Woofcast #306

Posted bydb 7 Comments on Woofcast #306

The Jeep

Engine failures by water and lack of oil, plus a new contest for you today. Before doing anything, right now, go out and check your oil then come back and listen. We are getting reports of oil pan gaskets failing on R53s with just over 50k miles on them. Don’t let yourself be the guy in our story, **check your oil now!**

Are you on Facebook? Post a photo of your MINI to our Facebook Page and you can win a Motoringbadge. You have until the end of September, so no rush. We aren’t looking for anything in particular, just MINIs on our page. Winner will be picked at random.

After news from MotoringFile like we like to do, we talk engine failures and then move on to tires for the GP among other things. Classic WRR here gang. Just Gabe, Todd and I talkin’ about MINI stuff and mullets just like the good old days.

Stick around. Later today we have our first thoughts on the MINI Roadster Concept plus we talk to Michael Talley **live** from the Frankfurt show! You can some photos now with more to come!

And, because I told Gabe I would, go listen to the BimmerFile Podcast, especially if you are looking for lots of cool stuff about BMWs!

Woofcast 306:

If you missed it last week, I posted a bit of Black Roof Radio over at dbmini.us last week about dealer service. That may well be the new home of Black Roof Radio for the time being, so subscribe and watch out for it!

We also have a brand new sponsor! MINI of Ontario isn’t even open yet and those lads are jumping right into the MINI Community like nobody’s business. They will be the newest MINI Dealership in California, located in Ontario, California. They are using the Twitter, and if you want to be kept up-to-date as construction happens and new MINIs start to arrive, follow them!

Click the link above to go directly to the site to contact them or to follow their progress! You can also reach them by phone at (909) 390-1818

Finally, I’m looking for independant service centers that are MINI friendly. Leave a comment over there with your favorite shop including all the contact information and address. I’m hoping to get enough to build up a database at White Roof Radio that everyone would be able to use.
Woofcast 306:

Download | WRR @ iTunes | 22.9MB | 50:00

7 replies on “Woofcast #306”

  1. Gabe, thanks for passing along the oil problem..

    I have had a bad oil pan gasket for a while (very small leak) on my 2002 Cooper. I’ll be checking my oil level much more often now. Hope MINIUSA comes through for that guy..

    I was also quoted $800 at the dealer for repair of the gasket.

  2. I had this same issue on my 06 R53 with 24,000 miles.

    During prior dealer service the service department only noted the level was low and added some oil. In fact it should have been noticed during Inspection 1 but wasn’t. Oil had been weeping down the front of the pan. This prompted me comment to my SA at a different service department, while the MINI was in for another unrelated issue, who subsequently handled the oil pan. This is at the same dealer as the seized JCW, and the SA had to be reminded several times during multiple conversations before the repair was made. Fortunately it was completed and under warranty.

  3. I have an 05 R53 with 45k miles. I didn’t notice any oil until after the dealer told me that both oil pan and valve gaskets. Luckily, I have the Chrono Gauge Pack, that has an oil pressure gauge. I keep an eye on the gauge and try to check my oil weekly.

  4. Wait a minute…you guys really lost me. Maybe I’m missing something, but how in the world can you hydrolock an R50 engine by submerging the EHPS pump cooling fan? Wouldn’t this just spray water all over your pump and underbody, maybe short out some electrical components?

    The throttle air intake is at the high center of the upper front grill work on the R50. The fan isn’t event in the same neighborhood.

  5. Just before warranty expired, I had my car inspected (Inspection II) and the dealer noticed wetness so replaced the oil pan gasket as well as the head cover gasket. I did notice a drip of oil on my garage floor. Not much. It was a $800 job covered under warranty. Dealer explained all the stuff under the car that had to come off to get the oil pan off. I’m a bit worried what might happen another 4 to 5 years down the road when the next gasket goes.

    I do check my oil at least once a month.

  6. Had to replace the oil pan gasket on my 2004 MCS at 58,000 miles. The sign was an oily oilpan (on the outside, of course), not any drops of oil on my garage floor. The repair was about $700 at my local European car repair shop.

    In my case, I would say the gasket was weeping, not leaking. Maybe that’s why I never noticed the oil level dropping. There just wasn’t that much oil loss.

Comments are closed.