My obsession with oil fill height

[joderest]

Have to agree regarding cars, our Mini is horrible to check the level, oil does not show on the dip stick as its metal coloured, have to lay it on a bit of kitchen towel to make sure its correct, unless oil is old and very black. ( and its got the normal Mini issue of it uses oil, don't know where it goes, no smoke and no leaks, just eats it, about 1lte per 600 miles) and BMW state that's normal !!!!, our old Discovery does not use a drop between changes.

Sorry, off subject

[Rich:-)]

Still off-topic...
1 litre per 600 miles equates to 1.66 ml per mile, not nearly enough to make detectable exhaust smoke so it could easily be burning that much. Some engines just do, I think it's more to do with how high they rev & then how efficient their crankcase venting system is at catching the oil mist before letting it feed into the engine.

[AlanT]

(and its got the normal Mini issue of it uses oil, don't know where it goes, no smoke and no leaks, just eats it, about 1lte per 600 miles) and BMW state that's normal !!!!

Really...?  my Wife has a 2004 Mini One (1.6 petrol) and it doesn't use a drop of oil. Must be one of the lucky ones perhaps?

[joderest]

Alan-t, I think it more relates to the 2nd generation Mini, slightly different engine, have a look on line, the Cooper S is the worst culprit, some using as much as 1 ltr per 500 miles.

[Mr Nick]

Have they gone back to old BL engines? My grandad had an Allegro that used 1 pint every 300 miles and you filled the oil more often than petrol: sounds scarily similar....

[Hugh Mungus]

Really...?  my Wife has a 2004 Mini One (1.6 petrol) and it doesn't use a drop of oil. Must be one of the lucky ones perhaps?

Vehicle manufacturers will say anything is "Normal" if it's a small amount and they just want you to go away...