I get a small smell of burning in oil when the R53 is warm. No smell at all when cold. Engine temp stays stable, just under the "half" tick.

No spots in the garage, nothing underneath, oil level is stable, tailpipes are clean...

Valve cover gasket replaced July 2017 and assuming the MINI shop did it right.

Thinking oil filter housing gasket, but unsure.

Looking for diagnostic techniques & suggestions that I can perform to find the cause of that faint smell....

Thank you, community, for the helpful posts.

 

During normal or spirited driving? How long since the last oil change? What kind of oil?

 

All driving. When engine is warm the faint smell is there when I’m at a stop.

Last oil change in July, 5w-30 full synthetic.

 

Are you able to jack the car up, clean the engine off and then see where the oil is leaking? For me, if you are smelling it than would think its getting on the exhaust manifold. For that thinking the valve cover gasket. You can see the oil filter housing in Post #6 of the below thread. IMO the oil would have to be blowing out the housing in order to get over to the exhaust pipes.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ant-pipes.html

 

Will do another look-see at the valve cover tomorrow....

 

That happened to me when the oil lid was not on :S

 

in my case R56 the leak was going on sub frame not on the ground, i could not see the leak.

 

Issue solved!!!

Air/oil separator fitting was leaking, dropping a wee bit of oil on the heat shield.

All better now!

Thanks folks!!!

 

great news...

 

Thanks for the update. Good you found it.