Failure to Service.

[Pit Pony]

Lack of preparation on my part, I had the old (2001) cooper on the ramp, I've got the oil filter, and the oil, and the air filter, and my tools, and I find I have no way of getting the oil filter off.

What size is that hex ?

So I decide, to just change the air filter today, and find I've been sold an air filter that looks nothing like the one that should be. Motor factor now closed so can't swap it.

What a waste of time.

[Pit Pony]

hyperblue said:

You'll need a 36mm low profile socket.

Yeah, my big socket for metro ball joints, was way too big, and my biggest adjustable tops out at 30. Plus my old fashioned chain wrench was not going near it.

[Pit Pony]

Cerbieherts said:

They can be very tight to get off. They also modified the oil filter and housing on the early cars so if you still have the early type with a seperate plastic cage you need to upgrade this too, otherwise the new filter deforms and doesn't work properely and you get an oil light coming on at idle...

I got it apart, and the NEW filter would not fit. Seemed about 4 mm too long. I put the old one back in (given that I was changing it at 9K before the service indicator tells me it needs changing), and was going to 'remonstrate' with the motor factor parts guru, today.

If I go and buy a genuine MINI part, will it fit ? What a fecking bread (PITA)