I don't think the issue is how small a particle will be filtered, but the percentage of those small particles. At some point you end up restricting flow. Strange as it seems, I know a guy on a cigar BB that is "...the engineer in charge of Wix Filter's Air and Liquid test lab and sit on several Technical Advisory Groups that set standards for filter testing." I'll PM him and see what he says.

 

I did a forum search on my cigar BB, and came up with this thread:

(insert other discussion that ends up here):

I'm kind of shocked, because I bought off on Amsoil's "15 micron" claim without a second thought.

 

Agreed, but wouldn't you have warning in the way of reduced oil pressure?
Or are you assuming a by-pass filter?

 

It seems to me that (not counting a bypass filter) if you design a medium that filters particles as small as 2 microns with any efficiency; then that medium will also be more restrictive to oil flow. The way you would compensate for that would be to increase the surface area by filter size, and/or design of the pleats. The bypass valve in the filter, and the oil pressure sending unit, would be designed to open (in the case of the valve) or warn (in the case of the sending unit) at a pressure corresponding to lubrication design requirements of the engine.

I could see making a bypass filter more efficient at filtering smaller particles than the primary filter, but that's going to filter a lower volume of oil (because of natural restriction in design); and since it's a secondary cleaning system, it would still allow passage of larger particles through the primary filter.

 

larger particles will have to be caught in both primary and secondary. The secondary could be placed behind the primary along with another primary or no filter next to the secondary. One could design an engine with two or more filters at different locations. If the superconductors could operate at high temps the engine oil could be entirely eilminated as well.

 

I'm not sure I understand your point. Larger particles aren't the issue.

 

r56mini,
What ARE you smoking, man? See, I always thought it was adding a flux capacitor that permitted the elimination of all lubricants.

 

I think they ditched the flux capacitor when they got rid of the supercharger.

 

So the turbo doesn't require the flux capacitor at all? Will wonders never cease!

 

This is the new twin-scroll, flux-capacitorless turbo. German engineering at it's finest.

 

Aaah, see? They couldn't just eliminate the flux capacitor without compensating, so that's why they had to do a twin-scroll turbo. To make up for the sub-atomic changes in the flux due to the loss of the capacitor. It's clear to me now.

 

My mouse is single scrolled. twin scroll will be just too confusing. I have witnessed what superconductors could do at -70 degrees celcius. It was simply unbelieveable right in front of my eyes! Someday I hope we will discover something similar that will functioni at room temp or higher.

 

Super conductors and flux capacitors.... I'm guessing that's how Mobil 1 gets 210,000 miles of service out of their oil.

 

Yeah, especially if you're using the tachyon flux capacitor....Let me know and I can look up the specific model number....

 

Sorry to burst your bubble, I've been working in product development for years and I'm a professional design engineer. I also do failure analysis on older products.

Almost EVERY single product now is marketing and financially driven, engineers take a back seat.

It goes something like this (to shorten a long story):

Marketing - "our research tells us our target group hates having oil changes done, can we avoid this?"

Engineering - "err, no, we can't make an engine that doesn't need oil changes"

Marketing - "then how about making them really long so it doesn't bother people as much?"

Engineering - "that might be ok, but the engine life might suffer"

Marketing - "what is the statistical probability they will fail before the warrantee is up?"

Engineering - "we estimate its low, around 2-5%"

Marketing - "great, problem solved! glad we could figure it out"

Upper Mgmt - "engineering I gather you figured out the oil change problem with marketing?"

Engineering - "well, um, maybe but..."

Upper Mgmt - "good, lets move on and ship this product, we are late and losing estimated sales, the board is pressuring us to release this asap"


That pretty much sums it up, every company is under pressure to ship ship ship and get a bumper next quarter for the stock price and investors.
I'm under no illusion that the mini will be as reliable as the cars I have had previously, however its much newer that those and I wanted something fun.

I am taking extra precautions however and one of those is more frequent oil changes, I'm doing mine every 7,500 miles. I just took a drive in my mini this evening, quite fast 3-4.5krpms, 50-70% throttle for 10-12 miles. The turbo was cherry red when I pulled over to examine it, there is no way ANY oil can last 15k miles under those conditions.

I'll also be changing the gearbox oil about every 30-40k miles also.

 

ok soooo......

If you plan on getting rid of the car around the time when the warranty is up, do the oil change with the given intervals MINI recommends.

If you plan on keeping the car for much longer, go 5000 to 7,500 mile intervals

Got it!!

Just got a brand new 2012 Mini, gotta make sure it runs as strong as my 04 R50

 

Yup, even mini/BMW has backed off the 15k oil changes now. Do a google search for Audi or vw sludge if you want to see what happens when companies try and push oil services out, especially on turbo engines...warning it's ugly!