Dear professional dealership Mini mechanic,

Have you ever heard of a torque wrench? That's a rhetorical question because I already know the answer. The instructions in the workshop manual are fairly clear about the tightening torque specifications for the oil drain plug and the oil filter housing. It also says to use hand tools, not your air powered wrench. I suppose its possible that you can't read.

Once I rounded off the hex head of drain plug (putting far more than the 18ft/lbs it should be tightened to), I went over to Sears and picked up an electric impact gun (have been wanting one anyhow) and a set of "bolt-out" extractors. To my surprise the drain plug would not yield even to the impact gun. So out came my MAPP gas torch and I heated up the engine block around the bolt you fastened so well, and then hit it with the impact gun. That did it...thank god!

Next up, oil filter housing. The torque spec for this is also 18ft/lbs but you didn't realize that, did you? Using the proper 36mm speciality socket and a 3/8" breaker bar it would not budge. I grabbed my 32mm combo wrench (the sucker is easily 24" long) and slid the box end over the breaker bar to get some more leverage. You should have seen the breaker bar flexing from the force I put into it, but still the oil filter housing held fast. MAPP torch fired up once more and put some heat into it. I gave it another go with the breaker bar and 32mm combo wrench as a torque multiplier. I was about to give up when it finally moved.

While I do appreciate a mechanical challenge, an oil and filter change isn't where I expect to encounter obstacles. This should be easy stuff Mr. dealership mechanic, but you are a Gorilla and have turned something simple into something difficult.

 

Well put!!

 

although the drama has style, and I feel your frustration, you are working with a rather broad brush...

your post does not say where the problem happened, nor when

it might be helpful to others if you could be specific, and of course one would only flame on the forum after exhausting diplomacy at the dealership I would assume...

not disagreeing with your point mind you - and congratulations on overcoming that unnecessary challenge someone threw in your way.

kind regards,

Charlie

 

The problem happened in my garage this afternoon. I believe I was quite specific about the exact nature of the problem I encountered.

Actually I tried once in the past to remove the oil filter housing. I was using my 1/2" breaker bar with a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter. The stupid thing wouldn't budge and the 3/8" to 1/2" adapter actually sheared off. Yep, the darn thing was so tight, my tool broke. I gave up on changing the oil and filter myself that time and ended up back at the dealer. I explained the issue to the service person and explicitly asked that they not gorilla the oil filter housing on.

I just wanted to vent here. Note that I did not publicly name then flame the dealer...won't do any good anyhow because they will continue to over-torque regardless of what I say. I will do it myself from now on.

 

Well I happen to be a Mini tech and can tell you this.

I have never in my life seen anyone use an impact gun on the drain plug or oil filter housing.

Have you ever heard of metal expansion from heat? Study up on that for a bit . I have gotten more than a few Mini's back as repeat customers and had stuck oil filter housings, I previously installed that housing on their last visit and not with an air tool.

 

Did you see where I used a MAPP torch to help get the stuck bits apart? I understand that metal expands when heated.

Next question...do you use a torque wrench?

 

Correct, no one uses an impact on a drain plug or filter canister. Not sure you could get an impact on the filter canister even if you wanted to.

I change my own oil & do not over tighten the plug or the filter housing. That being said every time I change the oil the plug is very tight as is the filter canister. Just the way it is I guess. I have no idea why.

 

When 2 different types of metal, aluminum and steel are torqued together and then run through a couple hundred heat cycles there will be almost permament bonding.

Made a 2 piece aluminum manifold for a Ducatti 25 yrs. ago.
2 parts had a .0001 slip fit tolerence.
Just holding parts in my hand resulted in heat cycle.
Required a 5 ton press to seperate them.

 

Sadly it's not just people at dealerships.

I had tires installed a couple of months back and just right before the tire guy mounted the wheels back on the car, I specifically gave him the correct torque setting. He then proceeded to install my lugs with his impact gun hitting each lug over and over to the enormous amount of torque his gun was set at. THEN he takes out his torque wrench and started torquing them down. Of course at this point there was nothing to torque down since the lugs are already way over its proper torque. I took a deep breath and just shrugged my head.

I do agree with the posts above. They may not have used a torque wrench and just over tightened them by hand.

 

Sadly we see WAAAY overtightened oil filters and drain plugs from the dealers all the time, the only place worse is quick lube places like Jiffy lube.

And yes I've actually seen a tech at a MINI dealer use an impact on a drain plug, lazy and stupid.

You should also check your wheels, it sucks to be stuck on the side of the road and so tight you can't change it.

 

Did you see this happen or just your assumption that is what happend due to your inability to remove the canister cap and plug ?

Could be you just dont perform your oil changes often enough so they end up that way.

 

Maybe the tech was trying to remove the drain plug ?

And besides, I don't get it. If you see it all the time, just how many MINI dealers are there in the Atlanta area ? or is there just one particular offender ?

 

Like I said I do not over tighten the drain plug or the filter canister. Yet in the space of 6,000 to 7,000 miles they are hellishly tight. No impact is used. Go figure.

I am guilty of calling the tech at the local MINI dealer son of Kong. I now know they seem to tighten themselves for some odd reason.

 

many many threads on this and my 2 cents having worked the issue since 2002:

For the oil drain bung, the built in plastic washer is the culprit so far as I can tell. Even bungs I put back in with only one UGH seem to take three UGH to get back out. Replace the factory bung with a 'standard' (it IS a very common size: 14mm-1.5) and a fiber washer and they never stick again.

So far as the oil filter housing - it takes more ft/lbs to seat the filter then the recommended torq' in my experience. Most expect an oil filter to be only hand tight . . . MINI? Not so. (My GEN2 isn't QUITE as bad) To verify I did this once: I seated the filter & I checked the t' with a click type. It clicked b4 I saw any movement. I cross checked with a beam type . . . ditto; the fitting was already tighter then the recommended # just to get the bugger fully seated. In other words, if you stop at the recommend ft/lb the housing may not be all the way on! HellO Mr oil drip.

Once you are familiar, you are no longer surprised.

Been doing "tech days" out of my garage for years . . . sadly the MINI DOES require even an experienced wrench turner to have a lesson or two.

p.s. if you are keeping the car I have one word for you: FUMOTO

 

I watched the tech put the drain plug back in one turn by hand, then run it down with an impact, I think he removed it with the impact too.

We have 2 dealers here in Atlanta. I can't say which one, but Quick lube places are king of it too.

 

This thread deserves a +9000 and a page of

I busted my knuckle off trying to change my oil the first time and had to take it to greasy's to let them get the drain bolt off just in case it stripped.

 

I rounded my oil plug trying to get it off so a guy from the club welded a huge nut over it and took it off that way.
I'm thinking about trying a Fumoto valve... http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/

 

LOL OP was just trying to make a point.

There are LOTS of idiots who tighten the filter housing and drain plug as tight as they can, by hand or air.

 

 

....at least he did it to your drain plug where you can reach it.

what about those mechanics that overtighten the sparkplugs huh?

 

When I got my MINI in February (used) I did the first oil change a few days after and to my wonderful surprise the oil drain plug was chipped, slightly rounded off and it was definitely put on with an impact wrench. I ended up having to heat it up a bit with a small torch (without catching the PS fan on fire ), then take a vise grip around the plug and then take a hammer and tap the side of the grip until the plug eventually came loose. I replaced that plug right after.

The service records show that the oil change was last done at an STS.

 

do your own folks -- everyone should hang from their own noose...

 

Can you use something like PB Blaster on those bolts, letting it sink in for an hour or two, before attempting to remove? Would that help, perhaps?