I waded through the posts. I read all I could on the brown coolant issue. But what I didn't see was anything that quite matched what I have. Yes, there's brown coolant, but I also have a good quarter inch of solid at the bottom of my tank. I pulled up some, (kind of like a rake through mud) and put it in a container. I think maybe I'll bring it to the dealer to see what they say it is. Has anyone seen anything like this in their coolant tanks?:
This looks like sludge, which is usually found in your engine oil (where it shouldn't be either, incidentally).
Sludge resembles mayonaise in structure; its a mixture of water and oil (just like mayonaise is, essentially).
So, it would seem oil has somehow found its way into your cooling system. Since it usually is the other way around, I'm not really sure, but you might have a leaking head gasket, allowing oil into your cooling system. I would have it checked pronto, as a leaking head gasket can cause all sorts of grief..
Hmmmm.......wonder if that would have anything to do with my check engine woes. Thing is, they just ran a full diagnostic on my car last week. Wouldn't something like a leaking head gasket show up? The coolant temp is always normal too.
Poor Annette... I'd be going crazy if that was my car. If there's any way you can get the car to a different dealership to have someone else fix it, I'd do that. Otherwise, find some "muscle" down there to go with you when you take the car to the service guys. Show them the coolant problem. Have a service guy drive the car, with you in it, and make the service person cause the other problem (the CVT manual mode causing the engine to freak out).
I know very little about car workings too, but it does appear as though something is pretty wrong with Vinny.
Thanks Jason. For a second I thought you were going to make a "brown" joke . Looks like I may have to bite the bullet and head to the famed Prestige. Really, if I go to any other dealership it's going to involve taking a day off, so I may as well go to the leader, right?
That much sediment is not a good thing.
If it were a head gasket you would then also have water in your oil. It would look much the same as what you have. It should show on the dipstick. The oil will smell bad as well.
At lunch I'll run out and check the oil. In the meantime, I called my dealer and asked about it. The service manager claims it's not an issue and that there's nothing wrong, the system just needs a flush. I had that done last fall, it's ludicrous to think I need it done again this soon. But as they have voided my warrantee due to my mods (don't get me started on that) I'm just not going to bring it there. If it does need to be flushed, I'm sure I can get it done at a place more convenient, friendly, and cost-efficient than this dealership.
I'll be calling MINIUSA about the warrantee. All I have are an exhaust and an intake. I know those can't be causing my problems, but the dealer is stonewalling me. It's hard to prove them wrong, but they've done nothing to prove they're right.
You should listen to Eelke here. Water and Oil don't mix in Internal Combustion Engines. Having a tray full of "mayonaise" should generate some help to you.
1-866-ASK-MINI will not produce magic. Good people there, but working for MINI, with a mission. You will get a very clear and predicted answer on non-MINI parts or modifications. Understandable. They will tell you that you are free to go to any authorized dealer for service, and you may have to try that.
'06 MINI Cooper S(10/14/06; Royal Grey/Black)
'02 MINI Cooper CVT(6/12/02; Indi Blue/Black, R-81 7-hole 15x5.5" or NZO 16x6.5")
'67 Austin Cooper S (6/26/67; Tartan Red/Black, 10x4.5")
I am heading to a new dealer on Wednesday to have all of my problems checked out. They agreed to look at it under warranty, even though I'll have passed 50K. As far as the issue with the mods, MINIUSA agreed with me that my dealer had no authority to void my ENTIRE warranty because of the mods. They can only void those parts that are directly affected by the mods. The woman even agreed that my dealer was being unreasonable and just giving me a hard time. At the very least that made me feel better.
Yes, Good Luck, and please let us know what happens and the details on what it found to be wrong.
'06 MINI Cooper S(10/14/06; Royal Grey/Black)
'02 MINI Cooper CVT(6/12/02; Indi Blue/Black, R-81 7-hole 15x5.5" or NZO 16x6.5")
'67 Austin Cooper S (6/26/67; Tartan Red/Black, 10x4.5")
I know. I'm just going to a new dealer because I just don't trust my old one to do the work at this point. Either they don't know how, or they're going to keep hassling me. It's not worth the aggravation. I want to go somewhere where I know it'll be done right.
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. Looks like I may have to bite the bullet and head to the famed Prestige. Really, if I go to any other dealership it's going to involve taking a day off, so I may as well go to the leader, right? 
