When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
An FYI for anyone who's been under the impression that Fram oil filters are of good quality. Someone on another forum warned me about Fram, I didn't really believe him.
Could you do me a big favor when you replace that FRAM filter? Can you cut it open and compare the actual size of the filter media inside the filter housing to the OEM Mann? I suspect there is probably more filter media, but probably not near as much as you would suspect.
I fully intend to, but more to see what state the filter is in. It would seem that I've now decided to stress about l'il bits of cardboard and/or filter media circulating in my oil passages. Cool part is that I'll be making a clean, grinder-free cut. I had bought a chain-type pipe cutter years past, pretty sure it'll be able to cut through the filter cleanly and effortlessly.
FYI, when I said I would be using a Mann filter, I meant a Mann spin-on, not going back to OEM.
Last edited by peter2772000; 01-07-2019 at 04:55 PM.
awesome post for info and thanks for all the pictures too. Any pictures of the modified engine cover or how you measured/cut the hole out?
I want to do this to my ml now, where did you order the adapter for the new style filter? i went to the ptk site but no online store, did you just contact them to get it?
also i saw in the diesel section post you did that you used Liqui-Moly engine flush to clean her out before the oil change. was there a specific Liqui-Moly engine flush you used for diesel or is there just one type of Liqui-Moly engine flush?
Last edited by Babukb2; 01-09-2019 at 12:49 AM.
Reason: adding question
I haven't yet trimmed the engine cover, was waiting to do it at the same time as my next oil change which is in +/- 1000 miles. Only one model of oil flush if I remember correctly.
I ordered mine on-line if I remember correctly, but did have a nice conversation with the owner over the phone.
Haha, my bad. I jumped on the site and was looking for an online store or shop option, I probably should've just read all their info and scrolled down to see the order option right on the first page.
Thanks for pointing it out.
You do anything with the air filters? I can't recall where but I feel I saw either a post on this forum or somewhere else online about a guy who sold modified air boxes for the air filters for the ml350. At work now but I could try to find it later when I'm home.
Yes please do. I believe that at some point, MB went from one big air filter to two smaller ones, but not sure. The one big one is supposed to be better....
so i found this link in my notes, im thinking this is what i was looking at late last night. i was searching on the diesel and canada sub forums for some info and must've come accross that post. since he didnt post what car this was for, i figured maybe there were more custom options he made, but now checking his profile and cross referencing more of his posts it looks like the custom air boxes are not for the ML but for some C model mercedes only.
i did read that the ML likes a lot of fresh air, so i will be on the hunt for some better options air filter wise, there is a lot out there and sometimes it's hard picking from the over hyped and the actual quality stuff.
with this new bigger oil filter are you hoping to increase the time between oil changes, or just hoping for better flow and quality of oil and still keep the same intervals for oil changes? (i think i read in another one of your posts that you are doing oil changes more frequently anyways vs the mercedes recommended time frames so im wondeirng if this new filter will change that and maybe now you will change oil at the mercedes recommended intervals)
are you also replacing the turbo seal on oil changes? or just hoping that popping the engine cover and belly pan in summer months will keep that from leaking.
where im getting this from was post 23 on... https://mbworld.org/forums/m-class-w...leak-club.html
so i found this link in my notes, im thinking this is what i was looking at late last night. i was searching on the diesel and canada sub forums for some info and must've come accross that post. since he didnt post what car this was for, i figured maybe there were more custom options he made, but now checking his profile and cross referencing more of his posts it looks like the custom air boxes are not for the ML but for some C model mercedes only.
i did read that the ML likes a lot of fresh air, so i will be on the hunt for some better options air filter wise, there is a lot out there and sometimes it's hard picking from the over hyped and the actual quality stuff.
with this new bigger oil filter are you hoping to increase the time between oil changes, or just hoping for better flow and quality of oil and still keep the same intervals for oil changes? (i think i read in another one of your posts that you are doing oil changes more frequently anyways vs the mercedes recommended time frames so im wondeirng if this new filter will change that and maybe now you will change oil at the mercedes recommended intervals)
Simply augment the quality of the oil. After reading so much about people who'd had the engines seize from sludged oil pans, I decided to put all the odds on my side. Honestly, between the 5000 km oil intervals with high-zinc/phosphor oil (which I intend to keep up) and the larger oil filter, I'm no longer preoccupied about this being an issue in my particular case.
are you also replacing the turbo seal on oil changes? or just hoping that popping the engine cover and belly pan in summer months will keep that from leaking.
where im getting this from was post 23 on... https://mbworld.org/forums/m-class-w...leak-club.html
I don't intend to replace any seals unless a problem presents itself or if I'm already in there for something else. And yes, I'm hoping (praying is more accurate) that the cooler under-hood temps will save me grief. Have you read the article by this gentleman? http://www.stephensservice.com/bluet...ssuesproblems/
You can take it or leave it, and opinions on him are divided on this site. I've obviously taken huge gulps of the Stephens Garage koolaid, only time will tell if it pays off.
I have read that article. From all the searching and reading I have been doing lately I have come across a lot of your posts and you referenced that link somewhere else.
it has got me a bit more confused but also got me reading more and trying to learn more and do more myself on this car. I don't have a lot of experience on cars, but a few years back when I owned a motorcycle I did all the work on it myself and I'm hoping to now start to do more car work, especially given all the work this ML will need!
in that article, he speaks of an ECU update that was required, any way to verify what that update is and if we have it on our car?
I'm assuming you're running the higher zinc oil was due to the info he has in that post, what oil are you using and how has it been so far?
he also mentions at the end that for a small fee he will send you all the info you want/need, have you taken him up on that offer? I totally want to because reading that article just leaves me with more questions as he doesn't really go into a lot of detail or info on what to do, and I would love just a simple list of maintenance I could follow to hopefully avoid a bunch of headaches.
I initially started using synthetic motorcycle oil, but Amsoil now has premium oils for our diesels. I use their Competition series 20W50 oil in summer, and their Signature series oil in the winter (10W30 in the fall/spring and 0W30 in the winter).
Stephen simply recommends getting any ECU updates which MB may have issued for your particular model. If you're out of warranty, you'll have to put on your big girl panties and go to the dealer and ask them to download any updates into your truck. I can't see it costing more than a coupla hundred bucks. Mine was updated back in August before the warranty ran out, I don't intend to get any more updates unless I'm at the dealership for something else. With my latest delete mods, I shouldn't have any surprises.
Fact is, I don't know for a fact if everything I've done will keep my truck running for a long time. But I sure as hell tried. Some here think I'm going overboard or wasting my time and money. They may very well be right. Only time will tell. But everything I've done can't hurt. Bigger oil filter and losing the cover/belly pan, how could that be an issue? DPF/DEF/EGR delete? Good riddance. Two outta the three have already taken a dump on me, this on a truck driven by a l'il ole lady with only 25k km on it.
Did I ever think I'd be pulling anti-pollution stuff off an engine at age 59? Hell no. But I'll be damned if MB and the EPA's combination of bad engineering and ridiculous demands cost me a $25k motor a few years down the line.
I sent him a token of my appreciation for the info that he furnished me (I think it was $50 USD). I only read afterwards that If you send him $200, you get on his mailing list where he keeps you up-to-date on any news/updates etc. But I didn't sign up, I'm confident (hopeful LOL) that I've already done enough.
PS: Stephen is hilarious. Great sense of humour and crazy adventurous at age 60+. Does motocross.
Well considering the emissions and engine is probably the main things that go wrong with this car, you're probably covered with what you have done, hopefully it lives trouble free for a long while.
I'll probably change up my oil as well, and do the filter mod, but still waiting on pktfilters to reply back to me before placing an order. Maybe I'll call them if I don't hear back by end of week.
nothing back via email from pkt filters, maybe my email was overwhelming and i had too many questions.
peter - that order on his site indicates USD and shipping to US, did you pay a different price since you ordered and had it shipped within canada?
I'm hesitant to just hit the order button on his site without maybe finding out if there will be more costs or if i can get it for less due to shipping within canada.
Finished another oil change this weekend. Took this time to also;
- Modify my belly pan so's to be able to drain the oil without popping the pan every time (royal PITA)
- Modify my engine cover to accommodate the big-a$$ oil filter
Very pleased with the opening for both items. I used a 4.5" hole-saw for the oil filter opening. I gotta say, I hit it spot on. The hole I made is pretty well centered around the oil filter.
I forgot to take a pic of belly pan. Essentially, I made an opening under the oil pan plug that includes the trajectory that the oil takes when you first remove the oil plug.
Last edited by peter2772000; 01-21-2019 at 03:58 AM.
I cut open the oil filter (initially with a pipe cutter, which wasn't working too well. Finished with a Dremel) to see if there was anything in there worth finding. There wasn't....
The 2nd pic shows me holding a rubber washer, this is a crude (and inefficient) check valve which is supposed to prevent oil from draining back down. It does, but not well.
When I removed the oil filter, I got about 2-3 ounces of spillage. I'm using a Mann filter now, curious to see if this filter leaks as well when I remove it at the next oil change.
When I remove the oil filter I'll have a rag stuffed around the oil filter so as to absorb any oil that may leak. I'm guessing that the Mann filter has a more efficient check valve.
Could you do me a big favor when you replace that FRAM filter? Can you cut it open and compare the actual size of the filter media inside the filter housing to the OEM Mann? I suspect there is probably more filter media, but probably not near as much as you would suspect.
Sorry John, I forgot to actually do the comparison as asked. But as you suspect, there isn't double the filter media. I'd say closer to 50% -60%.
Sorry John, I forgot to actually do the comparison as asked. But as you suspect, there isn't double the filter media. I'd say closer to 50% -60%.
No problem. Estimated 50-60% is not an insignificant increase. May get one of these adapters after my CPO warranty is up. Going to submit for an oil analysis today and start tracking oil health for a while.
when you take that engine cover off during summer months, what do you do with the air duct that plugs into the front of the engine cover? just leave it hanging?
11-03-2018, 11:37 AM
