I just changed the oil in my new '95 E300 for the first time but couldn't get the top of the oil filter housing off. There wasn't room above it to just pull it off due to weather stripping in front of the windshield wiper. I used to have a 1985 190D and I noticed an additional bolt in the center of the top of the housing connecting the rod on the '95. Am I supposed to remove the bolt to remove the rod?
I figured I'd ask you guys instead of just taking things apart and hoping for the best.
Thanks!

I thought the oil filter in your car with the OM606 engine was like my '96 but maybe they made a change between years. If your oil filter housing is like the older OM603 engines then you have to remove the central bolt first, then the two outer nuts, then the cover will come off. Pulling the weatherstripping out of the way will give you more working room.

__________________

"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

Thanks!

The center "bolt" is the head of a tube which goes down the center of the oil filter housing. Remove the outer nuts and the center "bolt". Then the top of the filter housing will come off. There are no clearance issues at all.

Grab handle on filter cartridge, pull out, and you are good to go. Suggestion, shine a bright light down into the filter housing to check for any rubber grommets which may have come loose from a filter at some point. I found one in my housing when I bought my car. Also does not hurt to fish a magnet around down in the bottom of the housing to pull up any swarf.

And you do not need to tighten the nuts and the "bolt" very tight. There is no stress on those fittings to be overcome. Also, I use the old copper ring from my oil drain plug and put it under the "bolt". If you are anal, you can also change the O rings on the "bolt" tube at some point.

Rgds,
Chris W.
has changed the oil in my '95 E300D MANY times, currently 301,600 miles.

Awesome, I wasn't too far away from asking this question. I am probably a little past the time for changing the oil on my '95.

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John