Excellent idea! I actually have an infrared thermometer. I'll take some reading and post the results. Thanks!

Instead of bypassing anything, or wondering, why not take a laser thermometer pointer and measure the various parts of the car with the various stuffs pumping through them and then decide how to fix anything that might need fixing.

Does anyone know the relationship between oil temp and water temp? My water temp rarely gets above 175º F. Always thought that was a bit on low side. I was hoping my oil temp was 20º F higher than the water temp. After reading the above, it sounds like the oil temp is actually much cooler. I have a Mocal oil heat exchanger. Maybe I'll try bypassing it and see what happens.

Want to thank you all for your helpful suggestions. Got 5 L of Castrol 20-50 and the car runs quiet and smooth. Even shifts a bit easier. The garage owner himself took it for a test drive after the service... said thank ME for bringing back memories from his youth when he shared a Mini with his buddies.

200ºF (93ºC) is normal for a good running engine. If it is much cooler it won't boil off the moisture that accumulates from the compression of the moist air and you have sludge, especially in cooler climates.

BTW, glad to see another oil temp posted. Mine (automatic) runs about 165ºF at the highest (with a sensor I put in the lower right hand corner of the front cover).

I do have one of the Metro oil to water coolers. It requires one of the long Purolater filter heads to get away from the block and tranny. Then the filter hits the sub frame. If I ever get all that sorted out I will have to run water lines to and from. Before going to all that trouble I want to locate a bung in the tranny to check oil temp. My aim is to add water temp to the oil as my water runs in the 200 range and oil only 165. I do run a COP and a windage tray in my street tranny. I wonder if the tray keeps oil from splashing up into the block and collecting heat? Steve (CTR)

I have cut open many, and have posted pictures on my site, along with other brands. There are many problems, but mostly with the cardboard end caps not being centered over the perforated center tube, allowing unfiltered oil to go through.

Some of the used ones are posted here:  //www.widman.biz/English/Filters/aceite-usados.html

Many people can say they have used them with no problems. The problems will show up in used oil analysis as excessive dirt and wear. They will eventually show up on getting 100,000 miles on the engine instead of 400,000.... Or something similar. 

I have also heard people say discouraging things about Fram but I have never had a failure or problem with any Fram filter for any of my cars and that covers over 40 years of ownership.  

I believe Jeg used to work for Fram.   If I am remembering correctly, he used to speak quite strongly of Fram's quality.  

During the past decade I remember some oil filter companies running commercials explaining why their filter was better than Fram because of one feature or another.  Many focused on Fram's use of cardboard endplates on the pleated filter element.  Somehow other materials were supposed to be "better".  That does not make any sense to me since the pleated element is paper to begin with.

To each his own on filter brands.  I am not an exclusive Fram user but I am not put off by Fram either.  As for oil, I prefer VR-1 in 20W50 but I also use Castrol.  If you want a really good oil and are willing to pay a bit more, consider Brad-Penn.

I use K&N HP-1002 and Valvoline VR-1 20-50. I like the 1" nut on the K&N for removal without taking the grill off.

I have heard Fram are junk, and then I hear that they make all of the filters for X, Y, and Z retailers. Then, I think to myself:

I have not had an oil related failure in a mini since 1986, when I was running my Cooper S down the highway with a short final drive.

However, there is another box of filters alongside the Fram PH3600s, these are for my 500,000 km Toyota 4.7 V-8. Like so many, it fits perfectly on a mini spin on filter housing. Full disclosure-this is an early run or prototype of the 12A2032RACE housing, so it benefits from not having a bypass valve. 

An engine builder friend feels that getting rid of the bypass in the filter head makes a big difference; and I certainly see how it can complement my own program of great oil being changed often.

As fitted to the Lexus LX470 and 100 series Landcruiser, the filter housing that this filter fits on carries an added on oil-water heat exchanger like an MG Metro turbo used, but built to Toyota's quality standards. I recall Steve discussing how one of those might complement his future mini engine development.

The use of 20W-50 oil in anything but a worn engine increases temperatures and reduces lubrication. 10W-40 is plenty. Mine is a automatic, but after rebuilding to standard specs, I have 60 psi until it heats up and then 40 psi with 10W-40. 

As for filters, I've cut up dozens (if not hundreds) and would never put a Fram on anything I cared about. In the US, I suggest patronizing our sponsor. I'm in South America, and as a Donaldson distributor, I use Donaldson filters.

I looked at a you tube video of the rollout of the plane designed to be a flying rocket launcher and there was a comment from a fellow named Tony that could only have come from our own, regretfully, robster -Tony-specialist.

To think he also lends his opinions to newly designed ultra heavy lift airplanes!

One good thing about the Internet is that you can see many catalogue pages from companies. Personally, I just grab a Fram PH 3600 from the box. For years I used the Nissan intended 17-1883-4 on the shelf at Canadian Tire; as they made the filter fatter but kept the same seal dimensions. There are many cars, trucks, tractors and industrial engines that use the dimensionally same filter as the mini, Austin America, or the Sprite/Midget with the 1300 engine.

Here is a link to Luber Finer's catalogue page on their clone of the original mini spin on filter, what our host sells as GFE148. Keep in mind that our host's price + mailing costs might be competitive with the actual cost to you to drive to an auto parts store and wait in line and buy a filter.

Also keep in mind that because the mini drivetrain shares the oil with the transmission, you need to change it more often, so a fancy high end filter makes no economic sense. I do see lower temps with synthetic oil, along with minimal wear on my high mileage tall final drive remote and rod change gearboxes, so to me that makes economic sense. Also, this weekend Canadian tire has most versions of Mobil 1 on sale, check the flyer and the jug size. I serviced half of the home fleet today.



Here is the handy link:

//productguide.luber-finer.com/Home/PartDetail?partNo=PH2835

I know I'm probably starting WW3 here but getting oil changed locally from non-Mini shop. What weight oil and locally-available filter are you using? OK..let the battle begin...