So after tinkering with my car I caused myself some problems. I ended up snapping the screw that holds the coolant housing in. Anyways I decided to check my oil which my dealership recently changed. Turns out its like the width of a pencil past the full line. I've put probably like 500 miles on it like that. How bad is it if at all? Thanks for the help.

 

More info on your MINI. Year of the car and model?

 

Its a 2012 mini cooper s R56 with the N18 engine. It has 35,xxx miles on it currently. Also with the coolant Reservoir, I was trying to move it out of the way without disconnecting it. When I was pulling it up some coolant leaked out the hose on the bottom. However when I put It back in its place it didn't leak even if a shake it around. I proceed to put it back with he screw and it snapped in half. FYI anyone trying to do the Alta Bov spring upgrade it was not nearly that easy. I would have to drain all the coolant to pull it off. Not sure if that is normal but the way the hose is in my car there is no other way.

 

We have a '12 MCS as well. When I have the oil changed at the dealer, it always comes back over filled by a similar amount. I believe our MCS holds 4.4 quarts, I suspect they just dump 5 quarts in it. In any event, I've just left it as is, hasn't been a problem..

 

I'm probably just going to have them drain a little out. I don't want to take the chance with my baby.

 

If you just need to work on or around the expansion tank you don't have to drain the system. Just take a turkey baster and suck out all the coolant from the tank, about a cup or so if memory serves, and keep it in a clean jar 'till you're ready to replace it. Squeeze the clamps, slide them down the hose a bit and PUSH the hose off the connector with large flat blade screwdriver so's you don't damage the hose. To help slide the hose back on, lube the nipple with a drop of coolant and slide the clamp back up into position. Just helped a buddy replace a tank that way and it worked perfectly.

Oh, yea, AZ is spot on. Don't worry about the extra 1/2 quart you've got now. Just be sure to remind them next time to only replace 4 1/2.

 

That's a really good idea but I'm not sure for my particular scenario that would work as there is a coolant line or oil line running to my turbo which is hindering my progress. This is the first car I've ever worked on and the instructions didn't say anything about this stuff. It said remove the intake tube which I did and found a random rubber piece just hanging out under there not doing anything and theSr damn tubes Im not sure how to deal with. Thanks for the advice though. I will keep that in mind! And thanks for the oil info!

 

I received my mini from the dealer with a factory rebuilt R56S a full quart over filled. Factory fill mark is to low for spirited driving, the vacuum pump starves for oil and seizes taking out the motor. I'm on my forth oil change at a full quart over with no problems .

 

Seen half a quart over due to oil consumption on the early R56 MCS engines, never seen a quart over /

 

You don't need to. That's not enough to make any difference. Chill.