I have a 1980 300d. Today while doing a bunch of other stuff I did a routine oil change. Put my eight quarts in and went to start it up! shortly after I hear a pop and oil is spraying everywhere out of my housing!
turned off the car and did save the motor.
The threading and nut blew off of the housing, from one side. I tried to just re thread it back in just to see what would happen. started again, still squirting. is this simple thread-lock and re-tighten or do I have a clog somewhere creating massive pressure for it to blow it off?

I don't suppose you noticed what your oil pressure reading on the dash was?

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More likely a stripped stud or nut.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

oil pressure was reading fine in the dash @ 3. thought maybe I over filled?

x2

Yeah, stripped bolt and nut X3. I doubt whether these cars build up enough oil pressure to blow the lid off the oil filter housing without bursting the oil pressure hoses to the oil cooler!

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I am not suggesting that abnormal oil pressure was a factor, but if it had been, you wouldn't know it by observing a gauge that pegs at about 35% of normal oil pressure.

The bolt holding the top on is pressed (i think) into the top of the housing and will eventually pull out

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1981 300SD 512k OM603

How do you know you saved the motor? What are the time limits w/o any oil pressure at idle?

In addition to the stripped nut, 'perhaps' you have an issue with the oil pressure relief valve. 'Clogging' would only cause this valve to open up, but it would take great effort to 'clog' this oil system.

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If for some reason there was too much oil pressure there is a Bypass Valve inside of the Oil Filter housing.
There is several threads on dealing with stripped stud holes on the oil filter housing.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Back a few years (10+) my mom's 300TD blew the top of the oil filter housing off. It had been parked overnight. She started it and backed out of the garage. She noticed an 8" wide black stripe down the driveway and shut it down. The report from the garage was that an oil passage became clogged and the oil pressure blew the lid off the filter housing.

-Tad

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1995 G320
2003 C230 Kompressor Coupe
2005 ML500
2007 ML350

how long was it running before she shut it down?

how long did the car last afterwards?

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It ran for a short idle while she adjuster the mirrors, etc. Then was driven probably 35'. It lasted a decade+ and lots of miles. Never missed a beat.

-Tad

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1995 G320
2003 C230 Kompressor Coupe
2005 ML500
2007 ML350

how did she find the clog? i think i have same thing. lid didn't blow off, but oil spurting and pouring out of filter housing even after i tightened down the bolts. system has to be clogged/backed up somewhere because it's really spurting out oil if i even start it. don't know how/where to start looking. maybe drain all oil and see if something comes out? how would i check for blockage? thanks anyone.

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1982 300TD, 265k
1984 300D, 282k

I was crawling under the 82 while installing the block heater and noticed some oil dripping down the outside of the oil filter housing. Not a lot but noticeable. I haven't done anymore investigating, like checking to see if the nuts and studs are tight but tomorrow I will. This car uses some oil but I have not seen any wet spots on the garage floor although it apparently has a few weepy areas like the aforementioned that don't quite drip off the car. They all bear checking.

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1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily