Hello,

I was changing the oil on my wife's car yesterday and spilled a bit of oil down on all the stuff below the filter, so I got underneath to clean it up as besrt as possible.

Sitting I think on-top of the suspension arm was this:



It's about 1.5" in length.

I know there are bonus points for each extra part you have at the end, but I'm trying to keep my score low.

Thanks for your help.

Regards,
Sten

 

Well it looks to me like some sort of socket with a drain plug still attached.

Merry Christmas!!!

 

Could it be the a grease gun nozzle that goes on the end of a hose?

 

EXCELLENT guess. I didn't see that at first.

+1 for the socket and plug.

Rich

 

It's definitely one single molded piece of plastic.

It doesn't appear to have any use as a connector as there are no hose retention 'bumps' on it.

It appears to be a drain pipe for something.

Here's a couple more photos for better scale:

 

Is it solid or is it open?

 

It's a tube (open).

 

Oil bottle extender....to make adding oil easier?

 

If you really want to know what it is, take it to a dealer and find a service tech to ask. The MA might even help facilitate if you ask. I'd imagine the techs would have seen it before if it is something the factory sometimes misses.
I helped a friend change the tranny fluid/filter on an Explorer. I freaked when I found a loose part rolling around inside the pan. A Ford service tech was able to put our fears at ease by explaining that it was a plug that seals the tranny dipstick tube at the factory before they fill it. He said they forget to remove it from the bottom of the pan on half the Fords he sees.

HTH

 

Show us the end without the threads.

Rich

 

Thanks for your help y'all.

 

a puzzlement

the threads look like they'd be about the same size as a spark plug....and then the obvious socket form around the outside

some sort of tool that goes into a plug opening???? for ????

is it metal or plastic?

so far as the grease gun item .... there's nothing on the MINI that accepts a grease gun is there? No 'zerk' fittings anywhere that I know of....

What does the winner get when this gets identified?

 

Yeah, I thought a grease gun tip but after I found out it was plastic and looking at the more detailed pics I know thats not the case. Is there any type of vent on our cars for anything? And could this be something that was just picked up off the road and got lodged in his suspension?

 

I'm pretty sure it will be a gold star of some sort... My wife is an elementary teacher so that should be appropriate.

If I was just taking an educated guess, then I'd guess it was the drain tube to the AC evaporator but I've not had the car apart enough to formally guess that.

I suppose it could just be something that bounced up. After all, our local streets provided the needed bumps to rip off one of the plastic jacking points from the car.

 

I think it is the lower portion of the Kenutin Valve.

To reinstall:

Use a 14mm deepwell and speed handle, rotate it twice the normal speed in the reverse direction until the timing pin engages. Ensure the Kenutin Valve is not in the gangla mode but oscillates IAW manufacturer's specs. Reinstall plastic tube thingy into Kenutin Valve.

Where's my gold star?

 

Looks like a box connector for pvc electrical conduit :dunno:

 

its part of the oil filter housing. it screws into the center of the housing, the smooth part of it extends up into the center of the filter cartridge.

 

Thank you! Thankfully, we went on a trip for the holidays so the car hasn't been driven, except off the ramps since the oil change... I know what I'll be doing tomorrow.

Regards,
Sten

 

Before you pull the filter housing off & check, what year & model of MINI do you have? R50 Coopers have a black plastic piece that is sort of similar, but the R53 MCS does not. The housing on my 06 MCS has a metal piece attached to the base.

This is the R50 filter housing.

 

My wife's car is a 2003 Cooper no-S.

So is this piece supposed to be in the "cap" or the part attached to the engine where you can't see?

The cap looks pretty much the same as what you've shown, but the birdcage part doesn't seem to come out. It's enough of a pain getting it back in without the thing coming apart.

 

it screws into the center of the part of the housing that is bolted to the engine block. once you remove the filter you can either feel the hole in the center of the housing with your finger or use a flashlight and a mirror to see where it screws in.

 

Thanks for the help y'all!

I guess it's not a "necessary" part now that I see its design, but it sure makes getting the filter in easier.

For the sake of completeness here's the before and after photos:

 

Thanks for taking the pictures. That sure does explain things better. Like they say a picture is worth a 1000 words.

fullcollapse40 FTW.

 

Would this help or hinder filtration? I know my car does NOT have it installed. Any one want to render a guess? educated guess would be apreciated

 

If you are not getting an oil pressure light you are most likely OK, but that is your call not mine. Also it should not rattle on start up.

FWIW at the next oil change I would put that missing part back in.