I thought I would add a detail about the term often used as "synthetics are too slippery". Actually there is some truth to this but first you can almost say all oil no matter what type lubercates almost the same within the first 100 miles of use. A better quality oil will be able to withstand the sheer that occurs before any chemical changes come about.

Well if you use a moly based oil or teflon additives (graphite to include aluminum oxidized disulfides - often used for high pressuer complex greases) you leave deposits that coat surfaces. While this is not a problem wiyh race cars that are rebuilt often and filters are replaced frequently, these moly products build up and clog passeges but more significantly clog filters prematurely.

The real example would be in a wet clutch motorcycle. Most motoroils bought today now have the properties listed above. When you sand your walls with sand paper, and don't flush it with water it looses its friction and then is no good. Moly based oils work in the same way with wet clutches. They clog the porous friction surfaces and limit their life.

Amsoil synthetic lubricants contain no moly products including the motorcycle line thus friction surfaces are kept clear of debris.

To add to this, AMSOIL automatic transmission fluids remove buildup from friction surfaces in abused transmissions over time thus restoring efficiency. This is what you should expect from the company who introduced the first API rated synthetic 30 years ago. Amsoil also introduced the first universal ATF in 2000.

ATF

If you would like to use AMSOIL products and pay wholesale (less than what you could buy Mobil 1 even), I suggest contacting me about our club fundrasing program.
Through this program your club get's commissions from your product use. The "Non-profit fund raising program" has the abilty to sponsor you as a Preferred Customer which means you buy direct at wholesale. You get all the materials you need to be educated on the products for all your equipment. It's quite a deal really!

 

About 5 years ago one of the new night time news shows ran a specail about when to change oil? A large Taxi company in New York to part in a study. So many cars had the oil and filter changed every 3000 miles. The second group had the oil changed ebery 7500 miles. The oil was regular oil. They took apart the engines after 100,000 miles. The used micrometer devises to measure engine parts and looked under microscopes. They did not find any difference between the to sets of engines. If you change your oil every 3000 miles you are waisting your money.

The number one wear factor after the initial start, is heat. You would be better off installing an oil cooler with your money.

_________________
CHRIS

 

>>Its Castrol Syntec though which is not a real synthetic. Mobil took Castrol to court over this but unfortunately lost because the Judge was a ******* and the chemisitry/physicis was just too complicated for him to understand.
>>
-----------------
Disagree with you that Castrol Syntec is not real synthetic. Castrol has two grades, one a Synthetic blend, and the other a full synthetic. If the Castrol full synthetic is not what it's panned out to be then why does BMW have a ticker under the hood to recommend Castrol Syntec?blend

 

Ooops, "ticker" should have been typed "sticker"

 

>>>>Its Castrol Syntec though which is not a real synthetic. Mobil took Castrol to court over this but unfortunately lost because the Judge was a ******* and the chemisitry/physicis was just too complicated for him to understand.
>>>>
>>-----------------
>>Disagree with you that Castrol Syntec is not real synthetic. Castrol has two grades, one a Synthetic blend, and the other a full synthetic. If the Castrol full synthetic is not what it's panned out to be then why does BMW have a ticker under the hood to recommend Castrol Syntec?blend


Because two years ago the API had bent the rules and after being sued by Mobil 1, the Group III motor oils were then deemed "Synthetic". Although legally it is now a synthetic, it's really a highly refined petroleum motor oil. To compete is this $2.00 per quart "synthetic" bracket, Amsoil came up with the XL-7500 for q-lube shops which is API Certified.

 

http://www.testoil.com/


Here is a great Oil Analysis site some of you asked me about. Look closely and you will find discriptions of the different tests! You can also order free the Analysis book or a kit of your own! What a deal!

If you do test any oil please send me a copy of the results.
Thanks!

 

I am a bad man.

 

With all this talk about changing the oil in a MINI, I figure this is an OK place to post this question:

Does anyone have any experience with this product:

http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=10122

It's a device that suctions out all the oil through the dipstick holder, so you don't have to crawl under the car and remove the drain plug. It claims to siphon out ALL the oil, even claims to remove a bit more oil that is left at the bottom of the pan during a conventional oil change.

Any way, I'm going to do my own MINI oil changes, and am seriously considering purchasing this device, I'm just wondering if any one has any experience with it, or any comments, positive or negative? I know it probably takes a bit longer to evacuate all the oil this way, but for me, it's worth it not having to crawl under the car, remove the plug, let the oil drain, install the plug, etc.

Thanks for your assistance,

Joe

(you can e-mail me privately if you wish: intrigue182@yahoo.com)
Rock On!

 

While it seems like a nifty idea....it falls short of perfect. You still have go get under the car and remove the oil filter, which can be the very messy. You also need a regular oil drain pan to catch all of the oil that falls while you replace the filter too.

For $65, wouldn't get it. I would accept the fact that you are going to have to get under the car for part of the oil change -- and you might as well stay under there for another second or two while and let the oil drain from the pan.

Just my $.02
Erik

 

I would just get the little spout thing that Fram sells if you don't want to mess around with the plug. They seem to work pretty well.

 

Hi ball7068,

Thanks for the comments on the oil syphon device. One thing though, I was told that the oil filter on both the MINI and MINI S is located on the "top" of the engine, and that it is removed without having to get under the car: just lift the bonnet, use a 36mm socket to unscrew the filter housing, replace old filter cartridge, replace outer housing, done. So, if this is true, with this device, there really should never be a reason to have to get under the car, correct?

Rock On,

Joe

 

Hey Boognish,

Used to have a powerboat that the only way to get the oil out was to use a syphon device such as what griots sells. I get their catalog and the one they sell sure looks like it would work better than the one I had back a few years ago. But that was then.

ball7068,

the filter can be reached from above, I think you would have trouble trying to change it from below.

 

Hey Erik.. Yeahh thats what I said, But If you change it before 10k, You could void your warrenty. I'm checking the engine oil now and then to watch it change color. IF it gets really black, I will bring it (The dealership) attention. Yes they use a Castrol Synthetic oil.. Dan

 

>>I find it hard to believe that you change the oil every 10K!

I have 8500 miles on the car. The readout says 2500 until service. So that make 12000 miles for my MCS. Hmmmm....

 

The MINI's computer takes into account how you drive your car to determine when you should take your car in for service. So if you drive conservatively I'd bet you could probably go 15000 miles between oil changes. Whereas if you race a lot it will be less than 10000. (As we can see by Trippy's little graphic )

However, I really doubt you would void your warantee by changing your oil. That makes no sense unless you really fouled things up because you didn't know what you were doing and just blindly went at it. However if you don't change your oil when the computer says to, you might be at risk. (Though I wouldn't worry if you were a little over like Trippy is)

You are allowed to replace useable parts with non-MINI parts... ie. oil, oil filter, air filter, windshield washer fluid, etc... and this will not void your warantee. I changed my oil & filter at about 5000 miles with a MINI filter and BMW 5w30 Mobile 1 oil (I know a guy ) and had no problems. The oil filter is accessed from above and if you take your time, you can get all the oil to come out of the drain plug and not spill a drop from the canister. (Of course don't let that stop you from putting a rag there just in case)

The drain plug isn't that hard to get to if you have something you can drive up onto (like ramps or some wood or something). I'd pass on the tool but that's just me and I have a nice floor jack and jack stands to work with and I''m on a fairly tight budget right now.

 

>>>>>>Its Castrol Syntec though which is not a real synthetic. Mobil took Castrol to court over this but unfortunately lost because the Judge was a ******* and the chemisitry/physicis was just too complicated for him to understand.
>>>>>>
>>>>-----------------
>>>>Disagree with you that Castrol Syntec is not real synthetic. Castrol has two grades, one a Synthetic blend, and the other a full synthetic. If the Castrol full synthetic is not what it's panned out to be then why does BMW have a ticker under the hood to recommend Castrol Syntec?blend
>>
>>
>>Because two years ago the API had bent the rules and after being sued by Mobil 1, the Group III motor oils were then deemed "Synthetic". Although legally it is now a synthetic, it's really a highly refined petroleum motor oil. To compete is this $2.00 per quart "synthetic" bracket, Amsoil came up with the XL-7500 for q-lube shops which is API Certified.
______________________
You say Castrol Syntec (not Syntec Blend) is not a true synthetic.. Again why would BMW risk recommending a synthetic brand like Castrol for its MINI to run for 15k miles between oil changes? If Castrol doesn't compare favorably with Mobil I, isn't BMW risking millions of dollars in failed MINIs because the Castrol oil doesn't do what a good synthetic oil is supposed to do under the demanding performance of todays sport sedans?
>>

 

Well, for what it is worth, I am running the original oil up to 10k, and will then have it replaced with the Amsoil. I am confident that I am doing no harm to my engine by following the suggested oil change routine. Despite normal discoloration due to carbon, my oil appears clean and flows well.

You will certainly not hurt your engine by changing it more often if that is what will make you sleep at night.

 

>>>>>>-----------------
>>>>>>Disagree with you that Castrol Syntec is not real synthetic. Castrol has two grades, one a Synthetic blend, and the other a full synthetic. If the Castrol full synthetic is not what it's panned out to be then why does BMW have a ticker under the hood to recommend Castrol Syntec?blend
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Because two years ago the API had bent the rules and after being sued by Mobil 1, the Group III motor oils were then deemed "Synthetic". Although legally it is now a synthetic, it's really a highly refined petroleum motor oil. To compete is this $2.00 per quart "synthetic" bracket, Amsoil came up with the XL-7500 for q-lube shops which is API Certified.
>>______________________
>>You say Castrol Syntec (not Syntec Blend) is not a true synthetic.. Again why would BMW risk recommending a synthetic brand like Castrol for its MINI to run for 15k miles between oil changes? If Castrol doesn't compare favorably with Mobil I, isn't BMW risking millions of dollars in failed MINIs because the Castrol oil doesn't do what a good synthetic oil is supposed to do under the demanding performance of todays sport sedans?
>>>>
>>


BMW is not risking anything!! Castrol meets API specifications. BMW is covered to its warranty. They know Castrol 10K oil changes will get the average engine to a 'accepted' 100,000 miles. But mank people here understand there is a difference between a oil that meets spec, vs. a oil that preforms.

A Group III does not stand up to the sheer pressure as long and looses its weight. At about 6000 miles it starts to loose it's viscosity, TBN which was borderline to start neutralizes, and does not have nearly the same cold start fluidity.

In all, you have other options to extend engine life and economy. And I'm talking about several 100,000 miles...

The other item that you need to know is Castrol and the MINI is British. You always find Castrol doing business with anything of British heratige. The MG croud is a tough market for me to break into!!! They care to know anything but Castrol!

 

For those of you who change your oil sooner than the recommended and covered tab at 10,000 miles, does this not negate your warranty (if not done by a MINI dealer)? What I'm asking is, how do people get away with changing it themselves and stay within warranty guidelines?

One week with my new MCS = One happy camper!!

NUMMYTIME

 

I think I'll trust BMW's recommendations. My previous two cars I changed the oil sporadically sometime between 5K and 10K miles. The RX-7 was still going strong at 220K miles when we got rid of it. The Scorpio (1960s Ford V6 engine) has over 200K miles, still runs strong, even though at one time when I was travelling for months on end my wife ignored the oil to the point it was 2 quarts low. And that car used less than a quart of oil every 5K miles

As far as driving style, I would slalom both cars regularly, so did not baby either car.

 

>>For those of you who change your oil sooner than the recommended and covered tab at 10,000 miles, does this not negate your warranty (if not done by a MINI dealer)? What I'm asking is, how do people get away with changing it themselves and stay within warranty guidelines?
>>
>>One week with my new MCS = One happy camper!!
>>
>>NUMMYTIME

#1 Warranty has nothing to do with the dealership.

#2The manufacturer can only void a warranty if damage has been done and has been proven to be the fault of the aftermarket device..

#3 Where does everyone get the idea that warranties are voided all the time for performing maintenance?

 

I guess dealers (or someone) has beaten it into peoples heads that if you open your bonnet you void your warantee. I think it is related to those stickers on electronics (if you break this seal you void your warantee)

*IF* you changed your own oil but didn't put a filter in and your engine died as a result of that then MINI would not cover it because you were the Dumb@$$ who messed up your engine.

*IF* You didn't change the oil at the recommended interval and something bad happens to your MINI then you are again at fault.

*IF* you use a MINI oil filter and MINI oil there is no way (other than the fact that your oil & filter is clean) that they would know that you changed your oil. Changin your oil won't hurt. In fact you could change it every day and the only problem with that is the huge waste of money.

What I did was change my oil at about 5000 miles and then I'll have my dealer change it again at the 10000 mile (or whatever it ends up at) mark.

But be carful, you can't change your windshield wiper fluid or you will void your warantee so be sparing!

 

I've read many posts about oils and availability. Based on what I've seen, I expected my only chance of staying "EOM" was to buy Mini oil from the dealer. This was due to the many comments of Castrol and unavailability of certain types.

Last night I visited the local Wal-Mart and was pleasently surprised. They had the Castrol Synthetic Blend that many purists were not supporting, but also had quarts and 5 quart jugs or Castrol Syntec FULL Synthetic 5W-30. $3.??quart.

Seems like that's the answer and very reasonable.

If you've shared my dillemma....visti your Wally-Mart. Let's Motor! - Mark

 

>>One more comment...the oil manufacturers have nothing to lose by recommending that you change your oil every 3000 or 5000 miles rather than every 10000 miles. They only stand to make an extra $35 per person that does it.
>>
>>MINI has a $3500 (I'm guessing here) motor on the line. Why would they jeopardize it?
>>

Yep, even a 12k miles oil change interval (my first one) or the successive 15 k (approx) intervals, leave a wide safety margin. Changing oil more frequently is just throwing money away, and at the oil lobby at that!
Oil degradation does of course occur, but is a function of many parameters. Actually not so much how hard you drive a car - as some have stated - but how much time the engine is run (and oil used) while at suboptimal temperatures, that's pretty much it. You can rev your engine hard or not, it will not affect the service indicator much if at all. You can have lots of cold starts, and it WILL affect the service interval. You can let your engine warm up while idling instead of driving it right away (slowly, and that's the proper way to warm up an engine), and your service interval will shorten even more because you will break down essential lubrticant elements a lot faster.
3k service intervals is old, nay, ancient stuff for non-synthetic oils, old engines, old style filters, and lack of computers to monitor engines and calculate service intervals. For each of those above parameters a given safety margin is used in old cars, and with modern ones you can extend your service intervals accordingly and still have plenty of safety margin left.
Don't throw your money away at the oil lobby. It is not 'cheap insurance' it's a waste of money and resources.

 

forgot to add:
Castrol Syntec is a true synthetic by the same standards as Mobil 1 (Mobil 1 was changed since the well known law suit). Syntec Blend is not a full synthetic.