Low Oil - Lasting Damage?

Well spotted!

Chris

Really? Thought they had a fluid flywheel.

Any damage would depend on whether you lost oil pressure, how long for, and at what load and revs the engine was run at. In motor racing applications, losing oil pressure for more than about ten seconds will usually wreck the engine! If there are no knocking or rattling noises coming from the engine assume that you got away with it, or sell it quickly.

Derek C

They have clutches within the gearbox in addition to the torque converter. The forward clutch is the main failure component and few people now know where to get the parts or how to fix them. In fact I've scrapped three engines/boxes because of that, at least one of which I would have had repaired had I known.

All convential autos have wet clutches. But I'm not convinced the Mini has a torque convertor. The couple I've driven don't act like they do. And I seem to remember reading this at their release. Hence the four speeds, rather than three as was common at the time.

Most people seem to think autos or indeed gearboxes can't be DIY fixed, but are happy to do fairly major stuff on an engine. Perhaps the Haynes influence?

I've not worked on an AP auto but have overhauled several B-W and GM ones.