NO :( :( OIL CHANGE PLACE SCREWED UP

[marco5]

OMG. SO I had a oil change done today. I always watch the oil pressure gauge. So I noticed while stopped after the oil change, that oil pressure dipped to just above 1. Not normal as it's always 1.75. So I watched it closely.

Drove to my parents about 30KM away and watched the pressure like a hawk, pegged while driving but when stopped again, fell to just 1 and not below. Gave it a little gas to it rose to 1.5.

Parked, took oil filter apart, oil leaked out immediately as soon as I undid the bolts (they were over tightened), seemed to be very high pressure. Thought this was very odd. Took the oil filter out and saw the oil filter oring, from the previous filter that goes at the very top of the oil filter, in the oil intake area . Oil can still go through but it's slightly restricted. So they put the oil filter over this oil rubber oring, that's supposed to be on the top of the oil drain area that goes to the bearings, and this was semi restricting the oil!

I'm panicking pretty bad right now. I took the oil cap off when the car is running and I saw a semi, slight, little bit of steam. I've never seen steam before. The oil cap does not move at all and the steam is barely visible but I swear it didn't have it before. Did I do engine damage? Should I seek a good used/engine? UGH.

[dude99]

The official mercedes minimum spec for oil pressure I believe if 3bar by 3000RPM for the om617. As you never dropped below 1.5 at idle, and had pressure while touching the accelerator, I'd say your probably fine.

[jbach36]

I got a MityVac oil extractor which now makes my oil changes a lot easier. No getting underneath the car anymore. Just suck the stuff out directly from the oil dipstick and when empty, refill with new. Putting on a new filter is no big deal. DO make sure you get a QUALITY brand. I use MANN filters. Do NOT get the cheap look-a-likes from China.

Do it yourself because it's not hard, saves you money, and you'll know it's done right (if you didn't screw it up!).

[tjts1]

What engine are you talking about? Why did you keep driving it when pressure was obviously too low?

[marco5]

Om617, 1985 Mercedes 300D. It wasn’t bad, it was just slightly lower at idle. Like 0.3 bar lol. While driving it was capped.

[Diseasel300]

Now you know why a lot of us do our own oil changes. The job requirement to work at an oil change place is to have a pulse, beyond that any additional skills are superfluous. Having lost TWO oil drain plugs from not having them tightened and a major oil leak from a filter being double gasketed, I've changed my own oil for 20 years and refuse to let anyone else do it.

Since you had oil pressure, and you had adequate oil pressure when the RPM was raised, I doubt you did any major damage if any damage at all.

Seeing smoke/steam in the valve cover is normal. I'd be more concerned if there was none when the engine is fully up to temp. When you worry is when it starts blowing out the filler cap when you remove the cap.

Fix the filter, top off the oil level, and drive on knowing you have a well-made car.

Also learn to change your own oil. It's cheaper and you don't have to worry about someone with the IQ of a jellyfish working on something that can wreck your engine in seconds if they do it wrong. You have 100% control of what goes in your engine, what filters you use, and how the process is done. If you're meticulous in your process, you'll never have a problem and you can sleep easy at night knowing the job was done properly.

[Sugar Bear]

If the problem continues find out what weight oil they used...it may be getting another oil change VERY soon!

[marco5]

15w40. How do you miss a piece of rubber in the housing? What a ****ing idiot.grr.

So you guys think no engine damage?

[ROLLGUY]

Originally Posted by Sugar Bear

If the problem continues find out what weight oil they used...it may be getting another oil change VERY soon!

Agreed! If it is not Diesel rated, it is the wrong oil. Be sure to check that before driving it too much. Sometimes those oil change places will just put in the weight for the season, and not care (or know) if the oil is Diesel rated. Again, another reason to do your own oil changes.

[97 SL320]

Originally Posted by marco5

OMG. SO I had a oil change done today. I always watch the oil pressure gauge. So I noticed while stopped after the oil change, that oil pressure dipped to just above 1. Not normal as it's always 1.75. So I watched it closely.

What weight of oil did they use and what was in the engine before? Thinner oil will result in lower oil pressure.

Originally Posted by marco5

Parked, took oil filter apart, oil leaked out immediately as soon as I undid the bolts (they were over tightened), seemed to be very high pressure. Thought this was very odd. Took the oil filter out and saw the oil filter oring, from the previous filter that goes at the very top of the oil filter, in the oil intake area . Oil can still go through but it's slightly restricted. So they put the oil filter over this oil rubber oring, that's supposed to be on the top of the oil drain area that goes to the bearings, and this was semi restricting the oil!

For any oil filter I've dealt with, oil flows from the outside of the filter element and exits through the center tube. I'd expect MB to follow this convention. If this is different, someone please post a cut away of the canister / element.

Are you speaking of a sub 1" o ring / seal? At idle, oil flow is low and increases with engine speed so any restriction would be evident at speed not idle. If you had good oil pressure at speed, there was not any restriction.

Originally Posted by marco5

I'm panicking pretty bad right now. I took the oil cap off when the car is running and I saw a semi, slight, little bit of steam. I've never seen steam before. The oil cap does not move at all and the steam is barely visible but I swear it didn't have it before.

There is no way piston rings ( that control blow by to the crankcase ) would be damaged this rapidly even if you drove with zero oil.

Originally Posted by marco5

Did I do engine damage? Should I seek a good used/engine? UGH.

Don't let blind panic drive you to a rash decision, restack the o rings and drive on.

[marco5]

Ive calmed down. There’s no damage. It was just 1.2 at idle instead of 1.75.

It was diesel rated 15w40 quality oil. There’s a oring on top of the oil filter at the very top of the filter. The tech out this ****ing oring on the intake tube at the bottom of the oil filter housing.

This restricted oil flow by .3-.5 at idle. Bringing oil flow to 1.1-1.2 at idle. So stupid. So stupid. I’m doing all future oil changes.

[marco5]

Once I removed this oring, the oil pressure went to 1.75 again. All things went back to normal once removed. I just noticed a small bit of myst when I removed oil filler cap. Almost nothing but still noticeable if focusing. It’s just me over thinking the situation. The oil filler cap won’t even move on it when running.

[marco5]

How can you screw an oil change up? Honestly. I’m going to bed. I’ve given up.

[barry12345]

Originally Posted by marco5

How can you screw an oil change up? Honestly. I’m going to bed. I’ve given up.

The oil change places just do it more often on unfamiliar cars. Like ours.

It is so easy and fast using a syphon removal system. Plus you can save money and have the better German branded oil filter.

I was convinced totally years ago. I saw a name brand aftermarket filter apart. In comparison to the German label filter also opened up for comparison. It may have had only ten percent of the folded filter medium inside. A total joke in comparison. This was on oil filters for Volkswagon.

Another sad fact is the oil change places often employ people that have little to no automotive aptitude. Or they would not be changing oil for a living. Far to much easy type auto service is treated as a major profit center today as well.

One of our daily driven cars costs well north of 100 dollars to have the oil and filter changed. I get the right oil for thirty eight dollars. When on sale in Canada and the proper filter is ten dollars.

Five gallon buckets of Shells Rottela T4 are probably cheap when on sale in America. A decent diesel rated oil for the 123 engines in my opinion.

You will probably save enough money to at least buy a new set of tires when needed doing it yourself.

Your post reminded me that the wives car needs an oil change now as well. It was slightly over when I checked the oil in it last week. She never does. All highway use and I should change the brake fluid out as well this time.

[vstech]

I'm not following what oil filter oring they doubled.

There is two small orings at the bottom of the lid shaft, and one large oring on top of the cannister...