oil filter wrench
03-31-2005, 01:29 AM
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2001 E320 (210.065), Brilliant Silver; 2002 Ducati ST-2, Arrest-me Red
3000??
Hi, and congrats on the ML500.
I had one of those as a loaner when my E was in for service; thought it was a very sweet ride, but it was a little thirsty for my tastes.
To my knowledge MBZ has been specifying synthetic oil since the late 90s. With the Flexible Service System it will tell you when to change it out based on your driving style. For synthetic, 3K is a really, really short schedule unless you drive very, very short trips all the time and in a very dusty climate. Of course the FSS is supposed to adjust for that as well. There is a long but EXCELLENT thread in the W210 forum regarding approved oils; I always thought brand-quality synthetic was synthetic, but that's not so, at least not according to MBZ recommendations.
For the wrench, the oil filter housing cover is a composite, so I believe in using composite wrenches (you don't need a metal one since the spec is only about 18 lbs/ft.) I purchased mine at Checker/Kragen/Shucks for $5, I think it was Pennzoil branded, as though that matters. Trick was I had to measure my filter cover (it's diameter in mm) and then count the points on the cover to be sure I got the correct one since they listed possibly three for my car.
It pops right on the end of a ratchet or you can use a wrench on it, so it's really easy.
As far as the filter goes, I'm a personal fan of the fleece filters, particularly for a longer change interval. They filter finer and maintain their capacity longer, which for the extra few bucks is well worth it to me. I've purchased from both autohausaz.com and autopartswarehouse.com and they have both OEM and aftermarket parts and supplies at excellent prices. One thing I would suggest is that you be sure -- wherever you get the filter -- to get a filter KIT and not just the filter. MBZ's have several O-rings on the filter assembly, and they harden so you want to be sure to change those every time.
Lastly, I think most MBZ owners are "suckers," not "drainers" when it comes to their oil changes. There are good arguments each way, but personally I fall into the latter category. If you're also a drainer, be sure to change the oil drain plug gasket before you reinstall it. It's copper and is designed to compress. They're exceedingly cheap (if I recall about 20 cents) from either of the sites mentioned above.
Good luck and enjoy the ride,
Greg
I had one of those as a loaner when my E was in for service; thought it was a very sweet ride, but it was a little thirsty for my tastes.
To my knowledge MBZ has been specifying synthetic oil since the late 90s. With the Flexible Service System it will tell you when to change it out based on your driving style. For synthetic, 3K is a really, really short schedule unless you drive very, very short trips all the time and in a very dusty climate. Of course the FSS is supposed to adjust for that as well. There is a long but EXCELLENT thread in the W210 forum regarding approved oils; I always thought brand-quality synthetic was synthetic, but that's not so, at least not according to MBZ recommendations.
For the wrench, the oil filter housing cover is a composite, so I believe in using composite wrenches (you don't need a metal one since the spec is only about 18 lbs/ft.) I purchased mine at Checker/Kragen/Shucks for $5, I think it was Pennzoil branded, as though that matters. Trick was I had to measure my filter cover (it's diameter in mm) and then count the points on the cover to be sure I got the correct one since they listed possibly three for my car.
It pops right on the end of a ratchet or you can use a wrench on it, so it's really easy.As far as the filter goes, I'm a personal fan of the fleece filters, particularly for a longer change interval. They filter finer and maintain their capacity longer, which for the extra few bucks is well worth it to me. I've purchased from both autohausaz.com and autopartswarehouse.com and they have both OEM and aftermarket parts and supplies at excellent prices. One thing I would suggest is that you be sure -- wherever you get the filter -- to get a filter KIT and not just the filter. MBZ's have several O-rings on the filter assembly, and they harden so you want to be sure to change those every time.
Lastly, I think most MBZ owners are "suckers," not "drainers" when it comes to their oil changes. There are good arguments each way, but personally I fall into the latter category. If you're also a drainer, be sure to change the oil drain plug gasket before you reinstall it. It's copper and is designed to compress. They're exceedingly cheap (if I recall about 20 cents) from either of the sites mentioned above.
Good luck and enjoy the ride,
Greg
03-31-2005, 08:40 AM
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95 E320 Cabriolet, 108K
If it's the same oil filter wrench as the ML320, you should read the following thread discussing oil filter wrenches:
Oil Filter Wrench
There's a lot of information in that thread.
The more expensive fleece-type oil filters are intended for longer oil change intervals as they have a higher capacity for holding contaminants. This is more appropriate for synthetic oil users that go with longer oil change intervals. If you plan on a 3K OCI, you can safely save some money and go with the less expensive paper filters, regardless of the oil used.
Oil Filter Wrench
There's a lot of information in that thread.
The more expensive fleece-type oil filters are intended for longer oil change intervals as they have a higher capacity for holding contaminants. This is more appropriate for synthetic oil users that go with longer oil change intervals. If you plan on a 3K OCI, you can safely save some money and go with the less expensive paper filters, regardless of the oil used.
Last edited by Kestas; 03-31-2005 at 08:46 AM. Reason: add oil filter opinion
04-01-2005, 12:45 PM
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2001 E320 (210.065), Brilliant Silver; 2002 Ducati ST-2, Arrest-me Red
Last weigh-in on the wrench issue
Just by way of introduction, I have in my life worked for a time as a professional mechanic and I tend to factor in a consideration for the least damage I can do when I'm working on a car. The medical rule -- first do no harm -- applies here as well. That said, I buy and use quality tools, but within that context I strive to select the best tool for the particular job; for example, you don't use a 1/2 drive rachet with a reducer on 5mm fasteners.
With a spin-on disposable oil filter, it doesn't matter how much you damage or distort it pulling it off, since it's going in the garbage anyway; thus the reference to the long screwdriver and hammer in one of the threads on this topic. However, since the oil filter housing is part of the car -- it's not disposable as with a spin-on filter -- you want it to last. Thus it's better not to use things that have the potential to damage the cover, so that excludes the tools that are universal in nature, such as those clamping filter pliers, compression wrenches, etc.
And since the MBZ cover is composite, which would you rather potentially have to replace, a $5 composite cap-style wrench or a very pricey MBZ oil filter assembly? Yes, the metal wrenches are very nice and will last for centuries, but they're overkill just like the 1/2 rachet on the 5mm fastener. And the composite wrench will absorb and distribute forces over a greater area than the metal, since the metal wrench has no give. (Think of it this way: in a battle between metal and plastic, which conforms to the other?)
That's the basic reason I don't recommend the metal cap-style wrenches for the casual user. Of course, if you don't overtorque the filter cover, the composite cap-style wrench will last the life of the car (and if you were to overtorque, you're more likely to break the composite wrench before you damage or destroy the cover). And one other quick FYI: overtorquing the cover may also distort the sealing o-ring.
Bottom line: whichever material you choose for the wrench, make sure it fits the filter cover properly; no "all purpose" or "universal" styles. Second, be sure to torque it using a torque wrench to the factory setting, and convert the Euro NM to Lb/ft if your wrench doesn't have both settings. (No, I'm not particularly ****; I don't use a torque wrench on conventional filters but think it's wise in this context for the reasons described above.)
The only exception I would make is if you are a professional mechanic, so you are using the wrench virtually every day. In that case -- since the wrench has to last the equivalent of several car lifetimes and since you're intimately familiar with tightening the filter housings to their proper torque even without a torque wrench -- the metal tool is the one to choose. On the other hand, if you're a professional mechanic, you're not seeking advice on this forum.
Take care and when you're finished with the maintenance, enjoy the ride.
With a spin-on disposable oil filter, it doesn't matter how much you damage or distort it pulling it off, since it's going in the garbage anyway; thus the reference to the long screwdriver and hammer in one of the threads on this topic. However, since the oil filter housing is part of the car -- it's not disposable as with a spin-on filter -- you want it to last. Thus it's better not to use things that have the potential to damage the cover, so that excludes the tools that are universal in nature, such as those clamping filter pliers, compression wrenches, etc.
And since the MBZ cover is composite, which would you rather potentially have to replace, a $5 composite cap-style wrench or a very pricey MBZ oil filter assembly? Yes, the metal wrenches are very nice and will last for centuries, but they're overkill just like the 1/2 rachet on the 5mm fastener. And the composite wrench will absorb and distribute forces over a greater area than the metal, since the metal wrench has no give. (Think of it this way: in a battle between metal and plastic, which conforms to the other?)
That's the basic reason I don't recommend the metal cap-style wrenches for the casual user. Of course, if you don't overtorque the filter cover, the composite cap-style wrench will last the life of the car (and if you were to overtorque, you're more likely to break the composite wrench before you damage or destroy the cover). And one other quick FYI: overtorquing the cover may also distort the sealing o-ring.
Bottom line: whichever material you choose for the wrench, make sure it fits the filter cover properly; no "all purpose" or "universal" styles. Second, be sure to torque it using a torque wrench to the factory setting, and convert the Euro NM to Lb/ft if your wrench doesn't have both settings. (No, I'm not particularly ****; I don't use a torque wrench on conventional filters but think it's wise in this context for the reasons described above.)
The only exception I would make is if you are a professional mechanic, so you are using the wrench virtually every day. In that case -- since the wrench has to last the equivalent of several car lifetimes and since you're intimately familiar with tightening the filter housings to their proper torque even without a torque wrench -- the metal tool is the one to choose. On the other hand, if you're a professional mechanic, you're not seeking advice on this forum.
Take care and when you're finished with the maintenance, enjoy the ride.
