WINKJ Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) Hi all, First of all, minis are crap! Second of all there is an oil leak coming from our mini. I have taken it into a garage who have told me it's a broken water pump... However I don't see how that explains for the oil drops coming from the engine. However it may explain the lack of coolant in the coolant tank all of the time... (Which was pressure tested for leaks a few months back and was fine) Am I being told a fib here about the water pump as it definitely is oil leaking and not coolant!! WHAT DO YOU THINK??? OIL OR COOLANT Untitled by Winkj, on Flickr Edited July 31, 2014 by WINKJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsexr Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Why not ask them the same question ? Could be a cracked mounting around a bolt which isnt in a blind hole and oil may come out. Pure long shot but just an idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big si 1976 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Thermostat housing!!!!. I learnt a very expensive lesson after buying a 2005 mini cooper s 39.000miles fsh . NEVER BUY A BMW MINI AGAIN! Cost me £1380 in 5 1\2 months of ownership. I had coolent weep from thermostat housing,and also the crank sensor o-ring! Common on r52\3 and current models! I also had oil leak that is hard to diagnose as oil covers the sump area,had new sump gasket first as this is common to go but still oil so had to have the rear main seal done(between engine & gearbox) Never,never,buying BMW mini again. Anyway hope you get it sorted!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 We also had major issues with Mini customer services and their tech departments, but that's another story... I can't see either how oil loss could come from the water pump, the two systems are not remotely linked. There must be another cause for the oil leaks, are we talking big drops? Whereabouts from the engine is it coming from (if you can tell)? What engine is it btw? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Well i guess some things stay constant.....Minis still leak oil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hensh65 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Is it a big leak or a mini one? I will be here all week 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouthwash Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Not that I can help with your issue but my other half has an R53 mini and we're always having problems with it Just got off the phone with the garage this morning and it needs a new crank pulley at £320 odd fitted recently had £500 worth of suspension work done and then before that had around £800/1ks worth of other stuff replacing (steering pump leaking etc..).. It still needs the aircon fixing but apparently the part is about £800 so she will just have to drive with the windows down if she's hot It's not been cheap ownership, that's for sure.. The sodding thing has only done 50k miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINKJ Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Thanks for all the comments everyone- I have been quoted 200 for 2 hours work and a water pump as the mechanic is insistent it is coolant and not oil.... Going in tomorrow so I hope this sorts the problem but to me it looks like an oil issue still!! Problem after problem! It's a 1.4 mini one petrol. It's small ish. Started as drops and now it's a puddle around the size or a side plate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINKJ Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Thermostat housing!!!!. I learnt a very expensive lesson after buying a 2005 mini cooper s 39.000miles fsh . NEVER BUY A BMW MINI AGAIN! Cost me £1380 in 5 1\2 months of ownership. I had coolent weep from thermostat housing,and also the crank sensor o-ring! Common on r52\3 and current models! I also had oil leak that is hard to diagnose as oil covers the sump area,had new sump gasket first as this is common to go but still oil so had to have the rear main seal done(between engine & gearbox) Never,never,buying BMW mini again. Anyway hope you get it sorted!! I have seen this a lot on the net, normally between that and a waterpump!! but again the mechanic was insistent it wasn't oil and it was coolant... can coolant stain a blockwork drive??? if so then it could well be but it feels very greesy to touch!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINKJ Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Not that I can help with your issue but my other half has an R53 mini and we're always having problems with it Just got off the phone with the garage this morning and it needs a new crank pulley at £320 odd fitted recently had £500 worth of suspension work done and then before that had around £800/1ks worth of other stuff replacing (steering pump leaking etc..).. It still needs the aircon fixing but apparently the part is about £800 so she will just have to drive with the windows down if she's hot It's not been cheap ownership, that's for sure.. The sodding thing has only done 50k miles. this also is an R53 and has done 70k miles... It has recently had all new disks, pads and sensors replaced and now I can hear the rear suspension knocking. not only that but there is constantly a coolant problem whereby it pretty much disappears and I was told by a mini garage that this is common as there is a design fault whereby the coolant tank is too close to the radiator apparently so this causes it to disappear?!?!?! whaaaaat a load of rubbish. very unimpressed with them to be honest and cant wait to get rid of it as the evoque turns up in November, thank GOD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINKJ Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 included a pic now on OP... whats your views? OIL or Coolant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioneabee Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 included a pic now on OP... whats your views? OIL or Coolant :lol: seriously :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINKJ Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 included a pic now on OP... whats your views? OIL or Coolant :lol: seriously :lol: Hahha yes!! It looks too dark to be coolant if you ask me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hensh65 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 It's small ish. Started as drops and now it's a puddle around the size or a side plate I feel bad now as my post was meant as a joke Clearly a terrible one I shall leave right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Looks like oil to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINKJ Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 It's small ish. Started as drops and now it's a puddle around the size or a side plate I feel bad now as my post was meant as a joke Clearly a terrible one I shall leave right now Hahahaha I didn't see that comment!! Sorry - yes it is a mini oil spill! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINKJ Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Looks like oil to me. I agree but the mechanic seems to know best.... It is in now for a water pump replacement .. Let's se if that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 If oil its only minor anyway, water would evaporate pretty quick, and how can he say its the water pump from a small patch of oil/water..... i would be taking it elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Is the car still dropping fluids, or is that an old stain? If it's fresh, then run your finger through it and smell/feel it: It'll be pretty obvious which one it is. I don't mean that sarcastically, it's genuinely how I figure out what fluid my car is dropping at any given time! It could be coolant, but IIRC Mini coolant is pink so I wouldn't expect that kind of staining. You're all going to tell me it's the green stuff now, aren't you...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsexr Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Not advisable to do but here goes anyway, if its water based and not oil then i just dab it on my tongue, you can taste the antifreeze if its coolant. Even better when it`s coming out the exhaust and you then know its a head gasket.............wonder if it has many e numbers in it......that could explain a few things....lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock_Steady Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 just bend down dip your finger in and have taste. if it tastes sweet its coolant. end of story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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