Oil filter problem!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: San Gabriel, CA
96' E320 W210
Oil filter problem!
Ok, so, I recently ordered a few things from Autohaus. I had a few issues with a vibration, a bit of a rough idle and a leaky water pump. I also wanted to do some preventive maintenance since I bought the car at auction and theirs no service history. I ordered all new seals for the water pump, valve cover gasket and grommets, all intake new hoses, intake manifold gaskets, all new vacuum lines, new thermostat, trans. pan gasket, fuel injector seals, fuel filter, motor mounts, trans. mount, lower ball joints, and tie rod ends. I spent all weekend busting my hump to have it all done by today(Mon.) It all went well, except for a couple of real momentary lapses in my usual brilliance. When I was removing the water pump, I had the dip stick tube out, and apparently their was still a small amount of coolant in the block. It ran down the side and funneled directly down into the pan. I'm so pissed at myself, what a bozo move on my part. Then I noticed I had knocked over the P/S pump, all the fluid had already leaked out. I'm usually more careful, oh well. Live and learn. Needless to say its now Mon. and i'm not done.
To make a long story longer heres my question... while putting everything back right, I went to remove the oil filter. I noticed right away it didn't look right. It look like it was crushed like a soda can. Something like if you were to put a lot of vacuum on it, and it just collapsed. Theres even a lengthwise tear in it. What could have caused this? Did I maybe put it in wrong? I'm worried about it doing damage, so until I find an answer I'm stuck. Please help
To make a long story longer heres my question... while putting everything back right, I went to remove the oil filter. I noticed right away it didn't look right. It look like it was crushed like a soda can. Something like if you were to put a lot of vacuum on it, and it just collapsed. Theres even a lengthwise tear in it. What could have caused this? Did I maybe put it in wrong? I'm worried about it doing damage, so until I find an answer I'm stuck. Please help
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 19
From: SoCal
98 Brilliant Silver E320 Wagon
For starters, I'm confused - if you were 'putting everything back together' why were you removing the oil filter that you installed? It sounds like this is the filter you installed so why were you taking it out? If this is the new filter, did you run the engine? Really old filters usually collapse from being plugged and the pressure builds up.
According to autohausaz the correct filters are -
Mann 1041300109
Bosch 72194
does the packaging agree with one of those numbers?
Tip - The best mechanics I've known always carefully compare the old part with the new one. It's a really good habit.
I checked the WIS procedure for your engine and there's nothing special. Just remove the cap, pull out old filter and insert one.
Another possibility is a defective filter.
According to autohausaz the correct filters are -
Mann 1041300109
Bosch 72194
does the packaging agree with one of those numbers?
Tip - The best mechanics I've known always carefully compare the old part with the new one. It's a really good habit.
I checked the WIS procedure for your engine and there's nothing special. Just remove the cap, pull out old filter and insert one.
Another possibility is a defective filter.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: San Gabriel, CA
96' E320 W210
The filter is about two weeks old, I changed it first thing. I noticed it only since I was under the hood and was randomly checking everything. I wasn't removing it, it was just luck. And since I had never seen a cartridge filter, I gave both the old and new filter a fairly close visual inspection. The brand is Wix
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 19
From: SoCal
98 Brilliant Silver E320 Wagon
OK, thanks for the clarification. It's pretty rare for a new filter to collapse unless it's defective. You might want to try a factory filter just to rule out that. It's an inexpensive item so not much difference in cost ($3-4?). Be sure that it's seating properly. If it's raised up, tightening the cover could collapse it.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 484
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From: Südflorida
'99 E430, '05 ML500, '15 GLK350
Never use a non-German branded filter in your MB. no, this is not brand-snobbiness on my part, just the realization from experience hat the imitators always sell an inferior product that will give you problems. On mine, the shop put in a Purolator Chinese slave-labor clone that flopped around like a limp d___ on the M113 filter holder. The Fram one doesn't look like it'll hold much better, and it wouldn't surprise me if they all (Wix included) just buy the same junk from ****'s knockoff filter factory.
