I replaced my crank sensor o-ring several months ago thinking that was the only issue but after looking under my car recently, it is still wet. It is a very slow leak. It has only ever left a drip or two on my garage floor, but the bottom of my engine is wet to the touch and I can see a few drops starting to form. I have noticed no noticeable loss of oil between changes but it is still something I would like to fix at some point. My crank seal doesn't seem to be the culprit. How long can I hold off on having this done at the rate its leaking?

I've read a lot about people who have changed their gaskets only to have the new gasket leak shortly after, so I'd be planning on using a new gasket in combination with some silicone gasket maker (since I already have some permatex ultra black I used on the crank sensor). Is this my best bet?

In the meantime, is there anything I can do to temporarily stop the leak? Maybe see if I can seal up the edges with some gasket maker? What is the best method for changing the gasket when I get around to it? I've heard you can get away with just taking the a/c compressor off to get access to all the bolts, can anyone comment on this technique?

Thanks

 

Mine has been seeping for 15K miles. No discernable loss of oil on the dipstick and perhaps one- or two-drops of oil on the garage floor total over a year. In my book, this is a seep rather than a leak and something I can live with indefinitely. The dealer wants $1500 to fix. I'll wait until I can do it in conjunction with other major repairs which require the front end of the car off.

- Mark

 

So long as the oil level is kept topped off, you can put this off for as long as you want. It probably won't get much worse. My timing chain cover gasket started seeping at around 50K miles and I lived with it for another 50K miles.

Be sure to get a good repair manual and a good quality replacement gasket. Make sure the gasket maker is a "sensor safe RTV." Follow the instructions in the repair manual for which areas you should use the RTV and the tightening pattern and torque spec for the bolts. This will assure you don't have a new leak in a short amount of time like some others.

 

Good to know that its nothing too urgent. I'm just really ocd when it comes to my car so I like to fix these things as I notice them. Now that I have to keep on top of my oil a little better maybe I finally have a good excuse to treat myself to a craven speed dipstick

I'm really hoping that I didn't fix the crank sensor leak correctly because that would be a much easier fix. Although I used a new o-ring and 500 degree sensor safe rtv (the ultra black) so thats doubtful. It just seems like as soon as I fix one thing on this car another problem presents itself.

 

A car that does not leak oil is unnatural (or Japanese)....till the leak is bad enough to be troublesome, just monitor it...keep the oil topped off. Adding a half quart every few thousand miles is lots of oil before it makes sense to fix.
I kinda doubt smeering rtv on the outside will do anything but make it mess...if it was that easy..that would be the fix (for every leak ever)!!!

 

P.S.
DO NOT USE "stop leak" for oil....
It is a chemical that causes seals to swell....
It is like crack cocaine for you motor...once you use it...you must always use it...and at ever increasing amounts...if you stop adding it...the seals shrink to smaller than they were before...and NEW LEAKS can start....

 

I had my oil pan gasket replaced it cost $1,100.00. That was a waste of money just monitor the oil and keep topped off.

 

why is the dealer charging so much for the pan gasket damn its not that hard.

 

Let's see....
$200 per hour...add a full oil change..and a part...I think walking into a dealer results in a $500 bill....
An independent shop might do it for lots less...even if they still charge "book" just due to charging about HALF the dealers hourly rate.....

 

Have you done it or are familar with the job?

The Mini is not like most cars where you simply unbolt the oil pan from the bottom and replace the gasket. The engine must be put in "service mode" which basically requires removing the front end of the car to gain access. It's a 6-hr job in the Mini service manual and a typical DIY'er could easily spend all of a weekend on the project, and this assumes no glitches.

http://r53minicooper.wordpress.com/2...s-r53-summary/

Because of the difficulty, it makes sense to do this job while you're in there for other work (e.g., supercharger replacement/maintenance, oil seal replacement, tensioner and belt service, etc.).

- Mark

 

+1. Just like changing control arm bushings should be easy. Not at all.

 

I did mine when i did the control arm bushings but i dont see an 1100 dollar repair i had the same thing with my wifes honda pilot the dealer wanted 1300 for a timing belt that took me 3 hours and i did the engine mount and hydraulic tensioner and idler all extra over 1300 i get that they have to make money i used to work at one but some of this seems like straight gouging . I have seen 400 to 600 and thats fine but 1100 on up thats taking advantage of the customer in my opinion.

 

1100 is high. My dealer said $750 - done at same time with oil change. I declined...

 

It takes me less than an hour to put the car in "service mode" at my curbside.
There's a bunch of bolts and screws to remove, but nothing difficult or fancy.
Anything over 3 hours in an equipped MINI service bay is grossly overpadded for
changing out an oil pan gasket and replacing the crank sensor O-ring.

 

Overpaid or not, the numbers in this thread are what shops charge. Generally, an independent shop will charge $500-$800 and a dealer $1000-$1500. Strong encouragement just to let it ride unless the seepage is really significant.

- Mark

 

From a technical difficulty standpoint this is a very simple job. Putting car in service mode is 30 to 45 minutes. Remove lower engine mount and remove 2 support bolts from a/c compressor. Remove oil pan, clean and replace gasket. I didn't use any gasket sealer as the gasket has very fine ridges to help seal. Torque per the right pattern as recommended in Haines or Bentley manual. 4 to 6 hours at a leisurely pace. Saves 700-1,000 bucks. I used a Victor Reinz gasket

 

From a technical difficulty standpoint this is a very simple job. Putting car in service mode is 30 to 45 minutes. Remove lower engine mount and remove 2 support bolts from a/c compressor. Remove oil pan, clean and replace gasket. I didn't use any gasket sealer as the gasket has very fine ridges to help seal. Torque per the right pattern as recommended in Haines or Bentley manual. 4 to 6 hours at a leisurely pace. Saves 700-1,000 bucks. I used a Victor Reinz gasket

 

Thanks for all the input guys. So I do or I don't need to put the car in service mode for the job? From my understanding it is just a matter of unbolting the a/c compressor and removing the lower mount and maybe the power steering fan or whatever else is in the way to access all the bolts? I don't see how putting it in service mode would affect any of that or make it easier?

 

I'm haven't done the job, but everything I've ever read (including folks who say the job is relatively "easy") says you have to put it in service mode. Service mode gets you that critical 5" of space to get to stuff on the front of the engine.

- Mark

 

I recommend putting in the service mode. The a/c is easier to access. I also pulled the right front tire and the fender liner.

 

I don't remembering putting mine in service mode when I replaced the pan gasket. It was only like a two hour job in my driveway, not that hard really. If it does have to be put in service mode, its not that big of a deal. Twenty to thirty minutes tops to get into service mode.

Nik