Filter Foibles
 

The story of my first DIY oil change on my recent 1976 300D purchase:

First, I went to my local NAPA to order the filter. I told them what I had, and the guy went through his books in short order- said "inline 5?" I said "yup". So, after 2 days the filter arrives and I picked it up, then proceeded to local truck stop to get 8 quarts of REAL 10W30 diesel oil.

Now, I get home, jack up the front of the car, and crawl under with my 17mm socket and remove the filter. Oil everywhere, but that's an old story. Immediately I noticed that the filter I got from NAPA was twice as long as the one in my car, "it figures" I say. (I should be posting on the Vintage Forum, I know, I know!) Anyway, NAPA is now closed for the evening, so I simply proceed to drain the crankcase and plan to hit NAPA first thing this morning. They went back to their books and kind of scratch their heads- on a hunch I told them to check listing for 240D instead of 300D. Now it says that for a '76, they're the same, but if they go back to '75, they are different. NOW, I got lucky- the '75 240D filter they had right in the store! Why? Because it's the same filter as for a freakin' Massey Fergusen tractor! I had my old filter with me, dripping black blood into a plastic bag- we held them side by side and compared dameters- pretty close we all agreed, so he refunds me the difference and I head home.

When I opened the box, there are special instructions inside "for use with Mercedes Benz autos". Excellent! Basically all it said was to use the plastic disk, which I had, and not to use the supplied O-Ring- use the MB one instead. Great!

So, underneath I go, with the assembly, including the disk, but for the life of me I couldn't get the housing bolt to engage into the engine block. I'm not a burley mechanic, so someone with more strength might have done it, but I couldn't. So, after almost breaking my arm I took a closer look. I noted that compared to the old filter, the Massey F one seemed to rise out of the housing by about 1/8" more, and also it had a metal rise in the centre about another 1/8" which adds 1/4" to the total height. So I decided to install the thing without the disk, even though the special instructions said to use it. Ha- it bolted right up- a few quick turns of the ratchet and I was in business.

Now, I poured in my oil, fired up the engine, and watched the oil pressure build to max, which seems to be normal on my car until fully warmed up, then it will drop to half at slow idle. I quickly peered underneath looking for leaks. Kept peering- no leaks. Went back to look at pressure guage- still at max. Let engine warm up- pressure dropped to half. Everything seems normal.

So far no disaster, but I have a question for the experts- is there anything about using this tractor filter without the disk that would make you say "don't drive that car! Get the right parts and have it towed to a garage"? Naturally I'm going to keep a close eye for leaks, dropping pressure and oil loss on the dipstick, and my next oil change, before I put "Pearl" away for the winter will be done at MB dealer with the exact right filter, and the disk. But am I in serious jeopardy until then? Is anyone else aware, or experienced with the tractor oil filter?

Dave Milton

White '76 W115 300D- "Pearl"
'98 Chevy Cavalier- wife-mobile and "just in case"

10w-30 oil does not belong in a Mercedes. Get a proper 15w-40 diesel oil, Delo 400, Pennzoil, Rotella ect.

Isn't changing the oil on a diesel fun.:D It stains everything it touches and just makes a mess.

I guess the 9 months I've been using 5w40 Delvac 1 synthetic for diesels in my 240D means I am wrong in using the oil. :eek: Been using it for four years in my VW diesels with excellent results. Love theose 10,000 mile oil changes in the VW's. I will send in an oil sample at 5,000 miles on this last change to see how it's holding up with the soot and acids.

Gettin' Cool Here
 

As things start to chill down here in Atlantic Canada, the 15w-40 starts getting rather thick. My past experience with Diesel VW's was to use 10w-30 in winter and 15w-40 in summer, as long as it was true Diesel oil. I don't plan to run Pearl after first week of December- she won't come out of the barn again until end of April, but cold cranking conditions are already getting cool here. WE are blessed (?) here with the Irving family empire- perhaps you've heard of them? Anyway, they make a fantastic Diesel oil called IDO, and IDO Premium, both available in 10w-30 and 15w-40. Always has been trucker's choice up here, although Pearl is my first Merc, and she's pretty old- I'll just see how she likes having the thinner blood this time of year. All of the big Irving truck stops have what they call the "Diesel Room" where the bi rig drivers can do everything from take a shower to get new tires for their rigs, and there's plenty of big jugs of IDO to be had

Dave :D

There are 10W-30 rated diesel oils, so as long as that is what you have you are good to go. The C* rating is the most important, this tells you it is a diesel rated oil.

No idea if that tractor filter is compatible or not, but you're getting little or no filtering without the filter disk in there. I would get a proper MB filter and try installing it again.

Palangi- is this because the oil is taking the path of least resistance over the top of the filter if the disk isn't there?

Dave

Palangi,

THe disc is the full flow part and the Tractor filter is the bypass part of the filter system. Without the disc in the filter housing you are not filtering most of the oil going into the bearings and other parts of the engine.

So I suggest you put the disc filter back in.

I don't see any problem with 10W30 oil in cold weather but not when its hot. Why not use a 5W40, 15W40, 5W50 or 15W50 all year long.

P E H

Thanks
 

Thanks to all. I have ordered the correct filter from MB dealer based on VIN of the car, so the disk should fit right with the right filter. Meanwhile, Pearl will remain parked. (I've started installation of a CD Shuttle in her anyway). Great discussion on oil too!

Dave

I should have said Mobil 1 but, some people don't want to spend the money. $50 oil changes are not for the faint of wallet. I run Delvac 1 5w-40 in the winter and Mobil 1 15w-50 in the summer. If it gets real cold up their try Mobil 1 0w-40.

coldwar,

Compare the "tractor" filter to the dealer filter. If the tractor filter is the same size as the dealer filter, it should fit. Seems that when I got a filter for my 220D or 240D it said Hudson or Studebaker on the package. Butthat may have been my 190D.

I know how it is changing filters on the older 240D and 300D before they moved the filter to the top. I could never get the filter can out because the frame was in the way. I think it helps to but a jack under the oil pan and lift the engine slightly. You should put a 2X4 between the engine and the jack.

P E H

WIX part# shows

51010 - List$14.19
Req. M/B F-F Disc
Mercedes-Benz Full-Flow Disc "001845725 Must Be Used With 51010. If "O"

51385 - List$23.90
Oil Filter

My guess is you got the Napa Version of the first one.

Yes- the # on the NAPA box is 1010. But like I said before, this filter adds 1/4" of height to the whole assembly, including disk, so I could not push the housing up with enough force against the spring to get the bolt threads to engage. I had also noticed that the metal "rise" in the centre of the 1010 filter's top plate is of the same diameter as the centre "hub" of the disk itself, yet it would not fill in the vertical space normally occupied by the disk. I don't need a new disk- I simply left it out of the assembly so that the filter would bolt up. When I get the right filter from MB, I'll put the disk back in.

When I gave the MB dealer the VIN number of my car, he gave me this part# for the filter he will be ordering for me- 0001800209, list price $8.17 Canadian (which is pretty cheap).

It would appear to me that the function of this disk is to give enough space for the oil to bypass when the filter becomes plugged. With the disk not there, there should be no danger as long as the filter is not plugged, except that the filter is probably not seated tightly against the spring and so some oil could drift around it instead of through it- kind of a "partial bypass" situation. Anyhow, I hope to have it all back to normal when the new filter comes in next week.

Thanks All!

Could you describe the "disk" you are talking about please? Some of the folks here are assuming that you are refering to the two leafed plastic filter that normally goes above the disposable filter in a W115 style oil filter cannister.

I guess the 9 months I've been using 5w40 Delvac 1 synthetic for diesels in my 240D means I am wrong in using the oil. Been using it for four years in my VW diesels with excellent results. Love theose 10,000 mile oil changes in the VW's. I will send in an oil sample at 5,000 miles on this last change to see how it's holding up with the soot and acids.

I switched over to Delvac 1 in a prior diesel I owned and checked into why Mobil has it at 5W-40 vs. the 15W-40. The Mobil 1 website explains that it is interchangable with 15W-40, in other words, don't worry about it. I have been using it in my TDI as well since it was new. I am going to switch my 300D to synthetic before winter. I just found a local parts store that sells Amsoil for about $3 gallon less than where I get my Delvac. Decisions, decisions :rolleyes: