Could some small piece of debris be caught at the bottom of the oil filter cannister? That would prevent the new filter from going in as far as it should and might keep the lid from sealing completely. Ditto for something caught in the o-ring groove in the lid.

The only other thing I can think of is the two little o-rings on the pipe attached to the lid. If they don't seal correctly (old, hard, cracked) oil might flow up to the top and somehow be forced out under pressure,

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970