All of you bring up some good points. I think I'll either pick one up from the dealer or order one from Fastlane. I need to order a set of chrome grill strips anyway...

I'll let everyone know if replacing the filter does in fact raise my maximum running oil pressure above 2.75. I have a feeling that it will...

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08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

Update on my oil pressure readings:

Max oil pressure reading continued to drop as the weeks went by; most recently the pressure would only go up to about 2.4. If I punched the gas on the highway and took the engine to about 6,000 RPM the oil pressure would nudge a little bit higher, about 2.6. At idle the reading would drop to .4 (used to be just under 1.0).

My odometer just rolled over to 130,000 and I have decided to adjust my oil change interval from 3K to 5K. I changed the oil last night using standard 20W50 oil (used Castrol GTX high mileage in the green bottle at AutoZone). But this time I went to the dealer and picked up one of their OEM filters. After driving last night and about an hour into work this morning, guess what - oil gauge is back to normal!!! Steady rock-solid reading of 3 by 1600 RPM, and just under 1 when idling in gear at a stoplight. Looks like the Fram filter was indeed the problem. I will NEVER buy a Fram again!

Just a few observations regarding the OEM filter. Cost me about $13.50 vs. $5.00 for the Fram - a pittance, considering the peace of mind it will give me. Came in the MBZ packaging with a holographic seal and all - pretty nice. Markings said it was made in France. I still have the box and can post a picture if anyone wants to see. But interestingly, the filter itself is only 1/2 the height of the Fram. I asked the service desk guy at the dealer about this. He said MBZ had recently changed the recommended filter to this one and that the old one was in fact twice as tall. I didn't believe him, so he showed me the part number in the computer - sure enough, he was right (not to mention a little ticked that I questioned his credibility). He said even with other manufacturers like GM, the filters have been getting smaller and smaller. Is this true? The filter I got was about the size of one for a GEO Metro (I used to own one, so I know). Is this a good thing?

Because of the height difference, the filter is really recessed way down in there and I could not get my filter wrench around it to tighten. In auto shop class, our anal-retentive teacher taught us to just hand tighten and then go 1/4 turn past that with a wrench. But now a wrench won't get in there, so I just hand tightened as much as I humanly could. It's pretty tight, but for peace of mind I would have liked to get my wrench on it for another 1/4 turn. I noticed on the filter itself it said to only hand tighten - that makes me feel somewhat better. And again, I torqued it in there as tightly as my gorilla grip would allow. I don't think it's going anywhere.

Anyone else get a midget filter from the dealer?

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08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

Oh my god, did you say that you use Fram oil filters. I used to use them, and will never use them again. I only use OEM filters from the dealer or from Bosch. I once changed my oil, and then noticed that I also was only getting about 2.75 on the gauge. I looked at the wiring, and then the sensor as well. Finally decided that it may be the filter. Try a good filter (it is a cheap test to do of course), and then eliminate that as a problem source...

You anal-retentive teacher is correct, and even though you didn't say thanks, I'll go ahead and say: " YOU'RE WELCOME". See posts #5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.


Peter

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Auto Zentral Ltd.

Sorry - in all my excited haste to get this posted, I forgot to give credit where credit was due. Thank you Autozen, you were absolutely right. You saved me from possibly replacing my pressure sending unit. Thanks to everyone for their insight!

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08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

Autozen - what do you think about the midget filter? Could it possibly filter as thoroughly as a bigger filter with twice the element?

__________________
08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

A few engine makers have gone to a smaller filter. Honda does it all the time and Yanmar shrinks one every once in awhile. If it bothers you Fastlane sells the bigger Bosch filters.

Castrol GTX is good stuff I used it in my Camry it really does work. It took 10k miles but my valve seals stopped smoking.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Most of the rice burners including my favorite, Toyota, are going to filters not much bigger than a large lemon. Many many years ago it was advised to change the filter every other oil change. Somehow America got on the idea of changing it every oil change. With the new no lead fuels, better combustion, and improved oils, I don't think there is much need for a huge filter.

Peter

__________________
Auto Zentral Ltd.

Is anybody actually able to explain (and give data) why the more expensive oil filters are better? More expensive does not mean better quality. I usually use Fram or Bosch. (m103). No noticable difference in performance, oil pressure, and after I do an oil change, the oil looks the same in each case.

i had been using "pep boys' special" fram filters on my m103 for about a year after my case of OE filters ran out. then one day out of the blue, the pressure dropped to 2.75. needless-to-say, i made a bee line to the dealer for another case of OE filters. i learned my lesson the hard way as well.

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Jonathan
1998 S600
2001 E430
1994 E320
1991 560SEL
1994 Turbo R

Danwatt,
If you like to shoot craps, I suggest you go to a casino where you can only loose $20.00 instead of an expensive engine.

Peter

__________________
Auto Zentral Ltd.

This is old I know, but I had a tour through the MANN filter factory in Germany in 1987. Was picking up about 12 tons of filters for the UK. They had a shop to test flow and pressure drop as well as a radio active engine test lab'. I also got to see other well known factories during the three years I drove truck to Italy and central Europe. Most of the factories then, making product under licence, seemed to be committed to quality control.

Now, I only buy MANN or OE for all the cars I service and encourage my customers to buy a pack of 6 OE filters and a drain plug washer and carry them in the trunk.

Most filters I have cut open lately of the generic brands have not shown any sign of poor construction or collapse...still....I don't need filter problems, have enough to do keeping up with my regulars vehicles. BMW mostly has an element for a filter like the 240/300D's and you can see the construction.....however, there is no mandated regulation for filtration particle size...no SAE standards, all companies ( Champion Filters, part of Allied I believe, ..) do, is test for burst strength.

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[http://languageandgrammar.com/2008/01/14/youve-got-problems-not-issues/ ]

"A liberal is someone who feels they owe a great debt to their fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money."

You want a nice surprise? Buy a canister style Mann filter for a diesel MB. Cut open the upper part and be ready to see bugs, twigs, and cotton shells. At least for 603's their all junk the OE filters at least use dirty white cotton without rocks, insted of the gray lint looking stuff the cheap filters use.

Unfortunitly the oil filter thread on the diesel forum was deleted. It did have a lot of good usefull info.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I've got, right here in my fat hand, a "Mahle" oil filter for the 603.

This filter is not the same as the one's made in India.

First off, it's made in Austria.

Second, it has "Mahle" and "Knecht" stamped into the top cover.

The outer construction is similar, but it's definitely not the Purolator from India.

We'll see.........................need another 5K miles to find out.

Knecht makes nice fuel filters maybe their oil filters are better.

Come on cut that sucker open I would like to know if their is a better filter before my oil change this week!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200