Also noticed a few drops on the floor below. Does turbo even need oil?
Turbo uses engine oil. Replace any seal or gasket on turbo
Does turbo need oil? Very much so. It has parts spinning at 30,000 rpms or so, and the bearings require oil to live. Clean cool engine thoroughly, and then run engine to find leak.
SO, I dried the oil next to turbo oil intake line and drove maybe 6 more miles on a highway. Parked it for couple hours and looked again. It was still dry where I cleaned and there was just couple of drops on the floor underneath. SO I went by a garage for a mechanic to look at. He said it looked like I may need a valve cover replaced. Really? Why? Can't I just replace a gasket under it?
Depends. Older cars with metal valve covers could usually be fixed with just a gasket change. Newer cars, especially turbo cars, operate at such high temps metal valve covers may warp, and plastic ones may degrade such that replacement is the only good option. The good news is this should not be an expensive part, and you may find that a better type replacement (cast aluminum) is available in the after market.
Yes, it feels like plastic, which is probably what it is, but a replacement part with a gasket is around $360. I'd love to get something stronger, like aluminum, but it may be affected in a different way, due to temps. I'm not much of a mechanic, but after replacing on my own the thermostat housing, I know for sure this one can be done at home.
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Search internet for aftermarket "speed parts" or "racing parts " for your mini. There must be something. I think cast aluminum should work fine.
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