Ok, I changed my oil yesterday for the first time. I've changed the oil in my cars for 20+ years and I would rate the MINI oil change the easiest of all. It's nice not to have to pull the filter from underneath the car like my other vehicles.

Anyway...one word of caution. The oil filter canister is made of aluminum and the threads on it are big and VERY SHARP. I was wiping the oil off the threads with a paper towel and I cut my finger right through the paper towel. Use a thick cloth rag to wipe it instead.

 

Thanks for the tip, Ronvan --

I plan to do an extra oil and filter change in between the free ones from the dealer and I appreciate the heads up you've given. I'm sure many other people will also.

Joe

 

Thank for the wonderful tip ronvan

Soon my warranty is over what is the best over all time to change my mini oil. I don't think I will wait till 10,000 miles before I change it. I was thinking about every 5,000 miles.

What do you all think?

 

Check out Amsoil. They suggest you don't need to change their synthetic oil anywhere near 5,000 miles, more like 25,000.

 

>>Thanks for the tip, Ronvan --
>>
>>I plan to do an extra oil and filter change in between the free ones from the dealer and I appreciate the heads up you've given. I'm sure many other people will also.
>>
>>Joe

I'm in favor of oil changes every 5000 miles. Years ago when engines were running much dirtier (richer fuel) 3000 milrs was standard. I would not recommend going to 25,000 miles. If for any reason the engine runs rich you will be diluting the oil with fuel, and carbon build up and engine blow by does work it's way down to the oil. The oil is there to lubricate. Trash in the oil will result in premature wear.
If you want to cut some time on oil changes you can use one of the vacuum style oil change pumps, that suck the old oil out through the dip stick tube. This makes oil change time a snap, since you don't have to fumble around with lifting the car. I have used one of these for years doing oil changes on my boat.

 

on the other side of the coin...........I have been running Mobil 1 in my tuned 1978 VW Scirocco (AutoX and Solo) for over 20 years and have only changed the oil once a year. (it has 180,000 miles on it now) I have had the oil checked 5 times in the last 15 years and it has shown absolutely no excessive wear or degradation. The key is to use a good quality oil and filter.

Scott

 

>>Anyway...one word of caution. The oil filter canister is made of aluminum and the threads on it are big and VERY SHARP. I was wiping the oil off the threads with a paper towel and I cut my finger right through the paper towel. Use a thick cloth rag to wipe it instead.

I'm sorry that you got bitten by such an innocuous-looking part!

British cars demand an occasional blood sacrifice as proof of your devotion to keeping them in top running trim. Older models also require burnt offerings in the form of oil leaks onto hot engine bay bits, and Lucas electrical components.

 

Watch out for the heat shields as well, I busted one of my knuckles open quite nicely while wrenching the filter off. Should have used a shorter ratchet.

BTW all of you who think that these extra oil changes are necessary, check out mini2.com, they have an oil thread where some ppl have sent in their oil for analysis at both 5 and 10k, the samples all come back that the oil is within spec, and the only recommendations are continue with regular interval of change. I believe it is in their general discussion forum

 

I'm changing at 5,000 intervals with OEM filters and Mobile 1, 5-30, that's my plan and I'm sticking to it.. norm

 

>>>{snip} If you want to cut some time on oil changes you can use one of the vacuum style oil change pumps, that suck the old oil out through the dip stick tube. This makes oil change time a snap, since you don't have to fumble around with lifting the car. I have used one of these for years doing oil changes on my boat.


Blue Thunder has a great suggestion. I, too, have been using a top-side oil changer for a number of years. Its particularly useful in the winter so you don't have to get on the floor to do the job. On the 328i, I have gotten more oil from the car using the extractor than by gravity drain. Don't know what up there but I like it!

My two pence,

Theo

 

>>British cars demand an occasional blood sacrifice as proof of your devotion to keeping them in top running trim. Older models also require burnt offerings in the form of oil leaks onto hot engine bay bits, and Lucas electrical components.
>>
>>

 

>>I'd say this applies when working on any car - even German ones. I can say I've sacrificed quite a bit of blood wrenching on a certain Boston Green M3...
>>

*** this reply drifts a bit off topic... ***

I can't claim too much experience with mainstream German cars. I have worked on a few, but they were always small, and, I suspect, given enough time, these would have turned out to be knuckle-biters, too:

BMW Isetta (the larger one, with the 600cc 2-cyl. engine.) Who needs a floor jack? Just pick up the car by the bumper, and slide a jackstand under it with a foot. Well, the front, anyway.

DKW Munga: looks like a diminutive Jeep, but smokes like a BBQ pit (2-stroke 3-cyl engine)

NSU Spider and NSU Prinz: RotoFlex couplers- they're not just for Triumphs!

However, I think the most unusual thing I have ever seen in a German car was not in the engine compartment- it was in the dash. The car was a BMW 2002 tii, and it had a Blaupunkt AM/FM cassette recorder. This flies in the face of the current "you don't need a bigger cuphoder, put down the bucket of soda and start driving already!" mindset of the MINI. I'm curious to know if anyone ever actually used the record function of that stereo. Since it didn't have mic inputs, it could only record the radio station to which it was tuned at the time...

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Midnight- '03 indi blue MCS, learning all the bad habits of a proper British car from Rusty- '75 MGB