Let's talk oil filter changing
 

my gas cars have 3 buck oil filters while this diesel filter is 12 bucks. The 300 d filter seems to dump itself clean when you pull it. What say you about changing oil and not filter.? Is there a technique you use? Mike

There are times I change the filter, but not the oil.

Vise-a-versa, no.

The oil in your gas car is also not carrying nearly as much detritus as the oil in your diesel engine. It's safe to assume that the diesel filter is working much harder to keep the oil clean, and is therefore more expensive.

Considering how critical of a component it is, and the relatively low frequency of oil changes, is it really worth skipping the filter change in an effort to save ~$10 every few thousand miles?

You can find good/OEM quality OM616/7 filters for as little as $7-8 online.

Pay me now or pay me later
 

Even at $13, and todays oil prices, oil and filters are cheap. Engines, especially MB engines are $pen$ive.

Concerning the Gassers, try to find Bob the Oil Guy in a google search. Lots of info on gasser Oil Filters and you find out they are all not created equal. A $3 Oil filter may not be a good deal.

There is at least 2 extensive threads on Oil Filters for 617.952 Engines.

Thx diesel911, my search for oil filters did not pull much, when I added oil filters 617, I found the thread you mentioned. Here is why I ask about oil filter. The blow by tube that goes to the air cleaner, popped of fthe fitting, lost some oil and dip stick level is in the low. Do I pour new oil in the dirty oil? Or Drain dirty oil, re fill with clean oil? Or get a filter and do the whole job right? Mike

Oil will drain from your filter after stopping , and let the engine stand for a little So then it will have no oil inside the filter when you change it .Its a good thing realy , as some filters are located in tight location and you have no oil spillage . I can only say this about the pettrol engines only

R..ka...o.com has a choice of oil filters for under $8, including Mann, Mahle, and Bosch. The filters on Merc Diesels are two stage...one stage is full flow, the other is bypass. A bit more complicated than gas filters. So I don't understand the question of cost.

As for when to change, I always change the filter when I change the oil. But not before. If I'm just topping up, no need.

If it's due for an oil and filter change, change them. If not due, just low, add new oil.

On the 60x engines you can remove the bypass tube or just loosen the filter top to allow air in and the filter housing will drain into the engine while you're waiting for your Topsider to suck the pan dry (or other method), and change the filter relatively drip-free.

There have been many (too many) oil and filter threads, lots of research. However, I have found that many of the major filter brands are not making their own filters for these cars, open a box and compare to the Mahle et al filters, you will find that you can find the filter that you want with major brand name boxes around them.

That depends on how close you are to what you believe is your time to change the Oil.

I will have to let someone else tell at what milage you should normally change the Oil as I don't remember what the Mercedes recommended milage is.

when I was in trade school I was taught that lots and lots of Freeway driving and or at full load like pulling a Trailer was considered sever and the same with if you make a lot of short trips where you are driving a lot with the Engine seldom reaches operating temp.
So either of those typed of driving should have your Oil being changed earlier and Owners Manuals usually have an Oil Change milage for sever driving.

In my own case the Mercedes seldom gets driven more then 5.000 miles a year in mixed city and short Freeway trip driving. So for me I feel once a year Oil Change is enough and inbetween I add make up Oil to keep the Oil level normal.

Also in my own case I have added a bypass Oil filter to the system so I don't have to worry about what stock Oil Filter I buy as the bypass Oil Filter filters way finer then the stock one does.

One of our members went through a lot of trouble to organize the impoatant threads by catagory or the part being worked on to reduce the searching.
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Actually on a 616.952 there is an anti-drain valve located inside of and on the lower 1/3 the Tube that attaches to the Oil Filter Cap. That helps keep the Oil inside of the Filter Housing.

However, eventually the Oil drains back through the Oil Pump and back in to the Crankcase if the Engine sits long enough for that to happen.

It will also drain faster if the 2 O-rings at the bottom of that tube are not sealing well.

What I do is pop the lid off a up 1/2 inch or so to pull the Tube up and go do something else for a bit and when I come back the Oil has drained out of the Housing.

Comment on Oil Consmuption. Lots of Members have said they were supprised when they went on a long trip on the Freeway that lost more Oil than anticipeted.

I experienced the same thing. I went on a 180 mile trip and used up at least 3/4ths+ quarts of oil.

Ok , I,m doing the full oil filter change,, looks like one of the o rings in the oil filter stem cap has a crack so I need to get a set. Filter was 13 bucks STP.. Since my speedo cable broke, I guess I will oil change based on mile guesstimating. Lots of great info.

Oil filter drain back is a bad thing, it leads to dry starts / sometimes tapping valves with hydraulic lash adjusters. Many spin on oil filters have an anti drain back to prevent oil from leaking back through the oil pump. I'm not sure if canister filters have such a device.

My M104 has a valve at the base of the filter housing that allows oil to drain into the pan when the element is removed. Perhaps this is what you are seeing.

As for when to change a filter, there are 2 parameters. Pressure drop across the element and deterioration of the element media.

If you put a pressure gauge at the inlet and outlet of the filter you can see pressure drop. A higher pressure differential = clogged filter. For this test to be valid the fluid needs to be at a temperature where even a new element isn't a restriction.

Over time filter media can deteriorate due to moisture , chemical attack and plain fatigue. This is harder to measure unless you take a new filter apart and test the media.