Under the bonnet
96
Adding engine oil
Add no more than 1 US quart/1 liter of oil after
the following message appears in the tachome-
ter or when the oil level has fallen to near the
bottom mark on the dipstick, page95.
Add oil within the next 125 miles/200 km,
otherwise the engine could be dam-
aged.<
Keep oils, greases, etc. out of the reach of
children and comply with the warnings on
the containers. Otherwise, health hazards may
result.<
Oil change
Have the oil changed only by a MINI Dealer or a
workshop that has specially trained personnel
working in accordance with the specifications of
the MINI manufacturer.
Approved engine oils
The quality of the engine oil selected has critical
significance for the operation and service life of
an engine. Based on extensive testing, the man-
ufacturer of your MINI approves only certain
grades of engine oil on a regular basis.
Only use High Performance Synthetic Oil
approved by the manufacturer of your MINI.If MINI High Performance Synthetic Oil is not
available, you can add small quantities of
another synthetic oil in between oil changes.
Only use oils with the API SH specification or
higher.
If you have any further questions regard-
ing MINI High Performance Synthetic Oil
or approved synthetic oils, your MINI Dealer will
be glad to advise you.<
Do not use any oil additives, as they could
cause engine damage under some cir-
cumstances.<
Viscosity grades
Viscosity is a measure of an oil's flow rating and
is categorized in SAE classes.
The correct SAE grade for your MINI is deter-
mined by the climatic conditions of the region in
which you normally drive your MINI.
Approved oils belong to the 5W-40 and
5W-30 classes.<
These oils can be used for driving at all outside
temperatures.
Coolant
Do not add coolant to the cooling system
when the engine is hot. Escaping coolant
can cause burns.<
Coolant is a mixture of water and an additive.
Not all commercially available additives are suit-
able for your MINI. Your MINI Dealer knows
which additives are suitable and will be glad to
advise you.
Only use suitable additives, otherwise
engine damage may result. The additives
are hazardous to your health.<
Comply with the appropriate environmen-
tal protection regulations when disposing
of coolant additives.<
Checking coolant level
1.Let the engine cool down.
2.Turn the cap of the expansion tank a little
counterclockwise to allow any accumulated
