# mini cooper oil light



## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

I'm sure there are people that know about cars on this forum. I have a problem with a mini cooper(bmw) with the oil pressure light coming on at idle. It goes off when the revs rise above 1K. I tried giving it a oil and filter change and I tried changing the sensor.

I am thinking of selling it but want to get rid of the light. I know this might sound a bit dodgy but I have money problems at the moment and can't afford to have a dodgy motor. Can I just remove the bulb or would this give another warning light?


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## Brook877 (May 16, 2012)

If its only coming on at idle it most likely genuinely has low oil pressure,

Get the oil pressure checked and the problem looked at, by the time the light starts flashing your not far away from having engine damage, disconnecting the light won't stop the engine seizing up when your buyer's road testing it..

I wouldn't risk it failing before your able to sell it or having a disgruntled buyer knocking on your door the week after you've sold it..

Fix it or sell as spares or repairs IMO.


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## Nidge (Jan 22, 2007)

monkeybiker said:


> I'm sure there are people that know about cars on this forum. I have a problem with a mini cooper(bmw) with the oil pressure light coming on at idle. It goes off when the revs rise above 1K. I tried giving it a oil and filter change and I tried changing the sensor.
> 
> I am thinking of selling it but want to get rid of the light. I know this might sound a bit dodgy but I have money problems at the moment and can't afford to have a dodgy motor. Can I just remove the bulb or would this give another warning light?


Had the same problem with the ex missus Mini, it's the Oil pressure sensor switch mate, about £7 from your local motor factors and about 10 minutes to fit if you've got the spanners.


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## jaycue2u (Jul 23, 2011)

Well there you go. Full engine rebuild or a £7 switch, no variance in the answers at all :tongue: what year is it on? Is it the S? The earlier ones had some issue with oil pumps iirc, have a look on the buyers guide as I think they mention something on there, someone mentioned it to me when I bought one for the wife, that was with the 05 engine, pre turbo.


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## Nidge (Jan 22, 2007)

jaycue2u said:


> Well there you go. Full engine rebuild or a £7 switch, no variance in the answers at all :tongue: what year is it on? Is it the S? The earlier ones had some issue with oil pumps iirc, have a look on the buyers guide as I think they mention something on there, someone mentioned it to me when I bought one for the wife, that was with the 05 engine, pre turbo.


56 plate mate, no problems with it since anyway. Had the oil pressure tested and everything came back to the oil pressure switch.


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## Gary29 (Aug 21, 2011)

It is the symptoms of genuine low oil pressure, but for the sake of a £7 switch mimicing these symptoms it'd be a no brainer to try the pressure switch first.


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## Nidge (Jan 22, 2007)

Gary29 said:


> It is the symptoms of genuine low oil pressure, but for the sake of a £7 switch mimicing these symptoms it'd be a no brainer to try the pressure switch first.


The Ex's was the same mate on tick over when it was warmed up, as soon as she touched the accelerator it went off. and as soon as she took her foot off it the light went off. It's worth the cheap fix to see if that's the problem, if not then it's a biggie.


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## Brook877 (May 16, 2012)

monkeybiker said:


> I'm sure there are people that know about cars on this forum. I have a problem with a mini cooper(bmw) with the oil pressure light coming on at idle. It goes off when the revs rise above 1K.* I tried giving it a oil and filter change and I tried changing the sensor*.
> 
> I am thinking of selling it but want to get rid of the light. I know this might sound a bit dodgy but I have money problems at the moment and can't afford to have a dodgy motor. Can I just remove the bulb or would this give another warning light?


I would of taken from that he's already tried swapping the pressure sensor...


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## jonesboy (Apr 7, 2013)

Oils pressure switch without a doubt in my opinion.

There are some Mini owner sites that you could ask the question on to be sure.

My Mrs has a 6 month old Mini Cooper "D" and for a diesel it has a lot of power and a well built car.


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## bakerboo (Aug 30, 2010)

Try mini torque forum them seem to have some knowledgable people


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## Nidge (Jan 22, 2007)

jonesboy said:


> Oils pressure switch without a doubt in my opinion.
> 
> There are some Mini owner sites that you could ask the question on to be sure.
> 
> My Mrs has a 6 month old Mini Cooper "D" and for a diesel it has a lot of power and a well built car.


They're bullet proof mate especially the diesel ones.


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

Yes I have changed the switch. It only does it at idle and goes with a little revs.

I could pop it to the garage to get it checked but don't want to be throwing money at it as I just lost me job and am now self employed so can't be certain of money coming in.

It has been doing it for a while now and I have done quite a few miles and don't hear any funny noises. I know it's a bit of a ****s trick but I would rather sell it incase it does become a problem.

I might pop it to the garage for a few checks.


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## Brook877 (May 16, 2012)

Take it for an oil pressure check, it shouldn't really cost you any more than half an hours labour,

You then know for sure if you have a genuine oil pressure issue, if you do I would have the sump taken off and the oil pick up pipe checked/cleaned, again quite quick/cheap and a blocked pick up pipe is the cause of a lot of oil pressure problems.

For a relatively small spend worst case is you will then have some idea what the problem is and you can make an informed choice what to do next, best case is it is some thing daft like a blocked pick up pipe and you've got it sorted..


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

Brook877 said:


> Take it for an oil pressure check, it shouldn't really cost you any more than half an hours labour,
> 
> You then know for sure if you have a genuine oil pressure issue, if you do I would have the sump taken off and the oil pick up pipe checked/cleaned, again quite quick/cheap and a blocked pick up pipe is the cause of a lot of oil pressure problems.
> 
> For a relatively small spend worst case is you will then have some idea what the problem is and you can make an informed choice what to do next, best case is it is some thing daft like a blocked pick up pipe and you've got it sorted..


Thanks mate.

It's just I was talking to my dad about it and he said it could be worn bearings but saying that I have done a lot of miles with this light problem. I would have thought if it was bearings then it would have gotten worse by now but I don't hear any funny noises.

I'm actually not that bad with the spanners and if I knew what I was looking for could probably do it myself.

I think I'll pop it down the garage monday and see what they say. There's a local garage that seem quite honest that I have used a few times.


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## Brook877 (May 16, 2012)

Bearings are a possibility, kind of a worse case situation, but the fact it isn't making nasty noises is a good sign, but if it does have low oil pressure bad noises are coming sooner or later...

Fingers crossed the lacal garage can do you a quick pressure check, you know where your heading then at least.


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

Got it fixed by the garage in belper. It was a blocked pipe so all is good now. Thanks for the help.


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## Brook877 (May 16, 2012)

monkeybiker said:


> Got it fixed by the garage in belper. It was a blocked pipe so all is good now. Thanks for the help.





Brook877 said:


> Take it for an oil pressure check, it shouldn't really cost you any more than half an hours labour,
> 
> You then know for sure if you have a genuine oil pressure issue, if you do *I would have the sump taken off and the oil pick up pipe checked/cleaned, again quite quick/cheap and a blocked pick up pipe is the cause of a lot of oil pressure problems. *
> 
> For a relatively small spend worst case is you will then have some idea what the problem is and you can make an informed choice what to do next, best case is it is some thing daft like a blocked pick up pipe and you've got it sorted..


Do I win a prize? :whistling:

Glad you've got it sorted :thumbup1:


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## Nidge (Jan 22, 2007)

monkeybiker said:


> Got it fixed by the garage in belper. It was a blocked pipe so all is good now. Thanks for the help.


Result.


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

Brook877 said:


> Do I win a prize? :whistling:
> 
> Glad you've got it sorted :thumbup1:


I'll give you a thumbs up :thumb:


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## Brook877 (May 16, 2012)

monkeybiker said:


> I'll give you a thumbs up :thumb:


I'll take that mate


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## Brook877 (May 16, 2012)

Double post


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