Reasons for an Oil Leak in a Mini by Professionals of Marlborough

The Mini is one of the most popular European cars on the market, and its unique style and dynamic performance have made it a favorite in America. Minis are dependable and top-ranked compact cars that engender loyalty and great affection.

The Mini also has a long and storied history in popular culture, from George Harrison’s psychedelic Mini during his time with the Beatles to Mr. Bean’s unassuming vehicle that nonetheless seemed bent on destruction. Currently, the Mini, also stylized MINI, is manufactured by BMW.

When an Oil Leak Appears

If you’re one of the lucky Americans who own a Mini, then you’re used to enjoying its speed, handling, fuel efficiency, and unique appearance. As with all cars, however, there are certain problems that arise from time to time.

Unfortunately, some Minis have a tendency to develop oil leaks. If that happens, sometimes you’ll notice a small leak when a puddle of oil appears under the engine. However, with larger leaks, the puddle can creep right out of the front of the car.

What Causes an Oil Leak in Your Mini

Depending on the year, the main culprit for an oil leak on a Mini is usually the crankshaft seal. This seal is made of metal and rubber, or silicone. The crankshaft seal helps the oil change directions back to the oil pan, which keeps it from leaking. It’s a very simple part, but its failure can be the cause of a lot of headaches.

The crank seal is vulnerable to extreme temperatures. That includes heat from the engine. The residual heat from an engine can degrade the rubber or silicon of the seal, and cause cracks.

Too much warm weather can lead to as much damage to the seal as engine heat. However, just be aware that regular maintenance and a watchful eye will help keep your Mini from succumbing to the effects of extreme weather.

Like in other cars, oil will accumulate on your Mini’s seal and compromise its integrity. The build-up of crud on the seal can cause it to dry up and crack. The seal can even work its way out of its position from friction between the seal and the timing cover.

Other things that can telegraph the failure of a crank seal is high mileage. The more miles on your car, the more wear and tear to the seal, just as with the car’s other parts. Again, proper maintenance and care will cut the general wear down. In addition, the closer your mini gets to the 100,000 mile mark, the closer the crankshaft seal will get to its recommended service life, and the more likely it is that the seal will experience problems like cracking or slippage.

However, it’s not just the seal that can cause an oil leak; sometimes it’s the crank sensor. The crank sensor has an o-ring on it that has a tendency to shrink when the engine gets hot. Something that seems to happen in later models there is a tendency to develop a leak in the oil filter housing. The oil filter in a Mini is also an oil cooler. When the gaskets on the dual-purpose filter age, they have a tendency to dry and crack. As mentioned above, heat and weather can exacerbate this. The oil and coolant spatters onto the exhaust manifold and causes plumes of smoke to appear when the engine heats up.

Professional Automotive Can Fix Your Mini’s Oil Leak

We at Professional Automotive are committed to diagnosing and fixing your Mini’s oil leak. Replacing seals in Minis can be a complicated process. Often, the front of the car must be removed. If you find a leak in your car, or suspect a leak, we encourage you to bring it to our shop.

For over two and a half decades, our seasoned mechanics have been trusted names in the automotive repair industry in and around the area of Marlborough, MA. We are skilled at fixing both foreign and domestic cars. Your Mini will be in capable hands and we’ll have you back in the driver’s seat and driving your Mini with confidence again.