Going to do the break-in oil change this weekend.
Got my filter, then go check the owners manual to see how much oil is needed. The only filling capacities listed are for the fuel tank and the windsheild washer fluid?!!!!!!!?!!!?!?!?!?!

I read through all the other info in the owners kit and...nothing.
Pretty sad.

My 1988 and 1999 BMW owners manuals list all the fluids, my 1972 BMW owners manual even explains HOW to do the damn engine oil change. The new cars are that much more non-user servicable? I guess that is just the way the consumer wants it (sometimes it really sucks to be an engineer- frustrating!).

I'll chalk this up to yet another item that some bean counter/sales exec has deemed not useful for me as part of the buying public.

Spare tire
Warning triangle
First aid kit
Wheel chock
and now engine fluid capacities.

BTW- I did find 4.4 to 4.5 quarts is the amount of oil. I now just need to search to find the trick for getting at the oil filter cap. Remove the air tube or try to lift the coolant expansion tank out of the way? God forbid that I cause a leak in the coolant system...there's no listing in the owners manual for how much coolant these cars use, either.

How long before Bentley has the R55/R56 book out?!

 

You really shouldn't change the original oil or filter until your clubman has a name.

 

Yes, 4.5 qts is about right. With the S, most people move the coolant overflow tank to get at the oil filter housing. It takes one screw, then unhooks. Leave the tubes attached, just move it out of the way. You will want a long extension on your socket wrench.

When putting it back together, torque oil filter cap to 18.5 ft. lbs., and the drain plug to 22 ft. lbs. Don't forget the copper crush washer.

There are some good oil change threads in the Coupe Talk (2007+) forum. Here is one with some photos:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=101513

IIRC, there are some corrections later in the thread. After looking at the first post, you may want to go to the end and scan backwards.

 

Thank You Robin!
This is the kind of info that I was looking for.

After an hour or so of searching on a slow computer I gave up and just went at it blindly. I did pull the 8mm screw that holds the expansion tank and moved it up and out of the way. I believe I will get those two coolant hoses to keep in my parts bin for the time I do an oil change and one of them decides to spring a leak.

A 27mm socket is what's needed, and a 6" extension would be ideal.
Despite all my efforts to do a clean job (stuffing shop rags under the filter housing and using a plastic bag to sneak the oil filter into as soon as it comes out), I managed to spill some oil and christen the driveway. Oh well, I'm used to it with all the old cars I've owned. I guess I'll have to break out the drip pan next time. Is this part of the English car heritage?

Got it drained, got the filter out, cleaned up my mess, then I discover the dealer sold me the WRONG filter. Now it is Sunday, the car is on ramps, and noboby is open that has a filter for these cars. I'll have to go to the dealer in the morning and finish the job tomorrow night. I'll assume part of the blame for the wrong part. I figured that the parts guy should know his stuff, so I asked for an "oil filter for an R55 Cooper S". To me, that means a 2008 and up Mini Cooper S Clubman with a R14 motor. I guess he heard "something, something, five, cooper s" and figured it was a 2005 or something. (For a real fun time, go to a BMW parts counter and ask for parts on a 1972 2002. They get ALL confused on that one) I'm just too used to asking for BMW parts by E30 or E46 or even motor types like S14.

 

SteveJ, what's your odometer reading?

I'm @ 850 miles.

 

The way to eliminate the spill is to open the oil filler cap and then undo the filter housing just enough to break the air seal. Then give it some time to drain. There should be very little spillage.

My memory of the English car heritage from the 1960's & 70's includes:

Austin Healy 3000: If it had a flat tire, the jack wouldn't fit under the car.

Triumph TR3: A friend had one. The side-to-side play of the stick shift in 3rd was as great or greater than when in neutral.

Austin America: (my brother's) Had a very nice air/oil suspension (licensed from Citroen), but the Brits decided to put the hydraulic lines (from front to back) between the body and the frame. When it sprung a leak, as they tended to do, repair costs were greater than the value of the car.

I had a 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider that was more advanced (dual overhead cams) and refined than most cars in the 1960's. The downside was that it was in the shop a lot. Since it was a Ferrari dealership, I didn't mind going there, so much.

 

Good info on the Austin America.
I saw one in the corner of a field on the way to our Rally in the Sierra a couple of weeks ago. I'm glad I didn't stop for a look.

Dragon,
We are just at 2k. I wanted to get to it around 1500, but we were in the middle of a road trip when that happened.

I went back to the dealers parts counter today. The guy felt bad about causing a delay with supplying the wrong part. He gave me an extra filter to make up for the error. So far, the dealership is doing very well.