Pre-fitting: After removing old filter, seat new filter on body housing *without* the canister, remove, then seat new filter on the canister. This essentially removes/reduces the resistance when fitting the canister/filter combo onto the body housing and allows smooth fitting/screwing on of the canister and newly oiled O-ring.

The process simply 'reams out' the paper on either side of the filter while it's easy to seat/remove it vs. the awkward process of trying to get the housing threads to catch while simultaneously reaming out the ends of the filter.

 

I only use Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30.

Look on the back and it states it meets BMW LL-01 and ACEA A3 standards.

It is the exact same oil the dealer uses just in a different bottle.
FWIW You will not get any real HP gain from using racing oils but you will get less protection. Remember real race teams change oils after every race because they want to protect that $100,000 motor. Fresh oil is cheap insurance for them. I can get Castrol Syntec "European Formula" SAE 0W-30 at Pep-Boys and Only use OEM filters from the stealerships.

I am a little OCD about my Mini and I change my oil EVERY 3,000 or 4,000 K MAX because of all my mods. (See below) Oil is very cheap compaired to blowing up my engine because I wanted a little extra oil milage.

I only subsitute AMSOIL when I can not get Castrol Syntec European Formula SAE 0W-30.

 

 

I'm the same way, I don't care what the factory says about oil changes... 3-4k like clockwork.

 

This is good logic. I may start to do this now as well. Along these lines, I may also start changing my brake pads and tires every 3k miles as well.....just to be sure...

 

Why would you change your brake pads every 3k miles. That is a complete waste of money. That is unless you track your car every weekend. Also I am hoping you mean rotate your tires every 3k as well...

 

I'm pretty sure he is being facetious.

 

I think it is sarcasm intended to poke fun at those who insist on changing their oil every 3k miles even though MINI and the oil manufacturer says you can go much longer. Changing your oil early is just like changing your pads early. You are wasting the useful life of the product. But hey, if people want to and feel better about it, go for it.

 

Ok ok i got it... But maybe he is being serious...

 

Replacing pads evey 3K is not smart. I just rotate my pads at every oil change 5-6K for me.

 

As far as anyone should be concerned if some one chooses to change their MINI's oil at 3K miles that's there business as long as he is not pushing his maintenance requirments on you. Yes ?

Anyways, it's not so much a matter of the engine oil breaking down sooner in our engines than it is the oil filters. OEM or otherwise oil filters will not work effectively after 7-8K miles......and some aftermarket brands have been known to collapse in the filter housing, blocking or slowing the flow of oil lubricating the engine. And some OEM filters O-rings have been known not to seat properly and eventually fail over time.

How many guys out there re-torque their sparkplugs every so often ? Anyone ? For some changing the oil sooner is just a similar preventative measure so what's the beef ?

Back in the day of VW's, we used to run Mobil-1 Synthetic. We would swap out the oil filter at 4-5K miles and top it off. Then do a complete change at 8K. And although they were considered to be high compression engines(8.5:1 and 10:1) they did not have the added heat spikes of our turbo's or supercharger's. So I guess that could be an alternative to those who wish to conserve on oil consumption. Your choice.

And where we live. Our MINI club mechanic uses our MINI waste oil in his specially designed furnace to heat the club house and his shop. So our old oil ends up pulling double duty keeping our familys warm while he works on our MINI's and we use his Wi-Fi and maybe grab a bite to eat and catch up.

So we are very happy to hand over our used oil.....about every 5K miles

Anyone leaving their filter on for 15K miles or like 6-9 months at a time should read this thread:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...il-filter.html

 

I do! I do! I have two friend who have had plugs fly out. Ten minutes with a torque wrench is cheap insurance for sure. I have yet to find a loose plug.

Those must have been Water cooled VWs. If you put Mobil 1 in air cooled VW it would run out on the ground. At least in the old VWs I've owned.

 

Me too, were always tight but too many horror stories not to do it.... My gf thinks the MINI is broken whenever I have the bonnet up doing this.....when I tell her it's preventative maintenance, I get that look.

 

My wife is just happy I'm out in the shop & out of her hair.

 

Why?

 

Except that's not logical, as a visual inspection confirms the status of those items. Or would you not check your tread for four years because the manufacturer had an 80K warranty on the mileage? I've known of folks who send their oil in for analysis to confirm that it is still within operational specs. Then again, that costs more than an oil change...

 

In reality using Royal Purple, Amsoil, Redline, BMW or any other "premium" oil is a complete and total waste of money. These overpriced oils are just beautifully contrived marketing schemes created to part you from your hard earned money. Using lower priced Mobil-1 or Castol synthetics meet your Mini's reccomended specs and save you money. If you change your oil and filter regularly, you shouldn't have any problems.

(I use straight 30 regular type oil (aka 0W30) and never had any issues. Disclaimer: This is me, I'm not suggesting anyone to do this. )

 

Just to dispell a myth, that's the WORST thing for oil - not up to operating temp, low engine speeds, etc - doesn't allow certain contaminates to separate or evaporate ...

 

Should have put the disclaimer first, eh?

Been checking every oil I can find and "lower priced Mobil-1 or Castrol synthetics" DO NOT meet MINI's recommended specs (ACEA A3/B3 or BMW LL-01 - it's in your manual) - sorry...

Motul in mine

Reminds me of another old racer's saying: "Just because it ain't broke don't mean it ain't breaking."

 

BMW uses Castrol in the MINI, it's stamped right on my engine. Why would they use an oil that doesn't meet their specs?

 

As I open my manual and read it says... "Use only oils with the API SH specification or higher." Even the cheapest WalMart brand exceeds this!!
Also it says "Approved oils are in SAE classes 5W30 and 5W40."

OK, I admit it, I'm living on the edge with 0W30.

And finally, "Castrol" is stamped on my engine. Nowhere do I see printed anywhere on my engine "Royal Purple", "Redline" or "Amsoil".

 

What is your source on this? I can tell you that I did an oil sample several years ago at 14K and it came back just fine. The OEM filter is designed to go the distance. Just curious where you get your numbers?

 

They did, and they do: the European (imported) Castrol (pricier and harder to find in the US, but available) - thinking back, I heard something about these cars coming from Europe - but, it's your engine, use the Walmart oil (if you're not using the right oil, might as well - save some money for that rebuild )...

 

It doesn't have "imported Castrol" printed on my engine, just Castrol. That's available almost anywhere and the price is reasonable.

If we have to use imported European oil in them, does that mean we have to use European gasoline too?

 

Below is a link to Castrol Syntec's PDS (Product Data Sheet). This is the US Castrol Syntec

http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/bp...syntec_usa.pdf

Says it exceeds ACEA A1/B1 to A5/B5. Seems to meet what MINI recommends in the manual at A3/B3.