My steel ramps used to slide with rear-wheel-drive cars (had to place on old inner tube rubber), but have never moved with front-wheel-drive cars.

For the MINI, had to lead with 2x8's to prevent mashing the air-dams, my last oil drain, just used the 2x8's alone and believe it could be done with nothing under front tyres.

 

Thanks for this write-up mikpatj! I changed my wife's oil today since she was at the 2500 mile mark and I don't want any metal flakes to prematurly weir on her engine.

My question though is about the copper crush washer that comes with the new OEM filter. Am I supposed to remove the old copper ring off of the drain plug and replace it with the new copper washer? My concern is because the copper washer that was on the plug was completely flat and of course the new one isn't. It's kind of round-ish. Thanks!!!!

 

The new washer flattens when the oil plug is tightened.

 

Yeah, but mine didn't seem to flatten very much. At least not completely flat like the OEM ring that I removed. The new one might have squeezed a little bit but not flat.

Edit: Okay, I found my torque wrench and torqued the plug down to 22 ft/lbs. I'm pretty secure now in the crush washer. It does seem to have flattened out a bit.

 

My apologies in advance if this has been covered, but I've searched all over this site looking for an answer and haven't found it.

Does anyone know how to reset the oil change indicator? I have an '08 Clubman with Nav. Until now, I've had the dealer do the scheduled oil changes (and reset the indicator) and changed it myself between visits. Now that my 36K is up, I'm on my own for oil changes, unless I want to drive 3 hours and pay them to it.

 

The indicator is for more than oil changes. The services it calls for include things like brake fluid flush, etc.

 

Yep... But how does one reset it? Any OBD2 scanner or BMW/Mini specific tool required?

 

Search is your friend here on NAM. I searched for "service rest procedure" and found this post. It tell exactly how to do it without tools.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...063-post1.html

 

This post was most helpful, since every other site had pre 2010 models. I could not find the oil filter...
I had to remove the wind screen water tank to get to the filter. Good job.

 

Great article!

Just bought a preowned clubman s and am preparing to change the oil.

Bought the NAPA/Wix filter and in addition to the expected rubber O ring was a small copper looking ring (3/4 inch). What is that for? Didn't see it in your pictures?

Thanks.

Jeff

 

That's the crush washer for the oil drain plug.

Here's a pic with the old crush washer removed and the new one sitting in it's place on the drain plug:

 

so is the bottom part of the stick (point) the indicator for low and the bump at the very top near the metal considered full?
I my level looks like its at the top bump.

 

The blue marks indicate the upper and lower limits. They are at the base of each cone, not the tip.

 

Thanks rduke222^^^^^yes exactly my thought. So im closer to the max mark. Which is cool cuz I think with the oil at the middle you woud get the cold start chatter alot are complaining about.

 

Where did you get the picture of the Mini recommendations of oil? IIm trying to find it for my 2004 MCS.

 

A lot of members have asked where to recycle their motor oil. Here is a link for a great site that lists local recycle centers and tells you if they take it for free or if there is a small charge:

http://earth911.com/

You can search for other fluids as well (ex. coolant, brake, transmission, etc)

 

I have a 2011 MCS, and the oil filter does not seem as easy to get to as the pictures. I've read on a few posts that I should remove the coolant reservoir to access. Any ideas or suggestions???

Thanks!

 

There is just a 10mm bolt holding the coolant reservoir on, it's real easy to take it off and move the reservoir to access the oil filter.

Dave

 

Excellent DIY write up. I'm getting close to 5k and I'm trying to decide what to do. I read that mostly everyone in this threath change their oil at 5k. Where my dealer tell me that I should just take it when service is due. I'm a bit confuses here guys. Can some one please help me decide when is best to do and oil change. If it help I have a 11MCS and I pull around 100 miles a day(is very painfull to see so many mile be wasted just to go to work... But heck... Is awsome that is always in my MINI) when should I do my first oil change?

Thank a lot guys!

 

First of all I am not a mechanic but kept the link to this procedure. I've changed oil in other cars so I thought I could do this one also. The pictures were great as well as the procedures. I used a 27mm 6pt for the filter and an 8mm for the drain plug, both sockets bought at the local Pep Boys. I did have to remove the tank with the one 8mm bolt to have room to get to the filter.

This might be a valuable story for those that are doing their first oil change. I didn't pay attention and it cost me.

It was a day that makes you wonder.

I bought this mini a few weeks ago from a local car lot, well respected in the area and always nice used cars. This is a 2009 MCS, one owner, clean carfax with it showing maintenance was done at their local BMW dealership at recommended intervals. I have yet to receive a reply from that out of state dealership nor my local BMW dealership for my request of a printout or an emailed pdf file of services done since the birth of the car.

Why did this day make me wonder? When I looked at the dip stick at the lot before test driving it, it was normal level, kind of "honey brow" in color I guess. I couldn't tell but I didn't feel like they had changed the oil before they sold it. Fine, doesn't matter I thought, I will do it myself so I know for sure what kind of oil is going in and what the filter looks like coming out.

Old filter was BLACK ... not sure if it had been changed recently. When I was dumping my used oil into the local garage's drum....used oil was BLACK!!!

Made me wonder.

The engine now has 4 qts of Mobil 1 synthetic and 1/2 way between the 2 bumps on the stock dip stick.

I checked for drips after running the engine for 5 minutes. Ran a white paper towel over the drain plug and the edge of the filter...no leaks.

I take it on a 65mph run for 4 mile round trip and when I pull into my drive, a small leak somewhere...the burning oil smoke.

Check my drain plug ... no leaking. Around the filter I can't see anything major that would produce that much smoke. I had tightened the filter hand tight and then a 1/4 turn with the socket before the test drive.

Then it came to me when I rubbed my finger around the edge of the filter to feel metal against the cap ... I felt rubber!! Even though it was tight I could feel a little rubber between the metal and the cap. I knew what I had did incorrectly.

I took the filter off, looked at the o-ring. I had slide the o-ring down to the bottom of the cap, so it was preventing the cap from being flush with metal. I then put the o-ring in the proper slot, hand tightened the filter and then a 1/4 turn with the socket.

Did my test drive of 4 miles and came back to no leaks anywhere. All is good.

Thanks to the mikpatj for his pictured procedure....you saved me a lot of money today and in the future.

 

Because of the difficulty in reading the dipstick on the 2011+ MINI, I searched for the correct amount for a oil + filter change. The Bentley manual gives 4.4 quarts. This appears to be correct since adding 4 quarts gives a dipstick reading approximately in the middle of the correct range. For some reason the dealers overfill the oil. I have read some are adding as much as 5 quarts. My dealer said they add 4.7 quarts by setting the amount that is pumped from the oil drum. I asked how much they added after getting dipstick readings above the upper mark. Reading the dipstick is a whole other story and I suggest you read the threads on reading the 2011+ dipstick in the 'how to' section. Since some dealers are adding extra oil, I would keep the oil near the upper limit. When I change my oil and filter I will buy 5 quarts. Pour in 4 quarts and then top off to the upper level with the 5th quart. The remaining oil will be used to keep the oil near the upper limit.

2011 MC PW/B

 

I found the filters at Amazon just search under "Mann-Filter HU 711/51 X Metal-Free Oil Filter" They are $8.40 and I have been running one for a month with no issues.

 

As the oil filter top housing piece is plastic, I was wary about tightening it too much on my first and only change so far. 25 Nm seemed too much. I tightened until hard contact, and then just a little bump (snug and a tug).

 

I am about to do my first post-free-maintenance oil change. Simply awesome write up. Great pics. Thanks so much.

 

Thanks...just ordered one.