M156 W211 E63 Oil Filter Cap won't budge???
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
M156 W211 E63 Oil Filter Cap won't budge???
I just finished installing the Heads with New Headbolts and VRP Shorty Headers, with fresh Intake Valves and SLS Buckets after having both Heads rebuilt as well as my rebuilding the front end with all new bits and Bushings including reman'd Airmatic Struts and Intake Manifold, New Power Steering Pump and HP Hose, New Racing Brake Rotors and Pads, F1 Fab Front Camber Control Arms, DIY Catch-can, new spark plugs, CPS, level sensor etc and finally filled her up with fluids only to find that the recommended torque of 25Nm for the oil Filter Housing Cap caused the Cap to become Un-Removablel!!! I tightened it with a torque Wrench, but obviously went too far as I felt no clicks from the torque wrench-oops!!!. Upon trying to reverse my actions by loosening the Cap, I could feel my 33mm ratchet want to roll over the corners (being that the Cap has an inner 32mm nut and 84mm wide 14point outer diameter) so I went to Harbor Freight to buy a Vice-grip Oil Cap Wrench. I used that but it slipped around the 14pt Cap, so I ultimately wrapped the Cap with gorilla tape and busted out some 200 grit sandpaper and wrapped that around the Cap for the Wrench to get a grip on it. I combined this with using a 32 star point 1 1/2ft Wrench as well as using a 2ft pipe attached to the Vice-grips. I'm 6'2" 225lb and work out regularly and still couldn't make the Cap budge,
I haven't started the car yet, so there could have been any pressure build-up. I'm thinking of ordering a Weisetec Billet Cap and getting a proper 32mm 1/2inch ratchet and give that a try otherwise I'll attach it to my Dewalt Impact Hammer Drill to drive the Cap out once I get it to operating temperature to see if the heat expanding the housing might help. I must admit using the vice-grips may just deform the Cap making it harder to remove but I had to try something??? Otherwise I'm afraid I'll have to redrain the coolant to remove the fan and a certain amount of oil before removing the Oil Filter Housing and resorting to Sawing the Cap offf with some sort of cutter that I don't have yet!!! Yikes!!!
Otherwise, I can't wait to see how she should really perform. I'm planning on calibrating the timing of the Cam Adjusters upon start-up with DAS/XENTRY, but being that I've searched long and hard for ANY tech tips regarding this and found NADDA, I'll be crossing my fingers there. Also I'll have to calibrate the Airmatic due both to having new OEM Airmatic front Struts as well as a new level sensor which attaches to the front Control Arm. Not sure about this later case but I do have a grip one the settings necessary for the Struts.
Any insights or pointers would be greatly apprciated otherwise, once I get her started, I'll let you know how it all turned out!
I haven't started the car yet, so there could have been any pressure build-up. I'm thinking of ordering a Weisetec Billet Cap and getting a proper 32mm 1/2inch ratchet and give that a try otherwise I'll attach it to my Dewalt Impact Hammer Drill to drive the Cap out once I get it to operating temperature to see if the heat expanding the housing might help. I must admit using the vice-grips may just deform the Cap making it harder to remove but I had to try something??? Otherwise I'm afraid I'll have to redrain the coolant to remove the fan and a certain amount of oil before removing the Oil Filter Housing and resorting to Sawing the Cap offf with some sort of cutter that I don't have yet!!! Yikes!!!
Otherwise, I can't wait to see how she should really perform. I'm planning on calibrating the timing of the Cam Adjusters upon start-up with DAS/XENTRY, but being that I've searched long and hard for ANY tech tips regarding this and found NADDA, I'll be crossing my fingers there. Also I'll have to calibrate the Airmatic due both to having new OEM Airmatic front Struts as well as a new level sensor which attaches to the front Control Arm. Not sure about this later case but I do have a grip one the settings necessary for the Struts.
Any insights or pointers would be greatly apprciated otherwise, once I get her started, I'll let you know how it all turned out!
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
Who in their right mind torques on a oil cap, when your just supposed to tighten it by hand.
#3
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2013 ML350 Bluetec
turn the cap until the O ring engages the housing, then turn it until you feel the plastic cap touch the housing. Done.
Of course, none of that helps you with your current predicament.
Heat, ATF, penetrating oil, and a prayer. Hopefully you lubed the o-ring on the cap prior to assembly?
Of course, none of that helps you with your current predicament.
Heat, ATF, penetrating oil, and a prayer. Hopefully you lubed the o-ring on the cap prior to assembly?
#5
Junior Member
Yeah the o ring is probably jacked up and is seized. MAKE SURE WHEN YOU DO GET IT OFF THE O RING DOES NOT BREAK AND FALL INTO YOUR SUMP!!! I can imagine that would suck 🤧
#6
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#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Well now I know but WIS actually states for one to tighten the Oil cap to 20Nm!! Believe me I was scratching my head on that one while I was torquing it down��! So I ended up ordering a metal Oil cap removal tool with a 3/8 fitting. Where that 3/8 fitting was attached, it was riveted as compared to having been brazed. Well, as I was attempting removal of said Cap, that riveted piece snapped off!! I ended up taking it to a local shop where they Brazed it back on, top side this time to give more room for that external topside nut. Went and gave it another try and it worked. Never going to torque it on there again, I can tell you....
Last edited by E63007; 01-16-2019 at 08:43 AM.
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#8
Member
I used one of those cheap oil filter grips the first change I ever did on my E55 and succeeded in breaking it loose, but I also scratched up the filter housing to no end. I would recommend going to Autozone and buying an 84 mm filter wrench for a few bucks and then putting it on the end of a 2 ft breaker bar. Depending on the angle of the filter housing you may need to use a universal extension to get it to fit, but the breaker bar should pop it right out. It gives you a TON of torque. If it still isn’t moving, maybe hit the end of the bar with a rubber mallet. Good luck
#9
MBWorld Fanatic!
I used one of those cheap oil filter grips the first change I ever did on my E55 and succeeded in breaking it loose, but I also scratched up the filter housing to no end. I would recommend going to Autozone and buying an 84 mm filter wrench for a few bucks and then putting it on the end of a 2 ft breaker bar. Depending on the angle of the filter housing you may need to use a universal extension to get it to fit, but the breaker bar should pop it right out. It gives you a TON of torque. If it still isn’t moving, maybe hit the end of the bar with a rubber mallet. Good luck
#10
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#11
MBWorld Fanatic!
No oil filter cap should be torqued on so hard that you need a breaker bar to remove it. I tighten mine by hand, then use a 38mm socket to tighten it done, that's it.
And removing it, is just that easy.
And removing it, is just that easy.
#12
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#13
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