Great!, I look forward to the results of your next test.

Please post on this thread if possible.

 

These new engines have direct injection and that may lead to fuel dilution of the motor oil. Until someone has a used oil analysis (UOA) performed on the new 07s, we just won't know for sure. I suspect that the oil is used up by 6K miles. But that is only based on UOA performed on other direct injection vehicles.

I have had used oil analysis performed on my first gen MINI S and based on the results, there is no way I would run the oil out to 15K miles before changing if I planned to keep the car a long time.

 

My thoughts are the turbo is going to be harder on the oil that the R53's with the supercharger. I hadn't thought about the direct injection, but that is a good point.

As a side note Subaru has changed their maintenance schedule for turbo cars to the severe schedule. Oil & filter every 3,700 miles no matter how easy you drive them. My guess is they are having too many warranty claims on their turbo motors.

Yes our MINI's aren't Subaru's, but the R56's have a hot turbo.

 

C'mon people, get it right. It's BARE THE MUFFLEPACK and FLUID the BLINKCHANGER. Sheez! Seriously, what would this forum be without a good 'ole oilchanging thread. (I do wanna hear the results of the upcoming analysis though).

 

I'm excited about having the analysis done, as well. The sample bottle should be here by Monday, so I should have the oil sample pulled and in the mail by Tuesday or Wednesday. I'll post the raw results here as soon as they come back. The comments/diagnosis from Terry Dyson are proprietary, so I won't be posting those, per his request.

When I pull the oil sample, the oil will have about 8,000 miles on it, so it should be a useful analysis. The silicon, iron and copper were a little elevated on the last test (factory-fill oil at 12,500 miles), but I suspect that was from break-in and assembly lubes, so I'm expecting the numbers to be significantly lower on this analysis.

 

Now I've heard it ALL!! "Rough" oil. Please show us a link where scientific results prove this not Bubba from the truck stop saying his "daddy told him so".

 

Screw it! I am changing my oil every 5000 miles. It's my money and my MINI and my time!

 

The 2007 MCS 1.6L turbo is direct fuel injection right? I would imagine there would be fuel dilution from gas washing down the cylinder walls. The question is whether the oil can handle it. Then again I've read that the BMW engine oil also used by MINI is a European Castrol Syntec, if it's as good as German Castrol, then its a pretty good oil. I've read that of the over the counter oils Pennzoil Platinum holds up pretty well against fuel dilution. The Renewable Lubes custom blended for the a Audi RS4 owner in the BITOG thread above is very good against fuel dilution (it'd better be, I read he spent over $5,000 developing it!). I'm running it through my 2002 911 as we speak. I'll probably use Pennzoil to break in the MINI (when it gets here) just because it's cheaper and readily available.

 

Thanks in advance. That will be an interesting read. Which engine do you have? Did you by any chance post the raw data from your earlier UOA?

 

Do you have an R53 or R56?
Nevermind. I see now. R53

 

I'm with you on this.

 

That's why I'm very surprised the manual calls for Mobil 1 5W-30 since the US grading runs thinner than the Euro grading of oil. Mobil 1 5W-30 is considerably thinner than the BMW Castro 5W-30. It's the 0W-40 that gets the ACEA3 and 01 grading that all the European brands recommend.

 

The whole Mobil 1 thing might be a marketing relationship between oil companies and manufacturers. I wouldn't say Mobil 1 is a bad oil, but since they switched from "true" synthetic base stock (PAO, group IV) to group III, some enthusiasts have been moving away from Mobil 1 because there are better alternatives. As far as viscosity goes, M1 0W40 is thin, at the bottom of the SAE 40 range, while GC 0W30 is thick, at the top of the SAE 30 range, so they are actually very close in viscosity at operating temps.

 

+1

 

If you are correct, then I believe PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON is also a good idea right after the two you mention.

 

I was told the Castrol in our cars is the same stuff used in the M3's, not Syntec and goes for about $9.00 a quart, but that could be the mark up Either way, my car is at almost 12K and it telling me 12K more to go, but that's sure to keep coming down. What' the longest the OBC has told someone to wait for their oil changes

 

My first oil change came due according to the OBC at about 12,500 miles. I'm at 20,500 now, and the OBC is telling me I have about 9k more to go, so that would be about a 17,000 mile interval. It would actually end up being even longer, because the OBC oil counter has been counting down more slowly than the odometer has been counting up (a lot of my daily driving is on the interstate).

I'll be pulling some oil for an analysis this week before deciding when to change the oil.

 

I bought oil from MINI of Mountian View that has the MINI label on it. IIRC, the cost was below $6 per quart, and possibly below $5. I know I paid more for the standard (not Extended) Mobil 1 at a local auto supply.

My understanding is that it is either by mileage or annually. My OBC is saying another 17,000 and I'm at a little over 3,000. There is no way I'll get to 20,000 before next May.

 

Robin, What's the MINI branded Castrol cost (list price)? (Oops, nevermind. Just saw your last post). Is it full synthetic or synthetic blend? Is there anything unique about it that auto parts store's Castrol Syntec doesn't have?

My plan was to buy a pile of MINI filters ($11.36 from Classic or Morristown, and about $5-$6 for shipping if bought in quantity) and a few gallons of Mobil 1 Synthetic 5w30 ($19.88 in gallon bottles locally, or $5.98 a quart). Delaers won't ship oil, so I'd have to wait till I'm at my dealer (60 miles away) to get the Castrol. Then I guess all I need is a 27mm socket...

Jas.

 

I don't recall the exact price I paid. I do recall being very surprised that it was less expensive than some Mobil 1 I had just bought. $5.40 comes into my head, but I'm not sure if that was the Mobil 1 price, the MINI Castrol price, or just a random synapse snap.

I had just changed the oil and used Mobil 1. Then I heard about Mobil 1 being thinner than the European spec. 5-30 used in the MINI, and that M1 was not rated for 15,000 miles (only Mobil 1 Extended is). So, I got nervous and bought the oil from the dealer that is recommended for the R56. It is a Castrol that has a MINI label.

I bought the kit of two filters and a filter socket from MiniMania, but your price is better.

If you do get Mobil 1, you should probably get Mobil 1 Extended. From what I hear it is what Mobil 1 used to be before they went cheap to compete with Castrol's fudging on the term "synthetic". It is said that you should use 0-40w to match the European spec.

 

I've heard some bad stories about Mini Mania shipping the wrong stuff and other problems.

If you go to Mobil 1's website and plug in the make and model of your car (MCS 07). They recommend Mobil 1 Synthetic 5w30 (not the extended) as the 'ultimate' choice. (actually, just checked and they list both super syn and extended). Even if you say temps are below 0 degrees, they don't list the 0w40 as an option. Who am I to argue with that. I'll probably be doing 2 changes between MINI's maintenance changes (or one a year if I don't go 5,000 miles) so the extra cost of 'extended' would probably be wasted.

Jas.

 

It's DEFINITELY not the same stuff the M3/5/6 use. They use a Euro Castro that's pretty thick at operating temps. I think it's a 10W-60. It's a little under $10/quart!!! You won't find it anywhere else either.

 

Why would I pay attention to what Mobil 1 recommends for the MINI? The MINI has 15,000 mile oil change intervals recommended by the mfg., and Mobil 1 says to use their 5,000 mile rated oil? I have a hard time finding them credible.

 

Because if you look at a BMW M5 for example, they recommend 0w40. So they do have some idea. They don't say to wait 15,000 miles to change your oil with standard synthetic. I was trying to get an idea of what not to use as much as what to use.

 

They recommend 0W-40 for the M5!!!!
What a JOKE!! That's no where near thck enough for the M cars. BMW will void your warranty if you use that stuff.