Hi all,
After reading the threads on DIY oil changes I did my own change this weekend. All went splendidly well, AFAIK, until I reread my notes and saw that I had put the wrong filter in.

I put a NAPA #7103 in instead of a #7303. In looking briefly on the web and comparing the OEM and the 7103 I cannot identify the differences between the filters. The car has been running fine. However I am thinking I might need to do another quick oil change putting in the correct filter number.

Thoughts?

 

The difference is a big one. The filter for the Cooper S has a internal frame to keep the filter from collapsing. The Cooper filter does not have the frame in it. For some reason the Cooper has the internal filter support built into the oil filter cap and the S does not.

If you use a Cooper filter in an S the sides of the filter will suck in and have a lovely hour glass shape when removed

Cheers,
Jack

 

Are you sure it was a NAPA filter #7103? The only reason I ask is because the 7103 is a spin-on, and the stock filter is a cartridge.
If in fact you did use a 7103, post pics, i'd like to see that.

 

Call Napa and ask them what is the difference between the 7103 and the 7303.

If it were me I would replace the filter and not change out all the oil but just top it off after I put the correct filter on.

 

Change it.... The price of a oil change is not worth the risk... My 2 cents.

 

This is incorrect. The R50, R52, and R53 all take the same filter.
The R56 Cooper and Cooper S use a different filter than the early cars, but the same one between them.

 

Just to prove that I am truly an idiot for panicking, I threw out the packaging for the filter so am only going by memory. In looking on the NAPA site and calling, it seems like it could not possibly be a 7103. As Partsman has said, it is a spin-on filter and only have 7103 in the part number, no one could find a filter labeled 7103 purely.

So I am pretty confident now that I put a 7303 in there. The counter guy even said that they had plenty of Coopers in my town and they "stocked these filters all the time".

If for nothing else, this event has indelibly marked the number 7303 in my brain as the correct filter to buy next time I go to NAPA.

Thanks for all the help!

 

PARTSMAN, prior to July 2004 there was a difference between the R50 & R53 filter housing and filter.
Pre-7/04 filters and covers.


Pre - 7/04 filter housing base


All years S model and post - 7/04 R50


The correct NAPA oil filter.


FWIW, I've returned to using the OEM oil filter.

 

FWIW, my filter looked like the one on the left, labeled "S". This is for a 2003 S model. I think I will also use the OEM model. The $3 savings is not that significant, and the dealer is within 5 minutes of my office.

 

Keith, thanks for posting the differences, and thanks for having just about every part of our cars under the microscope at one time or another.

As for the filter, there is only one part number in my ETK for before and after 07/04. Which is why I posted my reply to jack07734. My apologies to him.