all this talk about motor oil... can't wait to take my car in for an
oil change when it gets warmer in a few months.

i was going to take her in last Nov, but sudden snow delayed my
plans. well, i don't drive her much (if at all) in the winter time
so it's okay, but still...just anxious.

anyone know how well Castrol's faux synthetics stand to time?
does it 'spoil' in the oil pan like dino juce? please explain.
how about synthetics in general?

 

That's what I figured....glad I bought Red Line.

 

Well, the oil that I purchased at the MINI dealer says Full Synthetic on the label. While there may be hairs to split on which full synthetic motor oil is really more fully synthetic than another, I don't recall a blended motor oil claiming to be full synthetic.

 

and the UL labels you get from cheep made in china products are all
registered under underwriter's laboratory...


going back to my question about synthetics spoiling like/dislike mineral
based oils in the oil pan...does anyone have any info on that? thanks.

on mini2's FAQ/DIY, they state 2 years...

"Similarly, MINI's service interval computer recommends relatively
"long" intervals between oil changes of approximately 10,000 to
12,000 miles (or 2 years), whichever comes first."

 

Well, if the product causes you to suffer an electrical shock while using it as intended (in doors, connected to a properly grounded 110 volt electrical connection...), then there would be an issue and Underwriters Laboratories would quite likely get very involved (since they have potential exposure). Whether the product will last one day after the warranty period is an entirely different matter.

I would like to get a definitive answer to that question (conflict in oil chemistry) as well. There is enough residual oil in the engine that I personally would be concerned about mixing Brand X with Brand Y unless I knew there would be no conflict. That was why I purchased the Castrol Full Synthetic from the dealer. I would rather have the Mobil 1 in the engine, but not enough that I would take a risk on the oil turning to sludge and toasting the engine. For me, the cost difference is just not worth the risk of the engine failing. My concerns may be unrealistic, but at this point, I haven't seen anything that definitively says my concerns are not.

 

Yea, this is what I want to know about. The MINI oil says it's a full synthetic numerous times on the bottle and makes NO mention of mixing or anything else to lead anyone to believe it is not a full synthetic. I also couldn't find "castrol" anywhere.

Thanks for your knowledge!

mb

 

It has been said before this is lubrication oil not rocket science on the Space Shuttle, maybe not a great example since even they (NASA) had TWO catastrophic failures in 100 attempts. Did you know what Harley recommends, when you can't find HD oil? They say to get oil approved for Diesel Motor service.

What makes you think these are anything but internal combustion motors with rings, bearings, pistons, rods, etc. that need to have some oil in them? Show me something factual about oil chemistry incompatibility with the same or similar weights and service certifications and I'll consider it. I doubt if there is anything out there, unless from some promoter of a "special" oil brand promoting his "superior" product. Snake oil anyone?

I think you are just letting your imagination have it's way with you...

 

I use the Castrol Syntec full synthetic and probably will never go over 5 or 6000 miles without changing my oil. It would just bug me to go longer than that. So, for me any of the full synthetic premium oils should be perfectly OK.

I read a comprehensive study a while back that showed that even synthetic oils became contaminated and worn enough after approx. 7000 to 8000 miles to need a supplement to make it to 10 to 15000 miles. That supplement was simply added oil to replace what was lost to combustion. I would expect you would add roughly 3 quarts in 15000 miles which would be enough to maintain good performance from the oil.

 

i said wat the heck and got me a case of Mobil1. i'll change the oil
over the weekend...my first time doing a MINI.

 

Find the paint "mark" on the oil filter case, it matches up with the "indentation" point on the threads it screws into, for me that was the 0 or 360 degree straight up position. That should keep you from cross threading it. Mine was tight to screw on but I was able to get a turn or a turn and a half by hand before I used the socket to finish it until it stopped. Have FUN.

 

hey, thanks for the tip. I'll definitely be on the look out for that
mark to line it up. in fact, i'll probably mark the very top with
a small strip of masking tape when i physically pull it out of the block
to make it even easier. then just peel it off as im turning it back on.

i also read that it's a good idea to loosen the canister and just wait
5-10min for the oil to drain out of the filter before actually twisting
the thing off the block to minimize the mess. im in no rush; but can't
wait to try it.

 

Interesting....My dealer (2 1/2 hours away) says they are not allowed to accept other oil, because they're using "the best".....(suuure, Castrol is better than Redline ).
I wonder if they can still give me the filter for free then...

I think I'm gonna call MINI USA to clarify.

 

There is no standard definition of "synthetic" oil. In North America the SAE specs are the standardized method of comparing oils. As SAE specs are minimum standards, some refiners blend to the minimum to minimize costs. The concept of a best or better oil is irrelevant with regard to street vehicles, as service conditions and change intervals have a larger impact on engine life than the quality variance within an SAE group.


Many European manufacturers have created their own specs and then charge large $ to oil refiners if they want to certify their oils to the manufacturer’s spec, for example the BMW Long life spec. It is good to understand that car manufacturers are promoting long service intervals to reduce implied maintenance costs. This is a sales gimmick as much as recognition of better oils. Remember the manufacturer only needs the engine to last the warranty interval - you may want it to last longer.

The argument that some synthetics last longer because they stay "cleaner" is also a misnomer. Major manufacturers mix additives that are largely detergents and the darker colour you are taking out is the oil removing dirt and build up. The clean synthetics leave it in the engine. It’s your choice where you want it.

So as a consumer you get to choose what to use and how often to change it. My choice, for what its worth, is Castrol Syntec, and a new OEM filter every 10,000 KM (6,000 Miles) Top quality oil + frequent changes = a true "Long Life Spec".

 

My father owned a service station for 30 plus years...and my five brothers work in some type of auto mechanics.

Rebuilding carbs in a '74 Beetle, re-doing the heads 66 Mustang, or replacing a fly wheel in a '70 MG Midget. They didn't do all this just for me, they also do these things for a living

They swear by Mobil 1

 

same goes when u need a good small biz. accountant, u get the best u can afford!!

 

It sounds funny, but I believe it makes a difference. My family still owns and drives daily a Ford pick up that had well over 300k miles on it the last time I visited home. It has to be getting close to 400K miles. It has never had any major stuff done to it...just the basics like tires, breaks...stuff like that. I still drive that thing every time I go home.

It isn't "just" the oil, but I believe that good oil does play a substantial part of the whole care package.

 

they must jus drive to the store and back , it really depends on how hard ur on ur car too, i myself would not take chances
castrol has been used in my airkewled vw's for a while now and the stuff does not break down easy, again this is in a hot engine kewled by air not coolant!!
the mobil 1 stuff didnt do so hot it foamed up a bit under the cap which means its breakin' down ......so i would say it depends also on application

 

What group is Mobil1 Extended Protection in?

 

i switched to Mobil 1 this time. Will never get back to Castrol

 

This hasn't been posted but have any of you had any problems directly related to the type of oil you use ever? I say this because I used to do maintenance on our company vans. We used basic 10W30, I can't remember the brand but it was not synthetic. Throughout the 250,000 miles we never had any motor problems, and never had to add oil between changes which were at every 5000 miles of local city use. I really think most of you are looking at this way too hard.

 

Just got done doing my oil change to Mobil1. it's 40F outside today in
chicago and sunny!!!

the only tip i would give first timers is the filter cover's flat part of the thread
goes on the top when you're ready to thread it back on the block. that paint
marking didn't do me much...

everything is a piece of cake. disposed my old oil and filter at Jiffylube as usual.

thanks guys.

 

That's what I said, or thought I said.

 

yeh, maybe the paint mark is right-on with the 'indentation' or flat part
of the thread on yours coincidentally.

mine seems like they put the dot in random as if it was sorted and marked
at the factory or at the subcontractor's warehouse for something.

 

When I changed the oil in my wife's Cooper yesterday (first oil change at 4000 miles), I noticed that there were TWO paint marks on the filter housing: one RED and one GREEN, so matching up the paint mark was not so straight forward as stated above.

I have to admit that I just had to fiddle with it for 5 minutes until I could get it screwed back on.

I also must admit that after posting that I have used Mobil 1 for every oil change I have done in the past 10+ years, I switched to Royal Purple since my friendly local mechanic now sells it at a mostly competitive price.

I am going to be running a strong magnet over the oil filter to prove/disprove the theories about engine break in causing lots of metal to be passed through the engine. My unfounded belief is that this is not really a significant thing to worry about, but a scientific test will be forthcoming.

I am cutting the oil filter apart so that I can run some very strong rare metal earth magnets over the filter media to collect any trapped iron particles. I will also bere-filtering the drained oil to collect any particles that were removed from the pan with the old oil.

 

My first oil change was at about the same mileage. There was no visual evidence of metal particles on the filter or in the housing which was a little surprising. I expected at least a smidgeon of "dust".