I changed the oil in my 2011 R55, non-S Clubman...changed at 8K, well before dealer says it needs it... After removing the old filter, I looked back in the housing on the engine, and as the oil drained from the cup, it revealed a small broken O ring...16mm by 3.5 mm thick. The broken piece was caught by the oil filter, and the 3/4 ring was laying inside the metal housing....where did it come from?? This was a virgin oil change...there is some type spring loaded valve in the housing, and the O ring is about the right size to have come from there...any ideas..I went to the dealer with pictures and they pretended? to be cluless, and the realoem exploded diagrams don't show the ring in the lubrication system...but they don't show the spring loaded valve either...I am afraid to drive the car to I figure this one out...ALL help is appreciated. Thanks, PK

 

As long as you have it cleaned out, it looks like the filter did it's job. Oil flows through the outside of the filter to the inside and back to the engine. Probably placed there by a goblin at the factory. I wouldn't worry about it. Fill'er back up with clean oil and go motor. Czar might know, you could PM him.

 

Can you post the pictures here. That might help us to figure this out for you.

 

That's why it's a good idea to do the first oil change early on between 3-5k, you never know what they left in there during the build.... Some fish and chips?

 

Thanks for the help, I have a picture but it is to big to upload..the o ring is black, OD is 16mm, and it is 3.5 mm thick. I fould out the spring loaded valve in the oil cup is to prevent dry starts...when the filter is in place, it closes and prevents oil from draining out of the filter housing cup, when the filter is removed, the valve opens, draining the oil left in the filter housing cup back to the oil pan....but also, there is NO O ring as part of that assembly...so it came from somewhere else...my fear is that it a sealing ring from the vanos filter...not much else could get into the oil system...the engine sounds winey to me, but it's my first mini so I am not sure what it is supposed to sound like...thanks

 

Check this thread:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nd-o-ring.html

It seems that you're not first with this experience. There's a picture of the o-ring they found, maybe it looks like your o-ring.

The good news is they report no problem.

 

Thanks Gregg! That is the exact O ring, split in the same spot and pattern on the bottom.. Looking at the RealOem parts blow up, it's not part of the filter assembly, and my best guess is that it is one of 4 O rings from the timing chain guide retainer... no problems now, but in my experience, they don't build many engines with "extra" parts!

 

You're welcome!