21 replies to this topic

[Steam]

Given that I do not drive the mini much more than 3000k a year I tend to look at the oil and decide when to change it rather than a set km or time.
That being said does oil deteriorate over time rather than with mileage?
And having done a search on here I notice there is an old wives tale about the original mileage for oil change being 1500m. All the literature I have seen says 6000m so where did the 1500m figure come from?

[absx2]

I change mine every 3000 miles maximum including the filter or once a year which ever comes first as I have three minis on the go.

I been driving minis for nearly 40 years and this has always been the norm and I`ve never killed a gearbox although some would say I have tried :)

Oil and filters are cheap and the opinion is the oil can absorb water and hydrocarbons sat in the bottom of your gearbox so the oil should be changed regardless.

[Steve220]

I do around 2k miles a year and change it out at the end of the year before she comes off the road. Don't skimp on a cheap oil filter either! Ive used pretty much most brands and cut them open after removing, found MANN or the MG-Rover filters to be the best. Annoyingly K&N were absolute rubbish.

[PoolGuy]

How do you gauge how good a filter is?

[slidehammer]

I change the oil and filter once a year but the car does relatively low mileage. I give it a service and check over before the MOT, so that way it acts as a reminder. I seem to remember back in the 80's Honda having a issue with cams on their motorbikes wearing out too quickly on some models, they blamed oil in bikes that were not used over the winter period and the oil turning acidic with combustion pollutants that it absorbed. Hence i would say change it annually whatever the mileage along with the filter.

I also heard a story about a chap who had had his motorbike serviced and garage had used a K&N oil filter which ruptured and spewed oil over the back tyre, he was lucky to survive, so I wouldn't use them. I use Mini Spares ones and they are fine.

[stuart bowes]

How do you gauge how good a filter is?

 

presumably by how much gunk it has or has not collected ?

[PoolGuy]

Too many variables for that to be a reliable indicator imo.

[stuart bowes]

yeah maybe, I've not done anything like that myself, I was just trying to think what could you tell by cutting it open, that was all I came up with 

 

it may be possible to compare two side by side as a rough idea of better and worse though I suppose

Edited by stuart bowes, 29 February 2024 - 02:26 PM.

[mab01uk]

How do you gauge how good a filter is?

 

There was a good website which had done tests on various manufacturers oil filters for Honda engines but the link no longer works.

A couple of screenshots below from the old site that is still on the "Wayback Machine". The full site on wayback has photos and exploded assemblies of the filters, etc.

 

 

[PoolGuy]

yeah maybe, I've not done anything like that myself, I was just trying to think what could you tell by cutting it open, that was all I came up with 

 

it may be possible to compare two side by side as a rough idea of better and worse though I suppose

You could probably cut up new ones and measure the area as mentioned in Mab's post, analysis of used ones isn't going to show any useful info imo, unless you know that the engine has been used in exactly the same conditions for each filter. I've used Minispares filters for a good few years, but I couldn't say with any certainty if they're any good or not.

[Cooperman]

Given that I do not drive the mini much more than 3000k a year I tend to look at the oil and decide when to change it rather than a set km or time.
That being said does oil deteriorate over time rather than with mileage?
And having done a search on here I notice there is an old wives tale about the original mileage for oil change being 1500m. All the literature I have seen says 6000m so where did the 1500m figure come from?

 

The original oil change recommendations were 1500 miles for oil changes with filters being changed every 3000 miles. Remember this was with the old single-grade oil (e.g. Castrol XL which was a straight 30 grade, or XXL which was a 40 grade).

When multi-grade oil became available the change intervals increased and I recall first using a multi-grade in my then-new 998 Cooper in 1964 when I put Mobil 20w50 in for the first time. The oil pressure stayed higher even when really hot. Before that I had used Castrol XXL 40-grade.

[Midas Mk1]

Daily drive mine, gets done every 2/3 months, works out about just under 3k miles.

Edited by Midas Mk1, 29 February 2024 - 04:35 PM.

[ac427]

I think AC Dodd has released a video where this is covered.

Zinc levels in the engine were also mentioned.

[GT Jimmy]

What oil are we all using? I've always used the classic halfords, for no other reason its easy to get hold of

[JXC Mini GT]

What oil are we all using? I've always used the classic halfords, for no other reason its easy to get hold of

Minispares oil and filter changed every 3,000 miles or once a year.