I called MINI and of course they told me the SC is a non-servicable part and want to sell me a new supercharger LOL.

Does anyone know where I can get a fill/drain plug for the drain on the passenger side by the pulley? When I was servicing my SC I noticed mine was in pretty bad shape (the hex is pretty stripped out) and I dont want to run into any issues when trying to check the oil level later down the road.

I saw something online about a magnetic one but it must not be produced any longer because I can't find anywhere to purchase it.

Thanks for any help!

 

There is more than one person on this board who are of the opinion that trying to 'service' the supercharger is a waste of time; by the time the oil level is down the damage has been done. Not all agree, but many do, in which case their recommendation is to wait until it becomes symptomatic, then replace it.

 

Well in my case this isn't true. I pulled my SC and serviced it as a precautionary measure when I first bought the car. To my delight there was plenty of oil that drained out. I replaced with fresh oil and put it back on the car.

I just noticed that the drain/fill plug hex was getting bad and I want to be able to monitor the oil level with the SC on the car and don't want to get boned by a stripped plug later.

 

One tip...
The bung you are talking about...on the pulley side...is ONE of TWO places on the sc that uses oil....the one you are taking about is the "snout"...it keeps the oil in the snout bearings and coupler...unfortunately, that oil resivior has not been the problem one on the m45....the seperate one on the bottom of the sc, the waterpump PTO oil has been the problematic one oil level wise...and the mini's m45 is THE only sc with that arrangement....
I'm thinking the bung for the snout SHOULD be a standard part on all of the same makers units...a certified rebuilder like stegimer might stock the parts.

 

Thanks Zippy for the heads up on Stegmeier, I will contact them.

I guess I should have prefaced my post with the reason I want to monitor my oil level in the snout...

Long story short, when I replaced my SC pulley with a 15% I had to cut my stock pulley off. While I was chiseling it I slipped and dinged the shaft seal. I ordered a new seal and put it on, all went smoothly. Now I am getting a couple drops of oil on the floor and all over the side of the lower engine where the serpentine belt is and it is clear oil like the SC oil. I am 99% sure it's the shaft seal that is leaking but I cant tell for sure (because the SC pulley is in the way and it's a tight fit, can't see up in there) so I am monitoring the oil level in the snout over time to see if it gets lower. If it does I will have to take it back off and replace the seal again. Hooray! < sarcasm.

That is my reasoning as to why I need a fill plug in good shape ;-)

 

That is considerably more information than was apparent in your original post . . .

 

Sure but to be fair all I was looking for was info on where to find the plug. None of the other stuff really has any bearing on the situation.

 

I do remember your post about the ordeal with pulley, it made me so nervous about taking mine off.... Just yesterday I was browsing and is did see the drain plug ( the magnetic one) but I can't remember if it was outmotoring or WMW that had them sorry I'll keep an eye out and see if see them again

 

The sc oil has a very...er...distinctive smell...pretty low viscosity due to the high speeds in sc...
I have seen snout rebuild kits for the easton "family" of sc before...usually bearings and a coupler...not sure about how it is done or if it needs to be retimed when done..but one thing to look ok for...might not have the bung...but if you catch a leak before it kills the bearings and shaft entirely...might be an option if you don't want to send off the sc for rebuilding.

 

Thanks, I'll check both of those places out.

 

I never thought to check the smell, although I know what you mean, it does have a specific smell to it. I just noticed right off that it is clear, same as the SC oil and there isn't really anything else over on that side that will leak oil so high up on the engine as to get all over the serpentine belt and pulleys.

Thanks for the heads up on the rebuild kit. I'm pretty sure that all I'll need to do is get another shaft seal though....and find that damn fill plug haha.

I just don't want to take the SC off again