Hi,

Put new Rotella and a filter in my 300SD last night. The lower 1/3 of the media visible had seperated from the top part of the filter. I had to pull that out with pliers. Anyone else had this experience? Anything I should be concerned about?

BTW I bought a box of 6 1 gallon containers of Rotella 15-40 at Costco for 36.95. Not bad at all. Three oil changes there.

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My Daily : 96 E-300 Diesel with 195,000 miles
Retired: 92 300D 2.5 T 345K miles and for sale
Retired: 95 E320 157K miles and currently parked with blown engine

Both retired cars are for sale as is my w124 shop inventory

What brand filter are you using?
FYI Walmart sells Delo 400 15 w 40 which is a much better oil for something like $5 .79 a gallon

I have had that happen with Mann filters more than once....I do not use Mann anymore.

Don

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1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

When I was a po' college student I used a couple of the STP brand India-made filters. I noticed that if I let one go an inch past 3000 miles, I'd be pulling it out in two pieces.

These were the Autozone filter.. by the way, I looked at a Purolator or some other brand filter in Advance once, and it had "MANN" stamped on it. Checked again a few months later, and it was an india special.

Just wondering, but did you buy the filters at a local store?

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'82 300SD 351k

The one I pulled was a Mann. I put a purulator in this time. I'll see if it was marked when I pull it out.

__________________
My Daily : 96 E-300 Diesel with 195,000 miles
Retired: 92 300D 2.5 T 345K miles and for sale
Retired: 95 E320 157K miles and currently parked with blown engine

Both retired cars are for sale as is my w124 shop inventory

Delo is the funny looking container? Its ok. Who says it is a much better oil? I imagine all the high end heavy duty diesel oils are fairly similar. Rotella has been the marquis brand for a long time. I will decide which one I like best. Plus Walmart has different prices in different markets....

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My Daily : 96 E-300 Diesel with 195,000 miles
Retired: 92 300D 2.5 T 345K miles and for sale
Retired: 95 E320 157K miles and currently parked with blown engine

Both retired cars are for sale as is my w124 shop inventory

My last oil change had a "two-piece" Mann filter when I removed the old one. I've never had that happen before and was hoping it was just a one time thing...... maybe not?

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1985 300D Turbo ~225k
2000 F350 (Powerstroke) 4X4, SWB, CC, SRW, 6spd ~148k
1999 International 4900, DT466e (250hp/660 ft/lbs), Allison MD3060 ~73k

Independent testing says that Delo is a better oil, I don't know about being MUCH better though. Rotella has a higher parafin content and Delo multigrade has shown to maintain it's viscosity index improver effectiveness over a longer period of time and heat cycle conditions.

As far as popularity, Delo is used by the truckers every bit as much if not more so than Rotella. In fact I expect that with the truckers Delvac is probably used more than Rotella.

All that said, it is splitting hairs. All of them are excellent oils for a diesel engine. I wouldn't hesitate to run Rotella if that was all I could get.

Have a great day,

I have had this happen to me twice---both times with a Mann filter. The first time I thought it was a fluke, but the second time confirmed it for me. I prefer the Hengst oil filters. However, I just did an oil change last night, and in a pinch, had to install a Purolator (made in India). I'll be interested to see if I get one or two pieces in 5,000miles.

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1984 300TD Wagon--Astral Silver--Retired
1983 300TD Wagon--Dark Blue--Retired

Odd...

I've run 3 MANN filters in my 300SD (its the main brand of Halsey Import) and have never had such problems. I even railed on one back in the day to see what was inside it (the cotton gin thing) and it still didn't seperate.
Just weird that some do it, some don't...

BTW on the ones I have ran...I am pushing 6-8k on synthetic or 3-4k on standard..

I believe some Mann filters are now made in India.

Happened to me a couple of times. Switched to Hengst,,,, problem gone.

I buy ALL my filters from Fastlane. Support the site!

I use Purolator filters and never had any problems.

Danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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I'll check out the Hengst next time. Thanks for the info Larry. That analysis makes sense. I'm sure Rotella and Delvac will work their formulas to try to exceed Delo. Competition and the free market are a great thing.

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My Daily : 96 E-300 Diesel with 195,000 miles
Retired: 92 300D 2.5 T 345K miles and for sale
Retired: 95 E320 157K miles and currently parked with blown engine

Both retired cars are for sale as is my w124 shop inventory

'Delo' is a brand that I have never before heard of. Shell's Rotella is a well known brand here - but Mercedes Benz of Canada recommends only Quaker State 15-40 HDX; including Quaker State Trans.and Power steering luibricants. Maybe they have a vested interest?

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1984 300SD TURBO DIESEL