1st off, what's the final word on the oil canister housing for the filter?? I've got an '03 non-S.. if you look at this post (http://www.lonestarminiclub.com/foru...1&page=1&pp=10) you'll see this picture:


I DEFINITELY have an oil filter in my car that looks like the one on the left, and i don't have an S... But the replacement filter i just opened looks like the one on the right. and my canister looks like the one on the right as well.

AND.. OK, wtf? I've got my car out in the garage, drained, oil filter AND CANISTER out TOGETHER... but can't seem to figure out how the heck to seperate the filter from the springy mount thing that it's stuck to... has anyone figured that one out yet? obviously it must be possible, but i've only been able to find one other thread about this spring and that guy ended up ripping it out and shoving the other one in and then worrying that he messed something up because it didn't have the spring in there any more.. said that the dealership told him that if it wasn't smoking or anything that it was probably alright... but when you think about it, if it's not seated right and the oil can just flow around the filter of course it's going to have enough flow, it's just not going to be filtered (i would imagine any...)

so... i'm left here now with my car empty and the oil filter out.. waiting for some guidance... if i don't hear anything soon i'm just going to put the old filter in and put the new oil in and say screw it... how bad could that be?

please help.

 

Well, I have an S and can't remember what it looks like other than I remember the flat spot on the canister threads like the one on the left. I don't remember any spring either. I do know that if not properly lubed with some fresh oil (on the O-ring and inside the housing) it can develop a small oil leak though easily fixed by reseating it.

How many miles on the filter? If you change often, like 3,000 or so miles, I'd say the filter will last another 3,000 miles giving you time to learn more about what to do. Perhaps you were given the wrong replacement filter. Could be the supplier changed the design slightly but it still seats properly. The whole idea of a spring in there sounds iffy to me.

You don't happen to have the Bentley Manual do you? I do, and can look to see what it might show if you want me to look. I'll have to go out in the cold and dig it out of the boot though. Brrrrr.

 

It seems that you have the correct filter, although someone else should verify that. If it will fit and seal correctly, I would use it rather than putting the old one back in. You can always change it again soon.

 

Funny. I don't remember a spring in my S filter either. My canister looks like the one on the left as well.

 

Yes, but he has a MC and needs help from someone who knows one. Sounds like the spring is in the MC only.

 

yah, exactly... it's a regular mc... but the old filter looks like the one from the s in the picture above...

my problem is that i can't get the old one out of there... i've been pulling on it like crazy, and my preg-o wife's no help... (sorry hun, but it's true)

 

sure don't... i'm begining to think it'll be a good investment.. i'm just going to put the old filter back in, put the new oil in and figure it out later on... how bad can it be? so i change it sooner next time..

i'll probably end up getting a different filter from the dealership, instead.. i'll ask the guys while i'm down there.

if you happen to see it in the book though, let me know

 

The filter won't come out? Or the canister? I did look in the Bentley Manual and there's only one diagram. Appears the spring is mounted in the canister so it presses the filter into the housing. Is the filter stuck on the spring in the canister? If so, get the snips out and cut it off in pieces exposing the spring still intact. Just a thought.

 

yah... i was thinking about that... but i had read that other post where he did that, and ended up having to pull the spring out... think that spring is pretty useless once the canister is seated? like it compresses out of the way and then the canister holds it against the block? man... nothing worse that a surprise like this on your first shot at something that ought to be routine...

rrrrrrr.

 

That's why have interest in helping. Been there, done that.

Various places to purchase the OEM filter seem to show the same one for MC and MCS. Maybe the spring just helps hold the filter on while you're reaching back down in behind the engine. Never was an easy thing to do.

 

i didn't answer your question...

yes, the canister (am i using the worng word here, i'm talking about this metal housing that holds the filter inside of it... that would have been trash on any other car..) and the filter have come off of the block.. no, the filter won't come out of the canister..

i do think it's stuck on the spring..

i'm scurred to go cutting it up tho... my wife's gotta drive it tomorrow and if i f it up she's gonna be p-o-ed..

i've seen that it's got a 15k interval anyway... i didn't know that until after i had drained it.. i guess people feel all sorts of ways about that, but we don't drive it THAT hard.. so.. i guess having 7k on the filter now means that i've got another 7 left on it.. sounds logical anyway..

 

yah. and what's up with THAT? who in their right mind puts an oil filter to screw DOWN into a block.. that doesn't make any sense to me.

i guess i probably should have unscrewed it a little way and let it drain out some more, before i went pullingit out of the hole.. my bad.

sounds like someone's getting a little engine compartment cleaning

 

Well, you know that the spring would shrink if you twist in the proper direction, like a coil or piece of paper shrinks as you roll it tighter. Again, just a thought.

Hey, if SHE'S going to drive it in the morning, shouldn't she be changing the oil? Well, wait a minute. I'm divorced and you shouldn't be listening to me on THAT subject.

This link may give you a little assistance: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=116825

Best of luck.

 

Last time I changed the oil I drained and refilled the oil (only) myself. Then I took it to the dealer and they charged me $20 to replace the filter.

 

I've done a few oil changes since i first started this post.. i'm sure that was the first one i had ever done one on the mini, and since then i've put over 60k miles on her (i just turned over 112k and i'm still on the original run-flats!) the oil filter is always a pain. always. it's damn hard to get out of the canister (even the tech @ the dealership agress), and i always end up just grabbing it with some pliers and yanking it out. and, to make matters worse, who in their right mind puts a the canister upside down like that? AND over a frame member? it's near impossible to take it off without pouring oil down there unless you crack it's seal some and let it sit for a half an hour to drain before you pull it the rest of the way off.

anyone have any suggestions on relocating the oil filter? how about a quick release-like drain plug?

 

Huh, for me, loosening the canister is the first thing I do, then drain the oil. By the time the oil is drained, the filter is drained as well. Still have to get the messy filter/canister up past the firewall and heat shield, but that's what paper towels are for.
Cobalt used to make a conversion kit for a spin on filter, but I haven't seen one of those in a while.