Found this part or parts during my oil change of my 2007 R52 Base Convertible under the oil filter. Does anyone know what this is and is it critical to keep. Should I buy a new one?

 

Yes, that valve is important and I wouldn’t drive the car if it was mine. Without the valve you’ll have oil pressure issues which could possibly lead to a blown engine.

Prior to 2018 the valve wasn’t available separately and you had to buy the whole filter housing for $$$ or find a used one and go through the labor to replace the housing which could be a pain to access. A member here on NAM designed a 3D printed replacement valve and a vendor now sells them. It’s a fairly new item so I haven’t seen anything about how well the replacements hold up long term.

The link to the members thread is here, along with a link to the product at the end of the thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...project-8.html

 

Thank you for the link and info. I think I found an almost identical part from Advance Auto Parts:
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Vs.

https://www.outmotoring.com/MINI-Coo...rep_12345.html

These parts look almost exactly the same. What do you think?

 

I wouldn't take a chance unless it's listed specifically for your application. Not sure if the Dorman part you linked to is the same one as in this thread from a couple of weeks ago: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...k-plunger.html

The plunger controls oil pressure somehow so I wouldn't want to risk blowing up my engine, unless it was a very known substitute with lots of data across the MINI forums. The obvious choice for safety would be a factory part, but that means buying a new housing for around $500 just for a plastic plunger that's worth a few dollars.

The next option might be a new 3D printed one for $30, but it hasn't been out for long so there's really no data out there on durability and longevity. I think the designer was an Engineering student who owned a MINI and tested it on his car for a few months(?) before offering them for sale. Otherwise theres used and the unknown condition of the parts and how long it will last.

 

The Dorman part number is 904-261, sold by a number of our vendors here on NAM and elsewhere - Amazon, Evilbay, Rock Auto etc, as a back fit for our R53s. That said I've been monitoring the forum for people's experiences with it as well as the Outmotoring version, figuring sooner or later the original one in my car should be replaced preemptively, to avoid this problem altogether.

The Dorman frankly looks every bit as cheap and flimsy as the original that came with the car, and while Outmotoring's offering definitely looks beefier, I'm more than curious to see how the different material (ABS?) it's made of holds up over time in the constant presence of oil and through all the heat up / cool down cycles. I'd really, really like to see an all-metal design made of high grade steel components instead of well, cheap plastic with an anemic looking spring.

 

The designer of the Outmotoring one said he was using Nylon 12 so it should hold up better to the oil and heat. Not sure how to tell what the current ones for sale are made of though.

If either one works, they are cheap enough that you could even consider them a consumable like an oil filter. Putting a new one in every 5-10 oil changes might be overly cautious, but for the potential damage a broken one could cause it would be worth it.

At the minimum, it’s probably not a bad idea to have one around as a spare so you don’t get stuck with a car down while waiting for the part.

 

During oil change I only got a little more than 2 quarts out of the motor. I replaced the broken check valve with the Dorman brand. Went in well after cleaning the broken parts out. Put in a whole 5 quarts and now it shows full on the dip stick. Top of the hash marks. Now the oil light has come on but it's only on until I rev the engine just a little. I told my mechanic about the oil amount and he said the crankcase vent valve needs replacing. Can the crankcase valve affect the oil pressure light or is the new part the calprit?

 

I don't see how it could affect oil pressure directly, that's determined by the oiling system, i.e. pump, filter, relief valve, drain back plunger (the part in question) and the temperature and viscosity of the oil itself. Also the wear and tear of the engine over time (including the oil pump gears in the timing cover). That said, a bad PCV valve / crankcase ventilation system can cause / antagonize oil leaks through seals and gaskets, especially the pan and valve cover. PCV is easy enough to replace yourself, by the way, and cheap to procure, about $10.

 

Got the Dorman brand, installed during my oil change. Now when ever the car is warmed up the oil light comes on until the motor revs past 1200rpm.

 

I would change to the one offered on here. Do not drive around with low oil pressure. Plunger cheaper than new engine.