Engine Drivetrain 1st Gen Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Updated - April, 2010 - Magnetic Drain Plugs after 4.5K miles

Might have to swap out my fumoto, although I wonder how much of that stuff washes out anyway. Maybe I'll filter my next oil change, see what I pick up, need to change it in the next couple of days anyway (and the car is just off a track day).

Those things reusable, or do they need a new gasket or anything with each use? They look much better quality than the OEM plug....

 

Wow great stuff! Every little bit helps...

 

if only Mr Dimple would reply to his thread :lol: I wanted to buy a set for my car

 

Thanks for the pics Nathan. Gonna order mine from Texas Speed Works.

 

yes indeed!!

He is not computer savvy in fact less then me and you know how bad I am
You might just call him. Or if you tell me what you are looking for I can get you the part numbers ?

 

Once you shut down the engine most heavy metal particles will settle to the lower compartments or area's of the engine. A lot of times once they come to rest they will remain there even after changing oil. Even the engine running sometimes will not lift them back in the volume of oil to circulate through the engine hopefully later to be caught in the filter or the drain plug magnets. A oil changing trick is to use a quart of ATF in a warm engine prior to changing the oil. ATF is a high detergent oil and will clean better then engine oil and will help increase flushing during an oil change. Driving a short distance with it in the crankcase will in no way harm an engine.

 

Impressive.......but what about us guys that are using the OEM oil temp sending unit. What would be the best alternative?

 

*Drill and tap the sump (pan). Change the oil more frequently?

* The best way would be to drain the oil and weld a bung to the sump. Unless to know exactly where the thicker casting of the pan is you may not be able to tap enough threads for a secure hold on the drain bolt.

There are few that have had the pan off enough that may be able to give a good location for just drilling and tapping?
George at MINI MADNESS may be able to give some good information on this as he has a modified MINI pan that he offers.
Madness MINI Cooper S baffled oil pan - MINI Cooper S Baffled Oil Pan

 

Kinda what I thought, but as you stated I have no idea where a good place to tap would be. How far below the pan would this plug extend? Would hate to rip it off hitting a curb at the track.

I currenty change the oil about every 4-5k.

 

plugs for my '08 Subaru STI. Oil pan, rear diff, tranny

 

6 speed primary is m-26 x 1.5
secondary m-16 x 1.5

The engine is m-20

The rear differential will have a new model available in about 7 - 10 days.

 

I believe my oil drain is already magnetic. From the ones I've removed on the R160 rear ends, they are too. Wonder how much diff there is

 

Yes they are.
The ones from Magnetic Drain Plugs are 150% stronger then the oem units. I also think that they have a larger surface area then the oem?
http://www.drainplugmagnets.com/magneticdrainplugs.html

 

Its good to see the results. I've sold several of these and been installing them with alot of oil changes here at the shop.

R53 magnetic drain plug
R56 magnetic drain plug. This one we really like cause it gets rid of the silly allen stock drain plug.
I've got the trans ones too, but not on the site yet.

 

I hear ya, too many things to plug into too few spots. Drilling the oil pan is not my first consideration, but our options are definitely few.

 

Way,

Do you have any recomendations for an alternative location for the oil pan one? A thick area on the pan?

 

After talking to a a friend that was king enough to measure the thickness of the MINI oil pan there is no better or good location. The pan is the same thickness along the bottom and will not give more then 4-5 mm of threads. Although this may be enough to hold a drain plug the better solution is to weld a bung for the drain plug.
Picture supplied by Kieth @ Werkinmini.com
http://www.werkinmini.com/
The one on the left is a specially coated pan.

 

^Yeah, I've had the oil pan off a few times and I looked for a spot to drill and tap a temp sender. No real good places, and I have no means of welding anything.

My oil temp sender is just in a special drain plug, the wire has a blade disconnect so that it wont twist too much and snap.

 

Passed on from a friend:

There are two places where it is thick enough to thread the pan, one is between two vertical threaded bosses on the crank pulley side, although the space is limited to only 20mm wide, and the other is a threaded boss on the corner, same side. This boss takes a M10X1.5 bolt, and is 29.5mm deep, the entire length is 35mm. If you had a sending unit that small with a long probe, the back side could be ground down to expose the end,and the existing threads could be utilized. Oil pan thickness averages 5mm.