-8° weather ...oil coming out oil filtercase

[minsk]

its -8° here today.
new gps
new battery
went to start mathilda... nothing...multiple cycle on pgs
opened the hood
to see oil
seeping out of the top of the oil filter case
hmmm
is this a normal sub zero cold weather thing?
also
the fuel lines feel frozen.

1982 300d mercedes with 150k

[Diesel911]

Change the O-ring; overtightening the Nuts just strips threads.

Also People have said said that the various Oil Filter Kits don't all have O-rings that fit well.

More extreme: Remove the Oil Filter Top and degrease it with Brake Cleaner and coat from the O-ring up with a thin layer of Silicon Sealant an re-install it. Do this during the day so there is some possiblilty that the Silicon will Cure after 4 hours or so.
A Hair Dryer/Blower to keep the Oil Fitler Top warm would speed up the cure time.

When I worked in a Fuel Injecting Shop we rebuilt a Fuel Injection Pump for a Man from Alaske. The Gasket Kit came with Nylon Pipe Plugs.

When he got back to Alaska he found that at night the Nylon Plugs seeped Fuel until the Engine was warmed up (It was a Generator Engine inside of a Shed).
Evidently the Nylon shrank in the cold.

A Steel Plug fixed it.

[minsk]

hmm..it came wit a new o-ring
sorry didnt mention new oil filter and rings and copper washer
is this a normal sub degree thing to happen?

[charmalu]

What filter did you use? I know a Wix filter comes with a new "O" Ring, but it won`t stay on when placing the Lid on the base. It keeps falling off getting it seated,, have to keep a finger on each side till it is all the way down.

It could be the cold has shrunk the "O" Ring a bit like you are speculating, especially if it is one like the Wix.
I have never experienced the temps you guys see.

The Mann Filter "O" Rings fit tighter on the lid.

X2 don`t crank down on the Nuts, as you can strip out the Studds that are screwed into the aluminum Housing.

Remove the Lid, remove the "O" Ring, clean it off with some alcohol, gas or something to clean the oil off, and the same with the Lid and base. Put it back together. Being squeaky clean might make a better seal.
I would try this first before gooping it up with some type of sealant.

I keep my old "O" Rings from the oil changes, have them hanging on a nail in the Barn. Don`t ask, guess that goes along with saving old rubber bands, tying pieces of string together etc... .... but anyway if I ever need one for some reason,......


Charlie

[minsk]

i only use mann

[minsk]

ugh.
ten ° here.
still cant start
cleaned o-ring
put back on oil filter holder
cranks and cranks wont turn over
oil still slipping out of oil filter container

hand pumped feul
are we thinking my oil is like molasses and thats why it wont start?

[Diesel911]

I have not read of others having the Oil Leak you speak of during cold weather.

Do you have something like w5-w30 Oil in the Engine or is it a single viscosity like W30?

[minsk]

grr.
its 23 here now.
mathilda should start.
shes not even coming close to starting
dont understand what could be wrong
its like shes not getting spark
has new glow plugs
has new battery

grrrrr

[uberwasser]

If the battery and glow plugs are working and it's cranking vigorously then it's fuel or air, with fuel being more likely.

What are you running in the tank? Any alternative fuels?

[gear-head]

but I've often heard many stories of diesel fuel gel-ing up when temperatures get as low as you've been seeing there, sub zero and all...

I have no real idea what would be the best thing to do, just a suggestion, using a hair blow dryer, maybe, warm up the fuel injection pump and the lines, maybe thaw out the fuel where it will flow and spray into a mist out of the injectors better?

I do know at most truck stops, especially up north, they sell fuel additives for prevention of fuel gel-ing.

just my 2 cents, fwiw, ymmv

[mach4]

23 should be warm enough to start.

Get some heat in the engine bay - maybe a few 100 watt light bulbs (if you can still find them...) One by the oil filter, one by the IP and one by the turbo [more heat the better]
Get some heat on the oil pan - a tray of charcoal should be a good source to heat and thin the oil [more heat the better]
Maybe do a filter change just to be safe. [eliminate clogged filter or ice as the problem]
Get a jug of good diesel and disconnect your supply and feed lines and put them directly in the jug like you're doing a diesel purge. If the fuel is at all thick, add a bit of RUG to thin it out. Crack your injector lines to make sure you've got fuel out of the IP [eliminate bad fuel and tank strainer and ice as the problem]
Double check your glow plugs [even new one can go bad, and even one failed one will be a problem]
Make sure your glow plug relay is working [check the fuse on the GP relay]
Hair dryer in the intake during cranking [the more heat the better]

I guess if all else fails you could use the Mongolian Block Heater trick...