WIX user also. (#7303)
No issues either.

Jim

 

http://www.minicarparts.net/Parts/M3400.cfm

6 pack...Oil Filter Kit - By Mann $49.95
And they go on-sale cheaper...sometimes about $6 each....

 

[QUOTE=jamez;3774417]Brilliant post Braminator, well written and illustrated.

 

[QUOTE=Kathy1946;3804729]Minimania wrote it....
Still a good find to post!!

 

[QUOTE=ZippyNH;3804750]Zippy is correct. I just posted it to help everyone with their oil filter issues.

 

I used to be a ford mechanic, for 12 years, the things that I've seen coming from the cheap parts stores is enough to raise question.

1 example, 3v 5.4l engine, the particulates coming from some aftermarket filters were plugging oil ports in the timing chain tensioner and cam phasers.

Also the countless rework jobs when costumers would bring in their own parts that they got cheaper at the auto parts store.

I've since left the automotive career and I still purchase all parts for any make vehicle from a dealer.

That said, there is always the go fast parts of course are not coming from the dealer.

I tell anyone that wants me to work on their car that I only install parts if they come from the dealer.

I am a true firm believer that "You Get What You Pay For".

That is just me and just my opinion. So take it for what it's worth.

CHEERS!

 

Yeah, but when one dealer gets an extra $13 bucks pure markup profit for the exact same
part that other dealers and other sources charge for an oem filter, the adage becomes
"The Dealer Gets What You Pay (For)".

 

Lol...
Also on many low volume cars like mini's, you still get the SAME OEM part through a 3rd party if you are careful.....just costs 30-50% less...parts are sometimes called "gray market" cause they are imported bypassing mini/BMW....
PS pump for gen1 cars is a good example....only one maker for the part...but you can buy it from auto parts place that can order it wholesale from the maker....saves $100 or so...same part...same labels...even the same box.
The mini is such a low volume car, parts are often used on other cars (from the same OEM) from fairly small makers...some big...
Like is a sparkplug from NGK that says BMW on the insulation any better for 5x the price?
I agree, many aftermarket parts are junk...like ANY auto-zone electrical part...all made in China junk...but you will find most specality sellers here sell the good stuff...the big box auto parts stores have the market for cheap junk....heck even NAPA has multiple part numbers...one for the junk "price point" consumer part, and another for the pro grade part...usually the same part as the OEM....all comes down to the guy ordering the parts and knowing which to get....a good shop knows what you want...good part or lowest cost.

 

All very true.

I didn't go as deep as that. If I know for a fact that say ngk is the factory stuff, I have no problem with that.

Oil is the same way. All the manufacturers just bottle a big name oil and sell it for double.

But, I worked at a dealership that was fairly remote and they did the same thing, marking up prices like crazy. I felt like a crook as technician knowing what the parts department was doing. Needless to say, I didn't stay there long.

It's definitely worth shopping around.

 

If I have the new style oil filter cap am I good? Is it possible a previous owner put on the new style cap on an old style base? Is Mann-Filter HU 816/2 X for the new or old style housing?

 

JAP67 -

You'll be safe with OEM suppliers like Mahle or Mann for about $9-$11 each... or go with Wix 57303 / Napa Gold 7303 (same filter, different box). I've used Wix or Napa Gold, which ever is cheaper ($6-$8).

Had the oil analyzed after 10k miles. No problemo!!!

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post3493857

 

ewgoforth - First Make sure they sent you the correct filter.

Mann HU 816/2 X Looks like this. Its for all Gen 1 MINIs.


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/11427512446/ES257649/






Also here is a thread which talks about the older and newer style housing and all the links.


https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html

Thanks and hope that helps.

 

Yes, you're good. That's the filter with the plastic cage inside. And yes it's very likely that in the past someone put the new style cap on the old base.

 

That's what my new filter looks like. the old one was different. I'll see if it has any numbers, etc. on it, it was a Mann too.

The 816/2 fits both early and late filter housings? I guess you still need a spring with the early housing? If it has a frame, I wouldn't think you'd need a frame?

 

Are you saying this filter works with either housing style?

 

FYI- I put that exact filter over my spring/cage assembly last time I did an oil change. So in my experience they work with both.

Val

 

I have a 11/2003 production 2004 MCS, bought new, and it has the "later style" canister cover without the plastic cage and spring. This doesn't jive with the 7/2004 production change from the old to the new style mentioned earlier. The car was serviced by the dealer during the free maintenance period (as I recall 3 yrs) so perhaps they swapped it out to the newer style, although I'm sure it never appeared on any work order.

I've been using the Mann HU 216/2x for all the oil changes the last six years or so and they've worked fine. I am pretty careful to pre-fit the filter before starting the cover on, making sure it doesn't x-thread, and lubing the o-ring well so it doesn't pinch. No issues so far. It is a fussy car to do an oil change on though. Why the Germans don't adapt the proven and reasonably fool-proof spin-on one-piece disposable design is unfathomable to me.

- Mark

 

Hi,

I looked through my online purchases and I guess I didn't buy my previous filter online afterall. I must have bought it at Advance Auto. It doesn't have an internal frame, but has a much larger central hole. I think it says HU816 on it. Maybe this is the original style filter? It came in a long gone Mann box. I'll pull off the filter housing and try to figure out what style I have. If I have the later style housing then I'm lucky that it didn't collapse. Is the hole on the one end of the HU816/2 bigger than the other? I put it in with the rubber side facing the engine. The old filter doesn't have a rubber side.

-Eric

 

BMW/mini's use the older style filter rather than spin on ones for "green" reasons...
Shops can burn/crush the old filters....saving the step of cutting the metal canister...
It also allows a mechanic to look for any shards of metal in the pleats...a common practice in aircraft motors...
Part of the theory is that most mechanic will toss a canister filter in the trash...sending trapped oil to the landfill....less is trapped with no canister.....and physically it IS cheaper...so lower costs....it also gives the engineers a chance to install their own anti-drain back valves in the filter housing...rather than using a disposable hunk of junk in an aftermarket filter.

 

These are valid points, but I'll take the convenience and fool-proofness of a spin-on any day.

It is interesting that you mention the ease of inspection of the filter material in the aircraft engine context. Most piston aircraft engines, where inspection of the filter material is fairly routine, now have spin-ons which require the mechanic to cut open the filter. So even in the context of an application where a canister would seem to be ideal, spin-ons are used.

- Mark

 

I pulled off the cover on my oil filter and it's definitely the later type, so I guess I'm okay unless somebody just put the newer style cover on the older style base. It doesn't seem like anyone knows if that'll work. It also looks like I was lucky that the oil filter that I got from Advance Auto didn't implode, since it looks like it was the early type without a frame.

-Eric

 

I didn't realize that the new part is the cap AND base... I thought that the base was the same on both, and everyone was only replacing the cap as the correct upgrade. I after reading the description of the upgrade part on MINI Mania, I see it's the cap and base, so it was erroneous for me to say "Yes someone probably put a new cap on an old base".

-Apparently now Genuine MINI Brand only makes one filter that fits all 2002 to 2006 MINI Cooper R50 and R53. That would mean the length of the filter is the same so I can't see why it would make a difference if it's the base holding the filter with the spring, or the new cap pushing from the other end, either case has the same result of holding the filter in the right place.

Only potential problem I see is if one had an old cap and lost the spring, or if one had a new cap and somehow found an old filter without a built-in cage on the market.

 

What's your production date? For all this talk about the old-style canister cover with spring/cage, there sure don't seem to be many out there with this setup. If the 7/2004 production date mentioned earlier is correct, then I would think well over half the 1st gen production run would have the old-style canister as this would include virtually all the 2002-2004 MY's. I did a quick search and on another forum, someone mentioned that all S models have the new-style canister cover, regardless of production date. So perhaps the 7/2004 production and prior date range is only a R50 thing.

- Mark

 

My 2004 MCS was built in March 2004 and has always had the 'new' style.

 

Mine is a 2003 R53, either all R53s had the later style housing or it was upgraded.