Greetings Jim,

I wished I had saved the filter, but it's part of our future oil reserves in the making now. I did look on the interior of the filter before discarding it and the interior metal was not deformed in the least. Whatever the pressure was that was applied, it was most likely a vacuum from the interior of the filter assembly. Looking at the oil flow diagraphm in the manual, I still find it hard to believe that the pressure or vacuum could be that great to collapse a filter like that unless oil suction pressure became so great and the bypass valve didn't open forcing oil to be pulled from the top filter only and sheer volume of oil created the collapse. Hey, I'm open to ideas as I still have four Hengst filters to use up. I think I'll pull the lid off the filter assembly when I get a day I'm not at work and blow the center tube clean with air to see if that has an impact on operation.

Charles

__________________
"Tell me and I will listen, Teach me and I will learn, Show me and I will accomplish, Involve me and I will succeed."
'84 300SD 256,000 Gold on Brown (Mileage Award)
'86 300E 246,000 Blue on Tan