Oil pressure light.. How much trouble am I in?

[Pig benis]

Last night when turning into my road, my oil pressure light came on in my R56 Cooper S. It sounded like the top end was knocking, but I am unsure on that. What I do know is, I switched my engine off immediately.

From what I understand, damage has already been done if the light comes on. Is this right?

This morning I have checked my fluids and they are good, so the recovery people have been summoned.

The Mini is still under a dealership warranty.

Should I insist that the recovery people tow my car to the dealership? Or is that standard protocol for this sort of problem?

I was going to book the car to be remapped today, I wonder if this is a sign not to do it?? Who knows..

Thanks chaps
P.B

[skyrover]

Pig benis said:

Should I insist that the recovery people tow my car to the dealership?

Yes, don't start the engine again

Pig benis said:

I was going to book the car to be remapped today, I wonder if this is a sign not to do it?? Who knows..

P.B

I think a remap is the least of your worries.

Get it checked by a reputable mechanic, hopefully it may be something like a bad pressure switch.

[andy43]

If it's under a proper Mini dealer warranty, and the engine has wiped it's bearings out
AND hasn't been interfered with <- that's the important bit - you'll be fine.
If it had been remapped, you'd be stuffed.
Could possibly be a faulty pressure sensor?
Just tell the recovery guy what the suspected problem is, and he'll screw it round the block on the rev limiter before loading

[E65Ross]

Doesn't sound like pressure switch to me. Reason I say that is last Tuesday I had this exact same warning on my 745i, except the engine sounded absolutely fine. Oil pressure was checked manually and was all good and even running it didn't make any rattles, no smoking etc etc but by the sounds of it yours wasn't sounding too healthy?

[Kev T360]

Our Mini Cooper (non-s) will flash its light up as soon as the oil gets a bit low, it'll start to come on in the corners. Top it up and off she goes. Never had any engine issues, just the usual electrical gremlins.

[Kev T360]

Our Mini Cooper (non-s) will flash its light up as soon as the oil gets a bit low, it'll start to come on in the corners. Top it up and off she goes. Never had any engine issues, just the usual electrical gremlins.

[motco]

andy43 said:

If it's under a proper Mini dealer warranty, and the engine has wiped it's bearings out
AND hasn't been interfered with <- that's the important bit - you'll be fine.
If it had been remapped, you'd be stuffed.
Could possibly be a faulty pressure sensor?
Just tell the recovery guy what the suspected problem is, and he'll screw it round the block on the rev limiter before loading

If the light comes on when turning it could simply be low oil level. The oil slops away from the pump pick-up tube and the pressure momentarily drops off. Probably no harm done.

However, if it is low oil level and that's damaged the engine, the dealer won't honour any warranty. Unless the oil mysteriously finds its way to the proper level...

[Krikkit]

Kev T360 said:

Our Mini Cooper (non-s) will flash its light up as soon as the oil gets a bit low, it'll start to come on in the corners. Top it up and off she goes. Never had any engine issues, just the usual electrical gremlins.

Same here, I had a pressure warning on an R56 I was using when hooning round a roundabout. Bricks were shat at the time, but it's fine.

Good luck OP.

[Pig benis]

Krikkit said:

Same here, I had a pressure warning on an R56 I was using when hooning round a roundabout. Bricks were shat at the time, but it's fine.

Good luck OP.

Thanks chap.

Well Mini recovery are hopeless. I have been waiting for someone to call me back about a recovery van coming out. Well that was an 1hr ago since my first call and I've been on hold for 15 mins. And, relax.

I could be completely misreading the RIDICULOUS dipstick.. I mean, it has one fking job and it is terrible at it.. For one it is a stupid colour and two, it is impossible to read. I've never had to result to both the manual and a youtube video on where the oil level should sit on a dipstick...

Unfortunately, I am far too ashamed to ask a neighbour to double check it, but I have had 15 + cars most of which I have worked on and I used to be a motorsport mechanic. So how hard can it be?

Anyway, I am just ranting now.

I do hope that my engine isn't screwed. I really look after my cars and all they do is go wrong. Whereas I know people who abuse their cars from cold and generally have no mechanical sympathy and their cars never go wrong

I will keep this thread updated with any news.

Thanks for the replies chaps

[Pig benis]

-Update-

My S is going to be recovered, as the mechanic has said that it is far to unsafe to drive. I couldn't agree more.

So I get a hire car from Enterprise and my car is going to the nearest Mini dealership.

What a strange start to a week.

[Krikkit]

I find the R56 stick absolutely useless as well, it's really just a guess! Considering how sensitive they can be (and in the S' case, occasionally thirsty for oil) it's a liability to have a crap dipstick.

[Pig benis]

Krikkit said:

I find the R56 stick absolutely useless as well, it's really just a guess! Considering how sensitive they can be (and in the S' case, occasionally thirsty for oil) it's a liability to have a crap dipstick.

I'm glad that it isn't just me who thinks this. My first car (Citroen Saxo 1.4) had the best dipstick, it was very easy to read and had excellent oil level markers. Well that car cost me (my parents ) 4k, this Mini cost me 9k. I miss the days of easy motoring, where a set of spanners and an unhealthy amount of confidence on how to fix stuff.

[Nezquick]

My last car was an R56 Cooper S. I bought it with 18,000 miles on the clock. Within about 5 weeks, it had to go back to MINI for a complete top-engine rebuild after the timing chain worked loose. They realised when repairing it that this had all but ruined the camshafts. The bill, had it not been under warranty, would have been around £3000 I believe. And it used loads of oil.

I may have just bought a pup but IMO, the R56 S engines are utterly useless!

Good luck though - hopefully yours doesn't need this.