[subguy658]

I am a little concerned about this remote oil level sensing system:

My 2014 F56S currently has 27K miles. By the 5K point (first at-home oil change), I had added over one quart of oil to the car, and by the 10K point (when I took it in for service) I had added another 1.5 quarts of oil. At the 10K service, they also replaced the oil filter housing, as there was a recall.

Since then (three more changes at 15, 20, and 25K) I have not had to add a single drop of extra oil to the car - the onboard diagnostic always shows exactly "FULL".

So, did the car magically quit burning oil at the exact same time MINI changed the filter housing? Was the old hosing leaking (if so, where did the oil go)? Of does the sensor no longer work? The lack of dipstick is quite frustrating! Short of draining the oil and physically measuring the amount that comes out, I don't know what else I can do.

The attached photo of the B48 clearly shows an oil dipstick. Does anyone know if there is a plug for one on the engine? I have head that the diesel variant still comes with a dipstick.

 

[jeremybingham]

I'm not keen either. Still shows bang on full after 6000 miles although I've no reason to doubt it!I think the diesels have them!

 

[Graham]

Can someone explain how the electronic gauge works?
We have a UK Cooper and the gauge shows three bars at each end (red and blue from memory) each lit up and a series of 'white' bars between, with just the central one lit and the others at either side not illuminated.
This has not changed since the car arrived, two or three thousand miles ago. It was pre-registered but not used.
I have not been able to get any meaningful guidance from the supplying dealer or the one which will be servicing the car as to how to read the gauge and the handbook doesn't help.
My instinct says the gauge is showing 'half full' but it has not moved since it arrived, so I'm really not sure.
Again, a mechanical dipstick would be a wonderful addition....

 

[Angib]

Are you perhaps a former Trabant owner, missing the fuel tank dipstick supplied with this masterpiece of the worker's mechanical art - that's it tucked behind the bonnet reinforcing rod. The last car properly built without that nonsense of an electric fuel gauge so the bourgeoisie didn't have to open the bonnet.

I have to wonder - is an electronic oil level gauge not more accurate than a mechanical dipstick that many drivers never use or know how to?

 

[radriderx]

Can someone explain how the electronic gauge works?
We have a UK Cooper and the gauge shows three bars at each end (red and blue from memory) each lit up and a series of 'white' bars between, with just the central one lit and the others at either side not illuminated.
This has not changed since the car arrived, two or three thousand miles ago. It was pre-registered but not used.
I have not been able to get any meaningful guidance from the supplying dealer or the one which will be servicing the car as to how to read the gauge and the handbook doesn't help.
My instinct says the gauge is showing 'half full' but it has not moved since it arrived, so I'm really not sure.
Again, a mechanical dipstick would be a wonderful addition....

I checked mine tonight, went to vehicle information, vehicle status check oil. It took about 2 mins and you have to leave the engine running, at the end it said ok and there was a vertical level image with a max at the top and min at the bottom, a bar showed mine was just below the max reading.

 

[Evlkarl]

I hate them none Dip Stick Engines. It all started with our C Class in 2010 back than they put a fake one in. When you pulled it out it was just the plastic Ring/Cap with about 2 inches of stick. I am so old School I always smelled my oil and rubbed it between my Fingers to see what is going on with my Motor crazy I know. All the electronic Crap in our Cars drives me bonkers I hate it!!!!!

 

[mishima]

Can someone explain how the electronic gauge works?
We have a UK Cooper and the gauge shows three bars at each end (red and blue from memory) each lit up and a series of 'white' bars between, with just the central one lit and the others at either side not illuminated.

Aren't you looking at the engine coolant temperature gauge ? By your description it seems so.

 

[starlily]

At the 10K service, they also replaced the oil filter housing, as there was a recall.

... because they leaked. Now that it is fixed, no leak.

 

[jeremybingham]

Quite right Graham what you're describing is the temp gauge.

 

[subguy658]

... because they leaked. Now that it is fixed, no leak.

Well, it is possible that the recalled one was leaking, but where did one quart every 5K miles go? It certainly did not end up on my driveway. Is the underbody panel absorbent enough that it could have held 2.5 total quarts of oil? If so they replaced that too!

Still interested in the "how it works" that someone asked with regards to the sensor...

 

[al the mini man]

Over here in the UK i have seen pictures of the Mini racers running the 2 litre engine and they are running aftermarket air filters and with the original air intake system removed they have a dipstick in place.Personally i hate the idea of leaving my oil level to an electronic reading(dont trust em)

 

[subguy658]

I would like to be able to trust it, but it just isn't adding up. Can't really "easter egg" this problem either - the sensor is like $200.

 

[jeremybingham]

you could just drop the oil out and put it back but i'd put new in; not a big job and not expensive either to do yourself-remove the cover under the car, one nut, and pour in the amount thats suggested in the how to change your oil thread; peace of mind, sorted for £30 max(uk prices for a good 5w30 fully synthetic)

 

[jeremybingham]

NB this would be an easy and cheap way to check the sensor too; refill with 1/2 liter less than the 'to full' amount, run the car and run the oil check-make sure it is telling you it needs a top up. if it still shows full you know it's a trip to the stealer!!! Simples!

 

[Hat]

Still interested in the "how it works" that someone asked with regards to the sensor...

the oil check has to be done with the engine running & the car on a flat surface. The sensor then measures oil flow through it for a pre-determined time period & calculates whether this equates to enough oil in the engine or not.

its probably more accurate than a stick measuring how much cold oil is sat in the sump

 

[Motty]

the oil check has to be done with the engine running & the car on a flat surface. The sensor then measures oil flow through it for a pre-determined time period & calculates whether this equates to enough oil in the engine or not.

its probably more accurate than a stick measuring how much cold oil is sat in the sump

That's interesting, I didn't realise that was how it is done in the mini. The way our company does it for truck engines is to use a hot wire resistive sensor where its resistance changes depending on the amount of oil. But that is done with the engine cold at key on.

 

[subguy658]

the oil check has to be done with the engine running & the car on a flat surface. The sensor then measures oil flow through it for a pre-determined time period & calculates whether this equates to enough oil in the engine or not.

its probably more accurate than a stick measuring how much cold oil is sat in the sump

Hmmm. I know "how" to check the level, I am more interested in the theory of operation of the sensor itself. The idea that the sensor measures oil level by measuring oil flow through it makes no sense. Oil flowrate is a function of the condition of the oil pump, the engine speed, and the head loss through the system due to the piping, bearings, oil channel condition, and filter element. You could pull a quart out of a topped off engine and the flow rate through components would not change one bit. Plus, if you look at an exploded view of the oil pan assembly, you'll see that the sensor simply bolts into a hole in the vicinity of the bottom of the pan. No oil flows "through" it. The "wire resistance" theory mentioned above is much more plausible. The reason it takes a minute or two to complete the test is because the oil is splashing around in there, so the sensor needs to develop and "average" level for the display. I am just curious if there is a test I could perform on the sensor that would tell me if it is working correctly or not, without going to the trouble of draining the oil and measuring it out.

Assuming that the same amount of oil always remains in the filter housing (valid assumption), and the same amount of oil always sits in the little nooks and crannies here and there rather than falling back to the pan (also valid), there is no way any other measurement method could be more accurate than a dipstick. Assuming you fully insert it and wipe it off, the dipstick it TRUTH, no bones about it. I would trust a dipstick over an electronic sensor any day.

 

[Motty]

The "wire resistance" theory mentioned above is much more plausible.

Its not a theory, its how we actually do it with the truck engines we work with! The check only takes 1 second at key on for us so I'm not sure what happens in the mini and why it takes so much longer?

 

[subguy658]

Motty you are right, understand the wire resistance concept. I wonder why MINI chooses a "motor run" system. Wire resistance would not work well for a running engine because the wire would continuously be getting doused with oil, therefore you would not get a good reading.

I WILL get to the bottom of this....

 

[mikeswagon]

I wouldn't lose sleep over this. They've had this in bmw for years, and they're not going to put something in there that's not up to the job. What would be good now that it's electronic is an automatic reminder every xxx miles to actually run the check