Is it just me or am I super retarded???

I am having trouble getting the bonnet open so I can check the oil.

there is the latch behind the grill. It won't budge. Is it normally this hard?

Are there any tricks to it?

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Are you talking about the one to open the bonnet or the catch that stops you lifting it when you get it open?

For either one you might have to push on the bonnet a bit to take the pressure off. For the one that opens the bonnet, some you push to the drivers side but people often mount these backwards so you push towrd passenger side.

For the catch, you just push it toward engine.

Daniel

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Thanks. Pushing the bonnet down.... new I forgot something

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The other thing now is. I pulled the distick out, and the other bit that the dipstick sits in came with it. there are threads on it so I did it up as well as I could with my hands (was a bit greasy ). I gave it a bit of a wiggle to make sure it wasnt going to come out again, and it did..... whats the go?

Oil was a little low by the way

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Cass
The dip stick holder is either a plastic or soft metal tube. It has little ridges where it goes into the engine block to theoretically stop it coming out all the time.

Take the dipstick out and give the tube a couple of light taps with a small hammer to knock it back into position so that it locks. Brute force is definately not needed as you dont want to drive it all the way to the bottom of the engine.

Its a common problem. Many of us grab hold of the tube and give the dipstick a little wiggle to get it out. The tube gets fairly hot so make sure you check the oil with a cold engine.

Minis do use oil - their engine is designed to use oil and many spit water out of the radiator so you need to force your self to check the oil and water every single day before you take the car out for the first time. Top up as necessary

THanks Mike.

Will do that later on today.

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