Doc, oil IS the best mechanic. I cannot understand how mfrs can recommend 10,000 km intervals with modern engines (synthetic ...maybe).

However, engine reconditioners sometimes recommend 500-1000 kays with a lighter "flushing oil" AFAIR.

Whats your take on this one???

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"Show me the Mini!"

I do change the Laser's oil at 10K intervals, but hey, it's still got a little colour in it. And it doesn't get thrashed into little bits by the gearbox..

On rebuilt motors yeah, dump the oil (and filter) after 500 km or so. And just use cheapo oil up to then, even supermarket 20w/50 is OK.
Valvoline do a running in oil- it's OK for this too.

Don't use oil with additives for the first 1000 miles at least, you want things to bed in properly....
20W/50 is the best all round grade but use well known brands.

As for oil additives- Nulon, Bardahl, STP, Wynns, Molybond etc, no I don't believe in them- not for Mini boxes anyway.
If motor is that worn out it needs them, pull it down and fix it!

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Way back in the 70's when I had my 1st Mini I had an old mechanic tell me to lubricate with graphite grease and put a dolop in the oil filler - it melted and mixed with the oil. Don't know if it ever did any good - made the oil black but I did it religously every 1000 miles and even on the Land Cruiser I had for 24 years without problems.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

On the other hand guys, I had this 244 my swedish blond vovlo. anyway i got it as a run around once i sold my CLUBMN if you remember. anyway i bought this car from a dude who has never maintained it in his life except for toping oil up every week due to an oil leek...."THANK GO IT HAD AN OIL LEEK" . Nor did he drive it much anyway. ok when i looked it over i looked in the rocker cover by removing the oil filler cap, and found that the head, cam etc. was all crusty looking, like it has not seen oil for years. Ok i picked the car up for $100 so it was at a price i could afford to get a new engine if needbee. I put a little oil in the rocker cover so i wasent doing it more damage, and drove it home.

On the way home i got 5 ltrs of deisal, and 2 new oil filters, i flush the engine using the deasal fuel running it for aprox 15 min, i did this twice over then replaced new oils in it.

The deasal flushed out the engine cleaning the blocked up oilpump and gallarys.
Great news and oil presure again, it ran sweet for the two terrable weeks i had it, and hated it.
Now i have a sprite that realy is no better in the engine department!!!!!

While we're on the subject, I need to do my first filter and oil change soon, which filter should I get? Can I just go down to Autobarn and pick one up? I'm not sure they'll have a Morris Mini label on the "Suits the following cars" list.

when warmed up and revving my oil pressure gets up close to 80 psi
and hovers around 3o odd on idle?

does the high 80 meen i have troubles?

cheers steve

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Cheers Steve.


1973 south african mk3, 1275 +30 (1300), RE13 cam, hif44, mildy worked head with s sized valves, pulsar dizzy, 1.5:1 minispares forged rockers.

Redfive, i use Penrite HPR30 and it's doing good...

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

80psi is no problem, in my opinion. The poor old Mini crank only has 3 main bearings, and the middle one has to feed 2 conrod bearings....
OTOH, most modern motors have 5 and can get away with much less pressure.

If you take the hex cap off the relief valve, I bet either the spring has been packed with washers, or someone has fitted a ball instead of the stock relief valve (good mod) but forgot to shorten the spring...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Redfive, first you need to know what sort of oil filter you have. Earlier models had a cartridge type (not much experience with them but I haven't heard much good about them). Later motors have a 'normal' spin-on type filter. You will likely find a suitable filter for the spin-on type at Autobahn/Super Cheap etc, but possibly not the cartridge type. You'll need to have a look at your engine though as quite often people fit the later type spin-on filter, since it is easier to change (highly recommended that's what I did).

Anto.

About the only mod you need to make for the spin on filter housing is to grind a small section of the forward frame away for it to clear the filter.

The ONLY advantage I have ever found for cartridge filters is the fact you can see the amount of crap that accumulates on it, when ya remove it. But they dont work anywhere near as well.

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"He's always been a dickhead, He always is a dickhead, He will always be a dickhead. So stop complaining when he acts like one."

?? I didn't grind anything when I fitted mine. I simply unbolted the old filter header and bolted the new one on. Had to change the studs over since the spin-on type has smaller ones, but that was it.

Also, they do have more area than the piddly element in a spin-on one.

But.. they are dirty bastards to clean, and many people get the bits inside out of order so they don't work properly.
Correct method is put bolt up throung can and fit spring, then flat washer, then seal washer, then plate, then cartridge. You would not believe how many times I've found the cartridge sitting in the bottom, with oil going over the top...

<edit> VW Golf spin-on filters fit, they are a lot longer with a bigger element inside. Watch out on a remote change box it that doesn't foul the reverse light switch on front of gearbox..

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

what part number is the spin on filter that the aussie cars take,
my weirdo little south african motor takes a Z93 spin on straight on to the block.

so higher oil pressure doesn't mean anything sinister, that is a releif.

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Cheers Steve.


1973 south african mk3, 1275 +30 (1300), RE13 cam, hif44, mildy worked head with s sized valves, pulsar dizzy, 1.5:1 minispares forged rockers.

Coopers (UK) filter is a Z25/2
Delphi (UK) filter is a FX0004

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.