red03miniS]

so you think i shouldnt add? if i go by schedule it seems like 7500 miles more. its at the bottom.

but i will check again the morning, and see where it is.

exactly at what level should it be? top of the cross hatched part?

[obehave]

Quote: Originally Posted by red03miniS

so you think i shouldnt add? if i go by schedule it seems like 7500 miles more. its at the bottom.

but i will check again the morning, and see where it is.

exactly at what level should it be? top of the cross hatched part?

I don't think you have a problem. Harry and I had about the same usage. Just top it off and check it once a week. You probably won't use much or any more until your first change.
And yes first thing in the morning i sfine.

[red03miniS]

thank you guys. so i will put in about 3/4 of a quart after i check it tomorrow. thanks for the quick reply.

second question, when did you guys do your first oil change?

[NEMINI]

I used a quart within the first 2-3000 miles and then none after. It is normal to use some during break-in like others stated above, my motoring advisor was even kind enough to tell me to keep an eye out for this when I first picked up my MINI Perfectly normal mate

[red03miniS]

thank you guys again so much!

i love that even on a friday night, i can get answers on this board

so i will just add a quart..and do my first change around the 5K mark, sound ok?

[obehave]

Quote: Originally Posted by red03miniS

thank you guys. so i will put in about 3/4 of a quart after i check it tomorrow. thanks for the quick reply.

second question, when did you guys do your first oil change?

"when did you guys do your first oil change?"
Big can of worms there.
I did my first at 1500.
Harry went to 10K if I remember right.
There's a BUNCH of threads on this

[NEMINI]

I'll disagree on the need to change at 5k but thats best saved for another thread . I'd start by adding approx. 1/2 a quart, waiting a good 30 minutes for it to drain down and check again before adding the whole quart.

[red03miniS]

thanks guys for the help. yeah i read tons of those threads..and dont want to open up another container of worms

just was curious to all of you


gmini--after adding a 1/2 quart, should i start the engine, or just wait 30 min?

[NEMINI]

either way would be fine so long as you give it time to run down into the pan

[red03miniS]

ok i will check in the morning
go buy some castrol oil (i like mobil 1 better, but dont want to mix oils)

put half in...


let sit for about 30 min

check again..and see

should the oil level (when full, be at the top of the harsh marks?)

[NEMINI]

there abouts, yeah, but don't worry it it isn't all the way up as long as it's between the min and max it's fine

[red03miniS]

thanks man.

i read the oil change thread..all 11 pages..and had a few questions, since you were quite active on that thread

1)i drive about 3K a year, and you said mini recommends one change a year (is that free by mini?)

2)should i have to wait 3 years to finaly get my oil change from mini?

[NEMINI]

1. I am not positive on the one year thing but I seem to remember something about it in the owners manual (i reserve the right to be wrong lol)
2. I would say waiting 3 years for an oil change would be crazy, if you can't find anything in the owner's manual I'd definately try a call to 1-866-ASK-MINI and see what they say about it.

[Alan Tois]

I have a May 2002 build Cooper, currently at 34,500 miles. I have only done the oil changes at the recommended iintervals- first was 16,000, second was 29,000.

I checked the oil a couple times between the first and second changes, and was a quart low both times. There were only 4,000 miles between the 2 quarts I added. I made mention of it when I went for the next oil change, and was told "it's normal with extended change intervals".

I have 2 other cars that I use Castrol Syntech in, with 10,000 mile cahnges, and have never lost any oil in either.

I checked the level after the last change, and they overfilled it.

Currently, I am almost a quart low again.

Has anyone heard of oil usage issues beyond break-in?

[Dark Silver S]

Great advice, CurtP. I would add one thing.

I always start my car, and then fasten the seat belt. This gives the oil a chance to come to pressure before I zoom off. Not too long, just a short time.

[red03miniS]

thanks everybody for thier advice. my car sits 6 days between driving.

if the computer takes in time as a key factor..well mine is saying i should change it at 11K, which would be almost 3.5 years!