I changed the oil on my 95 s420 and the oil pressure isn't registering. I'm scared to start the car up. Why could this be? I followed the directions in the D.I.Y. section. I had a small metal ring in the package along wth the filter and the seals. I didnt know what to do with that. I still have it. Could that be the problem? I drained and added the oil with the front end proped up on ramps. Could I have done something wrong? Please help I need to get to work in the morning!

That little small ring is the replacemant washer for your drain plug. I don't think you left your engine on long enough to get oil through your oil filter. There is a little time there when there is no oil pressure showing on the guage. I usually turn the engine off and on a few times till the pressure starts showing , than I will let the engine run. It always shows no pressure on first start up after oil change. To help it along you could fill the oil filter housing with oil, I never do it , but on my American cars I feel the oil filter with oil, than put it on, and it still shows no oil pressure for a few seconds

__________________
Rich

1990 300CE
71 Chevelle SS 454

I'm not familiar with this particular engine, but I'm sure that draining on a ramp is not the problem. I believe the metal ring is the drain plug gasket, this won't cause oil pressure problems, only possibly a leak if not present.

I'm sure someone that knows this particular oil filter will chime in soon. How long did you run the engine before shutting it off. It will sometimes take four or five seconds to pick up enough oil to fill the new filter and build pressure.

Hope this helps,

Start it again and kill the engine if you don't get oil pressure within 10 seconds max. Hopefully the engine is still well lubricated. That is why you really dont want to do overnight oil changes because the residual coating of oil in the engine will eventually drain off and that first startup would be very stressful for the engine. You could open the oil filter cannister again to make sure everything is in order but I think that you didn't let the engine run enough. The metal ring is a crush washer that you should have replaced; but it wouldnt cause no oil pressure. Another scenario is that your oil pressure sender broke (common problem on the engines) but first see if it you get any oil pressure after 10s.

first of all the washer(copper) that comes with your filter is for the bolt that tightens down the filter housing.i usually don't replace it every oil change.you could use it on your oil pan but now that oil is in there it's not worth it.do a search on priming the engine prior to start-up.it will take a couple of seconds to come up to full pressure

__________________
'95 s500 (bought for wife but can't bear to share!!!) 125kms
'92 legend 180kms
'88 tbirdturbo(fantastic car-only regular maint.)120kms
'87 mustang gt(gone)
'86 tbirdturbo(gone)
'85 mustang gt(gone-but not forgotten)

Actually copper usually goes on the drain plug and aluminium goes on the oil filter housing. Oil pressure should register within ten secs. If you are worried disconnect the ingnition coil and run the engine with the starter, again it should only take about 10 secs at most to register engine oil pressure.
good luck.
m

__________________
Martin Ingram
Colorado Springs
2005 320 CDI
2006.5 VW Jetta TDI
1991 560SEL (179000 Sold)
1972 280SEL 4.5 ('The Lead Sled' 320000 miles when sold.)
1972 220D (225000 when sold)

royaiii,

I have taken apart engines that have not been started in weeks and found a full film of oil at the crankshaft journals. The oil does NOT drain off the journals.

Overnight oil drains get a LOT of extra gunk out of the engine.
Those last drops are the sludgiest of the stuff that comes out.

The original engine in my 240D went 380,000 miles with NOTHING BUT overnight or over weekend oil changes. There were plenty of things worn out in the engine as you might expect. But the bearings looked like new and the crankshaft mic'ed out perfect and did not need turning or even polishing.

Have a great day,
Change oil hot and change oil often.