Here is the oil change how-to that a lot of people have been asking about.

Tools required:

13mm socket or wrench
36mm socket or wrench
Jack and stands
Oil drain pan
4.7 (5 is OK) quarts of 5W30 full synthetic (I prefer Redline - Amsoil and Motul are great too)
New filter replacement from MINI

Here's the filter kit from MINI and my favorite oil.



Time required:
About 30-45 minutes

1. Start by making sure the car is warm - this will help to make sure you get as much of the old oil out as possible.

2. Jack up the car, and use jack stands (for you 2minis). Here is the best jack point we've been able to find. It will lift the entire side, so you can put the jack stands under the factory jack points. This picture is looking forward on the driver side.



3. Drain the oil from the case before you remove the filter. This is a 13mm, and be careful, as the oil is warm.



Technique is to remove the plug until it is barely threaded, then, using two fingers above where the draining oil path will be, pull the plug up and away.



When you do it right, you won't get any oil on you or the floor :D .

4. Let the oil drain, and move to the top of the car. The filter is a canister type on the backside of the block to the passenger side of the center. It is removed using either a 36mm wrench (some of the larger adjustables will get this big as well) or a 36mm socket and ratchet.



This is looking at the filter from the passenger side.



Here's the 36mm socket with a ratchet. You can find these just about anywhere - this one is just from Home Depot - but they are also at Sears and most auto parts stores.

Let's have a closer look at the socket on the filter.



When you pull the filter off, it's tough to keep oil from getting everywhere, but moving the drain pan about six inches more toward the passenger side from where it was for the case drain plug will minimize the mess.

Note the orientation of the filter in the housing.



Here is the top of the filter coming out of the housing.



This is the part of the filter that goes into the housing.



You will notice there is an O-ring around the housing. This is included in the new filter kit, and should be changed.



5. Here is the removal of the O-ring. You don't need this tool - anything, even a pen, will work. Be careful not to score the O-ring seat.



6. Once you have the O-ring off of the car, clean out the housing. Some brake clean works in lieu of a parts washer.

7. It's a good idea to dip the new O-ring in some clean oil, or spray it down with WD-40. This will keep it from wanting to roll off the housing while you are screwing it on to the block again. It installs by just slipping it over the housing into it's groove.

8. Here is the new filter in the housing. After installing it in the housing, oil the rubber seal with new oil. This will make you happy the next time you take the filter off.



9. Reinstall the filter on the block. You will need to push the filter onto the guide - it sorta feels like it pops on. Screw the housing back on, and torque it to 25Nm, which isn't that much more than hand tight.

10. Reinstall the drain plug under the car, and tighten it to 31Nm.

11. Remove the oil cap on the cam cover.



12. Install the 5 quarts of oil.



13. After the oil is installed, replace the cam cover cap. Make sure the filter is on, the drain plug is replaced, and the cam cover cap are on, then start the car. Make sure the low oil pressure light is out. Check for any leaks under the car or from the filter area.

14. Lower the car and enjoy!

Thanks again to DiD for the photography!

If you have any questions, let me know.

It should be noted that the early Coopers have a plastic retaining post and spring. The spring goes into the housing, then the filter goes on. All filters are the same now.

Hope that helps!

Randy
720-841-1002
randy@webbmotorsports.com

 

Impressively thorough, Randy! Here's how I did mine:

1. Drove to dealer.
2. Forked over 75 bucks.
3. Ate a donut.
4. Drove home.

 

Nice job - very helpful! Just a couple of extra notes:

1) Ramps work well too. I trust them more than jacks, for some reason. Rhino Ramps are around $30 at auto parts stores. Also, the drain is actually within arm's reach of the front of the car, so once you know where it is, you don't even need to raise the car (as long as you have a drain pan shallow enough to fit under the car).

2) The total height of the 36mm socket has to be less than 2", otherwise there isn't room to get it on to the canister. Most 36mm sockets are 1/2" drive, so you really need a 1/2" drive ratchet, since there really isn't room for a 1/4"-1/2" adaptor.

That's the first I've heard of oiling the rubber seal on the filter. I guess it must make it easier to remove next time? Now I'll know...

 

Thanks, Randy! another great How-To write up!
... question about the filtre removal ...

>>When you pull the filter off, it's tough to keep oil from getting everywhere, but moving the drain pan about six inches more toward the passenger side from where it was for the case drain plug will minimize the mess.
>>

It has been reported that unscrewing it a bit and waiting will let the filtre oil siphon back into the sump ... does it?

... and one more number ...
>>
>>10. Reinstall the drain plug under the car.
(to 31nm)

Thanks for all the pictures in all the How-to's - tons better than the TIS!

 

"It has been reported that unscrewing it a bit and waiting will let the filtre oil siphon back into the sump ... does it?"

That does help, as long as you can get it off enough to break the suction and not let it start spilling out.

 

>>It has been reported that unscrewing it a bit and waiting will let the filtre oil siphon back into the sump ... does it?


Yes! I unscrewed mine probably about 1/4 inch and let it sit for 5 mins. Didn't spill a drop. But don't let that stup you putting rags underneath just in case.

:smile:

 

Randy- You are the best!

This is exactly what I was looking for (so thorough).

Now- When will you start carrying oil filters?

 

PS- can you make this available as a PDF file or similar so we could print it out with the photos?

 

I want to know how he got the plug out without
getting oil all over his hands??? I can't do that!!!

 

It's all in the wrist.

Oh, wait, was that something else?

 

>>PS- can you make this available as a PDF file or similar so we could print it out with the photos?

I have made a pdf of this page it has all of the comments with it. Any thoughts where it can be uploaded to for everyones use.

 

>>1) Ramps work well too. I trust them more than jacks, for some reason.

Yeah, after reading about the guy with the loose jack point, I'm very afraid to crawl under the car while it's resting on them. Have there been any other reports of jack points falling off?

I think I'll be buying a set of ramps for oil (jack stands for wheels).

 

>
>>I think I'll be buying a set of ramps for oil (jack stands for wheels).
>>

That's what I've got -works pretty well for me. I got a set of those new-ish plastic ramps that are a little bit lower than the steel ones (not to mention lighter and quieter!) - it is easy to get the car up those ramps without scraping anything.

 

>>PS- can you make this available as a PDF file or similar so we could print it out with the photos?

This is from another thread a while back, linked from MINI2.com. It prints out nicely, in about 4 pages.

MINI oil change

 

It sounds like this poor chap had a tough time getting that canister threaded.

Don't worry about it - it really doesn't take any special feat of magic fingers. If you have the filter element in the canister, line it up on the block and "pop" it on. Then thread it onto the block. Really, that's all I have had to do. That will take care of the filter holes fitting and the alignment of the canister.

Hope that helps.

Randy

_________________

Click It!

 

Randy,

Any thoughts as to why MINI (BMW Engineering) selected this non-traditional (at least for US cars) oil filter arrangement? Knowing Germany Engineering approaches, I'm sure there is some technical advantage to oil filtration,...

Thanks,
SMKKVK

 

Nice job, and thanks for all the effort you put in to make it so easily understandable.

My wife thinks I can just take my Mini to the Valvoline Quick Lube place ... NOT

 

Question: Drain Plug Seal

Does the drain plug use a copper washer which is compressed under initial load from the proper torque anmd therefore should be replaced each time or is a rubber o-ring? (Metal to metal is the best seal for this application.)

 

SMKKVK,

I haven't researched whether or not there are benefits to using a canister, but I know that BMW has used this method for some time. My personal opinion is that they do it to keep you going to the dealer for parts.

As for the plug seal, it's neither o-ring nor copper. It has a built-in hard plastic mating surface - unique, eh?

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Randy

 

BTW, if you have the skidplate (mine is from Moss) once you take out the plug the oil hits right between two of the holes and splatters everywhere.

I used the Rhino ramps and didn't jack up the rear of the car. If I did so it probably would have went better. I also recommend placing a rag UNDER/BEHIND the filter so when you take it out and it drips you don't have clean-up down below.

I really have no explaination as to how to get the new filter in; I just fiddled with it, pushed, twisted until I could feel it was on. (shrug)

-J

 

Randy,
That is a really fine how-to, thanks. Did you have any luck in putting into a PDF, printable format for your fellow MCOers?
Ken(smini)

 

>>SMKKVK,
>>
>>I haven't researched whether or not there are benefits to using a canister, but I know that BMW has used this method for some time. My personal opinion is that they do it to keep you going to the dealer for parts.
>>
>>As for the plug seal, it's neither o-ring nor copper. It has a built-in hard plastic mating surface - unique, eh?
>>
>>Let me know if you have any other questions.
>>
>>Randy

Several domestic manufactuers use this type of set up too. Most new chevy, ford and chrysler plugs are like this. Of course ford still does not know how to design a drain plug even after a 100 years. Most of the ford drain plugs start leaking after you turn then more then one revolution.

Spin on is better in every way. Much more head can escape through the spin on filter and there is no chance of damaging a housing.

 

"I haven't researched whether or not there are benefits to using a canister, but I know that BMW has used this method for some time. My personal opinion is that they do it to keep you going to the dealer for parts."

>>Randy

I was shocked to learn that the oil filter system in the MINI is nearly identical to that in my 1957 MGA. I wonder if they are merely upholding some British tradition?
I cannot imagine any advantage, anyone who has changed this more than once will attest that it's a pain in the a**

 

randy, I've read some of your other "how-to's" and they have all been extremely good. will you be putting all of your "how-to's" on your website?

 

>>I was shocked to learn that the oil filter system in the MINI is nearly identical to that in my 1957 MGA. .....


Compared to the canisters on old Minis, Minors, Spridgets, and, yes. MGA's, this new one is Sweet! ... in terms of how it comes off and reseals, anyway ...
A Spin-On is (sometimes) convenient, but if the element inside is the only thing that gets dirty, why throw the 'canister' away with it each time? ... kinda playing 'devil's advocate' here but from an environmental standpoint, this canister setup only makes sense ...